SYSTEMATICS OF TRILLIUM OVATUM L FORMA HIBBERSONII TAYLOR & SZCZAWINSKI

The forma now known as Trillium ovatum L. forma hibbersonii Taylor & Szczawinski (Liliaceae) was first discovered on the west coast of Vancouver Island, B.C., in 1938 by Jack Arthur Hibberson (Holotype UBC 73131). The obvious morphological differences that characterize the forma hibbersonii from T. ovatum are the dwarfing of all its parts, pink not white flower color at anthesis, and narrow lanceolate leaves. Although it has gained popularity as a garden plant, it has received very little attention in the scientific community. A description and designation as a distinct species (T. hibbersonii) was published by L. Wiley in 1968 but was considered invalid. The 1975 valid publication by T.M.C. Taylor and A.F. Szczawinski designated this taxon at the intraspecific level of forma. The present study was initiated to provide a comprehensive reevaluation of the taxonomic status: forma, separate species, subspecies, or variety? A change in taxonomic status from forma to species would elevate the taxon from rare to endangered status. This study considers morphological differences and flavonoid analysis of samples from both natural populations and cultivated plants. Habitat, dormancy requirements, and breeding strategy also were considered. Initial investigation using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) indicates this method is another valuable tool for distinguishing between the taxa.

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The Dogma of Dingoes—Taxonomic status of the dingo: A reply to Smith et al.

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4564.1.7 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4564 (1) ◽

pp. 198 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

STEPHEN M. JACKSON ◽

PETER J.S. FLEMING ◽

MARK D.B. ELDRIDGE ◽

SANDY INGLEBY ◽

TIM FLANNERY ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Taxonomic Status ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Domestic Dogs ◽

Current Evidence ◽

Morphological Evidence ◽

Evolutionary Divergence ◽

Gray Wolf ◽

Separate Species ◽

Gray Wolves ◽

Narrow Scope

Adopting the name Canis dingo for the Dingo to explicitly denote a species-level taxon separate from other canids was suggested by Crowther et al. (2014) as a means to eliminate taxonomic instability and contention. However, Jackson et al. (2017), using standard taxonomic and nomenclatural approaches and principles, called instead for continued use of the nomen C. familiaris for all domestic dogs and their derivatives, including the Dingo. (This name, C. familiaris, is applied to all dogs that derive from the domesticated version of the Gray Wolf, Canis lupus, based on nomenclatural convention.) The primary reasons for this call by Jackson et al. (2017) were: (1) a lack of evidence to show that recognizing multiple species amongst the dog, including the Dingo and New Guinea Singing Dog, was necessary taxonomically, and (2) the principle of nomenclatural priority (the name familiaris Linnaeus, 1758, antedates dingo Meyer, 1793). Overwhelming current evidence from archaeology and genomics indicates that the Dingo is of recent origin in Australia and shares immediate ancestry with other domestic dogs as evidenced by patterns of genetic and morphological variation. Accordingly, for Smith et al. (2019) to recognise Canis dingo as a distinct species, the onus was on them to overturn current interpretations of available archaeological, genomic, and morphological datasets and instead show that Dingoes have a deeply divergent evolutionary history that distinguishes them from other named forms of Canis (including C. lupus and its domesticated version, C. familiaris). A recent paper by Koepfli et al. (2015) demonstrates exactly how this can be done in a compelling way within the genus Canis—by demonstrating deep evolutionary divergence between taxa, on the order of hundreds of thousands of years, using data from multiple genetic systems. Smith et al. (2019) have not done this; instead they have misrepresented the content and conclusions of Jackson et al. (2017), and contributed extraneous arguments that are not relevant to taxonomic decisions. Here we dissect Smith et al. (2019), identifying misrepresentations, to show that ecological, behavioural and morphological evidence is insufficient to recognise Dingoes as a separate species from other domestic dogs. We reiterate: the correct binomial name for the taxon derived from Gray Wolves (C. lupus) by passive and active domestication, including Dingoes and other domestic dogs, is Canis familiaris. We are strongly sympathetic to arguments about the historical, ecological, cultural, or other significance of the Dingo, but these are issues that will have to be considered outside of the more narrow scope of taxonomy and nomenclature.

