scholarly journals A fully web-illustrated morphological phylogenetic study of relationships among oak gall wasps and their closest relatives (Hymenoptera: Cynipidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 1796 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
JOHAN LILJEBLAD ◽  
FREDRIK RONQUIST ◽  
JOSE-LUIS NIEVES-ALDREY ◽  
FELIX FONTAL-CAZALLA ◽  
PALMIRA ROS-FARRE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Phylogenetic Study ◽  
Character State ◽  
South American ◽  
Japanese Species ◽  
Modern Information Technology ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
Gall Wasps ◽  
Two Generations ◽  
Galling Insects

Large morphological phylogenetics analyses are often poorly documented because of the constraints of traditional print journals, making it difficult to critically evaluate the data and build on it in future studies. We use modern information technology to overcome this problem in a comprehensive analysis of higher relationships among oak gall wasps and their closest relatives. Our morphological characters are documented by more than 2,000 images deposited in the open web image database Morphbank (http://www.morphbank.net), allowing one-click access from character and character state descriptions to the raw data. The oak gall wasps (Cynipidae: Cynipini) form one of the largest specialized radiations of galling insects with almost 1,000 described species attacking oaks or oak relatives. According to previous morphological studies, the Cynipini form a monophyletic clade, the Woody Rosid Gallers (WRG), together with three small cynipid tribes (Diplolepidini, Eschatocerini, and Pediaspidini). The WRG all attack woody representatives of the rosid clade of eudicots. Little was previously known about higher WRG relationships. We studied 54 exemplar taxa of WRG, including representatives from 34 of the 41 valid genera of oak gall wasps, and two outgroups. The study resulted in 308 characters, 283 from morphology and 25 from biology and distribution; most of these are original to the present paper. Parsimony analyses supported the monophyly of three major WRG lineages: Diplolepidini + Eschatocerini, Pediaspidini + Paraulax, and Cynipini. The poorly known South American genus Paraulax, developing in galls on Nothofagus, is moved from Cynipini to Pediaspidini to reflect these results. The single Japanese species described in Paraulax by Shinji (types lost) is transferred to Ceroptres as C. quereicola (Shinji 1938) comb. nov. Two major lineages of oak gallers were recognized in most analyses: (1) the Neuroterus-group (Neuroterus, Pseudoneuroterus, the previously recognized genus Trichagalma, Plagiotrochus, possibly also Palearctic Dryocosmus and Aphelonyx+Disholcaspis); and (2)the Cynips-group (Cynips, Belonocnema, Atrusca, Acraspis, Philonix, Biorhiza and Trigonaspis). The large and problematic genus Andricus was paraphyletic in some analyses and monophyletic in others, with Disholcaspis spectabilis being the sister to other Cynipini in the former case and European Callirhytis in the latter. Our results suggest that WRG are conservative in their host plant preferences but there is no evidence for parallel insect-plant cladogenesis. Distributional patterns suggest a possible origin for the oak gall wasps in the Nearctic but the picture is otherwise complicated. Both heterogeny, the cyclical alternation of sexual and parthenogenetic generations, and heteroecy, the use of different sections of Quercus as host for the two generations, appear to have evolved twice within the WRG.

Baetis majus sp. nov., new species of mayfly (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae) from Far East of Russia

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4965 (3) ◽  
pp. 541-557
Author(s):  
TATIANA M. TIUNOVA ◽  
ALEXANDER A. SEMENCHENKO ◽  
XIAOLI TONG
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Russian Far East ◽  
Far East ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Species Group ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
Nearest Neighbours ◽  
Differential Identification ◽  
Coi Sequences ◽  
Western Palaearctic

A new species, Baetis majus Tiunova sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on larvae and reared adults discovered in the Russian Far East. The differential identification of this species was determined by the characteristics of other representatives of the genus Baetis Leach, including subgenera Baetis Leach and Tenuibaetis Kang & Yang from Eastern and Western Palaearctic, Nearctic and Oriental regions. In addition to morphological studies, DNA barcoding of the described species with average intraspecific K2P distances to nearest neighbours is documented. We reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships of all available cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences of the subgenera of Baetis and Tenuibaetis from four regions. Bayesian analysis using 47 morphological characters additional to partial COI sequences did not allow to determine the species-group of the Baetis genus to which the described species belongs. 

