The discovery of Scutovertex ianus sp. nov. (Acari, Oribatida) – a combined approach of comparative morphology, morphometry and molecular data

Based on morphological, morphometric and genetic data Scutovertex ianus sp. nov. is described as a new oribatid mite species. The traditional comparison with the morphologically most similar congeneric S. minutus and S. sculptus demonstrated that the new species shares certain characters with both species, but can be clearly identified by indistinct cuticular notogastral foveae in combination with short spiniform notogastral setae. Furthermore the eggs of S. ianus exhibit a different fine structure of the exochorion. The morphometric analysis of 16 continuous morphological variables separated the three species, S. minutus, S. sculptus and S. ianus with a certain overlap indicating minor size and shape differences in overall morphology. The molecular phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial COI gene sequences supported the monophyly of all three investigated species and confirmed S. ianus as separate species with high bootstrap values. Each performed analysis approves the discreteness of S. ianus and the results contradict the formerly supposed large intraspecific variability of the representatives of the genus Scutovertex. The records of S. ianus are as yet restricted to the Eastern part of Austria and to one location in Germany, but findings of intermediary Scutovertex specimens from other European countries may refer to this new species.

Download Full-text

Are Tetranychus macfarlanei Baker & Pritchard and Tetranychus malaysiensis Ehara (Acari: Tetranychidae) one species? Morphological and molecular evidences for synonymy between these two spider mite species and a note on invasiveness of T. macfarlanei on okra and eggplant in India

Systematic and Applied Acarology ◽

10.11158/saa.22.4.3 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 22 (4) ◽

pp. 467

Author(s):

Mahran Zeity ◽

Nagappa Srinivas ◽

Chinnamade Channegowde Gowda

Keyword(s):

Spider Mite ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Mite Species ◽

Coi Gene ◽

High Similarity ◽

Mitochondrial Coi ◽

Mitochondrial Coi Gene ◽

High Degree ◽

Degree Of Similarity

Study of morphological characters of Tetranychus macfarlanei Baker & Pritchard and Tetranychus malaysiensis Ehara revealed high similarity by comparing all the important characters in addition to the characters pointed out by Ehara to separate those two species. Molecular phylogeny of seven Indian populations of T. macfarlanei and one population of T. malaysiensis from Philippines along with few distantly related species of Tetranychus was attempted. High degree of similarity between these two species at mitochondrial COI gene (96%) as well as ITS2 (rDNA) (96–99%) region was evident. Based on both morphological features and molecular data, T. malaysiensis is proposed as a junior synonym of T. macfarlanei based on ICZN’s law of priority. Also more female characters are prompted in this study to distinctly discriminate T. macfarlanei from its most resembling species, Tetranychus ludeni Zacher. Tetranychus macfarlanei has emerged as a pest of several cultivated crop plants in India.

Download Full-text

A new species of Carpenter Moths (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) from Tarbagatai (NE Kazakhstan) and Altai (SW Siberia, Russia) Mountains

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4896.1.3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4896 (1) ◽

pp. 85-95

Author(s):

ROMAN V. YAKOVLEV ◽

NAZAR A. SHAPOVAL ◽

VADIM V. IVONIN ◽

SVYATOSLAV A. KNYAZEV ◽

GALINA N. KUFTINA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Male Genitalia ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Coi Gene ◽

Wing Pattern ◽

Altai Mountains ◽

Mitochondrial Coi ◽

Mitochondrial Coi Gene ◽

A New Species

We described a new cossid species, Dyspessa ulgen sp. nov. from the Tarbagatai and Altai Mountains and compared it to other taxa of Dyspessa reported from the region (D. tristis, D. saldaitisi, D. saissanica), as well as to morphologically similar D. ulula. The new species is most closely related to D. ulula but differs from the latter in the characteristics of the male genitalia, wing pattern, and molecular data (a 658 bp fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene).

