Reproductive morphology and its application in testing molecular systematic hypotheses in the family Gobiidae (Teleostei, Gobiiformes)

2017 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 1094-1108
Author(s):  
M. D. Burns ◽  
K. S. Cole
2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
S T Williams ◽  
Y Kano ◽  
A Warén ◽  
D G Herbert

ABSTRACT The assignment of species to the vetigastropod genus Solariella Wood, 1842, and therefore the family Solariellidae Powell, 1951, is complicated by the fact that the type species (Solariella maculata Wood, 1842) is a fossil described from the Upper Pliocene. Assignment of species to genera has proved difficult in the past, and the type genus has sometimes acted as a ‘wastebasket’ for species that cannot easily be referred to another genus. In the light of a new systematic framework provided by two recent publications presenting the first molecular phylogenetic data for the group, we reassess the shell characters that are most useful for delimiting genera. Shell characters were previously thought to be of limited taxonomic value above the species level, but this is far from the case. Although overall shell shape is not a reliable character, our work shows that shell characters, along with radular and anatomical characters, are useful for assigning species to genera. Sculpture of the early teleoconch (the region immediately following the protoconch) and the columella are particularly useful characters that have not been used regularly in the past to distinguish genera. However, even with the combination of all morphological characters used in this study (shell, radular and eye), a few species are still difficult to assign to genera and in such cases molecular systematic data are essential. In the present study, we discuss 13 genera—12 of which were recovered as well-supported clades in recent molecular systematic studies—and provide morphological characters to distinguish them. We describe several new taxa: Chonospeira n. gen. (referred to as ‘clade B’ in previous molecular systematic studies), Phragmomphalina n. gen. (Bathymophila in part in molecular systematic studies) and Phragmomphalina vilvensi n. sp. (type species of Phragmomphalina n. gen.). We synonymize Hazuregyra Shikama, 1962 with Minolia A. Adams, 1860, Minolia subangulata Kuroda & Habe, 1952 with Minolia punctata A. Adams, 1860 and M. gemmulata Kuroda & Habe, 1971 with M. shimajiriensis (MacNeil, 1960). We also present the following new combinations: Bathymophila bairdii (Dall, 1889), B. dawsoni (Marshall, 1979), B. regalis (Marshall, 1999), B. wanganellica (Marshall, 1999), B. ziczac (Kuroda & Habe in Kuroda, Habe & Oyama, 1971), Chonospeira nuda (Dall, 1896), C. iridescens (Habe, 1961), C. ostreion (Vilvens, 2009), C. strobilos (Vilvens, 2009), Elaphriella corona (Lee & Wu, 2001), E. diplax (Marshall, 1999), E. meridiana (Marshall, 1999), E. olivaceostrigata (Schepman, 1908), E. opalina (Shikama & Hayashi, 1977), Ilanga norfolkensis (Marshall, 1999), I. ptykte (Vilvens, 2009), I. zaccaloides (Vilvens, 2009), Minolia shimajiriensis (MacNeil, 1960), M. watanabei (Shikama, 1962), Phragmomphalina alabida (Marshall, 1979), P. diadema (Marshall, 1999), P. tenuiseptum (Marshall, 1999), Spectamen euteium (Vilvens, 2009), S. basilicum (Marshall, 1999), S. exiguum (Marshall, 1999) and S. flavidum (Marshall, 1999).


2020 ◽  
Vol 105 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-458
Author(s):  
Michael Kiehn ◽  
Andreas Berger

Recent molecular systematic studies have significantly improved our understanding of the large, complex, and cosmopolitan plant family Rubiaceae, comprising about 13,000 species. Besides the obvious importance of DNA phylogenetic data, cytological studies have long added important basic information on the circumscription of clades and relationships within the family. In light of recent changes affecting a large number of tribes and genera, the current knowledge on the systematics of Neotropical Rubiaceae is reviewed with a focus on Costa Rica, which harbors an exceptionally rich Rubiaceae flora including most of the genera and biogeographic elements present in the Neotropics. Based on this systematic framework, previously published chromosome counts on Costa Rican taxa are reviewed and 49 new chromosome counts are reported. In total, 110 accessions of 75 species or infraspecific taxa representing 36 genera of Costa Rican Rubiaceae are discussed and supplemented by new counts for extraterritorial taxa when appropriate. Altogether the present study includes the first chromosome counts reported for the tribes Cordiereae and Hillieae, as well as for 10 genera and 27 species, providing new aspects of Rubiaceae systematics.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
SUBRATA MAJUMDER ◽  
TANMOY MALLICK ◽  
Asok Ghosh

