The noble and the exalted: a multidisciplinary approach to resolving a taxonomic controversy within Ptilotus (Amaranthaceae)

2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy A. Hammer ◽  
Paul D. Macintyre ◽  
Francis J. Nge ◽  
Robert W. Davis ◽  
Ladislav Mucina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Strong Evidence ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Multidisciplinary Approach ◽  
Molecular Study ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Ecological Data

A molecular study on Ptilotus nobilis (Lindl.) F.Muell. var. nobilis and P. exaltatus Nees var. exaltatus led to the conclusion that these taxa are conspecific, resulting in the synonymisation of the latter under the former as P. nobilis subsp. nobilis. In this study, we test previous taxonomic concepts in the P. nobilis–P. exaltatus species group by examining (1) the morphology of specimens in the herbarium and field, and (2) ecological and geographic partitioning of two widespread and broadly sympatric taxa in the group, using Maxent and CART models. We provide strong evidence supporting the reinstatement of P. exaltatus as distinct from P. nobilis, on the basis of multiple morphological characters and strong ecological and geographic partitioning, the latter showing how large-scale ecological data can be used to help resolve taxonomic issues. In addition, we raise P. nobilis subsp. angustifolius (Benl) Lally & W.R.Barker to the rank of species as P. angustifolius (Benl) T.Hammer and reinstate P. semilanatus (Lindl.) F.Muell. ex J.M.Black.

Revision of the genus Trogulus Latreille: the Trogulus coriziformis species-group of the western Mediterranean (Opiliones:Trogulidae)

2008 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 523 ◽  
Author(s):  
Axel L. Schönhofer ◽  
Jochen Martens
Keyword(s):  
Cytochrome B ◽  
Molecular Genetic ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Molecular Study ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Western Mediterranean ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
28S Rrna ◽  
Geological Processes

Within the well researched European fauna of harvestmen, the genus Trogulus Latreille exhibits unexpectedly high cryptic diversity. The species’ uniform morphology hinders an exclusively morphological approach to their systematics and taxonomy, and a preliminary molecular study estimated the number of species to be three times higher than currently known. The current study focuses on a clearly defined species-group within Trogulus, combining molecular (~1700 bp 28S rRNA and the cytochrome b gene), distributional, morphometric and morphological data. Relationships are reconstructed using Bayesian inference, maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood and this information is subsequently used to evaluate morphological characters for systematic usability and to identify biogeographical processes leading to speciation events. The Trogulus coriziformis species-group is defined and diagnosed and includes eight species. Three species are redefined: T. coriziformis C. L. Koch, 1839, for which a neotype is designated, and T. aquaticus Simon, 1879 and T. cristatus Simon, 1879 for which lectotypes are designated. Four species are described as new: T. balearicus, sp. nov. from the Balearic Islands, T. huberi, sp. nov. from southern Portugal, T. prietoi, sp. nov. from Andalusia, Spain, and T. pyrenaicus, sp. nov. from the central Pyrenees. Trogulus lusitanicus Giltay, 1931 is used as collective name and probably refers to a composite of species presently difficult to tell apart. Trogulus salfii De Lerma, 1948 is proposed as a synonym for T. coriziformis. Within Trogulus, the molecular genetic data support monophyly and basal placement of the Trogulus coriziformis species-group. The species to differ in external morphology (size, papillation of palps, apophyses of legs, pattern of body papillation, morphometric data), 28S and cytochrome b autapomorphies and to a lesser degree by male genital morphology. The species-group is confined to the western Mediterranean area and its species are allopatrically distributed. Their present distribution corresponds to geological processes in the Miocene and Pliocene indicating that this group of organisms may be of considerable value for further biogeographic studies.

scholarly journals Revision of the Aphthona cookei species group in Sub-Saharan Africa: pests of Jatropha curcas L. in biodiesel plantations (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Galerucinae, Alticini)

Entomologia ◽  
2013 ◽  
pp. e7 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Biondi ◽  
F. Urbani ◽  
P. D’Alessandro
Keyword(s):  
Jatropha Curcas ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Scanning Electron Micrographs ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Jatropha Curcas L ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Scanning Electron

