A molecular perspective on the evolution of scleractinian corals

1996 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 39-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra L. Romano
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Fossil Record ◽  
Nuclear Dna ◽  
Genome Structure ◽  
Divergence Time ◽  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Scleractinian Corals ◽  
Molecular Techniques

The evolutionary history of scleractinian corals, based on morphological taxonomy and inferences from the fossil record, has been poorly understood. Molecular techniques developed over the past ten years are now being used to gain a new perspective on scleractinian phylogeny. DNA sequences, mitochondrial genome structure, and morphological characters support a basal position for the Anthozoa in the phylum Cnidaria. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences suggest a relatively derived position of the order Scleractinia within the class Anthozoa. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences have provided a new hypothesis for evolution within the Scleractinia that is different from hypotheses based on morphological characters of extant and fossil taxa. Groupings within the two major lineages defined by molecular data do not correspond to morphological suborder groupings although groupings of genera within families do correspond to traditional taxonomy. This new molecular hypothesis suggests that the Scleractinia are represented by two major lineages that diverged from each other before the appearance of the scleractinian skeleton in the fossil record. This divergence time supports the hypotheses that the Scleractinia are not related to the Rugosa of the Paleozoic and that the scleractinian skeleton has evolved more than once. These two major lineages may represent two architectural strategies within the Scleractinia that have led to their great morphological diversity.

scholarly journals Nothing in (sponge) biology makes sense – except when based on holotypes

2015 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dirk Erpenbeck ◽  
Merrick Ekins ◽  
Nicole Enghuber ◽  
John N.A. Hooper ◽  
Helmut Lehnert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Reference Material ◽  
Species Identification ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Morphological Plasticity ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Reference Sequences ◽  
Species Descriptions ◽  
Preservation History

Sponge species are infamously difficult to identify for non-experts due to their high morphological plasticity and the paucity of informative morphological characters. The use of molecular techniques certainly helps with species identification, but unfortunately it requires prior reference sequences. Holotypes constitute the best reference material for species identification, however their usage in molecular systematics and taxonomy is scarce and frequently not even attempted, mostly due to their antiquity and preservation history. Here we provide case studies in which we demonstrate the importance of using holotype material to answer phylogenetic and taxonomic questions. We also demonstrate the possibility of sequencing DNA fragments out of century-old holotypes. Furthermore we propose the deposition of DNA sequences in conjunction with new species descriptions.

Sinalliaria, a new genus of Brassicaceae from eastern China, based on morphological and molecular data

Phytotaxa ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 186 (4) ◽  
pp. 188 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying-Ying Zhou ◽  
HONG-WEI ZHANG ◽  
JIANG-QIN HU ◽  
Xiao-Feng Jin
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
New Genus ◽  
Eastern China ◽  
Distinct Group ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
New Combinations ◽  
The Family ◽  
Morphological And Molecular Data ◽  
Seed Testa

Sinalliaria is described here as a new genus of the family Brassicaceae from eastern China, based on the morphological characters and molecular sequences. Sinalliaria differs from the related genus Orychophragmus in having basal leaves petiolate, simple or rarely with 1‒3 lateral lobes (not pinnatisect); cauline leaves petiolate, cordate at base (not sessile, auriculate or amplexicaul at base); petals obovate to narrowly obovate, claw inconspicuous (not broadly obovate, with a claw as along as sepal); siliques truncate (not long-beaked) at apex. The microscopic characters of seed testa also show significant differences between Sinalliaria and Orychophragmus. Phylogenetic evidence from DNA sequences of nuclear ribosomal ITS and plastid region trnL-trnF indicates that Sinalliaria is a distinct group related to Orychophragmus and Raphanus, but these three genera do not form a clade. The new genus Sinalliaria is endemic to eastern China and has only one species and one variety. The new combinations, S. limprichtiana (Pax) X. F. Jin, Y. Y. Zhou & H. W. Zhang and S. limprichtiana var. grandifolia (Z. X. An) X. F. Jin, Y. Y. Zhou & H. W. Zhang are proposed here.

scholarly journals Three new species of the genus Coddingtonia from Asia (Araneae, Theridiosomatidae)

