Allopatric distribution and diversification without niche shift in a bryophyte-feeding basal moth lineage (Lepidoptera: Micropterigidae)

The Lepidoptera represent one of the most successful radiations of plant-feeding insects, which predominantly took place within angiosperms beginning in the Cretaceous period. Angiosperm colonization is thought to underlie the evolutionary success of the Lepidoptera because angiosperms provide an enormous range of niches for ecological speciation to take place. By contrast, the basal lepidopteran lineage, Micropterigidae, remained unassociated with angiosperms since Jurassic times but nevertheless achieved a modest diversity in the Japanese Archipelago. We explored the causes and processes of diversification of the Japanese micropterigid moths by performing molecular phylogenetic analysis and extensive ecological surveying. Phylogenetic analysis recovered a monophyletic group of approximately 25 East Asian endemic species that feed exclusively on the liverwort Conocephalum conicum , suggesting that niche shifts hardly played a role in their diversification. Consistent with the low flying ability of micropterigid moths, the distributions of the Conocephalum specialists are each localized and allopatric, indicating that speciation by geographical isolation has been the major process shaping the diversity of Japanese Micropterigidae. To our knowledge, this is the largest radiation of herbivorous insects that does not accompany any apparent niche differentiation. We suggest that the significance of non-ecological speciation during the diversification of the Lepidoptera is commonly underestimated.

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The enigmatic groundwater amphipod Awacaris kawasawai revisited: synonymisation of the genus Sternomoera, with molecular phylogenetic analyses of Awacaris and Sternomoera species (Crustacea : Amphipoda : Pontogeneiidae)

Invertebrate Systematics ◽

10.1071/is16037 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 31 (2) ◽

pp. 125 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ko Tomikawa ◽

Masaki Kyono ◽

Keiko Kuribayashi ◽

Takafumi Nakano

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

28S Rrna ◽

Ancestral State ◽

Cryptic Diversity ◽

Japanese Archipelago ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic ◽

The Japanese Archipelago ◽

Kochi Prefecture

Amphipod crustaceans are dominant in subterranean habitats, and members of eight genera are endemic to groundwater environments in the Japanese Archipelago. The taxonomic status of two of these genera remains unclear, because their original descriptions were incomplete. The descriptions of the enigmatic subterranean monotypic genus Awacaris and its type species, A. kawasawai Uéno, 1971, are revisited here. Awacaris kawasawai was originally described based on specimens from a subterranean stream at Himise Cave, Tokushima Prefecture, Shikoku, Japan. Recently, a new population of A. kawasawai was found at Saruta Cave, Kochi Prefecture, Shikoku. Detailed observation of the newly collected specimens reveals the presence of sternal gills, which is the diagnostic character of the pontogeneiid genus Sternomoera, making the validity of Sternomoera open to question. Phylogenetic analyses using nuclear 28S rRNA and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I markers demonstrate that A. kawasawai forms a well-supported clade with the subterranean S. morinoi Tomikawa and Ishimaru, 2014. In addition, phylogenetic analysis reveals cryptic diversity in epigean species of Sternomoera. Ancestral state reconstruction suggests that catadromous Sternomoera species have evolved from freshwater ancestors. Based on our morphological and phylogenetic analysis of Awacaris and Sternomoera species, it is concluded here that Sternomoera should be treated as a subjective junior synonym of Awacaris.

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Decomposing the causes for niche differentiation between species using hypervolumes

10.1101/485920 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Jose Carlos Carvalho ◽

Pedro Cardoso

Keyword(s):

Community Assembly ◽

Niche Partitioning ◽

Niche Differentiation ◽

Niche Shift ◽

Niche Space ◽

Niche Dynamics ◽

Niche Shifts ◽

Coexisting Species ◽

Reduced Space ◽

Niche Displacement

Hutchinson's n-dimensional hypervolume concept holds a central role across different fields of ecology and evolution. The question of the amount of hypervolume overlap and differentiation between species is of great interest to understand the processes that drive niche dynamics, competitive interactions and, ultimately, community assembly. A novel framework is proposed to decompose overall differentiation among hypervolumes into two distinct components: niche shifts and niche contraction / expansion processes. Niche shift corresponds to the replacement of space between the hypervolumes occupied by two species, whereas niche contraction / expansion processes correspond to net differences between the amount of space enclosed by each hypervolume. Hypervolumes were constructed for two Darwin' finches, Geospiza conirostris and Geospiza magnirostris, using intraspecific trait data from Genovesa Island, where they live in sympatry. Results showed that significant niche shifts, not niche contraction, occurred between these species. This means that Geospiza conirostris occupied a different niche space and not a reduced space on Genovesa. The proposed framework allows disentangling different processes and understand the drivers of niche partitioning between coexisting species. Niche displacement due to competition can this way be separated from niche contraction due to specialization or expansion due to lower pressure on newly occupied ecological settings.

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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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Habitat use and the coexistence of the sika deer and the Japanese serow, sympatric ungulates from Mt. Asama, central Japan

Mammalia ◽

10.1515/mammalia-2019-0150 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 84 (6) ◽

pp. 503-511

Author(s):

Hayato Takada ◽

Riki Ohuchi ◽

Haruko Watanabe ◽

Risako Yano ◽

Risako Miyaoka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Habitat Use ◽

Sika Deer ◽

Cervus Nippon ◽

Niche Differentiation ◽

Ecological Niches ◽

Dwarf Bamboo ◽

Central Japan ◽

Habitat Mosaic ◽

The Japanese Archipelago ◽

Japanese Serow

AbstractDifferential resource use allows for diverse species to specialize in ecological niches and thus coexist in a particular area. In the Japanese archipelago, increasing sika deer (Cervus nippon, Temminck 1836) densities have excluded the Japanese serow (Capricornis crispus, Temminck 1836), but in places where deer population densities are low, the two species coexist. We wanted to better understand their habitats and how these two ungulates manage to coexist. We evaluated the role of habitat use in the coexistence of these two sympatric ungulates on Mt. Asama, central Japan. Deer frequently used the dwarf bamboo-rich communities in autumn and winter, and their habitat use was not associated with topography. Serows frequently used deciduous broadleaf shrub-rich communities and steep slopes throughout the year. Consequently, their habitat use was significantly different in terms of vegetation and topography. Niche breadth suggests that deer tend to be generalists, whereas serows tend to be specialists. Niche differentiation in habitat use between deer and serows may make the coexistence of these similarly sized ungulates possible in Japanese mountainous zones. Therefore, the fine-grained habitat mosaic of different vegetation and topography areas might be the underlying feature that allows the coexistence of these two species.

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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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