Abstract. Majumder S, Mallick T, Ghosh A. 2020. Morphological diversity of phytolith structures in six species of Carex L. and Cyperus L. (Cyperaceae Juss.) from West Bengal, India. Biodiversitas 21: 3471-3486. Cyperaceae is a taxonomically challenging group due to its cosmopolitan distribution, similar vegetative structure, and reduced reproductive morphology. The present study focused on the characterization and description of phytolith morphotypes based on shape, structure, and ornamentation. Six species of Carex L. and Cyperus L. (three species each) were considered for the present study. From the investigation, we found 56 phytolith morphotypes, among which the principle ones were conical, elongate bulbous margin, lanceolate psilate, tabular concave with verrucate, tabular concave columellate, ovate granulate, and orbicular concave. The conical morphotype was most commonly found. The elongate bulbous margin, lanceolate psilate, and tabular concave with verrucate phytolith morphotypes were specific to the genus Carex, while the tabular concave columellate, ovate granulate and orbicular concave were only found in Cyperus spp. Further, the detailed study of conical morphotypes revealed a distinctive character among the studied genera. Our study concludes that conical, elongate bulbous margin, lanceolate psilate, tabular concave with verrucate, tabular concave columellate, ovate granulate, and orbicular concave morphotypes are constant at the genus level and may play a role in taxonomic identification in the family Cyperaceae.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 230 (1) ◽  
pp. 39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Flicker ◽  
Harvey E. Ballard

Recent traditional and molecular systematic studies of the violet family, Violaceae, have confirmed extensive polyphyly of the genus Hybanthus and substantial polyphyly in Rinorea as well. Phylogenetic analyses have proposed up to nine distinct hybanthoid clades. Broad studies of representative taxa within each clade have revealed coherent suites of macromorphological traits in foliage, flowers, fruits and seeds that easily discriminate the nine hybanthoid lineages from each other and from currently recognized genera in the family. Base chromosome numbers and biogeography also provide additional support for recognition of the hybanthoid clades as distinct segregate genera. Some hybanthoid clades have available older generic names, but one of the two Old World lineages, namely the Hybanthus enneaspermus group, is presently nameless. This clade, distinctive in its ellipsoid, pale yellow, often foveolate seeds, is the most diverse in the Paleotropics, with approximately 25 species distributed across Africa, Madagascar, southern Asia, northern Australia and the southwestern Pacific. The group is segregated here as Afrohybanthus gen. nov., with new combinations provided for existing names, all of which have thus far proven morphologically distinct and worthy of recognition at the rank of species. Imminent future studies will describe additional taxa in the new genus.


1988 ◽  
Vol 62 (03) ◽  
pp. 419-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Baba Senowbari-Daryan ◽  
George D. Stanley

Two Upper Triassic sphinctozoan sponges of the family Sebargasiidae were recovered from silicified residues collected in Hells Canyon, Oregon. These sponges areAmblysiphonellacf.A. steinmanni(Haas), known from the Tethys region, andColospongia whalenin. sp., an endemic species. The latter sponge was placed in the superfamily Porata by Seilacher (1962). The presence of well-preserved cribrate plates in this sponge, in addition to pores of the chamber walls, is a unique condition never before reported in any porate sphinctozoans. Aporate counterparts known primarily from the Triassic Alps have similar cribrate plates but lack the pores in the chamber walls. The sponges from Hells Canyon are associated with abundant bivalves and corals of marked Tethyan affinities and come from a displaced terrane known as the Wallowa Terrane. It was a tropical island arc, suspected to have paleogeographic relationships with Wrangellia; however, these sponges have not yet been found in any other Cordilleran terrane.


Author(s):  
E. S. Boatman ◽  
G. E. Kenny

Information concerning the morphology and replication of organism of the family Mycoplasmataceae remains, despite over 70 years of study, highly controversial. Due to their small size observations by light microscopy have not been rewarding. Furthermore, not only are these organisms extremely pleomorphic but their morphology also changes according to growth phase. This study deals with the morphological aspects of M. pneumoniae strain 3546 in relation to growth, interaction with HeLa cells and possible mechanisms of replication.The organisms were grown aerobically at 37°C in a soy peptone yeast dialysate medium supplemented with 12% gamma-globulin free horse serum. The medium was buffered at pH 7.3 with TES [N-tris (hyroxymethyl) methyl-2-aminoethane sulfonic acid] at 10mM concentration. The inoculum, an actively growing culture, was filtered through a 0.5 μm polycarbonate “nuclepore” filter to prevent transfer of all but the smallest aggregates. Growth was assessed at specific periods by colony counts and 800 ml samples of organisms were fixed in situ with 2.5% glutaraldehyde for 3 hrs. at 4°C. Washed cells for sectioning were post-fixed in 0.8% OSO4 in veronal-acetate buffer pH 6.1 for 1 hr. at 21°C. HeLa cells were infected with a filtered inoculum of M. pneumoniae and incubated for 9 days in Leighton tubes with coverslips. The cells were then removed and processed for electron microscopy.


Author(s):  
A.D. Hyatt

Bluetongue virus (BTV) is the type species os the genus orbivirus in the family Reoviridae. The virus has a fibrillar outer coat containing two major structural proteins VP2 and VP5 which surround an icosahedral core. The core contains two major proteins VP3 and VP7 and three minor proteins VP1, VP4 and VP6. Recent evidence has indicated that the core comprises a neucleoprotein center which is surrounded by two protein layers; VP7, a major constituent of capsomeres comprises the outer and VP3 the inner layer of the core . Antibodies to VP7 are currently used in enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays and immuno-electron microscopical (JEM) tests for the detection of BTV. The tests involve the antibody recognition of VP7 on virus particles. In an attempt to understand how complete viruses can interact with antibodies to VP7 various antibody types and methodologies were utilized to determine the physical accessibility of the core to the external environment.


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