Taxonomic revision of Israeli snakes belonging to the Platyceps rhodorachis species complex (Reptilia: Squamata: Colubridae)

The Platyceps rhodorachis species complex encompasses a widespread group of morphologically similar colubrid snakes. The number and identities of species from this complex in Israel have recently been debated. Studies from the previous decade concluded that there are two species in Israel and its vicinity (compared with one previously recognized), but their identity remained contested. We estimated the number of species and their taxonomic identity using morphological and molecular data. We found some evidence for clinal variation in many of the characters used to differentiate the species, and a great overlap in traits of putative species. Genetic data revealed very low sequence divergence, with all putative species being paraphyletic. Platyceps rogersi emerged as genetically closer to Platyceps saharicus rather than to its putative conspecific, P. karelini. The phylogenetic and taxonomic results thus indicate that the Israeli populations of the P. rhodorachis complex all belong to a single species, Platyceps saharicus (Schätti & McCarthy 2004).

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To be or not to be tchernovi: a taxonomic revision of the snake genus Micrelaps (Squamata: Serpentes), in Israel

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4881.2.4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4881 (2) ◽

pp. 290-306

Author(s):

SIMON JAMISON ◽

EREZ MAZA ◽

GUY SINAIKO ◽

KARIN TAMAR ◽

ALEX SLAVENKO ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Morphological Variation ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

Taxonomic Revision ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Colour Pattern ◽

Clinal Variation ◽

Jordan Valley ◽

Temperature And Precipitation ◽

Morphological And Molecular Data ◽

Colour Patterns

The enigmatic snake genus Micrelaps has uncertain phylogenetic affinities. The type species of the genus, Micrelaps muelleri, inhabits the Southern Levant. Snakes inhabiting the Jordan River Valley just south of the Sea of Galilee have been described as a new species, Micrelaps tchernovi, based on their distinct colour patterns, despite M. muelleri being well known to be variable in colour-pattern traits. Here we use morphological and molecular data to examine the taxonomic status and phylogenetic affinity of Levantine Micrelaps. We show that all scalation, colour, and pattern-related traits are extremely variable across the range of these snakes. Some morphological features show clinal variation related to temperature and precipitation, and snakes with a ‘tchernovi’ morph are merely at one end of a continuum of morphological variation. Both ‘classical muelleri’ and ‘tchernovi’ morphs occur in syntopy in the Jordan Valley and elsewhere in Israel. Against this background of high morphological variation, neutral genetic markers show almost no differentiation between snakes, no genetic structure is evident across populations, and no differences are to be found between the two putative species. We conclude that Levantine Micrelaps belongs to a single, morphologically variable, and genetically uniform species, Micrelaps muelleri, of which M. tchernovi is a junior synonym.

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Prevalence of Cardinium Bacteria in Planthoppers and Spider Mites and Taxonomic Revision of “Candidatus Cardinium hertigii” Based on Detection of a New Cardinium Group from Biting Midges

Applied and Environmental Microbiology ◽

10.1128/aem.01583-09 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 75 (21) ◽

pp. 6757-6763 ◽

Cited By ~ 77

Author(s):

Yuki Nakamura ◽

Sawako Kawai ◽

Fumiko Yukuhiro ◽

Saiko Ito ◽

Tetsuo Gotoh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Frequency ◽

Taxonomic Revision ◽

Single Species ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Spider Mites ◽

