scholarly journals When DNA sequence data and morphological results fit together: Phylogenetic position of Crenubiotus within Macrobiotoidea (Eutardigrada) with description of Crenubiotus ruhesteini sp. nov

Author(s):  
Roberto Guidetti ◽  
Ralph O. Schill ◽  
Ilaria Giovannini ◽  
Edoardo Massa ◽  
Sara Elena Goldoni ◽  
...  
2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 1316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jahnavi Joshi ◽  
Gregory D. Edgecombe

Integrative taxonomy assesses the congruence between different lines of evidence for delimiting species, such as morphological, molecular or ecological data. Herein molecular phylogenetics is used to test monophyly and determine the phylogenetic position of the Old World tropical centipede genus Ethmostigmus Pocock, 1898, and to define species boundaries for Ethmostigmus in peninsular India. A phylogeny of the family Scolopendridae based on DNA sequence data for three markers from 427 specimens sampling in all major lineages (144 individuals generated in this study) recovers Ethmostigmus as a monophyletic group, but relationships among the genera in its subfamily Otostigminae are poorly supported. Two species delimitation methods for DNA sequence data and phylogeny are integrated with morphology and geographic data to propose a well-supported species hypothesis for Ethmostigmus on the peninsular Indian plate. Five species of Ethmostigmus are recognised in peninsular India, of which E. coonooranus Chamberlin, 1920 and three new species, namely, E. agasthyamalaiensis, sp. nov., E. sahyadrensis, sp. nov. and E. praveeni, sp. nov., occur in the Western Ghats, a biodiversity hotspot. The lesser-known Eastern Ghats harbour one species, E. tristis (Meinert, 1886), which has been nearly unreported for 130 years. This study highlights the value of an integrative approach to systematics, especially in underexplored, high biodiversity regions and where morphological variation is limited among closely related species.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erich Kucs ◽  
Peter Schönswetter ◽  
Gerald M. Schneeweiss

AbstractDraba (Brassicaeae), a model group for diversification and evolution in Arctic and mountain habitats, is taxonomically challenging and many of its species are insufficiently investigated. One such species is D. pacheri, an endemic of the eastern European Alps and the western Carpathians (here presumably extinct). Several hypotheses exist with respect to the phylogenetic position and the taxonomy of this species, but none of these has ever been tested using molecular data. In this article we examine (i) DNA sequence data to assess the phylogenetic position of D. pacheri within the genus and (ii) AFLP fingerprint data as well as morphometric data to address whether this species can be divided taxonomically into species or subspecies. DNA sequence data firmly place D. pacheri within the Core Draba Group III, whose internal relationships are, however, insufficiently resolved to precisely identify the closest relative of D. pacheri. AFLP data identify several genetically divergent lineages corresponding to geographically distinct regions. Although these lineages are congruent with hypotheses distinguishing either two species (D. pacheri s. str., D. norica) or one species with several subspecies, the lack of clear morphological separation, both with respect to the entire set of traits and single presumably diagnostic characters such as trichome morphology, renders recognition of a single species D. pacheri, as suggested previously, the best taxonomic solution. The deep and geographically strongly structured splits of D. pacheri likely are the result of isolation in several Pleistocene refugia and warrant that conservation efforts should involve populations from each of the main geographic subgroups.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Zhang ◽  
Yupei Zhou ◽  
Wei Sun ◽  
Lili Zhao ◽  
D. Pavlic-Zupanc ◽  
...  

The genus Botryosphaeria includes more than 200 epithets, but only the type species, Botryosphaeria dothidea and a dozen or more other species have been identified based on DNA sequence data. The taxonomic status of the other species remains unconfirmed because they lack either morphological information or DNA sequence data. In this study, types or authentic specimens of 16 “Botryosphaeria” species are reassessed to clarify their identity and phylogenetic position. nuDNA sequences of four regions, ITS, LSU, tef1-α and tub2, are analyzed and considered in combination with morphological characteristics. Based on the multigene phylogeny and morphological characters, Botryosphaeria cruenta and Botryosphaeria hamamelidis are transferred to Neofusicoccum. The generic status of Botryosphaeria aterrima and Botryosphaeria mirabile is confirmed in Botryosphaeria. Botryosphaeria berengeriana var. weigeliae and B. berengeriana var. acerina are treated synonyms of B. dothidea. Botryosphaeria mucosa is transferred to Neodeightonia as Neodeightonia mucosa, and Botryosphaeria ferruginea to Nothophoma as Nothophoma ferruginea. Botryosphaeria foliicola is reduced to synonymy with Phyllachorella micheliae. Botryosphaeria abuensis, Botryosphaeria aesculi, Botryosphaeria dasylirii, and Botryosphaeria wisteriae are tentatively kept in Botryosphaeria sensu stricto until further phylogenetic analysis is carried out on verified specimens. The ordinal status of Botryosphaeria apocyni, Botryosphaeria gaubae, and Botryosphaeria smilacinina cannot be determined, and tentatively accommodate these species in Dothideomycetes incertae sedis. The study demonstrates the significance of a polyphasic approach in characterizing type specimens, including the importance of using of DNA sequence data.


