scholarly journals Out of Africa: A New Afrotheria Lineage Rises From Extinct South American Mammals

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonardo S. Avilla ◽  
Dimila Mothé
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
South American ◽  
Evolutionary Patterns ◽  
Natural Group ◽  
Phylogenetic Studies ◽  
Monophyletic Lineage ◽  
Early Paleocene ◽  
History Of ◽  
Out Of Africa

The South American native ungulates (SANUs) are usually overlooked in Eutherian phylogenetic studies. In the rare studies where they were included, the diversity of SANUs was underrated, keeping their evolutionary history poorly known. Some authors recognized the SANUs as a monophyletic lineage and formally named it Meridiungulata. Here, we recognized and defined a new supraordinal lineage of Eutheria, the Sudamericungulata, after performing morphological phylogenetic analyses including all lineages of SANUs and Eutheria. The SANUs resulted as non-monophyletic; thus, Meridiungulata is not a natural group; Litopterna and “Didolodontidae” are Panameriungulata and closer to Laurasiatheria than to other “Meridiungulata” (Astrapotheria, Notoungulata, Pyrotheria, and Xenungulata). The other “Meridiungulata” is grouped in the Sudamericungulata, as a new monophyletic lineage of Afrotheria Paenungulata, and shared a common ancestor with Hyracoidea. The divergence between the African and South American lineages is estimated to Early Paleocene, and their interrelationships support the Atlantogea biogeographic model. Shortly afterward, the Sudamericungulata explosively diversified in its four lineages. Confronting the Sudamericungulata evolutionary patterns and the Cenozoic natural events (such as tectonics and climatic and environmental changes, among others) helps to unveil a new chapter in the evolution of Gondwanan Eutheria, as well as the natural history of South America during the Cenozoic.

scholarly journals Phylogenetic studies of eucalypts: fossils, morphology and genomes

2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
pp. 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Bayly
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequencing ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
Phylogenetic Studies ◽  
Recent Advances ◽  
History Of ◽  
Morphological And Molecular Data ◽  
Economic Use ◽  
Insight Into

The eucalypt group includes seven genera: Eucalyptus, Corymbia, Angophora, Eucalyptopsis, Stockwellia, Allosyncarpia and Arillastrum. Knowledge of eucalypt phylogeny underpins classification of the group, and facilitates understanding of their ecology, conservation and economic use, as well as providing insight into the history of Australia’s flora. Studies of fossils and phylogenetic analyses of morphological and molecular data have made substantial contributions to understanding of eucalypt relationships and biogeography, but relationships among some genera are still uncertain, and there is controversy about generic circumscription of the bloodwood eucalypts (genus Corymbia). Relationships at lower taxonomic levels, e.g. among sections and series of Eucalyptus, are also not well resolved. Recent advances in DNA sequencing methods offer the ability to obtain large genomic datasets that will enable improved understanding of eucalypt evolution.

scholarly journals Evolutionary history of the porpoises (Phocoenidae) across the speciation continuum: a mitogenome phylogeographic perspective

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yacine Ben Chehida ◽  
Julie Thumloup ◽  
Cassie Schumacher ◽  
Timothy Harkins ◽  
Alex Aguilar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Food Resources ◽  
Recent Common Ancestor ◽  
Cetacean Species ◽  
Evolutionary Patterns ◽  
Speciation Continuum ◽  
Southern Species

AbstractHistorical changes affecting food resources are a major driver of cetacean evolution. Small cetaceans like porpoises (Phocoenidae) are among the most metabolically challenged marine mammals and are particularly sensitive to changes in their food resources. The seven species of this family inhabit mostly temperate waters and constitute a textbook example of antitropical distribution. Yet, their evolutionary history remains poorly known despite major conservation issues threatening the survival of some porpoises (e.g., vaquita and Yangzte finless porpoises). Here, we reconstructed their evolutionary history across the speciation continuum, from intraspecific subdivisions to species divergence. Phylogenetic analyses of 63 mitochondrial genomes suggest that, like other toothed whales, porpoises radiated during the Pliocene in response to deep environmental changes. However, all intra-specific phylogeographic patterns were shaped during the Quaternary Glaciations. We observed analogous evolutionary patterns in both hemispheres associated with convergent adaptations to coastal versus oceanic environments. This result suggests that the mechanism(s) driving species diversification in the relatively well-known species from the northern hemisphere may apply also to the poorly-known southern species. In contrast to previous studies, we showed that the spectacled and Burmeister’s porpoises share a more recent common ancestor than with the vaquita that diverged from southern species during the Pliocene. The low genetic diversity observed in the vaquita carried signatures of a very low population size throughout at least the last 5,000 years, leaving one single relict mitochondrial lineage. Finally, we observed unreported subspecies level divergence within Dall’s, spectacled and Pacific harbor porpoises, suggesting a richer evolutionary history than previously suspected. These results provide a new perspective on the mechanism driving the adaptation and speciation processes involved in the diversification of cetacean species. This knowledge can illuminate their demographic trends and provide an evolutionary framework for their conservation.