Parasitic Nematodes ◽

Biting Midges ◽

Group A ◽

Morphological And Molecular Data ◽

Group B

ABSTRACT Cardinium bacteria, members of the phylum Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides (CFB), are intracellular bacteria in arthropods that are capable of inducing reproductive abnormalities in their hosts, which include parasitic wasps, mites, and spiders. A high frequency of Cardinium infection was detected in planthoppers (27 out of 57 species were infected). A high frequency of Cardinium infection was also found in spider mites (9 out of 22 species were infected). Frequencies of double infection by Cardinium and Wolbachia bacteria (Alphaproteobacteria capable of manipulating reproduction of their hosts) were disproportionately high in planthoppers but not in spider mites. A new group of bacteria, phylogenetically closely related to but distinct from previously described Cardinium bacteria (based on 16S rRNA and gyrB genes) was found in 4 out of 25 species of Culicoides biting midges. These bacteria possessed a microfilament-like structure that is a morphological feature previously found in Cardinium and Paenicardinium. The bacteria close to the genus Cardinium consist of at least three groups, A, B, and C. Group A is present in various species of arthropods and was previously referred to as “Candidatus Cardinium hertigii,” group B is present in plant parasitic nematodes and was previously referred to as “Candidatus Paenicardinium endonii,” and group C is present in Culicoides biting midges. On the basis of morphological and molecular data, we propose that the nomenclature of these three groups be integrated into a single species, “Candidatus Cardinium hertigii.”

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Taxonomic notes on Scutellaria taipeiensis (Lamiaceae) from morphological and molecular data

PhytoKeys ◽

10.3897/phytokeys.140.48578 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 140 ◽

pp. 33-45

Author(s):

Chien-Ti Chao ◽

Bing-Hong Huang ◽

Jui-Tse Chang ◽

Pei-Chun Liao

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequence ◽

Phylogenetic Relationships ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

Plastid Dna ◽

Single Species ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Sequence Information ◽

Related Literature ◽

Morphological And Molecular Data ◽

Comprehensive Study

The genus Scutellaria comprises eight species distributed from 50 to 2000 m in Taiwan. Amongst them, S. barbata and S. taipeiensis are very similar on the basis of morphological and plastid DNA sequence information. Therefore, a comprehensive study of the taxonomic status of S. taipeiensis is necessary. We reviewed the herbarium sheets, related literature and protologues and compared morphologies of these two species, as well as their phylogenetic relationships. All evidence, including the diagnostic characters between S. taipeiensis and S. barbata, suggest that they belonged to a single species rather than two. As a result, S. taipeiensis is treated as a synonym of S. barbata.

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Gelidium guimaraesiae sp. nov. (Gelidiaceae, Rhodophyta) from the Western Atlantic segregated from G. floridanum by morphological and molecular evidence

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.388.4.3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 388 (4) ◽

pp. 275 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

BEATRIZ BRUNELLI ◽

DANIELA MILSTEIN ◽

SUNG M. BOO ◽

MUTUE T. FUJII

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequences ◽

Sequence Divergence ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Brazilian Coast ◽

Molecular Evidence ◽

Similar Species ◽

Western Atlantic ◽

Gelidium Floridanum ◽

Morphological And Molecular Data ◽

A New Species

The Gelidium species are susceptible to a great phenotypic plasticity. In this genus, studies integrating morphological and molecular data have been increasingly used to define species. To date nine Gelidium species are reported along the Brazilian coast. Gelidium floridanum is the most frequently recorded species in Brazilian but it is also often confused with morphologically similar species, especially in the field or when reproductive structures are absent. In this study we analyzed specimens from Brazil previously identified as G. floridanum based on the morphological and molecular data (cox1 and rbcL DNA sequences). Newly collected specimens from Brazil showed a DNA sequence divergence from G. floridanum in the order of 1.0–1.4% for rbcL and 4.2% for cox1, enough to be considered a new species, here described as Gelidium guimaraesiae sp. nov.

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The Philodromus pulchellus-group in the Mediterranean: taxonomic revision, phylogenetic analysis and biogeography (Araneae:Philodromidae)

Invertebrate Systematics ◽

10.1071/is06014 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 39 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Christoph Muster ◽

Robert Bosmans ◽

Konrad Thaler

Keyword(s):

Taxonomic Revision ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Species Group ◽

