scholarly journals Systematic placement of an enigmatic Southeast Asian taxon Eupetes macrocerus and implications for the biogeography of a main songbird radiation, the Passerida

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 323-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Knud A Jønsson ◽  
Jon Fjeldså ◽  
Per G.P Ericson ◽  
Martin Irestedt
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Plate Tectonics ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Sister Taxon ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Biogeographic History ◽  
Basal Group ◽  
History Of ◽  
Biogeographic Regions ◽  
Wallace’S Line

Biogeographic connections between Australia and other continents are still poorly understood although the plate tectonics of the Indo-Pacific region is now well described. Eupetes macrocerus is an enigmatic taxon distributed in a small area on the Malay Peninsula and on Sumatra and Borneo. It has generally been associated with Ptilorrhoa in New Guinea on the other side of Wallace's Line, but a relationship with the West African Picathartes has also been suggested. Using three nuclear markers, we demonstrate that Eupetes is the sister taxon of the South African genus Chaetops , and their sister taxon in turn being Picathartes , with a divergence in the Eocene. Thus, this clade is distributed in remote corners of Africa and Asia, which makes the biogeographic history of these birds very intriguing. The most parsimonious explanation would be that they represent a relictual basal group in the Passerida clade established after a long-distance dispersal from the Australo-Papuan region to Africa. Many earlier taxonomic arrangements may have been based on assumptions about relationships with similar-looking forms in the same, or adjacent, biogeographic regions, and revisions with molecular data may uncover such cases of neglect of ancient relictual patterns reflecting past connections between the continents.

scholarly journals Phylogenetic analysis of a new morphological dataset elucidates the evolutionary history of Crocodylia and resolves the long-standing gharial problem

PeerJ ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. e12094
Author(s):  
Jonathan P. Rio ◽  
Philip D. Mannion
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Data ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
Sister Taxon ◽  
Last Common Ancestor ◽  
South American ◽  
Biogeographic History ◽  
History Of ◽  
Gavialis Gangeticus ◽  
Divergence Timing ◽  
Early Paleogene

First appearing in the latest Cretaceous, Crocodylia is a clade of semi-aquatic, predatory reptiles, defined by the last common ancestor of extant alligators, caimans, crocodiles, and gharials. Despite large strides in resolving crocodylian interrelationships over the last three decades, several outstanding problems persist in crocodylian systematics. Most notably, there has been persistent discordance between morphological and molecular datasets surrounding the affinities of the extant gharials, Gavialis gangeticus and Tomistoma schlegelii. Whereas molecular data consistently support a sister taxon relationship, in which they are more closely related to crocodylids than to alligatorids, morphological data indicate that Gavialis is the sister taxon to all other extant crocodylians. Here we present a new morphological dataset for Crocodylia based on a critical reappraisal of published crocodylian character data matrices and extensive firsthand observations of a global sample of crocodylians. This comprises the most taxonomically comprehensive crocodylian dataset to date (144 OTUs scored for 330 characters) and includes a new, illustrated character list with modifications to the construction and scoring of characters, and 46 novel characters. Under a maximum parsimony framework, our analyses robustly recover Gavialis as more closely related to Tomistoma than to other extant crocodylians for the first time based on morphology alone. This result is recovered regardless of the weighting strategy and treatment of quantitative characters. However, analyses using continuous characters and extended implied weighting (with high k-values) produced the most resolved, well-supported, and stratigraphically congruent topologies overall. Resolution of the gharial problem reveals that: (1) several gavialoids lack plesiomorphic features that formerly drew them towards the stem of Crocodylia; and (2) more widespread similarities occur between species traditionally divided into tomistomines and gavialoids, with these interpreted here as homology rather than homoplasy. There remains significant temporal incongruence regarding the inferred divergence timing of the extant gharials, indicating that several putative gavialids (‘thoracosaurs’) are incorrectly placed and require future re-appraisal. New alligatoroid interrelationships include: (1) support for a North American origin of Caimaninae in the latest Cretaceous; (2) the recovery of the early Paleogene South American taxon Eocaiman as a ‘basal’ alligatoroid; and (3) the paraphyly of the Cenozoic European taxon Diplocynodon. Among crocodyloids, notable results include modifications to the taxonomic content of Mekosuchinae, including biogeographic affinities of this clade with latest Cretaceous–early Paleogene Asian crocodyloids. In light of our new results, we provide a comprehensive review of the evolutionary and biogeographic history of Crocodylia, which included multiple instances of transoceanic and continental dispersal.

