scholarly journals Taxonomic position of several enigmatic Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) species (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) from Central and Eastern Iran: insights from molecular and chromosomal data

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 313-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladimir Lukhtanov ◽  
Nazar Shapoval ◽  
Alexander Dantchenko

The species-rich subgenus Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) has become one of the best studied groups of Palearctic blue butterflies (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae). However, the identity and phylogenetic position of some rare taxa from Iran have remained unclear. An enigmatic, recently described Central Iranian species Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) shirkuhensis ten Hagen et Eckweiler, 2001 has been considered as a taxon closely related either to Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) eckweileri ten Hagen, 1998 or to Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) baltazardi (de Lesse, 1962). Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) baltazardi, in its turn, was treated as a taxon close to Iranian-Pakistani Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) bogra Evans, 1932. Here we used a combination of molecular and chromosomal markers to show that none of these hypotheses was true. Instead, Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) shirkuhensis was recovered as a member of a species group close to Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) cyaneus (Staudinger, 1899). From genetically closest species, Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) kermansis (de Lesse, 1962), Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) cyaneus and Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) sennanensis (de Lesse, 1959), it differs by the wing coloration. From morphologically similar Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) mofidii (de Lesse, 1963) and Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) sorkhensis Eckweiler, 2003, it differs by its chromosome number, n=21. Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) bogra and Polyommatus (Agrodiaetus) baltazardi were found to be members of two different species groups and, thus, are not closely related.

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4242 (2) ◽  
pp. 313
Author(s):  
MAURICIO RIVERA-CORREA ◽  
CARLOS JIMÉNEZ-RIVILLAS ◽  
JUAN M. DAZA

Pristimantis, distributed throughout the New World tropics, is the most speciose vertebrate genus. Pristimantis presents an enormous morphological diversity and is currently divided into several demonstrably non-monophyletic phenetic species groups. With the purpose of increasing our understanding of Pristimantis systematics, we present the first phylogenetic analysis using molecular evidence to test the monophyly and infer evolutionary relationships within the Pristimantis leptolophus group, an endemic group of frogs from the highlands of the Colombian Andes. Our phylogenetic reconstruction recovers the group as monophyletic with high support, indicating general concordance between molecular data and morphological data. In addition, we describe a new polymorphic species lacking conspicuous tubercles, a regular attribute among species of the P. leptolophus species group and endemic from the Páramo de Sonsón complex (Antioquia, Colombia). The phylogenetic position of the new species is inferred and other systematic implications in the light of our results are discussed. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 3035 (1) ◽  
pp. 59 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANTOINE FOUQUET ◽  
BRICE P. NOONAN ◽  
MICHEL BLANC ◽  
VICTOR GOYANNES DILL ORRICO

Dendropsophus gaucheri is a recently described species which inhabits open areas of the eastern part of the Guiana Shield and is currently assigned to the D. parviceps species group based on the presence of a subocular cream spot. Herein we investigate its phylogenetic position including material from the type locality and newly documented populations from Suriname and Brazil based on mtDNA sequences. The species, as well as D. riveroi which is assigned to the D. minimus species group, were recovered nested within the D. microcephalus species group which implies the paraphyly of the three Dendropsophus species groups. Such result, along with other evidences, highlights the need for a thorough revision of the genus. The genetic distances among D. gaucheri samples studied are low confirming their conspecificity and suggesting recent connections among populations from open areas currently isolated by rainforest in the lowlands of the Guiana Shield.


