Variations in genetic structure and male genitalia suggest recent lineage diversification in the Neotropical dung beetle complex Canthon cyanellus (Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae)

Abstract We analysed the genetic divergence and morphology of the aedeagus (i.e. phallobase and parameres) in Canthon cyanellus at different geographical levels. The results from both approaches were compared with the current taxonomic assignment of the C. cyanellus complex, which includes three subspecies. We found a high variation in all the morphological characters of the aedeagus in the populations analysed; the morphometric variation was not geographically structured, either by population or by region. The genealogical analysis indicates a significant genetic structure that does not match either the morphological variation in the male genitalia or the previous subspecific taxonomic classification. Our results suggest that the morphological variation of the aedeagus is seemingly not an isolating reproductive barrier and that the intra- and interpopulation morphological variability of the aedeagus in the C. cyanellus complex does not permit the division into several species. We suggest that other evolutionary forces, such as genetic drift and sexual selection, have influenced the evolution of the male genitalia and the incipient differentiation of this species complex.

Download Full-text

Morphological variation in diagnostic features for two Culex (Culex) species of the Neotropical Region (Diptera: Culicidae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4052.5.5 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 4052 (5) ◽

pp. 573 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

MAGDALENA LAURITO ◽

WALTER R. ALMIRÓN

Keyword(s):

Morphological Variation ◽

Phylogenetic Relationships ◽

Male Genitalia ◽

Intraspecific Variability ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Neotropical Region ◽

Diagnostic Features ◽

Accurate Identification ◽

Anatomical Characters

The classification of Culex L., with 768 species worldwide (Harbach 2015), is based mainly on adult anatomical characters (Harbach et al. 2012). The accurate identification of the 198 species included in the subgenus Culex is dependent on a few morphological characters, principally of the male genitalia (Harbach et al. 2012). Most species within Culex (Culex) have been described based on male genitalia due to their low intraspecific variability compared to characters of females and larvae. Male genitalia provide synapomorphic characters useful in establishing phylogenetic relationships in Culicidae (Reinert et al. 2008, Reidenbach et al. 2009, Harbach et al. 2012, Laurito & Almirón 2013), as well as autapomorphic traits allowing specific identifications.

Download Full-text

Morphometric variation and taxonomic identification of thirteen wild rose populations from Tunisia

Acta Botanica Croatica ◽

10.1515/botcro-2015-0008 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 74 (1) ◽

pp. 1-17 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Zohra Ben Cheikh-Affene ◽

Faouzi Haouala ◽

Fethia Harzallah-Skhiri

Keyword(s):

Phenotypic Diversity ◽

Morphological Variability ◽

Principal Component ◽

Hierarchical Cluster ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Morphological Identification ◽

Taxonomic Identification ◽

Morphometric Variation ◽

Central Tunisia ◽

Hierarchical Cluster Analyses

AbstractThirteen populations of wild roses (Rosa L.) growing in northern and central Tunisia have been used for studies on the discrimination between accessions and populations. Thirty-eight morphological characters related to the branches, prickles, leaves and corymbs were measured on the collected accessions to study the phenotypic diversity among and within species. Principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses (PCA and HCA) separated rose accessions into two distinctive groups and eight subgroups. A taxonomic interpretation of the morphological variability has shown that Tunisian rose populations belong to two sections (Synstylae and Caninae) of the genus Rosa. Moreover, they have been identified as seven separated taxa: R. sempervirens L., R. sempervirens var. submoshata Rouy., R. sempervirens var. prostrata Lindl. belonging to Synstylae section and R. canina L., R. agrestis Savi., R. micrantha Smith. and R. dumetorum Thuill. belonging to Caninae section. PCA and HCA proved that morphological characters used in taxonomic identification such as styles form, leaf and leaflets length, number of flowers by corymb, leaflet serration, presence of glands in leaflet, peduncle, receptacle and sepal have a high value of discrimination, and have been very successful in morphological identification.