scholarly journals What does mitogenomics tell us about the evolutionary history of the Drosophila buzzatii cluster (repleta group)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolás N. Moreyra ◽  
Julián Mensch ◽  
Juan Hurtado ◽  
Francisca Almeida ◽  
Cecilia Laprida ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Relationships ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
South American ◽  
Phylogenetic Studies ◽  
Drosophila Buzzatii ◽  
Molecular Phylogenetic ◽  
History Of ◽  
Tree Topologies ◽  
American Clade

AbstractThe Drosophila repleta group is an array of more than 100 cactophilic species endemic to the “New World”. The acquisition of the ability to utilize decaying cactus tissues as breeding and feeding sites is a key aspect that allowed the successful diversification of the repleta group in the American deserts. Within this group, the Drosophila buzzatii cluster is a South American clade of seven cactophilic closely related species in different stages of divergence, a feature that makes it a valuable model system for evolutionary research. However, even though substantial effort has been devoted to elucidating the phylogenetic relationships among members of the D. buzzatii cluster, the issue is still controversial. In effect, molecular phylogenetic studies performed to date generated ambiguous results since tree topologies depend on the kind of molecular marker employed. Curiously, even though mitochondrial DNA has become a popular marker in evolutionary biology and population genetics, none of the more than twenty Drosophila mitogenomes assembled so far belongs to this cluster. In this work we report the assembly of six complete mitogenomes of five species: D. antonietae, D. borborema, D. buzzatii, D. seriema and two strains of D. koepferae, with the aim to revisit the phylogenetic relationships and divergence times by means of a mitogenomic approach. The recovered topology using complete mitogenomes gives support to the hypothesis of the monophyly of that the D. buzzatii cluster and shows two main clades, one including D. buzzatii and D. koepferae (both strains) and the other the remaining species. These results are in agreement with previous reports based on a few mitochondrial and/or nuclear genes but in conflict with the results of a recent large-scale nuclear phylogeny, suggesting that nuclear and mitochondrial genomes depict different evolutionary histories.

scholarly journals Mitochondrial genomics reveals the evolutionary history of the porpoises (Phocoenidae) across the speciation continuum

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yacine Ben Chehida ◽  
Julie Thumloup ◽  
Cassie Schumacher ◽  
Timothy Harkins ◽  
Alex Aguilar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Recent Common Ancestor ◽  
Evolutionary Patterns ◽  
Low Genetic Diversity ◽  
Speciation Continuum ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Historical Variation ◽  
Southern Species

Abstract Historical variation in food resources is expected to be a major driver of cetacean evolution, especially for the smallest species like porpoises. Despite major conservation issues among porpoise species (e.g., vaquita and finless), their evolutionary history remains understudied. Here, we reconstructed their evolutionary history across the speciation continuum. Phylogenetic analyses of 63 mitochondrial genomes suggest that porpoises radiated during the deep environmental changes of the Pliocene. However, all intra-specific subdivisions were shaped during the Quaternary glaciations. We observed analogous evolutionary patterns in both hemispheres associated with convergent evolution to coastal versus oceanic environments. This suggests that similar mechanisms are driving species diversification in northern (harbor and Dall’s) and southern species (spectacled and Burmeister’s). In contrast to previous studies, spectacled and Burmeister’s porpoises shared a more recent common ancestor than with the vaquita that diverged from southern species during the Pliocene. The low genetic diversity observed in the vaquita carried signatures of a very low population size since the last 5,000 years. Cryptic lineages within Dall’s, spectacled and Pacific harbor porpoises suggest a richer evolutionary history than previously suspected. These results provide a new perspective on the mechanisms driving diversification in porpoises and an evolutionary framework for their conservation.

Phylogenetic studies in the South American tribe Dichroplini (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Melanoplinae): is the Paranaense-Pampeano informal genus group a natural clade?

