Discovery of Swimming Males of Paratanaoidea (Tanaidacea)

AbstractIn Tanaidacea morphological identification of male individuals to the species level is complicated by two factors: the presence of multiple male stages/instars confuse the assessment of sexual stage while strong sexual dimorphism within several families obscures the morphological affinities of undescribed males to described females. Males of Paratanaoidea are often morphologically quite different from females and have not been discovered for most genera so far, which has led to the assumption that some tanaidaceans might have parthenogenetic reproduction or simply have undeveloped secondary sex traits. As a part ofthe IceAGE project (Icelandic marine Animals: Genetics and Ecology), with the support of molecular methods, the first evidence for the existence of highly dimorphic (swimming) males in four families of the superfamily Paratanaoidea (Agathotanaidae, Cryptocopidae, Akanthophoreidae, and Typhlotanaidae) is presented. This study suggests that these males might be the next instars after juvenile or preparatory males, which are morphologically similar to females. It has been assumed that “juvenile” males with a restricted ability for swimming (e.g., undeveloped pleopods) have matured testes, are capable of reproduction, and mate with females nearby, while swimming males can mate with distant females. Our explanation of the dimorphism in Tanaidomorpha lies in the fact that males of some species (e.g.,Nototanais) retain the same lifestyle or niche as the females, so secondary traits improve their ability to guard females and successfully mate. Males of other species that have moved into a regime (niche) different than that of the female have acquired complex morphological changes (e.g.,Typhlotanais).

Download Full-text

Quantifying Late Pennsylvanian Multivariate Morphological Change in the Fusulinid Genus Triticites from the Central and Southwestern United States

The Journal of Foraminiferal Research ◽

10.2113/gsjfr.51.3.165 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 51 (3) ◽

pp. 165-181

Author(s):

Eileah R. Sims ◽

Christina L. Belanger

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Morphological Changes ◽

Species Level ◽

Southwestern United States ◽

Linear Measurements ◽

Important Species ◽

Species Overlap ◽

Geological Age ◽

Canonical Variates ◽

Abundance And Diversity

ABSTRACT Fusulinid Foraminifera are important for biostratigraphic correlation of strata in the Upper Paleozoic of the central and southwestern United States due to their high abundance and diversity in shallow marine carbonates. These correlations rely on consistent species-level identifications as well as geographically consistent morphological variation within species. However, many taxonomically important characters are described qualitatively, which can lead to conflicting identifications among taxonomists and cause biostratigraphic disagreements. Quantitative morphometric comparisons among species can increase the consistency of identifications among workers and capture temporal and geographic morphological gradients. Here, we used 14 linear measurements to describe the morphology of 18 biostratigraphically important species within the genus Triticites. Canonical variates analysis (CVA) showed that whereas specimens of a given species occupy similar areas of morphospace, species overlap considerably and, thus, these linear measurements poorly differentiate among species. However, species morphology covaried with geological age and multivariate analyses focused on age differences reveal an increase in the size of the initial chamber (proloculus) and a relative decrease in test expansion along the long axes over time. These morphological changes are consistent with an adaptation to shallow water conditions following the fall in relative sea-level across the Virgilian-Newwellian/Bursumian transition. Given the consistency of the morphological shift among North American basins, these morphological changes may be more useful for the recognition of the Virgilian-Newwellian/Bursumian transition than species-level biozones because they do not depend on consistent species identification.

Download Full-text

Phobalysin, a Small β-Pore-Forming Toxin of Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae

Infection and Immunity ◽

10.1128/iai.00277-15 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 83 (11) ◽

pp. 4335-4348 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Amable J. Rivas ◽

Gisela von Hoven ◽

Claudia Neukirch ◽

Martina Meyenburg ◽

Qianqian Qin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Lactate Dehydrogenase ◽

Epithelial Cells ◽

Necrotizing Fasciitis ◽

Vibrio Cholerae ◽

Gene Product ◽

Morphological Changes ◽

Marine Animals ◽

Content Type ◽

Membrane Pores ◽

Photobacterium Damselae

ABSTRACTPhotobacterium damselaesubsp.damselae, an important pathogen of marine animals, may also cause septicemia or hyperaggressive necrotizing fasciitis in humans. We previously showed that hemolysin genes are critical for virulence of this organism in mice and fish. In the present study, we characterized thehlyAgene product, a putative small β-pore-forming toxin, and termed it phobalysin P (PhlyP), for “photobacterial lysin encoded on a plasmid.” PhlyP formed stable oligomers and small membrane pores, causing efflux of K+, with no significant leakage of lactate dehydrogenase but entry of vital dyes. The latter feature distinguished PhlyP from the relatedVibrio choleraecytolysin. Attack by PhlyP provoked a loss of cellular ATP, attenuated translation, and caused profound morphological changes in epithelial cells. In coculture experiments with epithelial cells,Photobacterium damselaesubsp.damselaeled to rapid hemolysin-dependent membrane permeabilization. Unexpectedly, hemolysins also promoted the association ofP. damselaesubsp.damselaewith epithelial cells. The collective observations of this study suggest that membrane-damaging toxins commonly enhance bacterial adherence.