scholarly journals Intercontinental dispersal by a microendemic burrowing reptile (Dibamidae)

2011 ◽  
Vol 278 (1718) ◽  
pp. 2568-2574 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ted M. Townsend ◽  
Dean H. Leavitt ◽  
Tod W. Reeder
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Protein ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Sister Taxon ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Land Bridge ◽  
Protein Coding ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
Biogeographic History ◽  
History Of ◽  
Northeastern Mexico

Intercontinental dispersal via land bridge connections has been important in the biogeographic history of many Holarctic plant and animal groups. Likewise, some groups appear to have accomplished trans-oceanic dispersal via rafting. Dibamid lizards are a clade of poorly known fossorial, essentially limbless species traditionally split into two geographically disjunct genera: Dibamus comprises approximately 20 Southeast Asian species, many of which have very limited geographical distributions, and the monotypic genus Anelytropsis occupies a small area of northeastern Mexico. Although no formal phylogeny of the group exists, a sister–taxon relationship between the two genera has been assumed based on biogeographic considerations. We used DNA sequence data from one mitochondrial and six nuclear protein-coding genes to construct a phylogeny of Dibamidae and to estimate divergence times within the group. Surprisingly, sampled Dibamus species form two deeply divergent, morphologically conserved and geographically concordant clades, one of which is the sister taxon of Anelytropsis papillosus . Our analyses indicate Palaearctic to Nearctic Beringian dispersal in the Late Palaeocene to Eocene. Alternatively, a trans-Pacific rafting scenario would extend the upper limit on dispersal to the Late Cretaceous. Either scenario constitutes a remarkable long-distance dispersal in what would seem an unlikely candidate.

scholarly journals Phylogenetic systematics of Glassfrogs (Amphibia: Centrolenidae) and their sister taxon Allophryne ruthveni

Zootaxa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 2100 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-97 ◽  
Author(s):  
JUAN M. GUAYASAMIN ◽  
SANTIAGO CASTROVIEJO-FISHER ◽  
LINDA TRUEB ◽  
JOSÉ AYARZAGÜENA ◽  
MARCO RADA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Estimation Methods ◽  
Sister Taxon ◽  
Zoological Nomenclature ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Phylogenetic Taxonomy ◽  
Biogeographic Regions ◽  
Allophryne Ruthveni ◽  
Name Changes

Based on a molecular phylogeny, a new phylogenetic taxonomy that is compatible with both the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) and the PhyloCode is proposed for Glassfrogs and their sister taxon, Allophryne ruthveni. The arrangement presented herein emphasizes the recognition of clades having (i) significant statistical support and congruence among phylogenetic estimation methods (i.e., parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference criteria), (ii) congruence among genetic markers, and (iii) morphological and/or behavioral distinctiveness. Also, when previously recognized groups are recovered as monophyletic or nearly monophyletic, we propose taxa that minimize the number of name changes required to make these groups monophyletic, preserving the names and contents of previous classifications (i.e., nomenclatural stability). The evolutionary proximity of Centrolenidae and Allophrynidae is recognized by combining these families into an unraked taxon, Allocentroleniae—a proposal that maintains the traditional names and species contents of Centrolenidae and Allophrynidae. We arrange centrolenid diversity in two subfamilies: Centroleninae and Hyalinobatrachinae. Within Centroleninae, the diagnosis and species content of the genera Centrolene, Cochranella, and Nymphargus are modified; Teratohyla is resurrected and modified, and Chimerella, Espadarana, Rulyrana, Sachatamia, and Vitreorana are proposed as new genera. The other subfamily, Hyalinobatrachinae, contains the new genus Celsiella and a modified Hyalinobatrachium that fully corresponds to the former fleischmanni Group. Additionally, the genus Ikakogi is described. Ikakogi could not be assigned with confidence to either subfamily and it is placed as incertae sedis in Centrolenidae. The data at hand suggest that Ikakogi tayrona is a lineage as old as the subfamilies Hyalinobatrachinae and Centroleninae. The revised taxonomy differs markedly from previous arrangements, which were based on phenetics and few morphological characters. Most of the genera defined herein are confined to distinct biogeographic regions, highlighting the importance of geography in the speciation of Glassfrogs. The principal limitation of this proposal is that it is based on an incomplete sampling of taxa (54% of the recognized Glassfrogs). Although diagnoses are based on phenotypic traits, there are several cases (16% of all species) in which the allocation of species is ambiguous because of morphological homoplasy and the lack of molecular data. Finally, in an attempt to facilitate species identification, comparison, and generic placement, we provide photographs for most (~ 96%) of the recognized centrolenid species.

