An integrative approach to delimit species in the Eulaema cingulata and Eulaema pseudocingulata pair (Hymenoptera: Apidae) using morphometric and molecular evidence

The identity and evolutionary relationships of the genus Rhyssocolpus are analysed and discussed using an integrative approach including morphological data and partial SSU-rDNA sequences. An Iberian population of R. iuventutis is characterised in detail, providing the first SEM observations of the genus. New sequences of the genera Enchodelus and Rhyssocolpus are provided for comparative purposes. Both morphological and molecular evidence support a separate status for the aforementioned two genera and Heterodorus, of which the latter and Rhyssocolpus shared a recent common ancestor, whereas Enchodelus did not, as had been traditionally assumed, occupy a close position. The Nordiidae is confirmed to be an artificial taxon. The taxonomy of Rhyssocolpus is revised and an emended diagnosis, updated list of species, key to their identification and compendium of their morphometrics are provided. Some nomenclatorial changes are also proposed: R. alleni and R. paradoxus are retained under Eudorylaimus, their original genus, whereas R. brasiliensis is transferred to Eudorylaimus as E. brasiliensis (Meyl, 1956) comb. n.

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Integrative taxonomy reveals disjunct distribution and first record of Hoplias misionera (Characiformes: Erythrinidae) in the Amazon River basin: morphological, DNA barcoding and cytogenetic considerations

Neotropical Ichthyology ◽

10.1590/1982-0224-2020-0110 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Karen L. A. Guimarães ◽

Juan J. Rosso ◽

Mendelsohn F. B. Souza ◽

Juan M. Díaz de Astarloa ◽

Luís R. R. Rodrigues

Keyword(s):

Dna Barcoding ◽

Amazon Basin ◽

First Record ◽

Morphological Data ◽

Disjunct Distribution ◽

Valid Species ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

La Plata ◽

La Plata Basin

Abstract The Hoplias malabaricus group encompasses six valid species and still is believed to harbors cryptic diversity. In this work, an integrative approach including morphological, DNA barcoding, and cytogenetic considerations was conducted to characterize a population of H. malabaricus from the Amazon basin that was recently allocated in the same mitochondrial lineage with H. misionera, a species originally described from La Plata basin. The DNA barcoding analysis revealed that the Amazon population nested together with H. misionera specimens from the La Plata basin (BIN AAB1732) in the same cluster. The intragroup distance (0.5%) was 12 times lower than the nearest neighbor (6%) distance. The morphometric analysis demonstrated slightly variation between Amazon and La Plata populations, being the former composed by larger specimens. Further morphological data supported the molecular evidence of H. misionera inhabiting Amazon basin. The karyotype characterization of H. misionera in the Amazon population showed 2n=40 and karyotypic formulae 20m+20sm, that added to C-banding, Ag-NOR and 18S results are suggestive of the similarity to karyomorph C of H. malabaricus. This work reveals the first record of H. misionera outside of La Plata basin and expands the species distribution for 2500 km northward until the Marajó Island, estuary of Amazonas River.

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Diversity of Xanthoparmelia (Parmeliaceae) species in Mexican xerophytic scrub vegetation, evidenced by molecular, morphological and chemistry data

Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid ◽

10.3989/ajbm.2564 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 78 (1) ◽

pp. e107

Author(s):

Alejandrina Barcenas-Peña ◽

Steven D. Leavitt ◽

Felix Grewe ◽

H. Thorsten Lumbsch

Keyword(s):

Species Delimitation ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Species Level ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

Central Mexico ◽

Phylogenetic Reconstructions ◽

The World ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic ◽

Chemical Characters

The genus Xanthoparmelia is the largest genus of lichen- forming fungi with about 800 species worldwide. Xanthoparmelia is also common in the deserts of central Mexico, but only a few molecular studies exist on its species’ diversity in this region. In this study, we sampled 38 Xanthoparmelia species from around the world including species from the xerophytic scrubs of central Mexico to assess the diversity using an integrative approach. Molecular phylogenetic analyses were performed using a combination of the ITS, mtSSU and nuLSU genetic markers. We evaluated our phylogenetic results in a context of traditional morphological and chemical characters. The combined evidence of molecular, morphological, and chemical data identified a total of 18 Xanthoparmelia species-level lineages occurring in central Mexico. However, numerous traditionally circumscribed species did not form monophyletic groups in the molecular phylogenetic reconstructions. This conflict indicates that taxonomy and species delimitation in the genus Xanthoparmelia requires revision and emphasizes the importance of molecular evidence for more robust species delimitations in this genus.