scholarly journals Dissecting host-associated communities with DNA barcodes

2016 ◽  
Vol 371 (1702) ◽  
pp. 20150328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher C. M. Baker ◽  
Leonora S. Bittleston ◽  
Jon G. Sanders ◽  
Naomi E. Pierce
Keyword(s):  
Species Interactions ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
South American ◽  
Dna Barcodes ◽  
Substantial Variation ◽  
East African ◽  
Pitcher Plant ◽  
Genome Data ◽  
Symbiotic Interactions ◽  
Database Connectivity

DNA barcoding and metabarcoding methods have been invaluable in the study of interactions between host organisms and their symbiotic communities. Barcodes can help identify individual symbionts that are difficult to distinguish using morphological characters, and provide a way to classify undescribed species. Entire symbiont communities can be characterized rapidly using barcoding and especially metabarcoding methods, which is often crucial for isolating ecological signal from the substantial variation among individual hosts. Furthermore, barcodes allow the evolutionary histories of symbionts and their hosts to be assessed simultaneously and in reference to one another. Here, we describe three projects illustrating the utility of barcodes for studying symbiotic interactions: first, we consider communities of arthropods found in the ant-occupied domatia of the East African ant-plant Vachellia ( Acacia ) drepanolobium ; second, we examine communities of arthropod and protozoan inquilines in three species of Nepenthes pitcher plant in South East Asia; third, we investigate communities of gut bacteria of South American ants in the genus Cephalotes . Advances in sequencing and computation, and greater database connectivity, will continue to expand the utility of barcoding methods for the study of species interactions, especially if barcoding can be approached flexibly by making use of alternative genetic loci, metagenomes and whole-genome data. This article is part of the themed issue ‘From DNA barcodes to biomes’.

Salicornia cuscoensis (Amaranthaceae/Chenopodiaceae), a new species from Peru (South America)

Phytotaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 319 (3) ◽  
pp. 254 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. ÁNGELES ALONSO ◽  
MANUEL B. CRESPO ◽  
HELMUT FREITAG
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
South America ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Tierra Del Fuego ◽  
South American ◽  
Habitat Distribution ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Molecular Analyses ◽  
Southern Patagonia ◽  
A New Species

The name Salicornia cuscoensis given to a plant from high Andean saltmarshes near Cusco [Cuzco] and Ayacucho, Peru (South America) is validated by a diagnosis and description. The main morphological characters that separate S. cuscoensis from other closely related species are creeping habit, delicate branches, inflorescence of short and thin spikes, and seed indumentum. The new species clearly differs from other perennial Salicornia taxa growing in high Andean saltmarshes such as S. pulvinata and S. andina. The former forms small compact cushions producing very short, few-flowered inflorescences. The latter shows woody stems and forms larger rounded carpets. Morphologically, S. cuscoensis is also similar to S. magellanica, a species growing along the seashore in southern Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, but the latter has shorter and wider inflorescences and larger seeds with a different type and arrangement of indumentum. Molecular analyses also supported the separation of S. cuscoensis. Data on habitat, distribution and phylogenetic relationships are presented for the new species and its relatives, and an identification key is given for the South American taxa of the genus Salicornia.

Further Observations on the Morphology of Heterodera schachtii, with Remarks on the Bionomics of a strain attacking Mangolds in Britain

1929 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 119-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marjorie J. Triffitt
Keyword(s):  
Sugar Beet ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Heterodera Schachtii ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Morphological Variations ◽  
Size And Shape ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
Comparative Survey

