Molecular phylogenetics and the evolution of wing reduction in the Baeini (Hymenoptera:Scelionidae): parasitoids of spider eggs

2006 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 489 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Carey ◽  
N. P. Murphy ◽  
A. D. Austin

Members of the tribe Baeini are unique among the Scelonidae as endoparasitoids of the eggs of spiders, whereas all other scelionids parasitise insect eggs. The monophyly of the Baeini has previously been assumed based on this host association and several morphological characteristics, none of which are unequivocal. Here we present a phylogeny for the group using sequence data from two genes and 32 ingroup taxa, mostly from Australia. Combined analysis of the nuclear 28S rRNA gene and the mitochondrial CO1 gene showed that the tribe is not monophyletic, because two genera (Neobaeus Austin and Mirobaeoides Dodd) are resolved in a clade separate from the rest of the Baeini. The two most speciose genera, Idris Foerster and Ceratobaeus Ashmead, are not resolved as monophyletic, indicating that a metasomal horn, which acts as a recess for the internally retracted ovipositor, has evolved multiple times within the tribe. Mapping of wing reduction states that occur in the Baeini revealed multiple wing reduction events, possibly associated with adaptations for searching for host egg masses in crytobiotic habitats, and/or penetrating the silk egg sacs of spiders. The molecular phylogeny generated in this study differs significantly from previous morphological phylogenies, and has resolved relationships that have otherwise been intractable in morphological studies because of homoplasy associated with reduction in body size.

Parasitology ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 111 (2) ◽  
pp. 167-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. T. J. Littlewood ◽  
D. A. Johnston

SUMMARYPartial 28S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequences, including the variable domains D1, D2 and D3, were determined for representative species from the 4 Schistosoma species groups. On an alignment of 1345 bp from S. mansoni, S. haematobium, S. spindale and S. japonicum (with Heterobilharzia americana chosen as an outgroup), both maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony analyses provide a robust molecular phytogeny for the genus; ((((S. haematobium, S. spindale), S. mansoni), S. japonicum), H. americana). When analysed separately, both domain D1 and domain D2 yielded similarly informative data whereas D3 failed to resolve the phylogeny. These results confirm a phylogeny previously suggested by 18S rRNA gene sequences, corroborating the status of S. spindale as a sister taxon to S. haematobium, and demonstrate the utility of 28S rRNA gene sequence data for resolving phylogenies within the Schistosomatidae.Note: nucleotide sequence data reported in this paper are available in the EMBL database under the accession numbers Z46503/04/05/06/21.


2014 ◽  
Vol 89 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Presswell ◽  
S. Evans ◽  
R. Poulin ◽  
F. Jorge

AbstractParasitic nematodes of the family Mermithidae were found to be infecting the introduced European earwig Forficula auricularia (Dermaptera: Forficulidae) in Dunedin, South Island, New Zealand. Adult females were later collected from various garden plants while depositing eggs. These mermithid specimens were identified morphologically as Mermis nigrescens Dujardin, 1842. A genetic distance of 0.7% between these specimens and a M. nigrescens isolate from Canada (18S rRNA gene), suggests that they have diverged genetically, but there are currently no available comparable sequences for the European M. nigrescens. Two additional nuclear fragments were also amplified, the 28S rRNA and the ribosomal DNA first internal transcribed spacer (ITS1), providing a basis for future studies. Bearing in mind the morphological similarity with other reported M. nigrescens and the lack of sequence data from other parts of the world, we retain the name M.nigrescens, and suggest that the species may be found to represent a complex of cryptic species when more worldwide data are available. Herein, we present a brief description of the post-parasitic worms and adult females, along with an inferred phylogeny using 18S rRNA gene sequences.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 893
Author(s):  
Asha J. Dissanayake ◽  
Ya-Ya Chen ◽  
Ratchadawan Cheewangkoon ◽  
Jian-Kui Liu

Botryosphaeriales is an important order of diverse fungal pathogens, saprobes, and endophytes distributed worldwide. Recent studies of Botryosphaeriales in China have discovered a broad range of species, some of which have not been formerly described. In this study, 60 saprobic isolates were obtained from decaying woody hosts in southwestern China. The isolates were compared with other species using morphological characteristics, and available DNA sequence data was used to infer phylogenetic analyses based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), large subunit rRNA gene (LSU), and translation elongation factor 1-α (tef) loci. Three novel species were illustrated and described as Botryobambusa guizhouensis, Sardiniella elliptica, and Sphaeropsis guizhouensis, which belong to rarely identified genera within Botryosphaeriaceae. Botryobambusa guizhouensis is the second species identified from the respective monotypic genus. The previously known species were identified as Aplosporella hesperidica, Barriopsis tectonae, Botryosphaeria dothidea, Diplodia mutila, Di. neojuniperi, Di. pseudoseriata, Di. sapinea, Di. seriata, Dothiorella sarmentorum, Do. yunnana, Lasiodiplodia pseudotheobromae, Neofusicoccum parvum, Sardiniella celtidis, Sa. guizhouensis, and Sphaeropsis citrigena. The results of this study indicate that numerous species of Botryosphaeriales are yet to be revealed in southwestern China.