Western Mediterranean ◽

Mediterranean Origin ◽

Character Variation ◽

Nomina Dubia ◽

Morphological And Molecular Data ◽

Continuous Character

The Philodromus pulchellus species-group is defined and diagnosed. Eleven species are included, described or redescribed, keyed and illustrated: P. afroglaucinus, sp. nov. from Algeria; P. bistigma Simon, 1870, P. glaucinus Simon, 1870, P. lamellipalpis, sp. nov. from Algeria; P. medius O. P.-Cambridge, 1872; P. pardalis, sp. nov. from northern Africa and the Iberian peninsula; P. pulchellus Lucas, 1846, P. punctigerus O. P.-Cambridge, 1908, P. ruficapillus Simon, 1885, P. simoni de Mello-Leitão, 1929, and P. wunderlichi, sp. nov. from the western Canary Islands. The validity of P. bistigma and P. medius is re-established (formerly in synonymy with P. pulchellus); neotype and lectotype, respectively are newly designated. The following new synonymies are proposed: P. torquatus O. P.- Cambridge, 1908 = P. pulchellus; P. salinarum Denis, 1939 = P. glaucinus; P. glaucinoides Wunderlich, 1987 = P. punctigerus; P. marionschmidti (Schmidt, 1990) = P. pulchellus. Philodromus albopictus Simon, 1875 and P. rubidus Simon, 1870 are considered nomina dubia. Determination of phylogenetic relationships within the group is difficult owing to continuous character variation, resulting in partially incongruent reconstructions using morphological and molecular data (partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I gene). Dispersal vicariance analysis provides support for a western Mediterranean origin of the group.

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Morphological and molecular diversity in the freshwater crab Potamon ruttneri-P. gedrosianum species complex (Decapoda, Brachyura) indicate the need for taxonomic revision

Crustaceana ◽

10.1163/15685403-00003512 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 89 (2) ◽

pp. 129-139 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Alireza Keikhosravi ◽

Reza Naderloo ◽

Christoph D. Schubart

Keyword(s):

New Record ◽

Molecular Diversity ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

Taxonomic Revision ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Valid Species ◽

Indus River ◽

Mitochondrial 16S Rdna ◽

Morphological And Molecular Data ◽

Incomplete Sampling

Many species and subspecies of Potamon have been described from the easternmost distribution of the genus in the western tributaries of the Indus River. Most of them were synonymised subsequently under the two names of currently valid species known from the region: Potamon gedrosianum Alcock, 1909 and Potamon ruttneri Pretzmann, 1962. Genetic and morphological information, based on mitochondrial 16S rDNA and the first male gonopod (G1), were gathered in the course of the present study. The corresponding results suggest the occurrence of four groups and question the taxonomic status of both species. We also revise the distribution range of both species, in particular that of P. gedrosianum, with a new record from Iran. Overall, the study reveals the need for a major revision using further morphological and molecular data. Because of the complexity of this necessary revision and the incomplete sampling, we here refrain from proposing any taxonomic conclusions.

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Taxonomic revision of Carpesium linearibracteatum (Asteraceae: Inulinae) from China

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.371.2.5 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 371 (2) ◽

pp. 111

Author(s):

YONGZENG ZHANG ◽

TAO DENG ◽

YANBO LI ◽

XIAOSHUANG ZHANG ◽

KOMILJON SH. TOJIBAEV ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Taxonomic Revision ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Species Level ◽

Taxonomical Status ◽

Morphological And Molecular Data

Both morphological and molecular data have been used to examine the taxonomical status of Carpesium linearibracteatum (Asteraceae). We determined that C. leptophyllum var. linearibracteatum is closer to C. szechuanense and C. triste than to C. longifolium, thus not agreeing with the synonymization of this taxon and C. longifolium. We propose to elevate C. leptophyllum var. linearibracteatum to the species level as C. linearibracteatum.

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A taxonomic revision of the mealybug genus Ferrisia Fullaway (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), with descriptions of eight new species and a new genus

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3543.1.1 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3543 (1) ◽

pp. 1 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

M. B. KAYDAN ◽

P. J. GULLAN

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Adult Female ◽

Host Plants ◽

Taxonomic Revision ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Similar Species ◽