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Molecular systematics of Australian rhinolophid bats (Chiroptera : Rhinolophidae)

Australian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1071/zo97056 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 46 (3) ◽

pp. 203 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

S. J. B. Cooper ◽

T. B. Reardon ◽

J. Skilins

Keyword(s):

Sequence Data ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Surprising Result ◽

Separate Species ◽

Phylogenetic Species Concept ◽

South Wales ◽

Mtdna Sequence ◽

Geographic Populations

Genetic variation in two morphologically distinct species of Australian Rhinolophus, R. megaphyllus, and R. philippinensis, and a third putative species (‘the intermediate’) were examined using allozyme electrophoresis and sequencing of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region with the aim of resolving their taxonomic status. The surprising result was that no fixed allozymic differences and low allozyme divergence existed among these three taxa over 45 loci examined. In contrast, levels of intra-generic divergence among eight species of Rhinolophus showed up to 50% fixed allozyme differences between species, indicating that low allozyme divergence was not a common feature of the genus and that the three Australian taxa are likely to be monophyletic and recently diverged. Phylogenetic analyses of mtDNA sequence data revealed that populations of R. megaphyllus and R. philippinensis from Sabah, New Guinea, and Australia were represented by distinct mtDNA clades and that the two species are polyphyletic. These data suggest a reclassification of the different geographic populations of R. megaphyllus and R. philippinensis as separate species on the basis of a phylogenetic species concept. Within Australia, three distinct mtDNA clades were found, one of which showed ‘the intermediate’ in paraphyly with R. philippinensis from Queensland, but does not resolve the taxonomic status of ‘the intermediate’. Two mtDNA clades were also found representing R. megaphyllus from Queensland and R. megaphyllus from Victoria and New South Wales respectively. The finding of genetic subdivision along the east coast of Australia in an apparently continuously distributed bat species raises questions of the origin and historical biogeography of these bats in Australia.

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On the taxonomic status of the varieties of Chorizanthe angustifolia (Polygonaceae)

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.455.1.1 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 455 (1) ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

DAVID GOWEN ◽

LEIGH A. JOHNSON

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequencing ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

Green Plant ◽

New Combination ◽

Separate Species ◽

Infraspecific Taxa ◽

Taxonomic Concept ◽

Morphological Differences ◽

Comparison Table

Chorizanthe angustifolia var. eastwoodiae was named by Goodman in 1934, but has since generally been ignored as a taxon. A limited number of C. angustifolia var. angustifolia collections available for comparison and lack of clearly defined characters differentiating the two varieties likely account for the taxonomic concept for C. angustifolia that rejects infraspecific taxa. Nevertheless, several characters previously unnoted in floristic literature distinguish var. angustifolia from var. eastwoodiae. Variety angustifolia is a yellow-green plant with straw-colored tepals that are narrow and long-pointed, and has 3 stamens per flower. Variety eastwoodiae is a pinkish plant with pink, rounded and often erose tepals, with 8–9 stamens per flower. Morphological differences and comparative DNA sequencing indicate the two varieties are better treated as separate species. A new combination (C. eastwoodiae comb. et stat. nov.) is proposed and typification of the name C. angustifolia is clarified. A comparison table of closely related Chorizanthe is provided.

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Taxonomic status and distribution of the critically endangered Christmas Island spleenwort (Asplenium listeri, Aspleniaceae): it is not as rare as we thought

Australian Systematic Botany ◽

10.1071/sb14047 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 27 (6) ◽

pp. 372 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Daniel J. Ohlsen ◽

Leon R. Perrie ◽

Lara D. Shepherd ◽

Michael J. Bayly

Keyword(s):

New Caledonia ◽

Conservation Status ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Geographic Range ◽

Critically Endangered ◽

Separate Species ◽

Christmas Island ◽

Chloroplast Haplotype

Asplenium listeri C.Chr. has been considered endemic to Christmas Island and is one of only two fern species listed as Critically Endangered under Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Its status as a distinct species has been questioned because of morphological similarity to the widespread A. polyodon G.Forst., which also occurs on Christmas Island. Molecular analyses revealed that A. listeri and plants attributed to A. polyodon from coastal limestone in New Caledonia and Vanuatu share the same rbcL, trnL–trnF and rps4–trnS haplotype and that other samples of A. polyodon in Australia and the south-western Pacific belong to three separate molecular lineages. One of these lineages is formed by epiphytic A. polyodon from Christmas Island and has a chloroplast haplotype closely related to that of A. listeri, differing by four mutations. The A. listeri haplotype and each of the three A. polyodon lineages are associated with morphological characters and are all worthy of recognition as separate species. Asplenium listeri is here expanded to include limestone dwelling populations in the Pacific previously assigned to A. polyodon. This greatly extends the geographic range of A. listeri, and its conservation status should be revised accordingly. Application of correct names to all species in the A. polyodon complex requires further molecular sampling throughout its geographic range and clarification of how type material relates to each of the molecular groups.