Zootaxa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 2174 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. A. DINGHI ◽  
V. CONFALONIERI ◽  
M. M. CIGLIANO
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Mitochondrial Gene ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Molecular Data ◽  
South American ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Weak Support ◽  
Phylogenetic Studies ◽  
Molecular Phylogenetic ◽  
Group A

The Dichroplini genera Scotussa, Leiotettix, Ronderosia, Atrachelacris, Chlorus, Eurotettix and Dichromatos have been grouped into the “Paranaense-Pampeano” informal genus group, based on characters of the male genitalia. However, recent molecular phylogenetic analyses showed weak support values or no support at all for this group. In this study, we used molecular and morphological characters to test the monophyly of this informal genus group. Morphological characters included aspects of the general morphology, and male and female genitalia as well. Whereas the molecular data was based on one mitochondrial gene: cytochrome oxidase I. Independent and combined phylogenetic analyses of the data were performed under both unweighted and implied weighting parsimony. Our results showed that, when only molecular data is considered, the “Paranaense-Pampeano” informal genus group is not recovered. However, the group is monophyletic according to morphological and combined analyses. The “Paranaense-Pampeano” informal genus group is considered to be a natural clade; therefore, we propose the genus group name Scotussae. As a final remark, the molecular data provided in most cases the same evidence of relationships as morphology.

Phylogenetic analysis of the subtribe Chloraeinae (Orchidaceae): a preliminary approach based on three chloroplast markers

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Amelia Chemisquy ◽  
Osvaldo Morrone
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Systematic Position ◽  
South American ◽  
Chloroplast Markers ◽  
Phylogenetic Studies ◽  
Terrestrial Orchids ◽  
Molecular Phylogenetic ◽  
Trnk Intron ◽  
Internal Relationships ◽  
High Support

The systematic position and relationships between some South American terrestrial orchids, such as Bipinnula Comm. ex Juss., Chloraea Lindl., Gavilea Poepp. and Geoblasta Barb. Rodr., is unclear. These four genera have been grouped in the subtribe Chloraeinae by several authors. Previous phylogenetic studies of the group have included only a few species of Chloraea and Gavilea and not of Bipinnula or Geoblasta. Relationships among these four genera were explored and the monophyly of the subtribe Chloraeinae and the genera Chloraea and Gavilea were tested in this contribution. Molecular phylogenetic analyses were conducted, using the following three chloroplast markers: the matK–trnK intron, the atpB–rbcL spacer and the rpoC1 gene. Sequences were analysed under maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference. In all the analyses, Bipinnula, Chloraea, Gavilea and Geoblasta were grouped in a clade with high support, where Bipinnula, Geoblasta and Gavilea were nested inside Chloraea. Consequently, Chloraea was paraphyletic, whereas Gavilea turned out to be monophyletic with high values of support. The other species of tribe Cranichideae appeared as sister groups of the Chloraeinae. A more exhaustive taxonomic sampling is needed to resolve the systematic placement of the subtribe Chloraeinae and the internal relationships between the genera and species that form it.

Rediscovery of Pseudosinopla canaliculus (Reed, 1898) (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Acanthosomatidae) with comments on its tribal classification and biogeography of South American Blaudusini

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4317 (1) ◽  
pp. 185
Author(s):  
MARIOM A. CARVAJAL ◽  
EDUARDO I. FAÚNDEZ ◽  
DAVID A. RIDER
Keyword(s):  
Natural History ◽  
Phylogenetic Relationships ◽  
Female Genitalia ◽  
South American ◽  
Evolutionary Patterns ◽  
The Past ◽  
History Of ◽  
Tribal Classification

Although the knowledge of South American Acanthosomatidae has increased in the past decade, still little is known about the features or natural history of several genera. Pseudosinopla canaliculus (Reed, 1898) is a rare Acanthosomatid, known so far only from its type. In this work, rediscovery of P. canaliculus in the regions Araucania and Los Rios in Chile is reported. Part of the internal female genitalia is described. The classification of Pseudosinopla within the Acanthosomatidae is analyzed resulting in the genus being transferred from the Lanopini to Blaudusini. Additionally, the biogeography and phylogenetic relationships of the group are discussed. It is hypothesized that Pseudosinopla forms part of a Gondwanian relict. And that similarly to other heteropterans, the association among several acanthosomatids with Nothofagus Blume forests has shaped the evolutionary patterns of the group. Finally, a nomenclatural note on the Blaudusinae is provided. 