Pest Species ◽

Genetic Groups ◽

Adult Females ◽

Morphological And Molecular Data

The mealybug genus Ferrisia Fullaway is revised to include 18 species, based on morphological and molecular data. Wedistinguish the widespread pest species F. virgata (Cockerell) from morphologically similar species and provide a reviseddescription and illustration for the adult female of F. virgata. We resurrect Dactylopius dasylirii Cockerell stat. rev. fromsynonymy with Dactylopius virgatus Cockerell as Ferrisia dasylirii (Cockerell) and apply this name to many North Amer-ican and Caribbean populations previously recognised as F. virgata; F. dasylirii is the most difficult to distinguish mor-phologically from F. virgata and exhibits morphological and molecular variation among some populations. We designatea lectotype for D. dasylirii Cockerell. Eight new species of Ferrisia are described and illustrated based on the adult female,and named as Ferrisia colombiana sp. n., F. cristinae sp. n., F. ecuadorensis sp. n., F. kondoi sp. n., F. milleri sp. n., F.pitcairnia sp. n., F. uzinuri sp. n. and F. williamsi sp. n. The relationships of five of these new species and five namedspecies are discussed in relation to a previously published phylogenetic tree that was based on nucleotide sequence data.Taxonomically informative morphological features (such as the size, shape and position of discoidal pores associated withthe dorsal enlarged tubular ducts and the ventral oral-collar tubular ducts), identified for each of the genetic groups (clades)on the tree, are used to help to diagnose the species. We also describe and illustrate the adult female of a form of F. gilliGullan, found on Magnolia and some other host plants, that has numerous clusters of small ventral oral-collar ducts onthe body margins. For seven named species—F. claviseta (Lobdell), F. malvastra (McDaniel), F. meridionalis Williams,F. multiformis Granara de Willink, F. quaintancii (Tinsley), F. setosa (Lobdell) and F. terani Williams & Granara de Will-ink—we provide revised illustrations of the adult females as well as diagnostic morphological notes and information ondistribution and host plants. We also recognise Eurycoccus copallinae Ferris as a junior synonym (syn. n.) of Dactylopiusquaintancii Tinsley (now F. quaintancii) and designate a lectotype for E. copallinae. We include photographs of the liveappearance of the adult females of six Ferrisia species and also a key to all known species of Ferrisia based on the mor-phology of the adult females. We transfer the species currently known as Ferrisia floridana (Ferris) to a new monotypicgenus, Pseudoferrisia gen. n., as Pseudoferrisia floridana (Ferris) comb. n., and provide a description of the genus and its type species (Ferrisiana floridana Ferris), as well as a new illustration of the adult female.

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Two new species of the genus Crangonyx Bate, 1859 (Amphipoda: Crangonyctidae) from the St. Marks River Basin with notes on the “Crangonyx floridanus complex”

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4691.4.1 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4691 (4) ◽

pp. 301-332 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

ANDREW G. CANNIZZARO ◽

THOMAS R. SAWICKI

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Related Species ◽

Species Delimitation ◽

Species Complex ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Closely Related Species ◽

Leon County ◽

Two New Species ◽

Morphological And Molecular Data

Crangonyx ephemerus n. sp. and Crangonyx pseudoephemerus n. sp. are described from the headwaters of the St. Marks River in Leon County, Florida, based on detailed morphological and molecular comparisons with the closely related species Crangonyx floridanus Bousfield, 1963. The morphological and molecular data, including three species delimitation models, lend support to the hypothesis that the taxon C. floridanus sensu lato represents a species complex. Diagnostic morphological characteristics are highlighted and discussed within this group to assist in future morphological analyses.

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A Taxonomic Revision of Photinia integrifolia (Rosaceae)

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.401.3.3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 401 (3) ◽

pp. 179

Author(s):

MITRA LAL PATHAK ◽

MUHAMMAD IDREES ◽

YUNDONG GAO ◽

XIN-FEN GAO

Keyword(s):

Species Complex ◽

Taxonomic Revision ◽

Single Species ◽

Sensu Stricto ◽

Nomen Nudum ◽

Type Specimens ◽

New Synonyms

Taxonomic revision of a single species complex of Photinia integrifolia (Rosaceae) is accomplished during the revision of the genus Photinia sensu stricto. The study is based on the protologues and type specimens deposited in relevant herbaria. Thirty-two names are recorded for a single species. Five names are proposed as new synonyms, six lectotypes are designated, two names are identified as nomen nudum and three names are considered to be illegitimate. Taxonomic notes with type specimens, locality, and distribution for each taxon are provided.

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