Evolution of a hyper-complex intromittent organ in rove beetles – the endophallus of Xantholinini (Staphylinidae: Coleoptera)

Abstract Studies on the functional morphology and evolution of genitalia have been crucial to understanding sexual traits in speciation, reproductive isolation and sexual selection in Coleoptera and insects in general. However, the focus of investigation of the intromittent organ of beetles was largely confined to the sclerotized elements of the aedeagus, whereas the membranous structures of the endophallus (=internal sac) have often not been adequately considered. Using a micro-operating technique, we observed living male rove beetles and found five different types of endophallus eversion and related morphological modifications. Analysing genital data of a larger sample of Xantholinini, we could demonstrate that endophallus complexity and modifications tend to vary inversely with the median lobe (penis: intromittent organ). Our comparative morphological study, combined with a molecular phylogenetic analysis, suggests that endophallus spiralling occurring after endophallus eversion is an innovation in beetle evolution.

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Wood Anatomy Of Seven Species Of Tachigali (Caesalpinioideae–Leguminosae)

IAWA Journal ◽

10.1163/22941932-00000044 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 19-30 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Tahysa M. Macedo ◽

Claudia F. Barros ◽

Haroldo C. Lima ◽

Cecília G. Costa

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Wood Anatomy ◽

Species Level ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Phylogenetic Significance ◽

Anatomical Features ◽

Or Groups ◽

Different Types ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic ◽

Thin Walled

This article describes the wood anatomy of seven species of Tachigali Aublet with the aim of identifying 1) diagnostic characters at the species level and 2) anatomical features with potential for future combined morphological and molecular phylogenetic analysis. Tachigali species present fibre dimorphism and can be grouped according to the arrangement of the thin-walled fibres: tangential bands of thin-walled fibres alternating with thick-walled fibres, as in T. duckei and T. vulgaris; wavy bands , as in T. paratyensis, T. glauca and T. vulgaris; well-developed bands to describe the abundance of thin-walled fibres in contrast to thick-walled fibres, as in T. denudata and T. pilgeriana; and in islands or groups of thin-walled fibres scattered among ordinary fibres. It is recommended to explore the phylogenetic significance of the different types of fibre dimorphism in future combined molecular and morphological cladistics analyses.

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Three new species and a new combination of Triblidium

MycoKeys ◽

10.3897/mycokeys.60.46645 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 60 ◽

pp. 1-15

Author(s):

Tu Lv ◽

Cheng-Lin Hou ◽

Peter R. Johnston

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

New Species ◽

Dna Sequences ◽

Morphological Study ◽

Type Species ◽

New Combination ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic ◽

Thin Walled ◽

Three New Species ◽

Small Clusters

Triblidiaceae (Rhytismatales) currently consists of two genera: Triblidium and Huangshania. Triblidium is the type genus and is characterised by melanized apothecia that occur scattered or in small clusters on the substratum, cleistohymenial (opening in the mesohymenial phase), inamyloid thin-walled asci and hyaline muriform ascospores. Before this study, only the type species, Triblidium caliciiforme, had DNA sequences in the NCBI GenBank. In this study, six specimens of Triblidium were collected from China and France and new ITS, mtSSU, LSU and RPB2 sequences were generated. Our molecular phylogenetic analysis and morphological study demonstrated three new species of Triblidium, which are formally described here: T. hubeiense, T. rostriforme and T. yunnanense. Additionally, our results indicated that Huangshania that was considered to be distinct from Triblidium because of its elongated, transversely-septate ascospores, is congeneric with Triblidium. Therefore, we have placed Huangshania in synonymy under Triblidium, rendering Triblidiaceae a monotypic family.

