Characterizing the taxonomic status of Sphingonotus caerulans in the upper Rhine Valley of Alsace (France) (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Oedipodinae)

2021 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. 513-519
Author(s):  
Jean-Pierre Vacher ◽  
Roberto D'Agostino ◽  
Sylvain Ursenbacher

Sphingonotus is a genus of grasshoppers that contains species groups with several closely related species, among which Sphingonotus caerulans and an unnamed Sphingonotus that are found in continental France. The exact distribution of both species is still under investigation, but it is believed that S. caerulans might be restricted to the northern part of the country, and that Sphingonotus sp. occurs in the southern half and might reach the north east. We explored the genetic identity of Sphingonotus grasshoppers in the upper Rhine Valley of Alsace (northeastern France) using combined fragments of mtDNA ND5 and cytb genes included with other available samples in ML and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses. The results indicate that the five specimens sampled within this region belong to S. caerulans. The actual distribution of Sphingonotus sp. in France remains to be investigated with wider sampling, especially to get a better knowledge on its northern limit.

Zootaxa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 2228 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
HELENA WIKLUND ◽  
ADRIAN G. GLOVER ◽  
THOMAS G. DAHLGREN

Three new Ophryotrocha species are described from sites with high levels of organic carbon flux including a whale-fall at 125 m depth off the Swedish coast and sediment sampled at 104 m depth beneath a fish farm in a Norwegian fjord. Phylogenetic analyses based on the nuclear gene H3 and the mitochondrial genes COI and 16S using MrBayes and Maximum Likelihood analyses show that Ophryotrocha eutrophila sp. nov. is a close relative to Ophryotrocha puerilis, while Ophryotrocha craigsmithi sp. nov. falls together with Palpiphitime lobifera, and Ophryotrocha scutellus sp. nov. occur within the 'hartmanni' clade. The genus Ophryotrocha is in our study monophyletic only if the genera Iphitime and Palpiphitime are included. Two representatives of Ophryotrocha previously described from anthropogenically-enriched sediments are here reported for the first time in very high abundance from a naturally occurring habitat. We suggest that whale falls are important habitats for the evolution of ecosystem services such as the degradation of complex organic compounds.


2018 ◽  
Vol 93 (04) ◽  
pp. 494-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.S. Ivanova ◽  
N.E. Dokuchaev ◽  
S.E. Spiridonov

AbstractAntechiniella septentrionalis n. sp. (Spirurida: Acuariidae) is described from the duodenum of a tundra vole, Microtus oeconomus (Pallas), collected in the Magadan region in the north-east part of Russia. It differs from A. suffodiax (Beveridge & Barker, 1975) and A. sertatum Smales, 1991 mainly in having a larger number of postcloacal papillae (5–6 pairs vs 4 pairs), a differently shaped left spicule, the disposition of precloacal papillae in two rows vs one, and oblong vs oval eggs. Other differences include the different disposition of ovaries in A. septentrionalis n. sp and A. suffodiax and the different structure of deirids in A. septentrionalis n. sp. and A. sertatum. The new species was characterized molecularly (partial sequences for 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA and cox1 mtDNA). The phylogenetic analyses performed showed the affinity of the new species to the members of the Acuariidae and other spirurid nematodes.


Zootaxa ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 2389 (1) ◽  
pp. 57 ◽  
Author(s):  
ELENA K. KUPRIYANOVA ◽  
EIJIROH NISHI ◽  
MASARU KAWATO ◽  
YOSHIHIRO FUJIWARA

Serpulidae are sessile suspension-feeding annelids commonly found in the periphery of hydrothermal vents, but up to now only two species, Laminatubus alvini and Protis hydrothermica had been described from such communities. This paper reports two additional serpulid species, collected in 2005 from the North Fiji hydrothermal vent area, identified as Hyalopomatus mironovi and Protis sp. The former has originally been described from the Kurile-Kamchatka Trench and the later recorded from the North-East Pacific. The latter species is similar to Protis hydrothermica, but lacks special finand-blade collar chaetae typical of this genus. Illustrated re-descriptions of the two species have been supplemented by molecular sequences (18S ribosomal RNA). Molecular phylogenetic analyses show that Hyalopomatus mironovi and Protis sp. are sister species of Laminatubus alvini and Protis hydrothermica, respectively.