Download Full-text

Genetic variability and demographic history of Heliothis virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) populations from Brazil inferred by mtDNA sequences

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485311000678 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 102 (3) ◽

pp. 333-343 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

K.C. Albernaz ◽

K.L. Silva-Brandão ◽

P. Fresia ◽

F.L. Cônsoli ◽

C. Omoto

Keyword(s):

Genetic Structure ◽

Genetic Variability ◽

Heliothis Virescens ◽

Demographic History ◽

Haplotype Diversity ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Haplotype Network ◽

Demographic Expansion ◽

Significant Genetic Structure ◽

History Of

AbstractIntra- and inter-population genetic variability and the demographic history of Heliothis virescens (F.) populations were evaluated by using mtDNA markers (coxI, coxII and nad6) with samples from the major cotton- and soybean-producing regions in Brazil in the growing seasons 2007/08, 2008/09 and 2009/10. AMOVA indicated low and non-significant genetic structure, regardless of geographical scale, growing season or crop, with most of genetic variation occurring within populations. Clustering analyzes also indicated low genetic differentiation. The haplotype network obtained with combined datasets resulted in 35 haplotypes, with 28 exclusive occurrences, four of them sampled only from soybean fields. The minimum spanning network showed star-shaped structures typical of populations that underwent a recent demographic expansion. The recent expansion was supported by other demographic analyzes, such as the Bayesian skyline plot, the unimodal distribution of paired differences among mitochondrial sequences, and negative and significant values of neutrality tests for the Tajima's D and Fu's FS parameters. In addition, high values of haplotype diversity (Ĥ) and low values of nucleotide diversity (π), combined with a high number of low frequency haplotypes and values of θπ<θW, suggested a recent demographic expansion of H. virescens populations in Brazil. This demographic event could be responsible for the low genetic structure currently found; however, haplotypes present uniquely at the same geographic regions and from one specific host plant suggest an initial differentiation among H. virescens populations within Brazil.

Download Full-text

A new species of Golinca Thomson (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae): first record of the genus for Brazil

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3919.1.9 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3919 (1) ◽

pp. 192

Author(s):

M. VALOIS ◽

F. SILVA

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Male Genitalia ◽

First Record ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

A New Species

Golinca trevisani Valois & Silva, new species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Cetoniinae: Trichiini: Incina) from Ouro Preto do Oeste, Rondônia, and Amazonas, Brazil is described, representing the first record of the genus Golinca for Brazil. Diagnosis, illustrations of key morphological characters, the first male genitalia description in the genus, and a key for identification of four species of Golinca are provided.

Download Full-text

Diversity among different populations of a locally common rice (Oryza sativa L.) landrace from north-western Indian Himalayas

Plant Genetic Resources ◽

10.1017/s1479262110000109 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 151-158 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

S. Kumar ◽

A. Pandey ◽

I. S. Bisht ◽

K. V. Bhat ◽

P. S. Mehta

Keyword(s):

Oryza Sativa ◽

Oryza Sativa L ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Ex Situ ◽

Evolutionary Forces ◽

Minimum Number ◽

Environmental Adaptations ◽

Farmer Management ◽

Different Populations ◽

On Farm

Genetic structure of five populations of a locally common rice (Oryza sativa L.) landrace Jaulia from parts of Uttarakhand state of India was studied using sequence tagged microsatellite site (STMS) markers. Of these, four populations were on-farm managed, assembled from different niche environments, and one population was conserved ex situ and represented static conservation. The 16 STMS primer pairs fully differentiated the inter- and intrapopulation diversity. A total of 72 alleles were recorded with a mean of 4.5 alleles per locus. Population wise, the total number of alleles ranged from 21 to 41, with maximum number of alleles for population IC 548358 and minimum number of alleles for population IC 100051 representing static conservation. A greater number of alleles specific to populations under farmer management could be recorded. Changes in yield parameters also seemed to be affected under farmer management besides other environmental adaptations for qualitative morphological characters. The marker diversity using STMS primer pairs indicates the genetic differentiation among populations resulting from joint effects of several evolutionary forces operating within the historical and biological context of the crop landrace. The variations in adaptations, on the other hand, indicate the degree to which populations are adapted to their environments and their potential for continued performance or as donors of characters in plant breeding. Both biotic and abiotic aspects of the environment are involved.