Author(s):  
Pirjo Rajaniemi ◽  
Pavel Hrouzek ◽  
Klára Kaštovská ◽  
Raphaël Willame ◽  
Anne Rantala ◽  
...  

The heterocytous cyanobacteria form a monophyletic group according to 16S rRNA gene sequence data. Within this group, phylogenetic and morphological studies have shown that genera such as Anabaena and Aphanizomenon are intermixed. Moreover, the phylogeny of the genus Trichormus, which was recently separated from Anabaena, has not been investigated. The aim was to study the taxonomy of the genera Anabaena, Aphanizomenon, Nostoc and Trichormus belonging to the family Nostocaceae (subsection IV.I) by morphological and phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene, rpoB and rbcLX sequences. New strains were isolated to avoid identification problems caused by morphological changes of strains during cultivation. Morphological and phylogenetic data showed that benthic and planktic Anabaena strains were intermixed. In addition, the present study confirmed that Anabaena and Aphanizomenon strains were not monophyletic, as previously demonstrated. The evolutionary distances between the strains indicated that the planktic Anabaena and Aphanizomenon strains as well as five benthic Anabaena strains in cluster 1 could be assigned to a single genus. On the basis of the 16S rRNA, rpoB and rbcLX gene sequences, the Anabaena/Aphanizomenon strains (cluster 1) were divided into nine supported subclusters which could also be separated morphologically, and which therefore might represent different species. Trichormus strains were morphologically and phylogenetically heterogeneous and did not form a monophyletic cluster. These Trichormus strains, which were representatives of three distinct species, might actually belong to three genera according to the evolutionary distances. Nostoc strains were also heterogeneous and seemed to form a monophyletic cluster, which may contain more than one genus. It was found that certain morphological features were stable and could be used to separate different phylogenetic clusters. For example, the width and the length of akinetes were useful features for classification of the Anabaena/Aphanizomenon strains in cluster 1. This morphological and phylogenetic study with fresh isolates showed that the current classification of these anabaenoid genera needs to be revised.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angie M. Macias ◽  
David M. Geiser ◽  
Jason E. Stajich ◽  
Piotr Łukasik ◽  
Claudio Veloso ◽  
...  

AbstractThe fungal genus Massospora (Zoopagomycota: Entomophthorales) includes more than a dozen obligate, sexually transmissible pathogenic species that infect cicadas (Hemiptera) worldwide. At least two species are known to produce psychoactive compounds during infection, which has garnered considerable interest for this enigmatic genus. As with many Entomophthorales, the evolutionary relationships and host associations of Massospora spp. are not well understood. The acquisition of M. diceroproctae from Arizona, M. tettigatis from Chile, and M. platypediae from California and Colorado provided an opportunity to conduct molecular phylogenetic analyses and morphological studies to investigate if these fungi represent a monophyletic group and delimit species boundaries. In a three-locus phylogenetic analysis including the D1–D2 domains of the nuclear 28S rRNA gene (28S), elongation factor 1 alpha-like (EFL), and beta-tubulin (BTUB), Massospora was resolved in a strongly supported monophyletic group containing four well-supported genealogically exclusive lineages, based on two of three methods of phylogenetic inference. There was incongruence among the single-gene trees: two methods of phylogenetic inference recovered trees with either the same topology as the 3-gene concatenated tree (EFL), or a basal polytomy (28S, BTUB). Massospora levispora and M. platypediae isolates formed a single lineage in all analyses and are synonymized here as M. levispora. Massospora diceroproctae was sister to M. cicadina in all three single-gene trees and on an extremely long branch relative to the other Massospora, and even the outgroup taxa, which may reflect an accelerated rate of molecular evolution and/or incomplete taxa sampling. The results of the morphological study presented here indicate that spore measurements may not be phylogenetically or diagnostically informative. Despite recent advances in understanding the ecology of Massospora, much about its host range and diversity remains unexplored. The emerging phylogenetic framework can provide a foundation for exploring co-evolutionary relationships with cicada hosts and the evolution of behavior-altering compounds.