Zootaxa ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 3098 (1) ◽  
pp. 26 ◽  
Author(s):  
PHILIPPE GENIEZ ◽  
JOSÉ M. PADIAL ◽  
PIERRE-ANDRÉ CROCHET

We studied the taxonomic status of the north African Agama species A. impalearis, A. castroviejoi, and A. boueti. The study of recently collected specimens and museum material, as well as phylogenetic analyses of a short 16S ribosomal RNA gene fragment, revealed the presence of an undescribed species in Adrar des Ifoghas (Mali), Aïr Mountains (Niger), Ahaggar Mountains (Algeria) and Tassili n’Ajjer (Algeria, Lybia), previously mistaken either as A. impalearis or A. agama. The new species, Agama tassiliensis n. sp., clearly belongs to the impalearis – boueti – spinosa species group but differs from these species, among other characters, by its red, reddish-orange or orange vertebral stripe in males, long and angular head, long limbs and toes (with 4 th toe usually slightly longer than 3 rd toe), long but low nuchal crest made of 10 to 15 spines (rarely 8–9 spines) and large number of supralabials (10–16, usually around 12). Interspecific uncorrected p- distances based on the 16S rDNA gene fragment are high, ranging from 3.9% between A. boueti and A. impalearis to 7.9% between A. spinosa and A. impalearis. The new species is sympatric with A. boueti at least in the Aïr Mountains and exhibits average mtDNA divergences of 6.2%, 7.4%, and 7.6% with A. spinosa, A. impalearis, and A. boueti, respectively. Agama boueti is paraphyletic relative to A. castroviejoi in the mtDNA tree, and mtDNA genetic divergences between populations of both species are lower than 1.0%, suggesting that A. castroviejoi is better treated as a junior synonym of A. boueti pending more detailed analyses. Scattered mountain ranges in the Sahara seem to have promoted lineage divergence and ultimately speciation in this group. Further work should be done to study species taxonomy and evolution in those areas.


1988 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
pp. 261-301 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin Flight

One difference between linguists and other Africanists seemed to be that others were prepared to jettison one part of their training to help other disciplines, but linguists apparently would not. Was this so, and if so, why?The Bantu expansion has been a problem for historians ever since the recognition by linguists of a single startling fact. During the nineteenth century, the descriptions of African languages available to scholars in Europe grew steadily in number; they also tended to gain in detail, and in accuracy. It thus became increasingly clear that a sinuous line could be traced across the map distinguishing a zone of extremely high diversity in the north from a zone of low diversity in the south. By the 1880s a popularizing writer could claim that this contrast was generally recognized “by students of African languages.” The situation as he described it was that in the northern half of the continent there are bewildering multitudes of diverse tongues belonging to many independent families, and apparently irreducible to a common origin. Yet cross the irregular boundary-line which runs over the continent from 6° N. on the west coast to the Equator on the east coast … and what do we find? Why that the whole of the southern half of Africa, with the exception of the Masai and Galla intrusion in the north-east and the Hottentot enclave in the south-west, is the domain of a single homogeneous family of languages, … differing perhaps less among themselves than do the many offshoots of the Aryan stock.


Zootaxa ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 1501 (1) ◽  
pp. 31-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
FALITIANA C.E. RABEMANANJARA ◽  
ANGELICA CROTTINI ◽  
YLENIA CHIARI ◽  
FRANCO ANDREONE ◽  
FRANK GLAW ◽  
...  