ZooKeys ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 886 ◽  
pp. 113-126
Author(s):  
Chengcheng Feng ◽  
Yucheng Lin
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Current Paper ◽  
Distribution Map ◽  
Three New Species

The current paper expands knowledge of the genus Coddingtonia Miller, Griswold & Yin, 2009. Based on morphological characters and molecular data, three species are documented as new to science: C. erhuan Feng & Lin, sp. nov. (♀) from China, C. lizu Feng & Lin, sp. nov. (♀) from China, and C. huifengi Feng & Lin, sp. nov. (♂♀) from Indonesia. The type of C. euryopoides Miller, Griswold & Yin, 2009 is also reexamined. DNA sequences (COI), detailed illustrations of habitus, male palp and epigyne are provided for these four species, as well as a key and a distribution map for Coddingtonia species.

A new riparian Mantidactylus (Brygoomantis) frog from the Tsaratanana and Manongarivo Massifs in northern Madagascar

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4486 (4) ◽  
pp. 575 ◽  
Author(s):  
MIGUEL VENCES ◽  
ANDREA HILDENBRAND ◽  
KATHARINA M. WARMUTH ◽  
FRANCO ANDREONE ◽  
FRANK GLAW
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Nuclear Dna ◽  
Taxonomic Revision ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Test Case ◽  
Nominal Species ◽  
Type Specimens ◽  
The Status ◽  
Morphological Differences

The subgenus Brygoomantis in the Madagascar-endemic genus Mantidactylus contains 12 nominal species but is in urgent need of taxonomic revision as many additional, genetically divergent but undescribed candidate species have been identified. We here take a first step towards a better resolution of this group by describing a new species, Mantidactylus schulzi sp. nov., occurring at the Tsaratanana and Manongarivo Massifs, differentiated in genetic, bioacoustic and sometimes morphological characters from its closest relatives. We show that upon detailed study, most species in Brygoomantis can be delimited by concordant differentiation of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, and by bioacoustic and morphological differences. We flag this group of morphologically similar frogs as a test case where molecular data on historical type specimens by ancient DNA methods might be needed to reach a satisfying clarification of taxonomy and nomenclature. However, the status of the new species M. schulzi is not in doubt as it is morphologically distinct from most historical type specimens, and microendemic to a region in northern Madagascar from where no earlier names exist. 

An integrated approach for synonymization of Rotylenchus rhomboides with R. goodeyi (Nematoda: Hoplolaimidae) reveals high intraspecific mitogenomic variation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phougeishangbam Rolish Singh ◽  
Bart van de Vossenberg ◽  
Katarzynar Rybarczyk-Mydłowska3 ◽  
Magdalena Kowalewska-Groszkowska ◽  
Wim Bert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Integrated Approach ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Cox1 Gene ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Genome Shotgun Sequence ◽  
Important Character ◽  
Rna Genes ◽  
Level Identification

Rotylenchus is a widely-distributed economically important plant-parasitic nematode group whose species-level identification relies largely on limited morphological characters including character-based tabular keys and molecular data of ribosomal and mitochondrial genes. In this study, a combined morphological and molecular analysis of three populations of R. goodeyi from Belgium, Poland and the Netherlands revealed important character variations of this species leading to synonymisation of R. rhomboides with R. goodeyi, and a high nucleotide variation within cox1 gene sequences in these populations. Additional Illumina sequencing of DNA from individuals of the Dutch population revealed two variants of mitogenomes each of approximately 23 Kb in size, differing by about 9% and containing eleven protein coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes and up to 29 transfer RNA genes. In addition to the first representative whole genome shotgun sequence datasets of the genus Rotylenchus, this study also provides the full length mitogenome and the ribosomal DNA sequences of R. goodeyi.