Author(s):  
Amarbayasgalan M ◽  
Nomin M ◽  
Enkh-Amgalan J

In this study, 55 endophytic fungal strains isolated from alkaloid containing plants in Mongolia were screened for their production of alkaloids. TLC analysis of ethanolic crude extracts revealed the presence of alkaloids in 5 endophytic fungal strains. The alkaloid producing strains were identified based on their morphological characteristics and/or the D1/D2 domain sequences of 28S rRNA gene. The results showed that they all belong to the genus of Fusarium. Further, total alkaloid compounds of the 5 fungal strains were isolated and examined for their antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. As results, alkaloid compounds of SFG-S1 and 16T6-F3 strains were active against yeast and fungi, and alkaloid compounds of SFG-R3, 16Т6-F3, 14R-1 strains exhibited cytotoxic activity against HepG2 liver cancer cells.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 525 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-222
Author(s):  
SANJEET KUMAR VERMA ◽  
SANJAY YADAV ◽  
RAGHVENDRA SINGH

Aplosporella abexaminans, a new sexual morph fungus belongs to family Aplosporellaceae, was discovered on the bark of stem of Murraya koenigii (Rutaceae) and identified by morphological characteristics and analysis of combined ITS and LSU sequence data. This is the second report of a sexual morph with molecular evidence for this genus and the second record of conidiogenesis and chlamydospores associated with the asexual state of this family. It is characterized by its larger ascostromata, locules without ostioles, thinner locule peridium, two to multi-layered, larger asci, surrounded by an additional hyaline sac like structure, larger and hyaline to light olivaceous ascospores, asexual state without conidiomata formation, conidiogenous cells light brown to brown, conidia brown without granular content, smooth and presence of chlamydospores. The sexual morph of Aplosporella abexaminans resembles Bagnisiella and the asexual morph resembles Aplosporella, thus proving the sexual-asexual connection for the second time for this family.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 460 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
MEI-LING HAN ◽  
QI AN ◽  
WEN-XIAN FU ◽  
XUAN CHENG ◽  
TIAN BU ◽  
...  

A new polypore, Antrodia yunnanensis, collected from southwestern China, is described and illustrated based on morphological characteristics and molecular evidence. It is characterized by annual, resupinate basidiocarps with greyish blue to dark greyish blue pore surface upon drying, round to angular pores measuring 2–3 per mm, a dimitic hyphal system with clamped generative hyphae, subicular hyphae bearing fine crystals, and cylindrical, thin-walled, smooth basidiospores measuring 7–9.9 × 2.5–3.1 µm. Molecular phylogeny inferred from ITS and nLSU sequence data showed that samples of A. yunnanensis formed a distinctive lineage in Antrodia sensu lato, and it nested a sister group with A. tropica.


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4999 (3) ◽  
pp. 201-218
Author(s):  
KIRSTEN JENSEN ◽  
ISABEL A. M. PEN ◽  
JANINE N. CAIRA

The Rhoptrobothriidae are one of the more enigmatic families of cestodes of elasmobranchs. Opinions on the taxonomic status of the family’s three original genera (i.e., Myzophyllobothrium, Rhoptrobothrium, and Myzocephalus) have varied over the 115 years since they were erected. Some authors have considered all three valid, others have considered Rhoptrobothrium to be a synonym of Myzopyllobothrium or a genus inquirendum, yet others have considered Myzocephalus to be a synonym of the phyllobothriid genus Thysanocephalum. All three genera were established for specimens collected from eagle rays off Sri Lanka. The erection of Mixophyllobothrium for two specimens from a cowtail stingray off India three decades ago added additional confusion to the situation, with some authors considering it valid and others a synonym of Myzocephalus. These disagreements stem largely from differences in interpretation of the complex morphology of the scolex of members of these genera. Furthermore, with the exception of Rhoptrobothrium comprising four species, each genus is monotypic. All but Rhoptrobothrium has not been considered in detail for nearly a century, largely because of a lack of available material. The taxonomic status of these genera is assessed here based on light and scanning electron microscopy, and molecular data generated from new material collected from eagle rays off Indonesian and Malaysian Borneo, Japan, Sri Lanka, and Viet Nam. Morphological work indicates that the genera differ largely only in the degree of folding of the four remi that extend from the cephalic peduncle. A molecular phylogeny based on sequence data for the D1–D3 region of the 28S rRNA gene, which include new data for eight specimens of four species, indicates that Myzophyllobothrium, Myzocephalus, and Rhoptrobothrium are not mutually monophyletic. The latter two genera and Mixophyllobothrium are considered synonyms of Myzophyllobothrium and five species are transferred to that genus. Myzophyllobothrium okamuri n. comb. is considered a species inquirendum. Myzophyllobothrium nagasawai n. sp. is described from Aetobatus narutobiei off Japan. Myzophyllobothrium narinari n. comb. is re-described based on newly collected cestodes from the type host and locality (i.e., Aetobatus ocellatus off Sri Lanka). Despite consisting of only a single genus, the family status of the group is retained in recognition of the unusual configuration of the scolex, which bears four biloculate bothridia and four remi extending from the cephalic peduncle. The ordinal placement of the family remains uncertain, but affinities with the Phyllobothriidea, rather than “Tetraphyllidea” are considered.


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