Download Full-text

A reassessment of Dioon merolae (Zamiaceae) leads to the description of Dioon salas-moralesae, a new cycad species from Southeastern Oaxaca, Mexico

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.528.2.3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 528 (2) ◽

pp. 93-110

Author(s):

JOSÉ SAID GUTIÉRREZ-ORTEGA ◽

MIGUEL ANGEL PÉREZ-FARRERA ◽

JEFFREY CHEMNICK ◽

TIMOTHY J. GREGORY

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Morphological Variation ◽

Related Species ◽

Statistical Tests ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Closely Related Species ◽

Morphometric Variation ◽

Isthmus Of Tehuantepec ◽

Morphological Differences ◽

Recent Evaluation

The cycad genus Dioon comprises 17 species from Mexico and Honduras, all of them delimited based on their morphological variation and geographic distribution. A recent evaluation of the biological variation among Dioon populations from Oaxaca and Chiapas, Mexico, demonstrated that the concept of the species Dioon merolae actually consists of three lineages that should be recognized as different taxa. One lineage was already described as Dioon oaxacensis, leaving the concept of Dioon merolae comprising two lineages distributed on both sides of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. However, there are conspicuous morphological differences between these two lineages. Here, we tested whether such a differentiation within the concept of Dioon merolae merits the differentiation of two different taxa. We evaluated the qualitative and morphometric variation among populations belonging to the Dioon merolae lineages, and compared it with the closely related species Dioon oaxacensis. Morphological observations and statistical tests demonstrated that the populations of southeastern Oaxaca, traditionally considered as part of Dioon merolae, represent a distinct species that we described as Dioon salas-moralesae. Identifying the diagnostic characters of this new species helps enable an understanding of the criteria that should be considered to delineate the boundaries between other cycad species.

Download Full-text

Halyomorpha picus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomidae): first confirmed record from Pakistan and two new junior synonyms

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.5060.3.8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5060 (3) ◽

pp. 429-438

Author(s):

PETR KMENT ◽

S. SALINI ◽

ZUBAIR AHMED

Keyword(s):

Invasive Species ◽

North Africa ◽

Male Genitalia ◽

Morphological Variability ◽

Female Genitalia ◽

Voucher Specimens ◽

Heteroptera Pentatomidae

We provide the first confirmed record of Halyomorpha picus (Fabricius, 1794) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Pentatomoidea: Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Cappaeini) from Pakistan: Islamabad Capital Territory, and provide habitus photographs and electron scanning micrographs of the male genitalia of the voucher specimens. Two species previously described from Pakistan are found to fit within the morphological variability of H. picus and the following two junior subjective synonyms are proposed: Halyomorpha picus (Fabricius, 1794) = Halyomorpha punjabensis Ahmad & Kamaluddin, 1977, syn. nov., = Halyomorpha azhari Ahmad & Zaidi, 1989, syn. nov. The record of Halyomorpha scutellata Distant, 1879, from Pakistan by Sharif et al. (2020) is based on misidentification of a species of Neohalys Ahmad & Perveen, 1982 (Pentatominae: Halyini) and excluded from Pakistan fauna. Based on the analysis of female genitalia figures provided by Gadalla (2004), the record of H. picus from Egypt represents a misidentification of H. halys Stål, 1855, which extends the distribution of that invasive species to North Africa.