Evolutionary history of trypanosomes from South American caiman (Caiman yacare) and African crocodiles inferred by phylogenetic analyses using SSU rDNA and gGAPDH genes

Parasitology ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 136 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. B. VIOLA ◽  
R. S. ALMEIDA ◽  
R. C. FERREIRA ◽  
M. CAMPANER ◽  
C. S. A. TAKATA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Divergence Time ◽  
Ssu Rdna ◽  
Tsetse Flies ◽  
South American ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Divergence Time Estimates ◽  
Time Estimates ◽  
History Of ◽  
Brazilian Pantanal

SUMMARYIn this study, using a combined data set of SSU rDNA and gGAPDH gene sequences, we provide phylogenetic evidence that supports clustering of crocodilian trypanosomes from the Brazilian Caiman yacare (Alligatoridae) and Trypanosoma grayi, a species that circulates between African crocodiles (Crocodilydae) and tsetse flies. In a survey of trypanosomes in Caiman yacare from the Brazilian Pantanal, the prevalence of trypanosome infection was 35% as determined by microhaematocrit and haemoculture, and 9 cultures were obtained. The morphology of trypomastigotes from caiman blood and tissue imprints was compared with those described for other crocodilian trypanosomes. Differences in morphology and growth behaviour of caiman trypanosomes were corroborated by molecular polymorphism that revealed 2 genotypes. Eight isolates were ascribed to genotype Cay01 and 1 to genotype Cay02. Phylogenetic inferences based on concatenated SSU rDNA and gGAPDH sequences showed that caiman isolates are closely related to T. grayi, constituting a well-supported monophyletic assemblage (clade T. grayi). Divergence time estimates based on clade composition, and biogeographical and geological events were used to discuss the relationships between the evolutionary histories of crocodilian trypanosomes and their hosts.

scholarly journals Cenozoic aridization in Central Eurasia shaped diversification of toad-headed agamas (Phrynocephalus; Agamidae, Reptilia)

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e4543 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evgeniya N. Solovyeva ◽  
Vladimir S. Lebedev ◽  
Evgeniy A. Dunayev ◽  
Roman A. Nazarov ◽  
Anna A. Bannikova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Climatic Factors ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Late Oligocene ◽  
Central Eurasia ◽  
Biogeographic History ◽  
Middle Asia ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Impact

We hypothesize the phylogenetic relationships of the agamid genusPhrynocephalusto assess how past environmental changes shaped the evolutionary and biogeographic history of these lizards and especially the impact of paleogeography and climatic factors.Phrynocephalusis one of the most diverse and taxonomically confusing lizard genera. As a key element of Palearctic deserts, it serves as a promising model for studies of historical biogeography and formation of arid habitats in Eurasia. We used 51 samples representing 33 of 40 recognized species ofPhrynocephaluscovering all major areas of the genus. Molecular data included four mtDNA (COI,ND2,ND4,Cytb; 2,703 bp) and four nuDNA protein-coding genes (RAG1,BDNF,AKAP9,NKTR; 4,188 bp). AU-tests were implemented to test for significant differences between mtDNA- and nuDNA-based topologies. A time-calibrated phylogeny was estimated using a Bayesian relaxed molecular clock with nine fossil calibrations. We reconstructed the ancestral area of origin, biogeographic scenarios, body size, and the evolution of habitat preference. Phylogenetic analyses of nuDNA genes recovered a well-resolved and supported topology. Analyses detected significant discordance with the less-supported mtDNA genealogy. The position ofPhrynocephalus mystaceusconflicted greatly between the two datasets. MtDNA introgression due to ancient hybridization best explained this result. MonophyleticPhrynocephaluscontained three main clades: (I) oviparous species from south-western and Middle Asia; (II) viviparous species of Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP); and (III) oviparous species of the Caspian Basin, Middle and Central Asia.Phrynocephalusoriginated in late Oligocene (26.9 Ma) and modern species diversified during the middle Miocene (14.8–13.5 Ma). The reconstruction of ancestral areas indicated thatPhrynocephalusoriginated in Middle East–southern Middle Asia. Body size miniaturization likely occurred early in the history ofPhrynocephalus. The common ancestor ofPhrynocephalusprobably preferred sandy substrates with the inclusion of clay or gravel. The time of Agaminae radiation and origin ofPhrynocephalusin the late Oligocene significantly precedes the landbridge between Afro-Arabia and Eurasia in the Early Miocene. Diversification ofPhrynocephaluscoincides well with the mid-Miocene climatic transition when a rapid cooling of climate drove progressing aridification and the Paratethys salinity crisis. These factors likely triggered the spreading of desert habitats in Central Eurasia, whichPhrynocephalusoccupied. The origin of the viviparous Tibetan clade has been associated traditionally with uplifting of the QTP; however, further studies are needed to confirm this. Progressing late Miocene aridification, the decrease of the Paratethys Basin, orogenesis, and Plio–Pleistocene climate oscillations likely promoted further diversification withinPhrynocephalus. We discussPhrynocephalustaxonomy in scope of the new analyses.

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