Male identification, generic classification and sexual dimorphism of Micronychus pardus (Kazantsev, 2018) comb. nov. (Coleoptera: Lycidae: Calochrominae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4657 (1) ◽  
pp. 177-182 ◽  
Author(s):  
MICHAL MOTYKA
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
Sexual Dimorphism ◽  
Species Identification ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Large Specimen ◽  
Molecular Analyses ◽  
Almost All ◽  
First Time

Almost all net-winged beetles are members of Müllerian complexes and their similarity due to phenotypic coevolution sometimes complicates species identification and generic placement. Therefore, large specimen series, detailed exhaustive examination of morphological characters and molecular data are needed to clarify the taxonomic placement. Using mitochondrial DNA sequences, I investigated the sexual dimorphism and generic placement of the recently described species Calochromus pardus Kazantsev, 2018. I found that the species does not belong in Calochromus Guérin-Méneville, 1833 and all morphological characters and molecular analyses point to its placement in Micronychus Motschulsky, 1861. Therefore, Micronychus pardus (Kazantsev, 2018), comb. nov. is proposed. Additionally, the male is described here for the first time showing the sexual dimorphism in the species. Unlike the females, the males do not superficially resemble members of Xylobanus Waterhouse, 1879 with bright coloured elytral costae and black background, but mimics the sympatrically occurring yellow and black lycids in the genus Cautires Waterhouse, 1879. 

scholarly journals What is a Wood-Warbler? Molecular Characterization of a Monophyletic Parulidae

The Auk ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 119 (3) ◽  
pp. 695-714 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. J. Lovette ◽  
E. Bermingham
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Nuclear Dna ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Nucleotide Substitutions ◽  
Wood Warbler ◽  
Wood Warblers ◽  
Phylogenetic Level ◽  
Molecular Phylogenetic

AbstractThe wood-warblers (family Parulidae) fall within a radiation of passerine birds commonly known as the New World nine-primaried oscines. Defining familial relationships within that radiation has previously been challenging because of its extremely high diversity, a paucity of phylogenetically informative morphological characters, and an apparent high rate of cladogenesis early in the radiation's history. Here, analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences demonstrate that the 25 extant genera traditionally placed in the Parulidae do not form a monophyletic group. Instead, all reconstructions identify a well-resolved clade of 19 genera (Vermivora, Parula, Dendroica, Catharopeza, Mniotilta, Setophaga, Protonotaria, Helmitheros, Limnothlypis, Seiurus, Oporornis, Geothlypis, Wilsonia, Cardellina, Ergaticus, Myioborus, Euthlypis, Basileuterus, and Phaeothlypis) that are all morphologically typical wood-warblers traditionally placed in the Parulidae. Six genera traditionally assigned to the Parulidae—Microligea, Teretistris, Zeledonia, Icteria, Granatellus, and Xenoligea—fall outside this highly supported clade in all mtDNA-based and nuclear DNA-based reconstructions, and each is probably more closely allied to taxa traditionally placed in other nine-primaried oscine families. The long, well-supported, and independently confirmed internode at the base of this wood-warbler clade provides the opportunity to define a monophyletic Parulidae using several complementary molecular phylogenetic criteria. Support for those relationships comes from reconstructions based on a range of nucleotide-intensive (from 894 to 3,638 nucleotides per taxon) and taxon-intensive (45 to 128 species) analyses of mtDNA sequences, as well as independent reconstructions based on nucleotide substitutions in the nuclear-encoded c-mos gene. Furthermore, the 19 typical wood-warbler genera share a synapomorphic one-codon c-mos deletion not found in other passerines. At a slightly deeper phylogenetic level, our mtDNA-based reconstructions are consistent with previous morphologic and genetic studies in suggesting that many nine-primaried oscine taxa have unanticipated affinities, that many lineages arose during an early and explosive period of cladogenesis, and that the generation of a robust nine-primaried oscine phylogeny will require robust taxonomic sampling and extensive phylogenetic information.

New species reveal unexpected interspecific microhabitat diversity in the genus Uthina Simon, 1893 (Araneae : Pholcidae)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernhard A. Huber ◽  
Kai R. Caspar ◽  
Jonas Eberle
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Natural History ◽  
New Records ◽  
Morphological Diversity ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
South Sulawesi ◽  
Species Pairs ◽  
Three New Species ◽  
Colour Dimorphism