The “Cobra-preta” of São Tomé Island, Gulf of Guinea, is a new species of Naja Laurenti, 1768 (Squamata: Elapidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4324 (1) ◽  
pp. 121 ◽  
Author(s):  
LUIS M. P. CERÍACO ◽  
MARIANA P. MARQUES ◽  
ANDREAS SCHMITZ ◽  
AARON M. BAUER
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Conservation Status ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Oceanic Islands ◽  
Gulf Of Guinea ◽  
Biogeographic History ◽  
History Of ◽  
Morphological And Molecular Data ◽  
Taxonomic Groups ◽  
A New Species

The Cobra-Preta (black snake in Portuguese) of Sao Tomé Island in the Gulf of Guinea has historically been referred to as Naja (Boulengerina) melanoleuca (Squamata: Elapidae). Its presence on the island has been traditionally explained as an introduction from the mainland by Portuguese settlers, supposedly to control the rat population. This explanation has been widely accepted by local authorities and even international conservation agencies. The taxonomic identity of this snake has remained undisputed by all taxonomists who have published about it, with the exception of L. Capocaccia in 1961. Arguments supporting the human introduction hypothesis are weak and are contradicted by historical, morphological and molecular data. Further, the biogeographic history of the Gulf of Guinea oceanic islands and recent insights on the taxonomic identity and evolutionary history of other taxonomic groups occurring there suggest that the Cobra-Preta, in fact, represents a distinct lineage of the melanoleuca group, endemic to São Tomé. We here describe the Cobra Preta as a new species. The new species differs from N. (B.) melanoleuca, its sister species, by a distinct coloration ventral pattern and the type of contact of the sublingual scales. Data on the toxicology, distribution, ecology, folklore and conservation status of the new species are presented. 

scholarly journals Did true frogs ‘dispersify’?

2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 20170299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kin Onn Chan ◽  
Rafe M. Brown
Keyword(s):  
Range Expansion ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Late Eocene ◽  
Fundamental Interest ◽  
Biogeographic History ◽  
Ideal System ◽  
History Of ◽  
Biogeographic Regions ◽  
Geographical Expansion ◽  
The Impact

The interplay between range expansion and concomitant diversification is of fundamental interest to evolutionary biologists, particularly when linked to intercontinental dispersal and/or large scale extinctions. The evolutionary history of true frogs has been characterized by circumglobal range expansion. As a lineage that survived the Eocene–Oligocene extinction event (EOEE), the group provides an ideal system to test the prediction that range expansion triggers increased net diversification. We constructed the most densely sampled, time-calibrated phylogeny to date in order to: (i) characterize tempo and patterns of diversification; (ii) assess the impact of the EOEE; and (iii) test the hypothesis that range expansion was followed by increased net diversification. We show that late Eocene colonization of novel biogeographic regions was not affected by the EOEE and surprisingly, global expansion was not followed by increased net diversification. On the contrary, the diversification rate declined or did not shift following geographical expansion. Thus, the diversification history of true frogs contradicts the prevailing expectation that amphibian net diversification accelerated towards the present or increased following range expansion. Rather, our results demonstrate that despite their dynamic biogeographic history, true frogs diversified at a relatively constantly rate, even as they colonized the major land masses of Earth.