Download Full-text

Review of the systematics, morphology and distribution of Asian Clawed Salamanders, genus Onychodactylus (Amphibia, Caudata: Hynobiidae), with the description of four new species

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3465.1.1 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3465 (1) ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

NIKOLAY A. POYARKOV, JR. ◽

JING CHE ◽

MI-SOOK MIN ◽

MASAKI KURO-O ◽

FANG YAN ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Russian Far East ◽

Far East ◽

Molecular Data ◽

16S Rrna Genes ◽

Rrna Genes ◽

Mitochondrial Coi ◽

Threat Status ◽

Molecular Phylogenetic

We describe four new species of Asian Clawed salamanders of the genus Onychodactylus (Caudata: Hynobiidae), basedon fresh material collected during fieldwork in Japan, Korea, the Russian Far East and northeastern China between 2003and 2010, as well as older voucher specimens deposited in several museums. Our analyses comprise all species currentlyrecognized within this genus across its entire distribution range. We follow an integrative taxonomic approach bycombining detailed morphological comparative analyses with molecular phylogenetic analyses. We find significantdifferences among species in this genus, based on morphological and molecular data, which resulted in the recognitionand description of four new species within this genus. The new species have uncorrected molecular divergences of over4.5–7.4% and 1.9–4.1% to their closest relatives in the mitochondrial COI and 16S rRNA genes respectively. In themolecular analyses, we found two very divergent lineages in Korea and Japan that need further investigation, as detailedmorphological data are not available for them. We also discuss our approach to delimit species on salamanders. For thenew species described in this group we evaluate their threat status according to IUCN criteria: O. koreanus sp. nov. Min,Poyarkov & Vieites and O. nipponoborealis sp. nov. Kuro-o, Poyarkov & Vieites are classified as Least Concern, whileO. zhaoermii sp. nov. Che, Poyarkov & Yan and O. zhangyapingi sp. nov. Che, Poyarkov, Li & Yan are classified as Vulnerable (Vu2a).

Download Full-text

Systematic position and composition of Merodon nigritarsis and M. avidus groups (Diptera, Syrphidae) with a description of four new hoverflies species

Contributions to Zoology ◽

10.1163/18759866-20191414 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 89 (1) ◽

pp. 74-125 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Laura Likov ◽

Ante Vujić ◽

Nataša Kočiš Tubić ◽

Mihajla Đan ◽

Nevena Veličković ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Systematic Position ◽

Species Group ◽

Rrna Genes ◽

Coi Gene ◽

28S Rrna ◽

Mitochondrial Coi ◽

Diagnostic Key ◽

Morphological And Molecular Data

The putative monophyly and systematic position of Merodon nigritarsis group was assessed based on morphological and molecular data of the mitochondrial COI and nuclear 28S rRNA genes. The previously reported concept of the group has been redefined, and M. crassifemoris Paramonov, 1925 is now excluded. The related M. avidus group is redefined here, including the Merodon avidus complex and M. femoratus Sack, 1913. Species delimitation of morphologically defined species of M. nigritarsis group was well supported by COI gene analysis, with the exception of M. alagoezicus Paramonov, 1925 and M. lucasi Hurkmans, 1993. Descriptions are given for three new species of the M. nigritarsis species group: Merodon cohurnus Vujić, Likov et Radenković sp. n., Merodon longisetus Vujić, Radenković et Likov sp. n. and Merodon obstipus Vujić, Radenković et Likov sp. n., and one new species from the M. avidus group: Merodon rutitarsis Likov, Vujić et Radenković sp. n. A lectotype is designated for M. femoratus Sack, 1913, and two new synonymies of this species were proposed: M. biarcuatus Curran, 1939 and M. elegans Hurkmans, 1993. Here we review 18 species from the M. nigritarsis group and six species from the M. avidus group and provide morphological diagnoses of the species groups. Additionally, diagnosis of 12 branches (groups or individual taxa) of M. avidus-nigritarsis lineage, an illustrated diagnostic key for the males, and distribution map are provided for the new species.

Download Full-text

Two new species of Atlantoscia Ferrara & Taiti, 1981 (Isopoda: Oniscidea: Philosciidae) from southern Brazil described in the light of integrative taxonomy

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4482.3.7 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4482 (3) ◽

pp. 551 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

BIANCA LAÍS ZIMMERMANN ◽

IVANKLIN SOARES CAMPOS-FILHO ◽

GIOVANNA MONTICELLI CARDOSO ◽

SANDRO SANTOS ◽

JOSÉ OTÁVIO AGUIAR ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Comparative Morphology ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Integrative Taxonomy ◽