Download Full-text

Molecular identification of Auxis spp. larvae (Pisces: Scombridae) from the Gulf of California: Solving morphological identification limits

Revista de biología marina y oceanografía ◽

10.22370/rbmo.2018.53.2.1290 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 53 (2) ◽

pp. 157 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

María J. Ochoa-Muñoz ◽

Noé Díaz-Viloria ◽

Laura Sánchez-Velasco ◽

Sylvia P. A. Jiménez-Rosenberg ◽

Ricardo Pérez-Enríquez

Keyword(s):

Molecular Identification ◽

Gulf Of California ◽

Fish Larvae ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Species Level ◽

Morphological Identification ◽

Larval Stages ◽

Marine Fish Larvae ◽

Coi Sequences ◽

First Time

The larvae of the Auxis genus are abundant in the Gulf of California during summer; however, their identification to the species level by morphological methods is a challenge. The goal of this study was to identify A. thazard and A. rochei larvae for first time, through molecular markers using COI sequences of mtDNA, and look for distinctive morphological characteristics between species, mainly in pigmentation patterns. Larvae were obtained by zooplankton tows in 3 oceanographic cruises in the southern Gulf of California and adjacent waters. The presence of A. thazard and A. rochei larvae was genetically confirmed. The sequences of 7 larvae showed genetic divergences lower than 1% when were compared to sequences of A. thazard adults, while 15 larvae showed genetic divergences lower than 2% when where compared to sequences of A. rochei adults. Genetic divergences between both Auxis species were higher than 2%. These results suggest the spawning of both species in the Gulf of California. On the other hand, pigmentation patterns and morphometric characteristics, in all larval stages, did not permit the secure differentiation between species. Thus, the use of molecular identification by COI is recommended to identify Auxis larvae to the species level, as well as in other marine fish larvae collected in other regions of the world, that have identification troubles.

Download Full-text

Unravelling the hidden biodiversity – the establishment of DNA barcodes of fish-parasitizing Acanthocephala Koehlreuther, 1771 in view of taxonomic misidentifications, intraspecific variability and possible cryptic species

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182020001316 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 147 (13) ◽

pp. 1499-1508

Author(s):

Susanne Reier ◽

Helmut Sattmann ◽

Thomas Schwaha ◽

Hans-Peter Fuehrer ◽

Elisabeth Haring

Keyword(s):

Cryptic Species ◽

Dna Barcoding ◽

Intraspecific Variability ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Species Level ◽

Morphological Identification ◽

Dna Barcodes ◽

Taxonomic Assignment ◽

Obligate Parasites ◽

Intraspecific Variations

AbstractAcanthocephalans are obligate parasites of vertebrates, mostly of fish. There is limited knowledge about the diversity of fish-parasitizing Acanthocephala in Austria. Seven determined species and an undetermined species are recorded for Austrian waters. Morphological identification of acanthocephalans remains challenging due to their sparse morphological characters and their high intraspecific variations. DNA barcoding is an effective tool for taxonomic assignment at the species level. In this study, we provide new DNA barcoding data for three genera of Acanthocephala (Pomphorhynchus Monticelli, 1905, Echinorhynchus Zoega in Müller, 1776 and Acanthocephalus Koelreuter, 1771) obtained from different fish species in Austria and provide an important contribution to acanthocephalan taxonomy and distribution in Austrian fish. Nevertheless, the taxonomic assignment of one species must remain open. We found indications for cryptic species within Echinorhynchus cinctulus Porta, 1905. Our study underlines the difficulties in processing reliable DNA barcodes and highlights the importance of the establishment of such DNA barcodes to overcome these. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to collect and compare material across Europe allowing a comprehensive revision of the phylum in Europe.

Download Full-text

Implications of oil pollution in production of disease in marine organisms

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London Series B Biological Sciences ◽

10.1098/rstb.1982.0049 ◽

1982 ◽

Vol 297 (1087) ◽

pp. 385-399 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Keyword(s):