In a previous publication the morphological characters of a strain of H. schachtii specialised on the potato in Lincolnshire were discussed. The size and shape of the brown cysts, size of the eggs and first stage larvæ and the general characters of the adult males of this strain were compared with those of a strain attacking potatoes in Rostock, Mecklenburg, for which the specific name H. rostochiensis was suggested by Wollenweber 1923.Considerable dimensional variations were found to exist in the Lincolnshire strain, and a study of the literature on the morphological characters of H. schachtii specialised on sugar-beet and oats, showed equally wide divergencies between the findings of different workers. A certain amount of preserved material of infected roots of beet and oats being available to the writer, as many developmental stages as possible were extracted from these, on which similar morphological studies were carried out. Thus a fairly complete comparative survey of H. schachtii specialised on beet, oats and potatoes was completed, and the morphological variations between the strains were found to be insufficient to justify the separation of the strain specialised on potato from those on beet and oats. The name H. rostochicnsis was, therefore, deemed a synonym for H. schachtii.

scholarly journals An assessment of the taxonomic validity of three species of marsupial frogs (Anura: Hemiphractidae: Gastrotheca) from the Yungas of Bolivia based on external morphology and cranial osteology

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5068 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-239
Author(s):  
CLAUDIA LANSAC ◽  
RODRIGO AGUAYO ◽  
IGNACIO DE LA RIVA
Keyword(s):  
Principal Component ◽  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Ct Scanning ◽  
Developmental State ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Biological Entity ◽  
Nominal Species ◽  
Linear Discriminant ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
Cranial Osteology

The genus Gastrotheca (Anura: Hemiphractidae) is a group of marsupial frogs particularly diverse in Andean regions. Several taxonomic studies of this genus have been conducted in the humid cloud forests—or Yungas—of the Andean eastern slopes of central Bolivia (departments of Cochabamba and Santa Cruz). Yet, the distinction among three species that occur sympatrically in these forests, G. lauzuricae (proposed as a junior synonym of G. coeruleomaculatus in 2015), G. piperata, and G. splendens, remains unclear since the morphological characters that purportedly support their differentiation are variable and partly shared among them. We have carried out external morphological studies, including multivariate morphometric analyses, to assess how they support the taxonomic status of these three species. We also evaluated characters of the cranial osteology of a sample of six individuals using micro CT-scanning. Principal component and linear discriminant analyses resulted in a great overlap among the putative species. Cranial osteological comparisons did not reveal highly significant differences among them, but suggested that different degrees of hyperossification could be related to the developmental state of individuals. Our results indicate that most morphological and osteological reported differences between the three species likely represent intraspecific variation. Thus, we propose that the three nominal species belong to a single biological entity, for which the name Gastrotheca splendens (Schmidt, 1857) has priority. We also restrict the name Gastrotheca coeruleomaculatus (Werner, 1899) to externally similar congeneric populations from the Yungas forests of department of La Paz, but highlighting the need of a detailed evaluation of their taxonomic identity.  

scholarly journals ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC STUDIES OF SOME ANTICANCER PLANTS POLLEN GRAINS

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 1386-1393
Author(s):  
Jayshree Sandesh Thaware ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Microscopy ◽  
Scanning Electron Microscopy ◽  
Pollen Morphology ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Electron Microscopic ◽  
Plant Parts ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
Datura Metel ◽  
Scanning Electron

Pollen is appropriately referred by some as Golden dust extremely valuable on account of their tremendous applications in science, industries and public health. No other plant part even though extremely tiny in size is packed with so much information and power. Similar to other plant parts, pollen characters are so varied that the classification system of plants can be built up entirely on the basis of pollen morphology.Palynology is the distinct branch of biology that deals with the dispersed microscopic tiny living and fossil entities including pollen grains, spores, algal and fungal fragments and others. An important aspect of Palynology is the Pollen morphology. The importance of Palynology in taxonomic and phylogenetic consideration of plants is well known. The changes occurring through hybridization and years of cultivation are reflected in pollen morphology. The scope and interest in the study of pollen morphology have widened with the advent of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and with regards to unipalynous taxa particularly the understanding of finer morphology is of fundamental importance. SEM gives a correct understanding of exine surface as the electron photographs of the surface replica of the exine provides the exact picture of the ornamentation pattern. The variation in the pollen morphological characters helps in the classification of plant taxa and their assessment of their phylogenetic relationship. In the present investigation, the pollen morphological studies were carried out of some ethnomedicinal plants like Catharanthus roseus, Allamanda cathartica, Datura metel, Brassica juncea, Raphanus sativus and Cleome viscosa pollen grains by Scanning electron microscopy. All that they possess anticancer characteristics in common.