2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steffen Bayer ◽  
Axel L. Schönhofer

We investigated the relative phylogenetic position of the spider genera Psechrus Thorell, 1878 and Fecenia Simon, 1887 comprising the family Psechridae Simon, 1890 within the order Araneae (plus 50 outgroup taxa) using molecular data of the nuclear 28S rRNA gene and the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. We further revised the placement of genera formerly hypothesised in Psechridae and tested morphological species and species-group hypotheses recently proposed for Psechrus and Fecenia. Our results showed both genera as monophyletic and included within Lycosoidea but indicated no support for a monophyletic family Psechridae. Support for relationships to particular genera of other families (Lycosidae, Pisauridae) was found to be equally low. Previous removal of the genera Stiphidion Simon, 1902, Poaka Forster & Wilton, 1973, Tengella Dahl, 1901 (Metafecenia F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1902) and Themacrys Simon, 1906 from Psechridae is confirmed by recovering most of them outside Lycosoidea. For Tengella (part of Lycosoidea) a close relation to Psechridae is not supported. In the species-rich genus Psechrus, morphologically predefined species groups were generally recovered as monophyletic. COI information was applied to test the morphological species hypotheses for 28 Psechridae species, most of them represented by more than one specimen. Our analyses corroborated all proposed species and indicated COI as reliable for barcoding both Psechrus and Fecenia. COI enabled assignment of a juvenile specimen to Fecenia protensa, establishing the first species record for Brunei.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 324 (3) ◽  
pp. 201 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAMIEN ERTZ ◽  
ROAR S. POULSEN ◽  
MARYVONNE CHARRIER ◽  
ULRIK SØCHTING

The lichenized genus Steinera is revised for the archipelagos of Crozet and of Kerguelen, with a high level of endemism revealed. It is shown to represent a good example of convergent evolution between two different orders. Phylogenetic analyses using nuLSU, RPB1 and mtSSU sequences show that two different species groups can be recognized: Steinera s. str. belongs to the Arctomiaceae (Arctomiales) and is characterized notably by species having pluriseptate ascospores, and a second species group belongs to the Koerberiaceae (Peltigerales) and is characterized notably by simple ascospores sometimes having a plasma-bridge. The genus Henssenia is newly described to accommodate this latter group. The type species of Steinera is shown to have been erroneously treated in the past, with Steinera molybdoplaca being the type of Steinera and “S.” glaucella belonging to the genus Henssenia. A sorediate morph is recorded for S. molybdoplaca and the results confirmed using a 4-gene phylogeny, including nuITS sequences. Some species previously described in the genera Arctomia and Massalongia from the Southern Hemisphere are shown to belong to Steinera s. str. Five new species are described: Steinera isidiata Ertz & R.S. Poulsen, S. membranacea Ertz & R.S. Poulsen, S. lebouvieri Ertz, S. pannarioides Ertz & R.S. Poulsen and Henssenia subglaucella Ertz & R.S. Poulsen along with seven new combinations: Steinera intricata (Øvstedal) Ertz, S. latispora (Øvstedal) Ertz, S. olechiana (Alstrup & Søchting) Ertz & Søchting, S. subantarctica (Øvstedal) Ertz, Henssenia glaucella (Tuck.) Ertz, R.S. Poulsen & Søchting, H. radiata (P. James & Henssen) Ertz and H. werthii (Zahlbr.) Ertz, R.S. Poulsen & Søchting. An epitype is chosen for Henssenia glaucella and a neotype for H. werthii. “Steinera” symptychia has an isolated phylogenetic position in the Koerberiaceae and might represent a distinct, new genus. World-wide identification keys to the species of Henssenia and Steinera are provided.


PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e9411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vladislav A. Gorin ◽  
Evgeniya N. Solovyeva ◽  
Mahmudul Hasan ◽  
Hisanori Okamiya ◽  
D.M.S. Suranjan Karunarathna ◽  
...  