Viral Infections ◽

Oil Pollution ◽

Morphological Changes ◽

Ventricular Myocardium ◽

Marine Organisms ◽

Marine Animals ◽

Marine Habitats ◽

Fin Ray ◽

Fish And Shellfish ◽

Sufficient Concentration

Contamination of marine waters by petroleum, whether as a consequence of acute or chronic events, constitutes an additional source of stress for marine organisms — one often reflected in pathological changes. Morphological, behavioural, physiological or biochemical abnormalities may result from exposure to petroleum or its component chemicals. Among the morphological changes that have been associated, at least circumstantially, with petroleum contamination of marine habitats are (for fish) fin erosion, fin ray deformation, ovarian histopathology, olfactory lesions, degeneration of ventricular myocardium and cytogenetic anomalies; and (for invertebrates) tissue hyperplasia, gill and gut epithelial necrosis, gonadal tumours and kidney tubule occlusion. Literature on petroleum-associated diseases and abnormalities of fish and shellfish can best be summarized in four major categories: that dealing with integumental lesions offish; that concerned with various other kinds ofhistopathologies, usually experimentally induced; that emphasizing neoplasms of molluscs, and that related to genetic and morphological abnormalities in eggs and larvae, as a consequence of exposure to petroleum or its components. A. general conclusion is that petroleum, in sufficient concentration, can be toxic to marine animals, and toxicity may be expressed as morphological changes. . Some of the effects of petroleum, such as the enhancement of latent viral infections in clams and immunosuppression in fish, are quite probably associated with increased stress. The development of neoplasia and hyperplasia in petroleum-exposed marine animals deserves further examination, as does the entire matter of pollution-related integumental lesions.

Download Full-text

Morphological identification and COI barcodes of adult flies help determine species identities of chironomid larvae (Diptera, Chironomidae)

Bulletin of Entomological Research ◽

10.1017/s0007485315000486 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 106 (1) ◽

pp. 34-46 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

A.J. Failla ◽

A.A. Vasquez ◽

P. Hudson ◽

M. Fujimoto ◽

J.L. Ram

Keyword(s):

Sequence Data ◽

Species Group ◽

Species Level ◽

Morphological Identification ◽

Neighbor Joining ◽

Chironomid Larvae ◽

Western Lake ◽

Individual Sequences ◽

Aquatic Food ◽

Coi Sequences

AbstractEstablishing reliable methods for the identification of benthic chironomid communities is important due to their significant contribution to biomass, ecology and the aquatic food web. Immature larval specimens are more difficult to identify to species level by traditional morphological methods than their fully developed adult counterparts, and few keys are available to identify the larval species. In order to develop molecular criteria to identify species of chironomid larvae, larval and adult chironomids from Western Lake Erie were subjected to both molecular and morphological taxonomic analysis. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) barcode sequences of 33 adults that were identified to species level by morphological methods were grouped with COI sequences of 189 larvae in a neighbor-joining taxon-ID tree. Most of these larvae could be identified only to genus level by morphological taxonomy (only 22 of the 189 sequenced larvae could be identified to species level). The taxon-ID tree of larval sequences had 45 operational taxonomic units (OTUs, defined as clusters with >97% identity or individual sequences differing from nearest neighbors by >3%; supported by analysis of all larval pairwise differences), of which seven could be identified to species or ‘species group’ level by larval morphology. Reference sequences from the GenBank and BOLD databases assigned six larval OTUs with presumptive species level identifications and confirmed one previously assigned species level identification. Sequences from morphologically identified adults in the present study grouped with and further classified the identity of 13 larval OTUs. The use of morphological identification and subsequent DNA barcoding of adult chironomids proved to be beneficial in revealing possible species level identifications of larval specimens. Sequence data from this study also contribute to currently inadequate public databases relevant to the Great Lakes region, while the neighbor-joining analysis reported here describes the application and confirmation of a useful tool that can accelerate identification and bioassesment of chironomid communities.

Download Full-text

Subcutaneous ticks: a first report in a golden jackal, and their absence in non-canid carnivores

Parasites & Vectors ◽

10.1186/s13071-020-04510-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Noureddine Mechouk ◽

Georgiana Deak ◽

Angela Monica Ionică ◽

Dan Traian Ionescu ◽

Gabriel Bogdan Chișamera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ixodes Ricinus ◽

Subcutaneous Tissue ◽

Species Level ◽

The Other ◽

Morphological Identification ◽

Golden Jackal ◽

Canis Aureus ◽

First Report ◽

Host Spectrum ◽

Hematophagous Arthropods

Abstract Background Ticks are hematophagous arthropods which normally attach to the surface of the host’s skin. Their aberrant presence in the subcutaneous tissue of a few carnivores, predominantly foxes, has been reported. However, there have been no reports of this phenomenon in other carnivores such as mustelids or golden jackals. Our aim was to investigate the host spectrum for this aberrant localization of ticks. Methods Between 2015 and 2020, a total of 198 carcasses of 12 species of carnivore were examined by parasitological necropsy. When a subcutaneous tick was found, the nodule was removed, carefully dissected, and stored in ethanol. The morphological identification of the subcutaneous tick was carried out to species level. Results A single subcutaneous tick was found in one carcass, that of a golden jackal (Canis aureus). The tick was identified as a female Ixodes ricinus. All the other carcasses were negative for the presence of subcutaneous ticks. Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the first report of a subcutaneous tick in a golden jackal. This finding broadens the host spectrum of subcutaneous ticks, and reinforces the idea that, among carnivores, this phenomenon only occurs in canids.

