Australia's wasp-pollinated flying duck orchids revised (Paracaleana: Orchidaceae)

2006 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 211 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen D. Hopper ◽  
Andrew P. Brown

We uphold the generic rank of Paracaleana on the basis of its divergent pollination syndrome (sexual deception of male thynnid wasps compared with pollination of Caleana by male sawflies), recent DNA sequence data demonstrating monophyly, and nomenclatural stability. Ten of the 13 species recognised herein are new, all endemic to the South-west Australian Floristic Region: Paracaleana alcockii, P. brockmanii, P. dixonii, P. gracilicordata, P. granitica, P. hortiorum, P. lyonsii, P. parvula, P. terminalis and P. triens. Although some of these taxa have subtle morphological differences, primarily of labellum morphology, evidence from other Australian orchid genera whose flowers sexually deceive wasp pollinators indicates that reproductive isolation is probable among close sister taxa in Paracaleana. Moreover, phenological, ecological and geographical differences help separate morphologically close sister taxa. P. disjuncta D.L. Jones is considered to extend from Victoria and South Australia west into the South-west Australian Floristic Region, where James Drummond first collected the species, probably in 1838. Additional research is needed on pollinators, molecular phylogeny, possibly undescribed taxa within P. nigrita and on the few putative hybrids identified in the genus.


1966 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 303 ◽  
Author(s):  
JA Mccomb

The sex form of each species in the flora of the south-west of Western Australia was determined, and the proportions of the different forms compared with data available for South Australia. Although the western flora has been substantially isolated since at least the mid Tertiary, no significant difference in the proportion of hermaphrodite species from that of South Australia was found. A re-analysis of the sex forms of the flora of the British Isles was also made, and it was found that this flora has a higher proportion of non-hermaphrodite species than has either Western Australia or South Australia. The possible evolutionary significance of these observations is discussed.



2014 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marija Tabain ◽  
Andrew Butcher

Pitjantjatjara is a dialect of the Western Desert Language (WDL) of central Australia (Douglas 1958). The Western Desert Language is a member of the south-west Pama-Nyungan group. Together with Warnman, it forms the Wati sub-group. It is spoken by 4000–5000 people, and covers the widest geographical area of any language in Australia, stretching from Woomera in central northern South Australia, as far west as Kalgoorlie and Meekatharra and north to Balgo Hills, in Western Australia. The main dialects, which differ most in regards the lexicon but also to some extent in grammar and phonology, include Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara, Ngaanyatjarra, Ngaatjatjarra, Southern Luritja, Pintupi-Luritja, Kukatja, Gugarda, Ngalia, Wangkatja, Wangkatha, Manyjilyjarra, Kartutjarra and Yurlparija. It is perhaps more accurately conceived of as a dialect chain, whereby a dialect such as Pitjantjatjara is mutually intelligible with its neighbours Ngaanyatjatjarra and Yankunytjatjara, but not with dialects more distant than these, such as Kukatja and Manyjilyjarra.



2018 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
pp. 479-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liang Li ◽  
Hui-Xia Chen ◽  
Yue Yang

Abstract In the present study, Neorhadinorhynchus nudus (Harada, 1938) is reported from the frigate tuna Auxis thazard (Lacepéde) (Perciformes: Scombridae), in the South China Sea for the first time. The detailed morphology of N. nudus was studied using light and scanning electron microscopy based on the newly collected material. The results showed some morphometric variability between our specimens and previous studies, including the number of hooks per longitudinal row and the size of copulatory bursa and eggs. Our SEM observations also revealed all proboscis hooks emerged from elevated round rims on proboscis surface. In addition, N. nudus was firstly characterised using molecular methods by sequencing and analysing the ribosomal ITS and mitochondrial cox1 regions. There is no nucleotide divergence found in the ITS sequences, but a low level of nucleotide variability detected in the cox1 regions (the level of intraspecific nucleotide variability being 0.75% to 2.54%). The DNA sequence data obtained herein will indeed be a useful reference for rapid and accurate species identification of Neorhadinorhynchus.