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Mcdadea: A New Genus of Acanthaceae Endemic to the Namib Desert of Southwestern Angola

Systematic Botany ◽

10.1600/036364420x15801369352478 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 45 (1) ◽

pp. 200-211 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Erin A. Tripp ◽

Iain Darbyshire

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Morphological Study ◽

New Genus ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Namib Desert ◽

Dense Vegetation ◽

Coastal Fog ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic ◽

Two Populations

Abstract—Acanthaceae represent one of the most ecologically dominant families of plants in the Namib Desert and adjacent portions of Namibia and Angola yet have never been comprehensively treated from a taxonomic perspective in the region. Recent fieldwork in Angola yielded discovery of two populations of plants, morphologically allied to the tribe Ruellieae, that could not be ascribed to any known genus. Morphological study combined with molecular phylogenetic analysis based on ddRAD sequencing that sampled broadly across other lineages of Ruellieae yielded evidence for a new, previously undocumented lineage of Acanthaceae, which we here formally describe under the monotypic Mcdadea. Plants of M. angolensis are characterized as compact, weak-wooded shrubs with dense vegetation, minute corollas, and small, 2-seeded capsules. The species is restricted to limestone mesas and outcroppings in ultra-arid deserts of Namibe Province, southwestern Angola, where plants rely primarily on coastal fog for precipitation. Although highly range-restricted, there are no known threats to this species and it is currently assessed as of Least Concern. Molecular phylogenetic analyses suggest treatment of Mcdadea angolensis within a newly described subtribe of Ruellieae: Mcdadeinae. Additional revisions to subtribal classification are herein presented, including placement of Calacanthus within Ruelliineae, placement of Echinacanthus within Petalidiinae, and description of two additional new subtribes, Dinteracanthinae and Phaulopsinae.

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Two new species of the Exocelina ekari group from New Guinea with strongly modified male antennae (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae, Copelatinae)

ZooKeys ◽

10.3897/zookeys.960.55007 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 960 ◽

pp. 63-78 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Helena Shaverdo ◽

Suriani Surbakti ◽

Bob Sumoked ◽

Michael Balke

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

New Species ◽

Male Genitalia ◽

New Guinea ◽

External Morphology ◽

Median Lobe ◽

Morphological Similarity ◽

Straight Line ◽

Two New Species ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic

Two new species of the genus Exocelina Broun, 1886: E. athesphatossp. nov. and E. tsingasp. nov. are described from New Guinea and placed into the E. ekari group based on the structure of their male genitalia. The two species are very similar with respect to their external morphology and characterised by almost identical, strongly modified male antennae. However, they can easily be separated by the shape and setation of the median lobe and paramere. Based on morphological similarity and results of a molecular phylogenetic analysis, we suggest these are sister species. Both of them have been collected on the southern slopes of the Central Range (the spine of New Guinea), with a distance of ca. 380 km straight line between the collecting localities.

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Biosystematic studies on the genusPolygonatum (Convallariaceae) IV. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on restriction site mapping of the chloroplast genetrnK

Feddes Repertorium ◽

10.1002/fedr.4921080306 ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 108 (3-4) ◽

pp. 159-168

Author(s):

M. N. Tamura ◽

A. E. Schwarzbach ◽

S. Kruse ◽

R. Reski

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Restriction Site ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Site Mapping ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic ◽

Restriction Site Mapping

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Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis of the AIG Family in Vertebrates

Genes ◽

10.3390/genes12081190 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (8) ◽

pp. 1190

Author(s):

Yuqi Huang ◽

Minghao Sun ◽

Lenan Zhuang ◽

Jin He

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Gene Family ◽

Functional Characterization ◽

Vertebrate Evolution ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Whole Genome Duplications ◽

Genome Duplications ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic ◽

Duplication Events ◽

Inducible Genes

Androgen-inducible genes (AIGs), which can be regulated by androgen level, constitute a group of genes characterized by the presence of the AIG/FAR-17a domain in its protein sequence. Previous studies on AIGs demonstrated that one member of the gene family, AIG1, is involved in many biological processes in cancer cell lines and that ADTRP is associated with cardiovascular diseases. It has been shown that the numbers of AIG paralogs in humans, mice, and zebrafish are 2, 2, and 3, respectively, indicating possible gene duplication events during vertebrate evolution. Therefore, classifying subgroups of AIGs and identifying the homologs of each AIG member are important to characterize this novel gene family further. In this study, vertebrate AIGs were phylogenetically grouped into three major clades, ADTRP, AIG1, and AIG-L, with AIG-L also evident in an outgroup consisting of invertebrsate species. In this case, AIG-L, as the ancestral AIG, gave rise to ADTRP and AIG1 after two rounds of whole-genome duplications during vertebrate evolution. Then, the AIG family, which was exposed to purifying forces during evolution, lost or gained some of its members in some species. For example, in eutherians, Neognathae, and Percomorphaceae, AIG-L was lost; in contrast, Salmonidae and Cyprinidae acquired additional AIG copies. In conclusion, this study provides a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic analysis of vertebrate AIGs, which can be employed for future functional characterization of AIGs.