Southern Brazil ◽

Terrestrial Isopods ◽

Species Discovery ◽

Mitochondrial Coi ◽

Taxonomic Impediment ◽

Two New Species

The use of molecular data in association with classical taxonomy has helped to alleviate the taxonomic impediment through the discovery, delimitation and description of new species. Terrestrial isopods are the largest suborder of Isopoda; however, there are very few active taxonomists in this group and a representative part of the terrestrial isopods world diversity remains unexplored. The genus Atlantoscia comprises five species in which diagnostic characters are few and show subtle differences among the species. The objective of this study was to delimit and describe two new species of the genus Atlantoscia from southern Brazil by using traditional taxonomy coupled with genetic information. Specimens were analyzed morphologically and by the aid of two molecular markers, mitochondrial COI and nuclear 18S rRNA. The validity of the new species Atlantoscia antennamaculata sp. nov. and Atlantoscia australis sp. nov. was corroborated, unambiguously, by morphological approach, phylogenetic analysis and species delimitation methods. Our study reinforces the fact that, despite the undeniable importance of comparative morphology in species discovery, new methods and data, particularly molecular ones, are becoming prominent and an integrative part of the taxonomy practice.

Download Full-text

DNA barcoding reveals andropolymorphism in Aclerogamasus species (Acari: Parasitidae) MIROSŁAWA DABERT, AGATA BIGOŚ & WOJCIECH WITALIŃSKI (Poland)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3015.1.2 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 3015 (1) ◽

pp. 13 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

MIROSŁAWA DABERT ◽

AGATA BIGOŚ ◽

WOJCIECH WITALIŃSKI

Keyword(s):

Morphological Variability ◽

Intraspecific Variability ◽

Mite Species ◽

28S Rdna ◽

Coi Gene ◽

Separate Species ◽

Molecular Assays ◽

Mtdna Coi ◽

Gamasid Mites ◽

Taxonomic Confusion

Andropolymorphism, defined as discontinuous morphological variability in males, can lead to taxonomic confusion when different male morphs are determined and described as separate species. This study addresses this issue in two occasionally sympatric mite species Aclerogamasus similis (Willmann, 1953) and A. holzmannae (Micherdziński, 1969) collected in Poland. The females of these two taxa are morphologically indistinguishable but males are quite different, and could be either separate species or one species with two male morphs. We address this question by performing molecular assays, testing variation in a fragment of the mtDNA COI gene and the D2 region of 28S rDNA. Molecular analysis of populations revealed very low variation in the studied gene fragments. All sequences of the D2 region of 28S rDNA (size 375 bp) were identical. Only two COI haplotypes were found, differing by two out of 644 nucleotide positions (0.3% K2P distance). The variant haplotype was found in one A. similis male, and probably represents intraspecific variability. The results strongly suggest that all studied females and males belong to only one species with dimorphic males. This finding confirms some earlier opinions on synonymy of both species. Therefore, Aclerogamasus holzmannae (Micherdziński, 1969) should be regarded as a junior synonym of Aclerogamasus similis (Willmann, 1953). As andropolymorphism has been rarely observed in gamasid mites, we briefly discuss its possible origins and consequences.

Download Full-text

A review of the genus Forficuloecus Conci (Phthiraptera: Philopteridae) from parrots (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae), with descriptions of four new species

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.1859.1.3 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 1859 (1) ◽

pp. 49 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

ROGER D. PRICE ◽

KEVIN P. JOHNSON ◽

RICARDO L. PALMA

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Coi Gene ◽

Chewing Louse ◽

Mitochondrial Coi ◽

Mitochondrial Coi Gene ◽

Genetic Distinctiveness

Ten species, including four new species, of the chewing louse genus Forficuloecus Conci, 1941, are recognized from Australasian parrots, and a key is given for their identification. The new species and their type hosts are: F. cameroni ex the Red-winged Parrot, Aprosmictus erythropterus (J.F. Gmelin, 1788); F. banksi ex the Mulga Parrot, Psephotus varius Clark, 1910; F. wilsoni ex the Northern Rosella, Platycercus venustus (Kuhl, 1820); and F. josephi ex the Bourke's Parrot, Neopsephotus bourkii (Gould, 1841). Partial sequences of the mitochondrial COI gene support the genetic distinctiveness of these new species.

Download Full-text

A new species of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Ninh Thuan Province, southern Vietnam

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4999.1.4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4999 (1) ◽

pp. 58-76

Author(s):

Quyen Hanh Do ◽

TRUNG MY PHUNG ◽

HANH THI NGO ◽

MINH DUC LE ◽

THOMAS ZIEGLER ◽

...