Paraboeremia yungensis sp. nov., a new fungal species isolated from Las Yungas, South America, with promising tyrosinase production potential

Phytotaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 528 (3) ◽  
pp. 191-201
Author(s):  
MARIA PATRICIA PERALTA ◽  
JOAQUÍN ALIAGA ◽  
OSVALDO DANIEL DELGADO ◽  
JULIA INÉS FARIÑA ◽  
BERNARDO ERNESTO LECHNER
Keyword(s):  
South America ◽  
Rna Polymerase Ii ◽  
Single Gene ◽  
Large Subunit ◽  
Fungal Species ◽  
Malt Extract ◽  
South American ◽  
South American Species ◽  
Morphological Studies ◽  
Identification Approach

In the context of a bioprospection programme for tyrosinase/L-DOPA- and melanin-producing fungal strains for biotechnological purposes, a hyperproducer isolate was obtained from Las Yungas rainforest, a relevant biodiverse ecoregion in North-Western Argentina. The selected strain was preliminarily identified as Paraboeremia sp. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first native reported species of this genus in South America. Single-gene and multi-locus analyses of the internal transcribed spacer nuclear ribosomal RNA gene region (ITS), partial large subunit 28S nrDNA region (LSU), RNA polymerase II region (RPB2) and partial β-tubulin gene (TUB2) alignments were carried out to define the phylogenetic identity of this strain. As part of a polyphasic identification approach, these results were combined with morphological studies of active cultures growing on malt extract, oatmeal and potato dextrose agar plates. Incubation was performed under diverse conditions to stimulate sporulation for the subsequent micromorphological analysis. Microphotographs of pycnidia and conidia were taken with a scanning electron microscope. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian Inference analyses supported the location of the strain within the genus Paraboeremia, whilst morphological features allowed distinguishing it from previously described species within this genus. Based on the results herein reported, the new South-American species Paraboeremia yungensis is described and proposed.

Taxonomic status of Andersen’s fruit-eating bat (Artibeus jamaicensis aequatorialis) and revised classification of Artibeus (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 2648 (1) ◽  
pp. 45 ◽  
Author(s):  
PETER A. LARSEN ◽  
MARÍA R. MARCHÁN-RIVADENEIRA ◽  
ROBERT J. BAKER
Keyword(s):  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Species Level ◽  
South American ◽  
Reciprocal Monophyly ◽  
Dna Variation ◽  
The Andes ◽  
Artibeus Jamaicensis ◽  
Phylogenetic Studies

Fruit-eating bats of the genus Artibeus are widely distributed across the Neotropics and are one of the most recently evolved assemblages of the family Phyllostomidae. Although the taxonomy and systematics of species of Artibeus has been the subject of an intense historical debate, the most current taxonomic arrangements recognize approximately eleven species within the genus. However, recent phylogenetic studies indicate that species diversity within South and Middle American populations of Artibeus is underestimated. South American populations referable to A. jamaicensis aequatorialis are of considerable interest because previous studies of mitochondrial DNA variation identified potential species level variation west of the Andes Mountains. In this study we use morphometric and genetic data (nuclear AFLPs) to investigate the taxonomic status of A. j. aequatorialis. Our results indicate that elevating aequatorialis to species level is appropriate based on statistically supported reciprocal monophyly in mitochondrial and nuclear datasets and diagnostic morphological characters. In light of our results, and of those presented elsewhere, we provide a revised classification of the genus.