scholarly journals An insight into the evolutionary history of Indoplanorbis exustus (Bulinidae: Gastropoda)at the scale of population and species

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maitreya Sil ◽  
Juveriya Mahveen ◽  
Abhishikta Roy ◽  
K. Praveen Karanth ◽  
N. A. Aravind
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Reconstruction ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Early Pleistocene ◽  
Coi Gene ◽  
Population Fluctuations ◽  
Climatic Fluctuations ◽  
Biogeographic History ◽  
Putative Species ◽  
Indoplanorbis Exustus ◽  
History Of

The history of a lineage is intertwined with the history of the landscape it resides in. Here we showcase how the geo-tectonic and climatic evolution in South Asia and surrounding landmasses have shaped the biogeographic history of Indoplanorbis exustus, a tropical Asian, freshwater, pulmonated snail. We amplified partial COI gene fragment from all over India and combined this with a larger dataset from South and Southeast Asia to carry out phylogenetic reconstruction, species delimitation analysis, and population genetic analyses. Two nuclear genes were also amplified from one individual per putative species to carry out divergence dating and ancestral area reconstruction analyses. The results suggest that Indoplanorbis dispersed out of Africa into India during Eocene. Furthermore, molecular data suggests Indoplanorbis is a species complex consisting of multiple putative species. The primary diversification took place in Northern Indian plains or the Northeast India. The speciation events appear to be primarily allopatric caused by a series of aridification events starting from late Miocene to early Pleistocene. None of the species seemed to have any underlying genetic structure suggestive of high vagility. All the species underwent population fluctuations during the Pleistocene likely driven by the Quaternary climatic fluctuations.

scholarly journals History and Geography of Neotropical Tree Diversity

2019 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 279-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher W. Dick ◽  
R. Toby Pennington
Keyword(s):  
Community Assembly ◽  
Tree Diversity ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Neotropical Forests ◽  
The Past ◽  
Biogeographic History ◽  
Neotropical Tree ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact

Early botanical explorers invoked biogeographic history to explain the remarkable tree diversity of Neotropical forests. In this context, we review the history of Neotropical tree diversity over the past 100 million years, focusing on biomes with significant tree diversity. We evaluate hypotheses for rain forest origins, intercontinental disjunctions, and models of Neotropical tree diversification. To assess the impact of biotic interchange on the Amazon tree flora, we examined biogeographic histories of trees in Ecuador's Yasuní Forest, which suggest that nearly 50% of its species descend from immigrant lineages that colonized South America during the Cenozoic. Long-distance and intercontinental dispersal, combined with trait filtering and niche evolution, are important factors in the community assembly of Neotropical forests. We evaluate the role of pre-Columbian people on Neotropical tree diversity and discuss the future of Neotropical forests in the Anthropocene.

scholarly journals Worldwide long‐distance dispersal favored by epizoochorous traits in the biogeographic history of Omphalodeae (Boraginaceae)

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 579-593 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Otero ◽  
Pedro Jiménez‐Mejías ◽  
Virginia Valcárcel ◽  
Pablo Vargas
Keyword(s):  
Long Distance Dispersal ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Biogeographic History ◽  
History Of

scholarly journals The “potato road” and biogeographic history of potato cyst nematode populations from different continents

Genetika ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 895-904 ◽  
Author(s):  
Violeta Or ◽  
Bogdan Nikolic ◽  
Dragana Josic
Keyword(s):  
Historical Data ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Cyst Nematode ◽  
Potato Cyst Nematode ◽  
Historical Records ◽  
Biogeographic History ◽  
History Of ◽  
Place Of Origin ◽  
The One ◽  
General Opinion

The general opinion about the introduction of potato in Europe is the one regarding the direction from South America to Spain and subsequent distribution to other continents. Some historical data point out an alternative road. The potato spread from its place of origin to other continents in the light of parasite-host relationship, relying on nematode molecular data, is discussed in the present work. Biogeographic history of potato cyst nematode populations from different continents is in congruence with historical records.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document