The Aphthona cookei species-group from Sub-Saharan Africa, comprising some pests of Jatropha curcas L., is herein analyzed and revised. This species-group includes: Aphthona cookei (Gerstaecker, 1871), A. dilutipes Jacoby, 1906, A. nigripes (Allard, 1890), A. thikana Bryant, 1940, A. usambarica Weise, 1902, A. weisei (Jacoby, 1899b), A. whitfieldi Bryant, 1933 and the new species A. namibiana sp. n. from Namibia. The following new synonymies are proposed: Aphthona cookei (Gerstaecker, 1871)=Aphthona weisei abokana Bechyné, 1959 syn. n.; Aphthona dilutipes Jacoby, 1906=Aphthona damarorum Weise, 1914 syn. n.; Aphthona nigripes (Allard, 1890)=Pseudeugonotes vannutellii Jacoby, 1899a syn. n. A key to the species, micrographs of male and female genitalia, scanning electron micrographs of peculiar morphological characters, and distributional and ecological data are supplied. Finally, the results of a discriminant analysis using six morphological characters are also reported.

Baetis majus sp. nov., new species of mayfly (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) from Far East of Russia

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4965 (3) ◽  
pp. 541-557
Author(s):  
TATIANA M. TIUNOVA ◽  
ALEXANDER A. SEMENCHENKO ◽  
XIAOLI TONG
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Russian Far East ◽  
Far East ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
Nearest Neighbours ◽  
Differential Identification ◽  
Coi Sequences ◽  
Western Palaearctic

A new species, Baetis majus Tiunova sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on larvae and reared adults discovered in the Russian Far East. The differential identification of this species was determined by the characteristics of other representatives of the genus Baetis Leach, including subgenera Baetis Leach and Tenuibaetis Kang & Yang from Eastern and Western Palaearctic, Nearctic and Oriental regions. In addition to morphological studies, DNA barcoding of the described species with average intraspecific K2P distances to nearest neighbours is documented. We reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships of all available cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences of the subgenera of Baetis and Tenuibaetis from four regions. Bayesian analysis using 47 morphological characters additional to partial COI sequences did not allow to determine the species-group of the Baetis genus to which the described species belongs. 

Beyond Wallace: a new lineage of Chrysorthenches (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutoidea: Glyphipterigidae) reveals a journey tracking its host-plants, Podocarpus (Pinopsida: Podocarpaceae)

2020 ◽  
Vol 190 (2) ◽  
pp. 709-736
Author(s):  
Jae-Cheon Sohn ◽  
Shigeki Kobayashi ◽  
Yutaka Yoshiyasu
Keyword(s):  
Maximum Likelihood ◽  
East Asia ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Geological History ◽  
Dna Barcodes ◽  
History Of ◽  
Species Groups ◽  
Maximum Likelihood Phylogeny

Abstract A northward trans-Wallacean radiation is demonstrated for Chrysorthenches, a member of the Orthenches group. Here we review Chrysorthenches and allied genera resulting in a generic transfer of Diathryptica callibrya to Chrysorthenches and two new congeners: C. muraseaeSohn & Kobayashisp. nov. from Japan and C. smaragdinaSohnsp. nov. from Thailand. We review morphological characters of Chrysorthenches and allied genera, and find polyphyly of Diathryptica and the association of the Orthenches-group with Glyphipterigidae. These findings were supported in a maximum likelihood phylogeny of DNA barcodes from ten yponomeutoids. We analysed 30 morphological characters for 12 species of Chrysorthenches, plus one outgroup, via a cladistic approach. The resulting cladogram redefined two pre-existing Chrysorthenches species-groups and identified one novel lineage: the C. callibrya species-group. We review the host associations between Chrysorthenches and Podocarpaceae, based on mapping the working phylogenies. Our review suggests that ancestral Chrysorthenches colonized Podocarpus and later shifted to other podocarp genera. Biogeographical patterns of Chrysorthenches show that they evolved long after the Podocarpaceae radiation. Disjunctive trans-Wallacean distribution of the C. callibrya species-group is possibly related to the tracking of their host-plants and the complicated geological history of the island-arc system connecting Australia and East Asia.

scholarly journals Relationships among cultivated peas and their wild relatives: Molecular and morphological characterization

2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 1011-1019
Author(s):  
Fatih Hanci ◽  
Esra Cebeci
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Study ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Morphological Characterization ◽  
Local Varieties ◽  
Ssr Loci ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Clustering Pattern ◽  
Polymorphism Level ◽  
Different Sources ◽  
Simple Sequence