Representatives of the Southeast Asian pholcid spider genus Uthina Simon, 1893 have been thought to be very homogeneous in their ecology and morphology. The 14 previously known species all inhabit near-ground microhabitats and cave entrances, and range from pale to dark brown in colour. Even their genitalia are partly very similar, with some species pairs being barely distinguishable based on morphological characters. Here we describe three new species from Bali, Java and Sulawesi that represent three further microhabitats and demonstrate considerable ecological and morphological diversity within the genus: U. maya, sp. nov. from Bali is a large dark species on tree trunks; U. hylobatea, sp. nov. from Bali and eastern Java is a pale leaf-dwelling species that exhibits colour dimorphism; and U. mimpi, sp. nov. is a pale troglomorphic species collected in the aphotic zones of two South Sulawesi caves. In addition, we present new data for five previously described species, including ultrastructure, natural history, new records, taxonomic notes and a description of the previously unknown female of Uthina khaosokensis Yao, Li & Jäger, 2014. Molecular data suggest that all previously described species are very closely related to each other (constituting the monophyletic luzonica-group), and that the three new species represent separate clades within the genus. However, the basal trichotomy could not be resolved: U. maya + (U. hylobatea + U. mimpi) + luzonica-group.

scholarly journals The phylogenetic conundrum of Lutzia (Diptera: Culicidae: Culicini): a cautionary account of conflict and support

2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian J. Kitching ◽  
C. Lorna Culverwell ◽  
Ralph E. Harbach
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Generic Status ◽  
Strong Signal ◽  
Phylogenetic Studies ◽  
Data Support

Lutzia Theobald was reduced to a subgenus of Culex in 1932 and was treated as such until it was restored to its original generic status in 2003, based mainly on modifications of the larvae for predation. Previous phylogenetic studies based on morphological and molecular data have provided conflicting support for the generic status of Lutzia: analyses of morphological data support the generic status whereas analyses based on DNA sequences do not. Our previous phylogenetic analyses of Culicini (based on 169 morphological characters and 86 species representing the four genera and 26 subgenera of Culicini, most informal group taxa of subgenus Culex and five outgroup species from other tribes) seemed to indicate a conflict between adult and larval morphological data. Hence, we conducted a series of comparative and data exclusion analyses to determine whether the alternative positions of Lutzia are due to conflicting signal or to a lack of strong signal. We found that separate and combined analyses of adult and larval data support different patterns of relationships between Lutzia and other Culicini. However, the majority of conflicting clades are poorly supported and once these are removed from consideration, most of the topological disparity disappears, along with much of the resolution, suggesting that morphology alone does not have sufficiently strong signal to resolve the position of Lutzia. We critically examine the results of other phylogenetic studies of culicinine relationships and conclude that no morphological or molecular data set analysed in any study conducted to date has adequate signal to place Lutzia unequivocally with regard to other taxa in Culicini. Phylogenetic relationships observed thus far suggest that Lutzia is placed within Culex but further data and extended taxon sampling are required to confirm its position relative to Culex.

Monophyly of Verbascum (Scrophularieae : Scrophulariaceae): evidence from nuclear and plastid phylogenetic analyses

2014 ◽  
Vol 62 (8) ◽  
pp. 638 ◽  
Author(s):  
Farrokh Ghahremaninejad ◽  
Mehrshid Riahi ◽  
Melina Babaei ◽  
Faride Attar ◽  
Lütfi Behçet ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Markers ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Phylogenetic Relationships ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Nrdna Its ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
High Species Diversity ◽  
Phylogenetic Estimation

Verbascum is one of the main genera of Scrophulariaceae, but delimitation and phylogenetic relationships of this genus are unclear and have not yet been studied using DNA sequences. Here, using four selected molecular markers (nrDNA ITS and the plastid spacers trnS/G, psbA-trnH and trnY/T), we present a phylogeny of Verbascum and test previous infrageneric taxonomic hypotheses as well as its monophyly with respect to Scrophularia. We additionally discuss morphological variation and the utility of morphological characters as predictors of phylogenetic relationships. Our results show that while molecular data unambiguously support the circumscription of Verbascum inferred from morphology, they prove to be of limited utility in resolving infrageneric relationships, suggesting that Verbascum ‘s high species diversity is due to rapid and recent radiation. Our work provides phylogenetic estimation of the genus Verbascum using molecular data and can serve as a starting point for future investigations of Verbascum and relatives.

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