Malagasy poison frogs of the genus Mantella with its 16 species are currently sub-divided into 5 major groups. Of these, the Mantella betsileo group is traditionally understood as containing four species, Mantella betsileo, M. expectata, M. viridis and M. manery, while the M. laevigata group is considered to be monospecific. A phylogenetic analysis of samples from multiple localities of all species in these two groups, based on sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene, shows the existence of several well-distinct clades in what is currently considered to be Mantella betsileo: (1) central-western populations from Kirindy, Isalo, and near Antsirabe close to the Betsileo region, to which the name M. betsileo is to be applied, (2) populations of the north-east and north-west, which are closely related to M. viridis and to which the name M. ebenaui is to be applied, and (3) a clade from southernmost Madagascar and from the Tsingy de Bemaraha, which is sister to M. expectata and furthermore includes important intra-clade variation, therefore probably representing one or two undescribed species. Our data also support a large genetic distance of M. manery to all other species and its probable sister-group relationship to the sympatric M. laevigata; M. manery is consequently transferred from the M. betsileo group to the M. laevigata group.


1997 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
pp. 1139-1150 ◽  
Author(s):  
L.I. Weber ◽  
D.R. Gray ◽  
A.N. Hodgson ◽  
S.J. Hawkins

Allozyme electrophoresis was used to estimate the genetic divergence between three species of South African Helcion and the north-east Atlantic H. pellucidum (Patellidae). At a finer level the genetic relationships among South African Helcion were explored. Twenty-one loci were resolved for all the species. High values of expected heterozygosities (0·202–0·341) were found for the genus. Phenetic analysis (UPGMA (unweighted pair-group method with artihmetic averaging) and Distance Wagner Procedure) and cladistic parsimony methods (alleles as binary characters and loci as multistate unordered characters) agreed in showing the same topology for the tree which represents the genetic relationships among Helcion species. The north-east Atlantic H. pellucidum was the most divergent species showing high values of Nei's genetic distances (1·423–1·654) with its South African congeners. In the literature such values of genetic divergence have been associated with non-congeneric species. The degree of genetic divergence (0·351–0·615) found within the South African branch was characteristic for congeneric species. The results of this study supported the monophyletic condition of this branch, and showed H. pectunculus and H. pruinosus to be more closely related to each other than to H. dunkeri. Nevertheless, the monophyly of the genus Helcion is uncertain and therefore its taxonomic status was questioned. A possible independent origin for northern and southern hemisphere species of Helcion is considered.


1979 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 479 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Freitag

Australian components of the subfamilies Collyrinae and Cicindelinae, tribes Collyrini, Megacephalini and Cicindelini, and genera Tricondyla Latreille, Megacephala Latreille, Distipsidera Westwood, Rhysopleura Sloane, Nickerlea W. Horn, and Cicindela Linne are distinguished in a key. For each of the first five genera, numbers of Australian species, geographical distributions, and habitats of the adults are described. Diagnostic characteristics are provided for the genus Cicindela Linne. Twenty-nine Australian species are arranged in seven species-groups as follows: the iosceles group, six species; the nigrina group, two species: the carnarvona, group (=subgenus Grandopronotalia W. Horn, genus Prothyma), one species, C. carnarvona, sp. et comb. nov.; the tetragramma group, seven species, including C. levitetragramma, sp. nov. (type locality, Western Australia, Port Hedland); the ypsilon group, four species; the igneicollis group, five species, including C. gairdneri, sp. nov. (type locality, South Australia, Lake Gairdner, south-west gulf); the semicincta group, four species, including C. parasemicincta, sp. nov. (type locality, South Australia, Wobna Mound Spring about 8km south-east of Coward Spring). Placement of the iosceles and carnarvona groups is discussed. A key is provided for all species and five subspecies. Species-groups, species, and subspecies are revised, described and illustrated, and the ranges of species indicated by maps. A history of the Australian species of Cicindela is derived, which comprises a reconstructed phylogeny, based on adult characteristics, and zoogeography based on patterns of geographical distributions of species-groups, ecological requirements, vicariance relations of sister groups, and climatic events of the past. It is concluded that five species-groups are endemic to Australia. Their origins are unknown, though geographical distributions indicate that four (iosceles, nigrina, tetragramma, carnarvona) are relicts of extinct Oriental lineages, and one (igneicollis) is relict of a south ancient lineage. Two species-groups (ypsilon, semicincta) are southernmost extensions of extant Oriental groups. Zoogeographical evidence suggests that most founding stocks invaded northern Australia through New Guinea during the Tertiary and Pleistocene, and speciation in the Pleistocene has been generated in the north-east by periodic retreats and invasions of the sea in the Gulf of Carpentaria during glacial and interglacial phases.