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The taxonomic status of Cossus cossus afghanistanus (Lepidoptera, Cossidae) from Afghanistan: insights from molecular and morphological data

Ukrainian Journal of Ecology ◽

10.15421/2017_61 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 134-138 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

N. A. Shapoval ◽

R. V. Yakovlev ◽

G. N. Kuftina

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Morphological Data ◽

Separate Species ◽

Morphological Differences

In our study we use a 658 bp fragment of the COI gene to analyze a taxon from Afghanistan usually treated in literature as Cossus cossus afghanistanus (Daniel, 1953). The previous conclusions on taxonomy and nomenclature were not supported by molecular data therefore the question of identity of this taxon has remained unverified. Phylogenetic analysis revealed C. c. afghanistanus to be strongly differentiated from nominotypical Cossus cossus (Linnaeus, 1758) (p-distance: 6.7% ± 1.5%). Cossus c. afghanistanus forms a distinct well-supported clade in ML and BI trees. This fact, together with prominent morphological differences (wing color and genitalia structure) shows that C. c. afghanistanus represent a separate species rather than a subspecies of Cossus cossus.

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Electrophoretic and morphometric analyses of two sibling species pairs in Trachyphloeus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Insect Systematics & Evolution ◽

10.1163/187631291x00039 ◽

1991 ◽

Vol 22 (2) ◽

pp. 159-170

Author(s):

V. Simonsen ◽

V. Loeschcke ◽

V. Mahler ◽

L.S. Jermn

Keyword(s):

Sibling Species ◽

Species Concept ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Reliable Identification ◽

Lack Of Information ◽

Morphometric Analyses ◽

Species Pairs ◽

Parthenogenetic Reproduction ◽

Morphological Differences

AbstractMisidentified specimens of Trachyphloeus bifoveolatus (Beck, 1817), T. angustisetulus Hansen, 1915, T. spinimanus Germar, 1824 and T. digitalis (Gyllenhal, 1827) are very frequent in weevil collections and reflect the ambiguous taxonomic status of some of these taxa. The taxonomic problems are a result of (1) sole use of traditional morphological differences, (2) the weevils' assumed parthenogenetic reproduction which prevents the use of Mayr's species concept, and (3) lack of information about their biology and genetics. Our present electrophoretic, morphometric and morphological analyses of live and dry-mounted samples of females from north and west Europe indicate that the four taxa are each genetically and morphologically distinct species. New keys which permit easy and reliable identification of the species are provided.

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Redescription of Leptolalax gracilis (Günther, 1872) from Borneo and taxonomic status of two populations of Leptolalax (Anura: Megophryidae) from Peninsular Malaysia

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.3328.1.2 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3328 (1) ◽

pp. 20 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

J. MAXIMILIAN DEHLING

Keyword(s):

Taxonomic Status ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Peninsular Malaysia ◽

Undescribed Species ◽

Widespread Species ◽

Popula Tions ◽

Morphological Differences ◽

Two Populations

A number of populations of Leptolalax from Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia have been assigned to Leptolalax gracilis in thepast, rendering it a supposedly morphologically variable and widespread species. Whereas some of the Bornean populationshave since been described as distinct species, many lowland populations from Borneo and montane populations from Peninsu-lar Malaysia remain assigned to L. gracilis. Several distinct species appear to be hidden under this nominal taxon. In order toresolve the identity of L. gracilis and clarify the character states and their variation within the topotypic population, the speciesis redescribed based on examination of the holotype and recently collected topotypic material. Furthermore, the taxonomic sta-tus of two populations from Peninsular Malaysia (Gunung Benom, Gunung Tahan) that have been assigned to L. gracilis isreassessed. Reexamination of the corresponding vouchers revealed strong morphological differences between the two popula-tions and between each population and L. gracilis from Borneo. The population from Gunung Benom differs from all species ofthe genus and is apparently undescribed. The population from Gunung Tahan is represented only by two not fully metamor-phosed juveniles and cannot be assigned unambiguously to any of the described species of the genus. It is possibly another undescribed species but more specimens, especially adults, need to be collected.