Frogs of the genus Microhyla include some of the world’s smallest amphibians and represent the largest radiation of Asian microhylids, currently encompassing 50 species, distributed across the Oriental biogeographic region. The genus Microhyla remains one of the taxonomically most challenging groups of Asian frogs and was found to be paraphyletic with respect to large-sized fossorial Glyphoglossus. In this study we present a time-calibrated phylogeny for frogs in the genus Microhyla, and discuss taxonomy, historical biogeography, and morphological evolution of these frogs. Our updated phylogeny of the genus with nearly complete taxon sampling includes 48 nominal Microhyla species and several undescribed candidate species. Phylogenetic analyses of 3,207 bp of combined mtDNA and nuDNA data recovered three well-supported groups: the Glyphoglossus clade, Southeast Asian Microhyla II clade (includes M. annectens species group), and a diverse Microhyla I clade including all other species. Within the largest major clade of Microhyla are seven well-supported subclades that we identify as the M. achatina, M. fissipes, M. berdmorei, M. superciliaris, M. ornata, M. butleri, and M. palmipes species groups. The phylogenetic position of 12 poorly known Microhyla species is clarified for the first time. These phylogenetic results, along with molecular clock and ancestral area analyses, show the Microhyla—Glyphoglossus assemblage to have originated in Southeast Asia in the middle Eocene just after the first hypothesized land connections between the Indian Plate and the Asian mainland. While Glyphoglossus and Microhyla II remained within their ancestral ranges, Microhyla I expanded its distribution generally east to west, colonizing and diversifying through the Cenozoic. The Indian Subcontinent was colonized by members of five Microhyla species groups independently, starting with the end Oligocene—early Miocene that coincides with an onset of seasonally dry climates in South Asia. Body size evolution modeling suggests that four groups of Microhyla have independently achieved extreme miniaturization with adult body size below 15 mm. Three of the five smallest Microhyla species are obligate phytotelm-breeders and we argue that their peculiar reproductive biology may be a factor involved in miniaturization. Body size increases in Microhyla—Glyphoglossus seem to be associated with a burrowing adaptation to seasonally dry habitats. Species delimitation analyses suggest a vast underestimation of species richness and diversity in Microhyla and reveal 15–33 undescribed species. We revalidate M. nepenthicola, synonymize M. pulverata with M. marmorata, and provide insights on taxonomic statuses of a number of poorly known species. Further integrative studies, combining evidence from phylogeny, morphology, advertisement calls, and behavior will result in a better systematic understanding of this morphologically cryptic radiation of Asian frogs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 258-266 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.K. Ryndevich ◽  
H. Hoshina ◽  
A.A. Prokin

The Cercyon shinanensis species group with two included species is erected within the nominotypical subgenus of Cercyon Leach, 1817. This group is compared with other Palaearctic species groups of Cercyon s. str. The little-known C. shinanensis Nakane, 1965 from Japan (Honshu) is redescribed and its diagnostic features are given. Cercyon sundukovi sp. nov. is described from the Russian Far East (Kunashir Island).


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Olivia M Gearner ◽  
Marcin J Kamiński ◽  
Kojun Kanda ◽  
Kali Swichtenberg ◽  
Aaron D Smith

Abstract Sepidiini is a speciose tribe of desert-inhabiting darkling beetles, which contains a number of poorly defined taxonomic groups and is in need of revision at all taxonomic levels. In this study, two previously unrecognized lineages were discovered, based on morphological traits, among the extremely speciose genera Psammodes Kirby, 1819 (164 species and subspecies) and Ocnodes Fåhraeus, 1870 (144 species and subspecies), namely the Psammodes spinosus species-group and Ocnodes humeralis species-group. In order to test their phylogenetic placement, a phylogeny of the tribe was reconstructed based on analyses of DNA sequences from six nonoverlapping genetic loci (CAD, wg, COI JP, COI BC, COII, and 28S) using Bayesian and maximum likelihood inference methods. The aforementioned, morphologically defined, species-groups were recovered as distinct and well-supported lineages within Molurina + Phanerotomeina and are interpreted as independent genera, respectively, Tibiocnodes Gearner & Kamiński gen. nov. and Tuberocnodes Gearner & Kamiński gen. nov. A new species, Tuberocnodes synhimboides Gearner & Kamiński sp. nov., is also described. Furthermore, as the recovered phylogenetic placement of Tibiocnodes and Tuberocnodes undermines the monophyly of Molurina and Phanerotomeina, an analysis of the available diagnostic characters for those subtribes is also performed. As a consequence, Phanerotomeina is considered as a synonym of the newly redefined Molurina sens. nov. Finally, spectrograms of vibrations produced by substrate tapping of two Molurina species, Toktokkus vialis (Burchell, 1822) and T. synhimboides, are presented.