The Auk ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 121 (1) ◽  
pp. 224-229
Author(s):  
J. Jordan Price ◽  
Scott M. Lanyon

Abstract The accuracy with which avian song features indicate phylogenetic relationships has rarely been investigated. In a previous study of vocal evolution in oropendolas (Price and Lanyon 2002a), we estimated the phylogenetic position of the Green Oropendola (Psarocolius viridis) using characters derived from oropendolas' elaborate courtship songs. Here, we test that estimate using mitochondrial DNA sequence data. The position of the Green Oropendola determined from molecular data is remarkably close to that based solely on song characters; both data sets support a close relationship between P. viridis and members of the genus Gymnostinops. Numerous morphological differences yet low genetic divergence among the species in question suggest that rapid diversification has occurred in the group. The fact that this position has not been proposed previously for P. viridis underscores the effectiveness of song characters for phylogenetic reconstruction.



2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Decker

The South Australian members of the flat-millipede genera Oncocladosoma Jeekel, 1985 and Somethus Chamberlin, 1920 are revised using an integrative approach incorporating sequence data and morphology. The partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) barcoding gene and partial nuclear ribosomal 28S rRNA were amplified and sequenced for 15 Oncocladosoma specimens and 10 Somethus specimens and the datasets were used for molecular phylogenetic analysis and genetic distance determination. Both morphology and molecular data indicate that all species of Oncocladosoma fall within Somethus, and therefore, Oncocladosoma is synonymised with Somethus. Within those species supported by molecular data, features of the solenomere tip are relatively stable and useful for species identification. 28S rRNA has proven to provide sufficient nucleotide variation to provisionally discriminate species. Oncocladosoma castaneum ingens Jeekel, 1985, O. clavigerum Jeekel, 1985 and O. conigerum Jeekel, 1985 are junior synonyms of Somethus castaneus, comb. nov., and Somethus modicus Jeekel, 2002 is a synonym of S. scopiferus Jeekel, 2002. New records and electron scanning micrographs of gonopods are provided for S. castaneus, comb. nov., S. inflatus (Jeekel, 2002), comb. nov., S. lancearius Jeekel, 2002, S. scopiferus Jeekel, 2002, and Somethus grossi Jeekel, 1985, together with a key to the South Australian species of Somethus.



2011 ◽  
Vol 59 (3) ◽  
pp. 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine M. Kemper ◽  
Steven J. B. Cooper ◽  
Graham C. Medlin ◽  
Mark Adams ◽  
David Stemmer ◽  
...  

The assumption that almost all mammal species are known to science has led to a recent trend away from collecting voucher specimens/tissues during field studies. Here we present a case study of a recently discovered cryptic marsupial (Sminthopsis griseoventer) in South Australia (SA) and show how such collections can contribute to rigorous biodiversity and biogeographic assessments. Morphological and genetic (allozyme and mitochondrial control region (CR) sequence data) analyses, including ancient DNA analyses of type material, were applied to 188 voucher specimens and 94 non-vouchered tissues of Sminthopsis held at the SA Museum. These data were used to confirm the presence of S. griseoventer in SA, validate means of identifying it morphologically and describe recent and pre-European distributions. Pelage differences between S. griseoventer and S. dolichura enabled their identification, but external measurements overlapped considerably. Subfossil S. griseoventer were identified from seven deposits and confirmed that in the past the species was more widespread in SA. CR divergences (>1.8%) among Western Australian and SA S. griseoventer suggested its long-term presence in SA. Discrepancies between the mitochondrial and allozyme affinities of S. aitkeni and S. griseoventer, coupled with the lack of obvious morphological differences, indicate that a taxonomic reappraisal of these species is warranted. The study strongly demonstrates an ongoing need for the routine collection of mammal voucher material in biological and environmental impact surveys.



2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 628
Author(s):  
Xiu-Lan Xu ◽  
Qian Zeng ◽  
Yi-Cong Lv ◽  
Rajesh Jeewon ◽  
Sajeewa S. N. Maharachchikumbura ◽  
...  

This study led to the discovery of three entomopathogenic fungi associated with Kuwanaspis howardi, a scale insect on Phyllostachys heteroclada (fishscale bamboo) and Pleioblastus amarus (bitter bamboo) in China. Two of these species belong to Podonectria: P. kuwanaspidis X.L. Xu & C.L. Yang sp. nov. and P. novae-zelandiae Dingley. The new species P. kuwanaspidis has wider and thicker setae, longer and wider asci, longer ascospores, and more septa as compared with similar Podonectria species. The morphs of extant species P. novae-zelandiae is confirmed based on sexual and asexual morphologies. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses of ITS, LSU, SSU, tef1-α, and rpb2 sequence data provide further evidence for the validity of the two species and their placement in Podonectriaceae (Pleosporales). The second new species, Microcera kuwanaspidis X.L. Xu & C.L. Yang sp. nov., is established based on DNA sequence data from ITS, LSU, SSU, tef1-α, rpb1, rpb2, acl1, act, cmdA, and his3 gene regions, and it is characterized by morphological differences in septum numbers and single conidial mass.