Taxonomy of the Sylvilagus brasiliensis complex in Central and South America (Lagomorpha: Leporidae)

2019 ◽  
Vol 100 (5) ◽  
pp. 1599-1630 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis A Ruedas ◽  
Sofia Marques Silva ◽  
Johnnie H French ◽  
Roy Nelson Platt ◽  
Jorge Salazar-Bravo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
South America ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Type Material ◽  
Valid Species ◽  
South American ◽  
Species Status ◽  
Neotropical Species ◽  
Nomen Dubium ◽  
Taxonomic Framework

Abstract A taxonomic framework for South American cottontail rabbits (Lagomorpha: Leporidae: Sylvilagus) was recently published by Diersing and Wilson (2017). Although we agree with some of its taxonomic conclusions (e.g., species status for S. apollinaris and S. fulvescens), we disagree with others. We provide herein evidence supporting S. andinus as a valid species based on morphological characters and novel molecular data. We also provide details of the morphological characters of S. apollinaris and S. fulvescens that support separating these from S. brasiliensis. We adduce data suggestive to the effect that—absent any type material—S. defilippi is at best a nomen dubium. Finally, we provide evidence in support of recognizing additional Neotropical species of Sylvilagus. Un esquema taxonómico para los conejos sudamericanos (Lagomorpha: Leporidae: Sylvilagus) fue recientemente publicado por Diersing y Wilson (2017). Aunque estamos de acuerdo con algunas de sus conclusiones (por ejemplo: estatus de especie válida para S. apollinaris y S. fulvescens), no estamos de acuerdo con las restantes conclusiones taxonómicas. Aportamos aquí pruebas convincentes sobre la característica naturaleza de los caracteres morfológicos y moleculares de S. andinus, pruebas que esgrimimos en apoyo de la hipótesis que esta última es una especie válida, así confirmando su escisión de S. brasiliensis. Proporcionamos detalles de los caracteres morfológicos de S. apollinaris y S. fulvescens que confirman la decisión taxonómica de asimismo separarlos de S. brasiliensis. Proporcionamos datos en aditamento que indican que a falta de cualquier material tipo para S. defilippi, este nombre es en el mejor de los casos un nomen dubium. Finalmente, ofrecemos datos y evidencia apoyando nuestras decisiones de reconocer un mayor número de especies Neotropicales de Sylvilagus que previamente se conocían.

scholarly journals Identification key to the Anopheles mosquitoes of South America (Diptera: Culicidae). III. Male genitalia

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Anice Mureb Sallum ◽  
Ranulfo González Obando ◽  
Nancy Carrejo ◽  
Richard C. Wilkerson
Keyword(s):  
South America ◽  
Species Identification ◽  
Male Genitalia ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Identification Key ◽  
Careful Examination ◽  
South American ◽  
Type Specimens ◽  
South American Species ◽  
Accurate Identification

Abstract Background Accurate identification of the species of Anopheles Meigen, 1818 requires careful examination of all life stages. However, morphological characters, especially those of the females and fourth-instar larvae, show some degree of polymorphism and overlap among members of species complexes, and sometimes even within progenies. Characters of the male genitalia are structural and allow accurate identification of the majority of species, excluding only those in the Albitarsis Complex. In this key, based on the morphology of the male genitalia, traditionally used important characters are exploited together with additional characters that allow robust identification of male Anopheles mosquitoes in South America. Methods Morphological characters of the male genitalia of South American species of the genus Anopheles were examined and employed to construct a comprehensive, illustrated identification key. For those species for which specimens were not available, illustrations were based on published illustrations. Photographs of key characters of the genitalia were obtained using a digital Canon Eos T3i attached to a light Diaplan Leitz microscope. The program Helicon Focus was used to build single in-focus images by stacking multiple images of the same structure. Results An illustrated key to South American species of Anopheles based on the morphology of the male genitalia is presented, together with a glossary of morphological terms. The male genitalia of type-specimens of previously poorly documented species were also examined and included in the key, e.g. Anopheles (Anopheles) tibiamaculatus (Neiva, 1906) which has a unique quadrangular-shaped aedeagus with an apical opening. Conclusions Male genitalia of South American species of Anopheles possess robust characters that can be exploited for accurate species identification. Distortion that can occur during the dissection and mounting process can obstruct accurate identification; this is most evident with inadvertent damage or destruction of unique features and interferes with correctly assigning shapes of the features of the ventral claspette. In some species, the shape, and anatomical details of the aedeagus also need to be examined for species identification. For members of the Myzorhynchella Series, both ventral and dorsal claspettes possess multiple characteristics that are herein used as reliable characters for species identification.

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