This study was conducted to determine relationship between some wild pea accessions (Pisum fulvum L., P. abyssinicum L., P. sativum var. elatius), local varieties (P. sativum var. sativum L. and P. sativum var. arvense L.) and commercial varieties “Boogie” and “Rondo”. The genetic diversity was evaluated with 14 simple sequence repeat markers and 50 morphological characters. The results of morphology indicated that, genotypes showed a clustering pattern based on the taxonomic groups when considering only flower characters and all morphological characters. During the molecular study, a total of 48 alleles were obtained. Used all primers showed polymorphism in accessions. The number of alleles varied between 2 - 6 among 14 SSR loci revealing the polymorphism level of markers. Similarity coefficient (Dice’s) ranged from 0.100 to 0.800 with an average of 0.378. A dendrogram grouped the 15 genotypes into two main clusters. This information can be utilized for genetic analysis, genotype identification from different sources and development of improved germplasm.

scholarly journals A re-examination of the molecular systematics and phylogeography of taxa of the Peromyscus aztecus species group, with comments on the distribution of P. winkelmanni

Therya ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 331-346
Author(s):  
C. William Kilpatrick ◽  
Nelish Pradhan ◽  
Ryan W Norris
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Distinct Species ◽  
Molecular Study ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Cytb Sequence ◽  
Voucher Specimen ◽  
Cranial Measurements ◽  
Mitochondrial Cytochrome B ◽  
Isthmus Of Tehuantepec

The objectives of this study are to examine the available molecular data from the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene (Cytb) and a concatenated dataset with this gene and two nuclear introns (Adh-1-I2 and Fgb-I7) to reexamine the systematic and phylogeographic conclusions reached by Sullivan et al. (1997) concerning the Peromyscus aztecus species group. The divergence of samples of P. aztecus oaxacensis across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec are further examined and taxonomic revisions are suggested. In addition, this study reviews the sources of data that lead to the conclusion that P. winkelmanni occurred in the Sierra Madre del Sur in Guerrero including a morphometric examination of a reported voucher. Bayesian and maximum likelihood analyses were conducted on a dataset of 31 Cytb sequences of all taxa in the P. aztecus group except for P. a. cordillerae and a concatenated dataset including five individuals of this group. Representative taxa of the P. boylii, P. mexicanus, and P. truei groups were included in both analyses. Body and cranial measurements of the voucher of the P. winkelmanni from Guerrero from which a Cytb sequence is reported to have been obtained was compared with measurements from specimens taken from the vicinity of Dos Aguas, Michoacán, including the type locality. We identified seven instances involving problematic identifications in GenBank. Once these issues were addressed, well-supported monophyletic sister clades of the P. aztecus and P. boylii species groups were recovered from phylogenetic analyses of Cytb sequences (Fig 1). Phylogenetic analyses of the Cytb and the concatenated datasets recover similar topologies that support the relationships of taxa of the aztecus group proposed by an earlier molecular study. Populations of P. a. oaxacensis southeast of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec represent a distinct species. Measurements of the voucher from Guerrero identified as the source of a P. winkelmanni Cytb sequence are smaller than P. winkelmanni for several characters. The divergent populations of P. a. oaxacensis from southeast of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec are recognized as two subspecies of P. cordillerae, P. c. cordillerae and P. c. hondurensis, whereas those northwest of the Isthmus are retained as P. a. oaxacensis. The lack of genetic divergence observed between P. a. evides and P. a. oaxacensis questions whether these two taxa should continue to be recognized as separate subspecies. Northern and southern populations of P. spicilegus demonstrate moderate divergence and additional examination of morphological and molecular differentiation within this taxon is warranted. The distribution of P. winkelmanni should be restricted to the vicinity of Dos Aguas, Michoacán, due to the lack of a voucher specimen that would confirm its reported occurrence in Guerrero.

scholarly journals A new species of puddle frog from an unexplored mountain in southwestern Ethiopia (Anura, Phrynobatrachidae, Phrynobatrachus)