Author(s):  
A. J. Southward

During his studies on the Cirripedia Darwin (1854) gave much attention to the Chthamalidae, and his views of the species remained unchallenged for many years. Darwin's attitude to speciation appears to have been coloured by his concurrently developing theories of natural selection, and he was especially interested in the existence of wide variation within species. Thus Chthamalus stellatus as described by Darwin consisted of a number of races or varieties, and was of almost worldwide distribution (‘southern England, Ireland, Isle of Man, Mediterranean, Madeira, Cape Verde Is., southern United States, West Indies, Brazil, Rio Plata, Red Sea, Philippines, China, Gulf of Korea, Oregon or N. California’). This distribution has been considerably narrowed in the last 60 years, and recent investigators have raised varieties to specific rank, or described new species and subspecies. In North California and Oregon we now have the full species C. dalli (Pilsbry, 1916); along the eastern coast of U.S.A. we now have C.fragilis (Pilsbry, 1916); in the Caribbean and along the east coast of South America we have C. angustitergum and C. bisinuatus (Pilsbry, 1916; Ross, 1969; Southward, 1975); for the Indopacific region there are now the species C. challengeri and C. malayensis (Hoek, 1883; Pilsbry, 1916); and in the Mediterranean, C. depressus (Poli), which was reduced by Darwin to a variety of C. stellatus, has been raised again to specific rank (Barnes, 1956; Utinomi, 1959; Southward, 1964; Klepal & Barnes, 1975) and is now assigned to the genus Euraphia (Newman & Ross, 1976). Thus except for a few dubious records what remains of Darwin's C. stellatus is confined to Europe, N. Africa and W. Africa (Southward, 1964; Stubbings, 1967). Nevertheless, even such a reduced distribution encompasses several distinct climatic zones, and seems more extensive than the individual ranges of the three species (C. dalli, C. fissus and C. panamensis) found in comparable climatic regions of the N.E. Pacific.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Tello ◽  
Roswitha Mammerler ◽  
Marko Čajić ◽  
Astrid Forneck

AbstractGrape phylloxera is native to North America, where Vitis spp. acquired different mechanisms of resistance to leaf and root attack. Its appearance in European vineyards at the beginning of the 1860s, where the phylloxera-susceptible grapevine species V. vinifera L. is majorly cultivated, caused the devastation of a great number of vineyards, generating a deep crisis in the European wine production and trade industries. However, the origin and genetic structure of this pest across European vineyards still remain controversial and uncertain. Herein, we analysed the genetic structure of 1173 grape phylloxera individuals collected from 100 locations across eight European countries. Structure and phylogenetic analyses show that contemporary grape phylloxera populations in Europe are the result of at least two independent introductions from the native range that mirrors the historical records that also suggest two major outbreaks in Europe. The comparative analysis with samples from the native range trace back one of these two genetic groups to plants imported from the North East coast of North America, where the American species V. riparia and V. labrusca dominate. This study clarifies the level of genetic diversity of grape phylloxera in Europe and provides relevant information to resolve previous controversy about its origin.


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