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The alderfly genus Indosialis Lestage, 1927 (Megaloptera: Sialidae) in Thailand and Laos, with a description of a new species

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4786.2.5 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4786 (2) ◽

pp. 233-253

Author(s):

KANYAKORN PIRAONAPICHA ◽

NARUMON SANGPRADUB ◽

WEEYAWAT JAITRONG ◽

XINGYUE LIU

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Male Genitalia ◽

Pupal Stage ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

The Family ◽

First Time ◽

Apical Tooth ◽

A New Species ◽

Northeastern Thailand

Indosialis Lestage, 1927 is a small and rare megalopteran genus belonging to the family Sialidae and endemic to the Oriental region. The Thai and Lao species of Indosialis are herein revised by an integrative approach combining morphological and molecular evidence, including two species: Indosialis bannaensis Liu, Yang & Hayashi, 2006 and Indosialis siamensis sp. nov. The pupal stage of Indosialis is reported here for the first time. Indosialis siamensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by 1) the brown head and prothorax (orange in congeners); 2) the apical tooth of right mandible in male sharply angulated (truncate or almost absent in congeners); and 3) the distinct sac-like structure present in male genitalia (indistinct or absent in congeners). The new species coexists with I. bannaensis in Loei Province, northeastern Thailand. Both species inhabit slow-flowing or sluggish streams that are usually covered by Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott (Araceae).

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Two new species of Amphiglena (Sabellidae, Annelida), with an assessment of hidden diversity in the Mediterranean

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4648.2.8 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4648 (2) ◽

pp. 337-353 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

EKIN TILIC ◽

KATHRYN G. FEERST ◽

GREG W. ROUSE

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Species Complex ◽

South Australia ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

Undescribed Species ◽

3D Reconstructions ◽

The World ◽

Two New Species ◽

The Mediterranean

Amphiglena is a clade of sabellid annelids that has 12 named species from around the world. New COI and 18S sequences were combined with some available data to generate a molecular phylogeny for Amphiglena. Two new species of Amphiglena are described as a result, using an integrative approach combining molecular evidence with morphological descriptions using histology, 3D reconstructions and electron microscopy. Amphiglena seaverae n. sp is described from Florida, USA and Amphiglena joyceae n. sp. from Edithburgh, South Australia. Our analyses also reveal a previously underemphasized species complex in the Mediterranean, with up to six undescribed species. This highlights the potential diversity of these minute annelid worms yet to be named.

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Tackling the Taxonomic Challenges in the Family Scoliidae (Insecta, Hymenoptera) Using an Integrative Approach: A Case Study from Southern China

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects12100892 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 892

Author(s):

Zhen Liu ◽

Sheng-Jie Yang ◽

Yu-Yuan Wang ◽

Yan-Qiong Peng ◽

Hua-Yan Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cryptic Species ◽

Southern China ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Genetic Distances ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Morphological Evidence ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

The Family ◽

Coi Sequences ◽

Taxonomic Approach

Species of the family Scoliidae are larval parasitoids of scarabaeoid beetles and pollinators of various plants. Despite their great importance in pest biological control and plant pollination, the taxonomy and systematics of these parasitoids are far from clear. Some species of the family are extremely morphologically similar and difficult to identify, especially in males. In this study, an integrative taxonomic approach, combining morphology and molecular data, was used to discriminate the species of Scoliidae from southern China. In total, 52 COI sequences belonging to 22 morphospecies of 9 genera in two tribes were obtained. The COI sequences worked well for the identification of all the studied species, with intraspecific genetic distances generally less than 2%, while interspecific distances ranged between 5.3% and 20.8%. The delimitations of the problematic species and subspecies of Scolia and Megacampsomeris are well solved by COI sequences, suggesting that DNA barcoding could be a useful identification tool for Scoliidae. Based on both morphological and molecular evidence, we discovered one undescribed cryptic species of the polytypic species Solia (Discolia) superciliaris Saussure, 1864, five newly recorded species, i.e., Scolia (Discolia) sikkimensis Bingham, 1896, Sericocampsomeris flavomaculata Gupta and Jonathan, 1989, Megacampsomeris asiatica (Saussure, 1858), Megacampsomeris pulchrivestita (Cameron, 1902) and Megacampsomeris shillongensis (Betrem, 1928) and one pending subspecies of Scolia (Discolia) watanabei (Matsumura, 1912) from China. Our study indicates that such an integrative approach, combing both molecular and morphological evidence, is a potent tool to tackle the taxonomic challenges in the family Scoliidae, or even, in other diverse groups of Aculeata, of which sexual dimorphism and cryptic species are common.