ZooKeys ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 824 ◽  
pp. 53-70
Author(s):  
Sandra Goutte ◽  
Jacobo Reyes-Velasco ◽  
Stephane Boissinot
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Slender Body ◽  
Phylogenetic Hypothesis ◽  
Southwestern Ethiopia ◽  
A New Species

A new species of Phrynobatrachus is described from the unexplored and isolated Bibita Mountain, southwestern Ethiopia, based on morphological characters and sequences of the mitochondrial rRNA16s. The new species can be distinguished from all its congeners by a small size (SVL = 16.8 ± 0.1 mm for males, 20.3 ± 0.9 mm for females), a slender body with long legs and elongated fingers and toes, a golden coloration, a completely hidden tympanum, and a marked canthus rostralis. The phylogenetic hypothesis based on 16s sequences places the new species as sister to the species group that includes P.natalensis, although it is morphologically more similar to other dwarf Phrynobatrachus species, such as the Ethiopian P.minutus.

scholarly journals Development of specific markers for the detection of Tolypella canadensis eDNA in water samples

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Wiebe ◽  
Petra Nowak ◽  
Hendrik Schubert
Keyword(s):  
Rare Species ◽  
Environmental Samples ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Its2 Region ◽  
Specific Marker ◽  
Specific Primers ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
Scale Integration

Assessing the biodiversity of an ecosystem plays a major role in ecosystem management. However, proper determination on species-level is often tricky when morphological features are scarce and especially rare species require huge sampling efforts to be detected in the aquatic realm. As an alternative to conventional methods, environmental samples can be examined via the eDNA method, allowing for large-scale integration as well as taxa resolution independent from expression of morphological characters. However, to apply this technique genetic markers that are specific to a species or at least a genus are required. Such markers until now have been successfully developed only for a few well studied taxonomic groups like, e.g., fishes and amphibians, but are still missing for others, especially plants and algae (e.g. Bista et al. 2017). This project focusses on the development of species-specific markers for the macrophytic green algae Tolypella canadensis (Characeae, Charophyta), a rare alga preferring deep water and known so far mainly from remote places. Tolypella canadensis is a circumpolar species and prefers oligotrophic lakes, where it grows in depths up to 13 m (Langangen 2002; Romanov and Kopyrina 2016). In addition, proper determination of Tolypella-species is a field of a few specialists, further complicating monitoring or even detection of this rare species. The design of the species-specific primers was based on reference nucleotide sequences of the chloroplast genes rbcL, psbC and atpB and of the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer regions ITS1 and ITS2, obtained from GenBank (Perez et al. 2017). To determine the specificity of the newly designed primers, DNA isolates obtained from T. canadensis specimens collected from the Torneträsk (Sweden, 2018) and other charophyte species were prepared in different proportions. The sensitivity of the primers was experimentally assayed by using serial dilutions of T. canadensis DNA. Additionally, a mock test comprised of a sample with the DNA of several charophyte species was conducted and finally, the markers were tested on environmental samples from the Torneträsk. Tolypella canadensis-specific primers of the ITS2 region yielded positive PCR amplifications of one single band when T. canadensis was present in a sample. Cross-amplification was not found during the mock test; other charophyte species did not yield positive amplification. The eDNA samples from the Torneträsk validated the performance of the ITS2 marker. The T. canadensis-specific marker designed in this project was proven to be sensitive and accurate. It could be recommended as a useful tool to detect the presence of T. canadensis DNA, even at low concentration and in complex samples containing other charophyte species.

scholarly journals A new addition to the alien flora of Tunisia, Amaranthus spinosus L. (Amaranthaceae s.l.), with notes on A. diacanthus Raf.

2019 ◽  
Vol 78 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-94
Author(s):  
Duilio Iamonico ◽  
Ridha El Mokni
Keyword(s):  
National Level ◽  
First Record ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Amaranthus Spinosus ◽  
Alien Flora

Abstract Amaranthus spinosus L. (Amaranthaceae s.l.), a species native to the Neotropics, has been found in four localities (Bizerta, Bir Bouregba, Hammamet, and Nabeul) of N. Tunisia. Our discovery represents the first record at national level, and the second one for N. Africa. Morphological characters and ecological data are given. Nomenclatural notes are provided for the name A. diacanthus, which was regarded by some authors as heterotypic synonym of A. spinosus. A neotype is designated in the present paper based on a specimen preserved at LSU.

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