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Emended description and resurrection of Sciaphila tosaensis and S. megastyla (Triuridaceae)

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.413.3.4 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 413 (3) ◽

pp. 231-243 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

KENJI SUETSUGU ◽

AKIHIKO KINOSHITA ◽

TIAN-CHUAN HSU

Keyword(s):

Genetic Divergence ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Genetic Distances ◽

The Other ◽

Morphological Data ◽

Flowering Stage ◽

Emended Description ◽

Morphological Differences

This paper presents a re-evaluation of the taxonomic status of Sciaphila tosaensis and S. megastyla (Triuridaceae) distributed in Japan and Taiwan. Based on the detailed morphological data, we concluded that these two species should both be treated as distinct species rather than synonyms of S. secundiflora. Sciaphila tosaensis differs from S. secundiflora and S. megastyla in having very narrow male perianth segments and female perianth segments distinctly shorter than male perianth segments. Sciaphila megastyla differs from the other two species in having very conspicuous style and stigma that is ca. 1.5 times as long as ovary in the flowering stage. Furthermore, a lectotype is designated of S. megastyla because its holotype has been lost. Molecular data also showed that there is considerable genetic divergence between S. tosaensis and S. megastyla, supporting that the morphological differences are mirrored by their genetic distances.

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Are seedlings diagnostic in Neotropical Entada (Leguminosae)? Seedling morphology supports the reinstatement of Entada polyphylla

Phytotaxa ◽

10.11646/phytotaxa.220.3.7 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 220 (3) ◽

pp. 287 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Rodrigo Schütz Rodrigues

Keyword(s):

New World ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Species Level ◽

Separate Species ◽

Seedling Morphology ◽

World Species ◽

Neotropical Species ◽

Seedling Characters ◽

Cotyledonary Petioles

Entada (Leguminosae) is a pantropical genus encompassing four Neotropical species, E. gigas (E. sect. Entada), E. polyphylla, E. polystachya and E. simplicata (E. sect. Entadopsis). However, the taxonomic status of E. polyphylla is still disputed, being treated as a separate species or a variety of E. polystachya. This article aims to take a comprehensive view of seedlings of Neotropical Entada, addressing the question of whether seedling morphology provide diagnostic characters that support the recognition of E. polyphylla at the species level. Seedlings of E. polyphylla were described and illustrated, whilst seedling data for the remaining Neotropical species were based on the literature. Entada polyphylla has an exclusive set of seedling characters within E. sect. Entadopsis, including cryptocotylar, hypogeal, reserve seedlings, long cotyledonary petioles, short cotyledon lobes, cataphylls and alternate, bipinnate eophylls. Therefore, seedling morphology supports the recognition of E. polyphylla as a distinct species and its reinstatement is here proposed. In addition, each of the four New World species of Entada can be diagnosed by their seedlings, and an identification key is also provided.

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A new species of the genus Gammarus (Crustacea: Amphipoda: Gammaridae) from the low salinity habitats in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.2015.1.2 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 2015 (1) ◽

pp. 42-54

Author(s):

BRENT P. THOMA ◽

RICHARD W. HEARD

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Gulf Of Mexico ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Sensu Stricto ◽

Separate Species ◽

Gammarus Mucronatus ◽

Northern Gulf Of Mexico ◽

Low Salinity ◽

Morphological Differences ◽

A New Species

In the northern Gulf of Mexico, Gammarus mucronatus sensu lato is represented by at least two forms, G. mucronatus sensu stricto and a less common “macromucronate” form, which appears to be restricted to low salinity habitats. These two forms have traditionally been separated using the size or angle of projection of the dorsal mucronations (processes). However, because of variability in the development of the processes, it is unclear whether this and other morphological differences between G. mucronatus sensu stricto and the “macromucronate” form are ecophenotypic or reflect distinct and separate species. Detailed morphological analyses indicate that these two forms represent distinct species; Gammarus lecroyae, new species, is described in detail and a key to the marine and estuarine Gammarus species from the northern Gulf of Mexico is provided.

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