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A REVISED GENERIC SYNOPSIS OF HYACINTHACEAE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, BASED ON MOLECULAR EVIDENCE, INCLUDING NEW COMBINATIONS AND THE NEW TRIBE PSEUDOPROSPEREAE

Edinburgh Journal of Botany ◽

10.1017/s0960428603000404 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 60 (3) ◽

pp. 533-568 ◽

Cited By ~ 74

Author(s):

J. C. MANNING ◽

P. GOLDBLATT ◽

M. F. FAY

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Sub Saharan Africa ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

New Combinations ◽

Generic Level ◽

The Family ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic ◽

Single Genus ◽

New Tribe ◽

Sub Saharan

A revised generic synopsis of sub-Saharan Hyacinthaceae is presented, based on a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the family. Generic rank is accorded only to reciprocally monophyletic clades that can be distinguished by recognizable morphological discontinuities, thereby permitting an appropriate generic assignment of species not included in the analysis. Three subfamilies are recognized within the region. Subfamily Ornithogaloideae, characterized by flattened or angular seeds with tightly adhering testa, is considered to include the single genus Ornithogalum, which is expanded to include the genera Albuca, Dipcadi, Galtonia, Neopatersonia and Pseudogaltonia. Recognizing any of these segregates at generic level renders the genus Ornithogalum polyphyletic, while subdivision of Ornithogalum into smaller, morphologically distinguishable segregates in order to preserve the monophyly of each is not possible. Subfamily Urgineoideae, characterized by flattened or winged seeds with brittle, loosely adhering testa, comprises the two mainland African genera Bowiea and Drimia. The latter is well circumscribed by its deciduous, short-lived perianth and includes the previously recognized genera Litanthus, Rhadamanthus, Schizobasis and Tenicroa. The monotypic Madagascan Igidia is provisionally included in the subfamily as a third genus on the basis of its seeds, pending molecular confirmation of its relationships. Subfamily Hyacinthoideae resolves into three clades, distinguished as tribes Hyacintheae (strictly northern hemisphere and not treated further), Massonieae and Pseudoprospereae tribus nov. Full descriptions and a key to their identification are provided for all genera. New combinations reflecting the generic circumscriptions adopted here are made for most African and all Indian and Madagascan species.

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Black spicules from a new interstitial opheliid polychaete Thoracophelia minuta sp. nov. (Annelida: Opheliidae)

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-80702-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Naoto Jimi ◽

Shinta Fujimoto ◽

Mami Takehara ◽

Satoshi Imura

Keyword(s):

Developmental Biology ◽

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

New Species ◽

Morphological Diversity ◽

The Body ◽

Evolutionary Significance ◽

Research Subject ◽

Ecological Diversity ◽

Coelomic Cavity ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic

AbstractThe phylum Annelida exhibits high morphological diversity coupled with its extensive ecological diversity, and the process of its evolution has been an attractive research subject for many researchers. Its representatives are also extensively studied in fields of ecology and developmental biology and important in many other biology related disciplines. The study of biomineralisation is one of them. Some annelid groups are well known to form calcified tubes but other forms of biomineralisation are also known. Herein, we report a new interstitial annelid species with black spicules, Thoracophelia minuta sp. nov., from Yoichi, Hokkaido, Japan. Spicules are minute calcium carbonate inclusions found across the body and in this new species, numerous black rod-like inclusions of calcium-rich composition are distributed in the coelomic cavity. The new species can be distinguished from other known species of the genus by these conspicuous spicules, shape of branchiae and body formula. Further, the new species’ body size is apparently smaller than its congeners. Based on our molecular phylogenetic analysis using 18S and 28S sequences, we discuss the evolutionary significance of the new species’ spicules and also the species' progenetic origin.

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