2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 36 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Little ◽  
Daniel J. Schmidt ◽  
Benjamin D. Cook ◽  
Timothy J. Page ◽  
Jane M. Hughes

The crustacean order Bathynellacea is amongst the most diverse and widespread groups of subterranean aquatic fauna (stygofauna) in Australia. Interest in the diversity and biogeography of Australian Bathynellacea has grown markedly in recent years. However, relatively little information relating to this group has emerged from Queensland. The aim of this study was to investigate bathynellacean diversity and phylogeny in south-east Queensland. Relationships between the south-east Queensland fauna and their continental relatives were evaluated through the analysis of combined mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data. Bathynellaceans were collected from alluvial groundwater systems in three catchments in south-east Queensland. This study revealed a diverse bathynellacean fauna with complex evolutionary relationships to related fauna elsewhere in Queensland, and on the wider Australian continent. The multifamily assemblage revealed here is likely to represent several new species, and at least one new genus within the Parabathynellidae. These taxa likely have relatively restricted geographic distributions. Interestingly, the south-east Queensland Bathynellacea appeared to be distantly related to their north-east Queensland counterparts. Although it was not possible to determine the generic identities of their closest relatives, the south-east Queensland Parabathynellidae appear to be most closely affiliated with southern and eastern Australian lineages. Together with previous survey data, the findings here suggest that there is likely to be considerable bathynellacean diversity in alluvial groundwater systems across the wider Queensland region. Further assessment of stygofauna distributions in south-east Queensland is necessary to understand the biological implications of significant groundwater use and development in the region.



2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cástor Guisande ◽  
Patricia Pelayo-Villamil ◽  
Manuel Vera ◽  
Ana Manjarrés-Hernández ◽  
Mónica R. Carvalho ◽  
...  

Morphological and DNA sequence data has been used to propose hypotheses of relationships within the Characiformes with minimal comparative discussion of causes underpinning the major intraordinal diversification patterns. We explore potential primary morphological factors controlling the early diversification process in some Neotropical characiforms as the first step to identifying factors contributing to the pronounced intraordinal morphological and species diversity. A phylogenetic reconstruction based on 16S rDNA (mitochondrial) and 18S rDNA (nuclear) genes provided the framework for the identification of the main morphological differences among the Acestrorhynchidae, Anostomidae, Characidae, Ctenoluciidae, Curimatidae, Cynodontidae, Gasteropelecidae, Prochilodontidae and Serrasalmidae. Results indicate an initial split into two major groupings: (i) species with long dorsal-fin bases relative to the size of other fins (Curimatidae, Prochilodontidae, Anostomidae, Serrasalmidae) which primarily inhabit lakes, swamps, and rivers (lineage I); and (ii) species with short dorsal-fin bases (Acestrorhynchidae, Gasteropelecidae, Characidae) which primarily inhabit creeks and streams (lineage II). The second diversification stage in lineage I involved substantial morphological diversification associated with trophic niche differences among the monophyletic families which range from detritivores to large item predators. Nonmonophyly of the Characidae complicated within lineage II analyzes but yielded groupings based on differences in pectoral and anal fin sizes correlated with life style differences.



Botany ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (7) ◽  
pp. 381-389
Author(s):  
Santiago Chacón ◽  
Dolores González

Xylaria subtropicalis, a species new to science, was collected from a montane cloud forest in eastern Mexico. It is described and illustrated, based on detailed macro- and microscopic morphological characteristics, habitat, and DNA sequence data. The distinctive morphological differences between X. subtropicalis and other Xylaria species include: the stromata being significantly erumpent, the size of the ascospores being 23–28 μm × 13–15 μm, and a straight germ slit as long as the spore. To determine whether this was a novel species, ITS sequences were generated and compared with 2478 sequences available for the genus from GenBank, using the software USEARCH. Additionally, a phylogenetic reconstruction was performed with Parsimony Ratchet, Maximum Likelihood, and Bayesian Inference, using 122 concatenated ITS sequences, and segments from the 28S rDNA and RPB2. Sequences of this novel species form a strongly supported lineage, clearly separated from other species of Xylaria. Phylogenetic relationships indicate that there have been numerous morphological transformations within the genus.



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