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Coi Gene ◽

Unique Combination ◽

Mitochondrial Coi ◽

Southern Vietnam ◽

Mitochondrial Coi Gene ◽

Morphological Differences ◽

Dorsal Pattern ◽

A New Species

A new species of the Cyrtodactylus irregularis group is described from Ninh Thuan Province, southern Vietnam based on molecular divergence and morphological differences. Cyrtodactylus orlovi sp. nov. is distinguished from the remaining Indochinese bent-toed geckos by having the unique combination of the following characters: size medium (SVL 61.0–77.7 mm); dorsal tubercles in 16–20 irregular rows; 36–39 ventral scale rows; precloacal pores absent in females, 5 or 6 in males, in a continuous row; femoral pores absent; 3–8 enlarged femoral scales; postcloacal spurs 1 or 2; lamellae under toe IV 16–19; a continuous neckband; a highly irregular transverse banded dorsal pattern; the absence of transversely enlarged median subcaudal scales. In phylogenetic analyses, the new species was revealed to be the sister taxon to a clade consisting of Cyrtodactylus cattienensis and the most recently described species from Vietnam, C. chungi, with 12.1–12.4% and 11.7 % pairwise genetic divergence from the two species, respectively, based on a fragment of the mitochondrial COI gene.

Download Full-text

Comparative morphology and species-groups of the oribatid mite genus Scapheremaeus (Acari: Oribatida: Cymbaeremaeidae), with new species from South Australia

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.2213.1.1 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2213 (1) ◽

pp. 1-46 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

MATTHEW J. COLLOFF

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Oribatid Mite ◽

South Australia ◽

Biosphere Reserve ◽

Single Species ◽

Comparative Morphology ◽

Species Group ◽

Undescribed Species ◽

Species Groups ◽

Semi Arid

The morphology of the genus Scapheremaeus Berlese, 1910 is reviewed and characters of taxonomic utility delineated. Based on the morphological review, some 13 species-groups are outlined based on major morphotypes. There are two main categories: i) species that have a complete circumdorsal scissure with plicate microsculpture on the circumnotogastral plate and strongly contrasting microsculpture (foveolae, ridges or tubercles) on the centrodorsal plate (plicate species-groups), and ii) species with the circumdorsal scissure complete, incomplete or absent but with little or no contrast in microsculpture between the central and lateral regions: typically both regions foveolate or reticulate (non- plicate species-groups). A catalogue of world species of Scapheremaeus is provided. Scapheremaeus petrophagus (Banks, 1906) is not a Scapheremaeus but belongs to an undetermined genus in the Ameronothroidea. Cymbaeremaeus cyclops Oudemans, 1915 is recombined to Scapheremaeus. Five new species are described (S. angusi sp. nov., S. cheloniella sp. nov., S. ewani sp. nov., S. lambieae sp. nov., and S. pulleni sp. nov.) from soil and litter habitats in semi-arid Mallee eucalypt vegetation at Bookmark Biosphere Reserve, South Australia. These are the first members of the genus Scapheremaeus to be described from Australia, though undescribed species have been recorded previously. All the new species are morphologically closely-related and belong to a single species-group: Carinatus.

Download Full-text

New species of Sargassum-boring Limnoria Leach, 1814 (Crustacea, Isopoda, Limnoriidae) from Japan

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4970.1.4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4970 (1) ◽

pp. 119-130

Author(s):

HIROKI YOSHINO ◽

YURIKO KAMBARA ◽

SHOTA KAJIWARA ◽

TAKESHI A. OHSAWA

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

The Other ◽

Coi Gene ◽

Congeneric Species ◽

Japanese Species ◽

Mitochondrial Coi ◽

Chiba Prefecture ◽

Mitochondrial Coi Gene ◽

Mandibular Palp ◽

Coi Sequences

A new marine Sargassum-boring species of Limnoria (Limnoriidae) is described on the basis of specimens obtained at Kamogawa-shi, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Limnoria aspera sp. nov. shares a reduced mandibular palp to a seta, algal-feeding, and the clavate shaped epipod of the maxilliped with the other species of non-mandibular-palp group. L. aspera sp. nov. differs morphologically from the congeneric species by secondary unguis of pereopods and unique carinae of pleonite 5 and pleotelson. We describe the sequences of the mitochondrial COI gene and the nuclear 28S rDNA gene. L. aspera sp. nov. differs by 14.2–18.0% in p-distance based on COI sequences from other Japanese species, L. furca and L. nagatai.

Download Full-text