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Rosaceae, Brassicaceae and Pollen Beetles: exploring relationships and evolution in an anthophilous beetle lineage (Nitidulidae, Meligethes-complex of genera) using an integrative approach

10.21203/rs.3.rs-37852/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

MEIKE LIU ◽

MIN HUANG ◽

ANDREW RICHARD CLINE ◽

EMILIANO MANCINI ◽

ANDREA SCARAMUZZI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Host Plant ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

Ancestral State ◽

Mitochondrial Coi ◽

Host Plant Specialization ◽

Larval Host ◽

Pollen Beetles

Abstract Background: Meligethes are pollen-beetles associated with flowers of Rosaceae as larvae. This genus, in its present-day concept, consists of 63 known species in two subgenera, Meligethes and Odonthogethes, predominantly occurring in the eastern Palaearctic. We analyzed 61 morphological and ecological characters (128 states) of all species, as well as of 7 outgroup species from 7 Meligethinae genera (including the believed sister-genus Brassicogethes), to investigate their phylogeny. A parallel molecular analysis was carried out on 9 Meligethes, 9 Odonthogethes, 3 Brassicogethes and 2 Meligethinus species, based on DNA sequence data from mitochondrial (COI, 16S) and nuclear (CAD) genes, to obtain additional phylogenetic information on the group. Results: Morphological phylogenetic reconstructions supported the monophyly of the genus, and clades corresponding to purported subgenera Meligethes and Odonthogethes. Main species-groups were mostly recovered intact, however some unresolved polytomies remained. Molecular data suggested a different scenario, placing members of Brassicogethes (including 42 mostly W Palearctic species associated with Brassicaceae) as sister to Odonthogethes, with this clade being sister to Meligethes s.str. This alternative phylogenetic assessment suggests that the monophyletic clades Meligethes s.str., Odonthogethes and Brassicogethes should be regarded alternatively as three subgenera of a monophyletic Meligethes, or three genera in a monophyletic genus-complex, with mutually monophyletic Brassicogethes and Odonthogethes. Molecular analyses estimated the origin of this lineage at ca. 14-15 Mya from a common stem including Meligethinus. Conclusions: We hypothesize in the Middle Miocene (likely in Langhian Age), the first Meligethes specialized on Rosaceae, on which they subsequently radiated during Late Miocene and Plio-Pleistocene. This radiation was enforced by geographic isolation in E Asiatic mountain systems, and by larval host-plant specialization. Combined evidence from morphology, ancestral state parsimony reconstruction of host-plant associations, and molecular evidence, suggested that for Meligethes s.str., Rosoideae (Rosa spp.) represented the ancestral hosts, followed by an independent shift of ancestral Odonthogethes (ca. 9-15 Mya) on Rubus (Rosoideae) and members of Rosaceae Spiraeoideae. Other ancestral Odonthogethes probably shifted again on the unrelated plant family Brassicaceae (maybe 8-14 Mya in S China), allowing a rapid westward radiation of the Brassicogethes clade.

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Rosaceae, Brassicaceae and Pollen Beetles: exploring relationships and evolution in an anthophilous beetle lineage (Nitidulidae, Meligethes-complex of genera) using an integrative approach

10.21203/rs.3.rs-37852/v3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

MEIKE LIU ◽

MIN HUANG ◽

ANDREW RICHARD CLINE ◽

EMILIANO MANCINI ◽

ANDREA SCARAMUZZI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sequence Data ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Trophic Niche ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