2020 ◽  
Vol 190 (2) ◽  
pp. 709-736
Author(s):  
Jae-Cheon Sohn ◽  
Shigeki Kobayashi ◽  
Yutaka Yoshiyasu

Abstract A northward trans-Wallacean radiation is demonstrated for Chrysorthenches, a member of the Orthenches group. Here we review Chrysorthenches and allied genera resulting in a generic transfer of Diathryptica callibrya to Chrysorthenches and two new congeners: C. muraseaeSohn & Kobayashisp. nov. from Japan and C. smaragdinaSohnsp. nov. from Thailand. We review morphological characters of Chrysorthenches and allied genera, and find polyphyly of Diathryptica and the association of the Orthenches-group with Glyphipterigidae. These findings were supported in a maximum likelihood phylogeny of DNA barcodes from ten yponomeutoids. We analysed 30 morphological characters for 12 species of Chrysorthenches, plus one outgroup, via a cladistic approach. The resulting cladogram redefined two pre-existing Chrysorthenches species-groups and identified one novel lineage: the C. callibrya species-group. We review the host associations between Chrysorthenches and Podocarpaceae, based on mapping the working phylogenies. Our review suggests that ancestral Chrysorthenches colonized Podocarpus and later shifted to other podocarp genera. Biogeographical patterns of Chrysorthenches show that they evolved long after the Podocarpaceae radiation. Disjunctive trans-Wallacean distribution of the C. callibrya species-group is possibly related to the tracking of their host-plants and the complicated geological history of the island-arc system connecting Australia and East Asia.


Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4413 (1) ◽  
pp. 57
Author(s):  
DAVIDE SASSI

The genus Metallactus has been controversial since its introduction due to the ambiguous nature of the original diagnosis. This has caused some confusion in the taxonomy of Neotropical Pachybrachina. In this work the morphology of endophallus, which is useful for the characterization of species groups in several groups of Coleoptera, including Cryptocephalinae, has been analyzed. This has proven to be a good resource also in the taxonomic treatment of the species belonging to the genus Metallactus. After a careful survey on most of the species described so far, the endophallus shape in Metallactus turned out to be remarkably distinctive and very promising in the delimitation of species groups. The present work includes: a) a new diagnosis of the genus Metallactus on the basis of the aedeagal anatomy; b) the designation of the type species of the nominal genus; c) the revision of a first species-group of the genus, including the type species, hereinafter called Metallactus kollari species-group. Before this revision, catalogues had been reporting 13 species attributable to this group, in the present work three species have been synonymized and seven have been described as new to science. Therefore, the group includes 17 species. The species described as new are: Metallactus rileyi n. sp., M. bellatrix n. sp., M. longicornis n. sp.; M. londonpridei n. sp., M. regalini n. sp., M. bezoar n. sp., M. guarani n. sp. The new synonymies are as follows: Metallactus albipes Suffrian, 1866 (= M. nigrofasciatus Suffrian, 1866 n. syn.), M. albifrons Suffrian, 1866 (= M. flavofrontalis Jacoby, 1907 n. syn.), M. dodecastictus Suffrian, 1866 (= Griburius nigritarsis Jacoby, 1907 n. syn.). The lectotypes of all previously described species have been designated. The new synonymies, the name-bearing type fixations and designations and the nomenclatural acts have been critically discussed. An identification key for the species-group is also provided. 


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