2009 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 595-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Božo Frajman ◽  
Gerald M. Schneeweiss

The Balkan Peninsula is one of the few biodiversity hotspots in Europe, characterized by numerous endemic taxa. Due to their often-restricted distribution and the scarcity of modern phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies from this region, the phylogenetic position and taxonomy of these species are often poorly understood. One example is Asyneuma comosiforme, a stenoendemic species known only from the Shija Gorge in northeastern Albania. Since its description in 1921, the position of this poorly known species within Asyneuma has been questioned. Here, we use nuclear ITS and plastid trnL–trnF DNA sequence data to address the question of the phylogenetic position of this enigmatic species. The inferred phylogenies clearly support A. comosiforme as sister to the main clade of isophyllous Campanula species, which is supported by morphological and ecological similarities. Thus, a new nomenclatural combination, Campanula comosiformis, is proposed. Given the restricted distribution, this species should be considered at least vulnerable, but the small population size might warrant its classification as endangered.


Author(s):  
Thomas Stach ◽  
Samuel Dupont ◽  
Olle Israelson ◽  
Geraldine Fauville ◽  
Hiroaki Nakano ◽  
...  

The phylogenetic position of Xenoturbella spp. has been uncertain since their discovery in 1949. It has been recently suggested that they could be related to Ambulacraria within Deuterostomia. Ambulacraria is a taxon that has been suggested to consist of Hemichordata and Echinodermata. The hypothesis that X. bocki was related to Ambulacraria as well as the hypothesis of a monophyletic Ambulacraria is primarily based on the analysis of DNA sequence data. We tested both phylogenetic hypotheses using antibodies raised against SALMFamide 1 and 2 (S1, S2), neuropeptides isolated from echinoderms, on X. bocki and the enteropneust Harrimania kupfferi. Both species showed distinct positive immunoreactivity against S1 and S2. This finding supports the Ambulacraria-hypothesis and suggests a close phylogenetic relationship of X. bocki to Ambulacraria. In particular, the presence of immunoreactivity against S2 can be interpreted as a synapomorphy of Enteropneusta, Echinodermata, and Xenoturbella spp.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 192 (4) ◽  
pp. 254
Author(s):  
Yasaman Salmaki ◽  
MIKA BENDIKSBY ◽  
GÜNTHER HEUBL

The main purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that Stachys persepolitana is extraneous in Stachys (tribe Stachydeae, subfam. Lamioideae, Lamiaceae) and instead belongs to the genus Lamium (Lamieae, Lamioideae). We investigated the phylogenetic position of S. persepolitana using plastid (rps16 intron, trnL-F and matK regions) and nuclear (nrITS) DNA sequence data with both parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic approaches. Plastid and nuclear data strongly support that S. persepolitana is extraneous in Stachys and belongs in fact to the genus Lamium. Morphological characters also corroborate its placement in Lamium. Most of the morphological features used to distinguish S. persepolitana from the rest of Stachys fit with Lamium. Anterior pair of stamens bending outward after pollination, anthers hairy and mericarps triquetrous are the most important characters correlating S. persepolitana to Lamium.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 263 (3) ◽  
pp. 219 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARIA JOSÉ REIS DA ROCHA ◽  
PAULO JOSÉ FERNANDES GUIMARÃES ◽  
FABIÁN A. MICHELANGELI ◽  
ROSANA ROMERO

Poteranthera (Melastomataceae) is a genus of small, annual herbs with narrow leaves, that inhabit humid savannas in South America and are visible only when in bloom. Due to their size and paucity of collections, the phylogenetic position of Poteranthera has been uncertain to this point. Poteranthera has been at times associated, confused, or placed in Acisanthera and/or Siphanthera. Phylogenetic analyses based on DNA sequence data place Poteranthera unequivocally within the Microlicieae and not closely related to Acisanthera or Siphantera. These results are consistent with seed and anther morphology. Putative morphological synapomorphies for this genus are the glandular hairs restricted to the leaf margins and the apically constricted hypanthium. Based on morphology, Acisanthera leptalea seems better placed in Poteranthera and the new combination Poteranthera leptalea is made. An expanded generic description is also provided.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document