Download Full-text

MORELS OF WEST JAVA : DESCRIPTION AND POTENTIAL UTILIZATION

Indonesian Journal of Science and Education ◽

10.31002/ijose.v5i1.3508 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 49

Author(s):

Ivan Permana Putra

Keyword(s):

Species Level ◽

Edible Mushrooms ◽

Taxonomic Position ◽

Local People ◽

Morphological Identification ◽

West Java ◽

Future Studies ◽

The World ◽

World Information ◽

Potential Use

The genus Morchella or known as morels is one of the most popular edible mushrooms around the world. Information regarding the distribution and cultivation of this fungus are mostly from the temperate country. In Indonesia, to date only 2 reports of the distribution of this mushroom have been found, at Mount Rinjani West Nusa Tenggara (2012) and Mount Klabat Minahasa Utara (2019). Since then, there have been no report of this macrofungi in Indonesia. In 2020, local people ( the members of the Indonesian mushroom hunting community) shared the information about the appereance of Morchella at residence area near Mount Gede Pangrango, West Java. Morphological identification which completed by the description and macroscopic characterization confirmed the identity of the macrofungi as Morchella sp. Further observation using microscopic characters and / or DNA data needs to be done to confirm the taxonomic position to the species level in the future studies. This information adds to the recording of Morchella distribution and its potential use in Indonesia.Keywords: Inventory, Macrofungi, Indonesia, Morchella

Download Full-text

Adding DNA barcoding to stream monitoring protocols – What’s the additional value and congruence between morphological and molecular identification approaches?

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0244598 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. e0244598

Author(s):

Simone Behrens-Chapuis ◽

Fabian Herder ◽

Matthias F. Geiger

Keyword(s):

Dna Barcoding ◽

Cost Benefit Analysis ◽

Ecological Status ◽

Species Level ◽

Aquatic Macroinvertebrates ◽

Taxonomic Resolution ◽

Morphological Identification ◽

Stream Monitoring ◽

Monitoring Protocols ◽

Additional Value

Although aquatic macroinvertebrates and freshwater fishes are important indicators for freshwater quality assessments, the morphological identification to species-level is often impossible and thus especially in many invertebrate taxa not mandatory during Water Framework Directive monitoring, a pragmatism that potentially leads to information loss. Here, we focus on the freshwater fauna of the River Sieg (Germany) to test congruence and additional value in taxa detection and taxonomic resolution of DNA barcoding vs. morphology-based identification in monitoring routines. Prior generated morphological identifications of juvenile fishes and aquatic macroinvertebrates were directly compared to species assignments using the identification engine of the Barcode of Life Data System. In 18% of the invertebrates morphology allowed only assignments to higher systematic entities, but DNA barcoding lead to species-level assignment. Dissimilarities between the two approaches occurred in 7% of the invertebrates and in 1% of the fishes. The 18 fish species were assigned to 20 molecular barcode index numbers, the 104 aquatic invertebrate taxa to 113 molecular entities. Although the cost-benefit analysis of both methods showed that DNA barcoding is still more expensive (5.30–8.60€ per sample) and time consuming (12.5h), the results emphasize the potential to increase taxonomic resolution and gain a more complete profile of biodiversity, especially in invertebrates. The provided reference DNA barcodes help building the foundation for metabarcoding approaches, which provide faster sample processing and more cost-efficient ecological status determination.

Download Full-text

Characteristics of Crassostrea Oyster Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I (Coi) Gene As Species Identity In Delta Cimanuk, West Java

Jurnal Moluska Indonesia ◽

10.54115/jmi.v4i1.11 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

pp. 8-16

Author(s):

Dian Rezki Muliani ◽

Fredinan Yulianda ◽

Nurlisa A Butet

Keyword(s):

Cytochrome Oxidase ◽

Morphological Changes ◽

Coi Gene ◽

Morphological Identification ◽

Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit ◽

Species Identity ◽

Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit I ◽

Oxidase Subunit ◽

Identification Of Species ◽

Crassostrea Oyster

Oysters belong to the Crassostrea, which is a type of shellfish that lives as benthos in waters under the same substrate and environmental conditions will exhibit similar morphological changes in response. There are many types of oysters that have a similar shape are often an obstacle to differentiate of Crassostrea species through morphological identification. The purpose of this research was to identify the types of oysters found in the waters of Delta Cimanuk through analysis of the morphology and nucleotide diversity of Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I (COI) gene, as basic information on proper management and conservation. The morphological identification results show that there were two species of the Crassostrea. Identification of species through the Barcoding DNA technique shows that there is one type of oyster: Crassostrea iredalei with an accuracy of 99.5%.

Download Full-text