Download Full-text

Extinct before discovered? Epactoides giganteus sp. nov. (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae), the first native dung beetle to Réunion island

ZooKeys ◽

10.3897/zookeys.1061.70130 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 1061 ◽

pp. 75-86

Author(s):

Michele Rossini ◽

Fernando Z. Vaz-de-Mello ◽

Olivier Montreuil ◽

Nicholas Porch ◽

Sergei Tarasov

Keyword(s):

Dung Beetle ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Systematic Position ◽

Reunion Island ◽

Single Female ◽

Rapid Loss ◽

Water Dispersal ◽

Réunion Island ◽

A New Species ◽

Mascarene Archipelago

We describe a new species of dung beetle, Epactoides giganteussp. nov., from a single female specimen allegedly collected in the 19th century on Réunion island and recently found at the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris. This species differs from other species of Epactoides by larger size and a set of other distinctive morphological characters. Epactoides giganteussp. nov. is the first native dung beetle (Scarabaeinae) of Réunion, and its discovery expands the known area of distribution of the genus Epactoides, which was hitherto believed to be endemic to Madagascar. Like other taxa from Madagascar and peripheral islands (e.g., Comoro, Seychelles, Mascarenes), E. giganteussp. nov. may have reached Réunion by over-water dispersal. Given the rapid loss of biodiversity on Réunion island and the fact that no additional specimens were re-collected over the last two centuries, it is very likely that E. giganteussp. nov. has gone extinct. However, we have unconfirmed evidence that the holotype of E. giganteussp. nov. might be a mislabeled specimen from Madagascar, which would refute the presence of native dung beetles on Réunion. We discuss both hypotheses about the specimen origin and assess the systematic position of E. giganteussp. nov. by examining most of the described species of Madagascan Epactoides. Additionally, we provide a brief overview of the dung beetle fauna of Mascarene Archipelago.

Download Full-text

Morphological variability of Quercus robur L. leaf in Serbia

Genetika ◽

10.2298/gensr1702529b ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 49 (2) ◽

pp. 529-541

Author(s):

Branislava Batos ◽

Danijela Miljkovic ◽

Marko Perovic ◽

Sasa Orlovic

Keyword(s):

Leaf Area ◽

Analysis Of Variance ◽

Population Differentiation ◽

Quercus Robur ◽

Phenotypic Variability ◽

Morphological Variability ◽

Intraspecific Variability ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Interpopulation Variability ◽

Intrapopulation Variability

This paper presents the results of a study dealing with leaf morphological variability of Quercus robur L. 148 trees were sampled from 5 population across Serbia and 17 morphological traits were assessed. Interpopulation variability was confirmed by the results of the analysis of variance (ANOVA). A statistically significant (p <0.05) effect of population was obtained for most of the studied morphological characters. Intrapopulation variability was confirmed by statistically significant tree effects for all of the studied leaf characters (all p < 0.05). The results of the multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) confirmed a significant population and tree share in the total phenotypic variability (all p <0.05). By applying the canonical discriminant analysis (CDA), the first discriminant function accounted for 63% of the variability between populations and the second accounted for 20% of the population variability. The leaf area (AREA), specific leaf area (SLA) and surface area to perimeter ratio (ARPE) had the greatest effect on population differentiation (CDA). It is assumed that different environmental conditions affect population differentiation and that high intrapopulation variability is due to intraspecific variability.

Download Full-text

Review of Indian Allacta Saussure & Zehntner, 1895 (Blattodea: Ectobiidae: Pseudophyllodromiinae), with description of three new species

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4920.2.6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4920 (2) ◽

pp. 254-266

Author(s):

M. SENRAJ ◽

S. MARIA PACKIAM ◽

S. PRABAKARAN ◽

CRISTIAN C. LUCANAS ◽

DEEPA JAISWAL

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Male Genitalia ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Species Group ◽

Three New Species

The known species of Allacta Saussure & Zehntner, 1895 in India are reviewed. Three new species, A. jcenpro sp. nov., A. vellimalai sp. nov., and A. kollimalai sp. nov., are described. All are placed under hamifera species group. The new species can be differentiated from other members of hamifera species group by the pronotal and facial markings, the structure of the male genitalia and other morphological characters. Additional reports to A. kalakadensis Prabakaran & Senraj 2019 and A. figurata (Walker, 1871) are provided. A key to the known species of Indian Allacta is provided.

Download Full-text