Ancestral State ◽

Plant Family ◽

Mitochondrial Coi ◽

Palearctic Species ◽

Pollen Beetles

Abstract Background: Meligethes are pollen-beetles associated with flowers of Rosaceae as larvae. This genus currently consists of 63 known species in two subgenera, Meligethes and Odonthogethes, predominantly occurring in the eastern Palaearctic. We analyzed 74 morphological and ecological characters (169 states) of all species, as well as of 11 outgroup species from 7 Meligethinae genera (including Brassicogethes), to investigate their phylogeny. We also conducted a parallel molecular analysis on 9 Meligethes, 9 Odonthogethes, 3 Brassicogethes and 2 Meligethinus species based on DNA sequence data from mitochondrial (COI, 16S) and nuclear (CAD) genes.Results: Morphological phylogenetic reconstructions supported the monophyly of the whole genus and clades corresponding to purported subgenera Meligethes s.str. and Odonthogethes. Main species-groups were mostly confirmed, however some unresolved polytomies remained. Molecular data placed members of Brassicogethes (including 42 mostly W Palearctic species associated with Brassicaceae) as sister to Odonthogethes, with this clade being sister to Meligethes s.str. This phylogenetic scenario suggests that monophyletic Meligethes s.str., Odonthogethes and Brassicogethes should be regarded alternatively as three subgenera of a monophyletic Meligethes, or three genera in a monophyletic genus-complex, with mutually monophyletic Brassicogethes and Odonthogethes. Molecular analyses estimated the origin of this lineage at ca. 14-15 Mya from a common stem including Meligethinus. Conclusions: We hypothesize that the ancestor of Meligethes specialized on Rosaceae in the Middle Miocene (likely in Langhian Age) and subsequently radiated during Late Miocene and Plio-Pleistocene maintaining a trophic niche on this plant family. This radiation was primarily due to geographic isolation in E Asiatic mountain systems. Combined evidence from morphology, ancestral state parsimony reconstruction of host-plant associations and molecular evidence suggested that Rosoideae (Rosa spp.) represented the ancestral hosts of Meligethes s.str., followed by an independent shift of ancestral Odonthogethes (ca. 9-15 Mya) on Rubus (Rosoideae) and members of Rosaceae Spiraeoideae. Other ancestral Odonthogethes probably shifted again on the unrelated plant family Brassicaceae (maybe 8-14 Mya in S China), allowing a rapid westward radiation of the Brassicogethes clade.

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A new species of the fishfly genus Neochauliodes van der Weele discovered from southwestern China through an integrative approach based on morphological and molecular evidence (Megaloptera: Corydalidae: Chauliodinae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.5016.2.2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5016 (2) ◽

pp. 196-204

Author(s):

YUEZHENG TU ◽

XINGYUE LIU

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Species Group ◽

The Other ◽

Southwestern China ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

Western Yunnan ◽

A New Species

Neochauliodes van der Weele, 1909 is the largest genus of the subfamily Chauliodinae of the megalopteran family Corydalidae, currently with 47 described species. Here we report Neochauliodes triangulatus sp. nov. from western Yunnan, China. The new species belongs to the Neochauliodes bowringi species-group and is confirmed to be different from the other species of this group based on morphological and molecular evidence.

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Bridging the Mozambique Channel: first record of Dombeya rosacea (Dombeyoideae, Malvaceae) for Mayotte (Comoros Archipelago, Indian Ocean)

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.460.1.4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 460 (1) ◽

pp. 75-88

Author(s):

TIMOTHÉE LE PÉCHON ◽

SEBASTIEN TRACLET ◽

FABIEN BARTHELAT ◽

ABASSI DIMASSI ◽

LUC D. B. GIGORD ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Indian Ocean ◽

First Record ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Integrative Approach ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

Ecological Preferences ◽

Mozambique Channel ◽

Area Of Occupancy ◽

Morphological And Molecular Data

In this study, we used an integrative approach combining morphological and molecular data with ecology, in order to clarify the identity of a Dombeya newly recorded as occurring in Mayotte. Morphological and molecular evidence are in agreement and convincingly show that specimens of this newly recorded species can be confidently assigned to D. rosacea, previously known only from four herbarium sheets from Madagascar. The new populations of this species in the Comoros significantly expand the extant area of occupancy of D. rosacea. Ecological preferences are also discussed, as populations of D. rosacea were found in greatly contrasting sub-humid habitats. This newly reported geographical disjunction between the Comoros and Madagascar strengthens the evidence for a biogeographic connection between the floras of these two regions.

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