Taxonomic revision of the Malagasy Aphaenogaster swammerdami group (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Background Madagascar is famous for its extremely rich biodiversity; the island harbors predominantly endemic and threatened communities meriting special attention from biodiversity scientists. Continuing ongoing efforts to inventory the Malagasy ant fauna, we revise the species currently placed in the myrmicine genus Aphaenogaster Mayr. One species described from Madagascar, Aphaenogaster friederichsi Forel, is synonymized with the Palearctic A. subterranea Latreille syn. nov. This species is considered neither native to Madagascar nor established in the region. This revision focuses on the balance of species in the A. swammerdami group which are all endemic to Madagascar. Methods The diversity of the Malagasy Aphaenogaster fauna was assessed via application of multiple lines of evidence involving quantitative morphometric, qualitative morphological, and DNA sequence data. (1) Morphometric investigation was based on hypothesis-free Nest Centroid clustering (NC-clustering) combined with PArtitioning based on Recursive Thresholding (PART) to estimate the number of morphological clusters and determine the most probable boundaries between them. This protocol provides a repeatable and testable approach to find patterns in continuous morphometric data. Species boundaries and the reliability of morphological clusters recognized by these exploratory analyses were tested via confirmatory Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA). (2) Qualitative, external morphological characteristics (e.g., shape, coloration patterns, setae number) were subjectively evaluated in order to create a priori grouping hypotheses, and confirm and improve species delimitation. (3) Species delimitation analyses based on mitochondrial DNA sequences from cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene fragments were carried out to test the putative species previously delimited by morphological and morphometric analyses. Results Five species can be inferred based on the integrated evaluation of multiple lines of evidence; of these, three are new to science: Aphaenogaster bressleri sp. n., A. gonacantha (Emery, 1899), A. makay sp. n., A. sahafina sp. n., and A. swammerdami Forel, 1886. In addition, three new synonymies were found for A. swammerdami Forel, 1886 (A. swammerdami clara Santschi, 1915 syn. n., A. swammerdami curta Forel, 1891 syn. n. and A. swammerdami spinipes Santschi, 1911 syn. n.). Descriptions and redefinitions for each taxon and an identification key for their worker castes using qualitative traits and morphometric data are given. Geographic maps depicting species distributions and biological information regarding nesting habits for the species are also provided.

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Revision and phylogeny of the subaptera-group of Phyllodromica (Blattoptera: Blattellidae: Ectobiinae), including a parthenogenetic species and the evaluation of COI sequences for species identification (DNA barcoding)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.1522.1.1 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 1522 (1) ◽

pp. 1-68 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

THOMAS KNEBELSBERGER ◽

MICHAEL A. MILLER

Keyword(s):

Species Identification ◽

Dna Sequences ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Cladistic Analysis ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Morphological Data ◽

Coi Gene ◽

Parthenogenetic Species ◽

Mediterranean Countries ◽

Coi Sequences

Until recently the subaptera-group of Phyllodromica contained only one species. The revision of the subaptera-group herein consists of the two newly described bisexual species, P. iberica and P. quadracantha, endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and a parthenogenetic species, P. subaptera (Rambur, 1838), which is widely distributed over most of the Mediterranean countries and islands. Within P. iberica three conspecific morphotypes are distinguished. The morphological characteristics of the subaptera-group are described. The species and their distributions are described and depicted. A key for the morphological determination of P. quadracantha and the morphotypes of P. iberica is given. DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene are included in the species descriptions. The sequence data are suitable for species identification (DNA barcodes). A cladistic analysis of the morphological data and a phylogenetic analysis of the DNA sequences were performed to infer the phylogenetic relationships between the species of the subaptera-group.

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First record of the semi-slug Omalonyx unguis (d’Orbigny, 1837) (Gastropoda, Succineidae) in the Misiones Province, Argentina

Check List ◽

10.15560/14.5.705 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 14 (4) ◽

pp. 705-712

Author(s):

Leila B. Guzmán ◽

Enzo N. Serniotti ◽

Roberto E. Vogler ◽

Ariel A. Beltramino ◽

Alejandra Rumi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequences ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

First Record ◽

Coi Gene ◽

Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit ◽

Specific Identification ◽

Molluscan Fauna ◽

Misiones Province ◽

Species Specific ◽

Northeastern Argentina

Omalonyx unguis (d’Orbigny, 1837) is a semi-slug inhabiting the Paraná river basin. This species belongs to Succineidae, a family comprising a few representatives in South America. In this work, we provide the first record for the species from Misiones Province, Argentina. Previous records available for Omalonyx in Misiones were identified to the genus level. We examined morphological characteristics of the reproductive system and used DNA sequences from cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene for species-specific identification. These new distributional data contribute to consolidate the knowledge of the molluscan fauna in northeastern Argentina.

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Molecular phylogeny of the Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) isolated from soils in Iran

Botany ◽

10.1139/cjb-2014-0096 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 92 (11) ◽

pp. 815-820 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Khosrow Chehri

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequences ◽

Fusarium Solani ◽

Species Complex ◽

Agricultural Soils ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

Its Region ◽

Phylogenetic Study ◽

Fusarium Solani Species Complex

Members of Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) are frequently isolated from soils, food, feeds, trees, and to some extent from humans and other animals. The taxonomic status of these fungi is being revised but no attempt has been made to identify those isolated in Iran, a mountainous country with a high biodiversity. The objective of the present research was to study the phylogenetic diversity of FSSC strains recovered from soils in Iran by analyzing morphological characteristics and DNA sequences. A total of 65 strains belonging to the FSSC were recovered from agricultural soils in western Iran. Based on differences in their morphological characters, 25 strains were selected for phylogenetic analysis employing translation elongation factor-1α (tef1) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequences. Comparisons of DNA sequence data revealed that all isolates belonged to Fusarium falciforme, Fusarium keratoplasticum, Fusarium petroliphilum, the unnamed species FSSC 5, and unknown species of Fusarium, which represents a new lineage within members of Clade 3. Based on morphological features and phylogenetic study, F. keratoplasticum and F. petroliphilum were reported for the first time in Iran.

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Intraspecific mitochondrial gene variation can be as low as that of nuclear rRNA

F1000Research ◽

10.12688/f1000research.23635.2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. 339 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tshifhiwa G. Matumba ◽

Jody Oliver ◽

Nigel P. Barker ◽

Christopher D. McQuaid ◽

Peter R. Teske

Keyword(s):

Dna Barcoding ◽

Dna Sequences ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Mitochondrial Gene ◽

Population Expansion ◽

Species Level ◽

Molecular Dating ◽

Coi Gene ◽

28S Rrna ◽

Mtdna Sequence

Background: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has long been used to date historical demographic events. The idea that it is useful for molecular dating rests on the premise that its evolution is neutral. Even though this idea has long been challenged, the evidence against clock-like evolution of mtDNA is often ignored. Here, we present a particularly clear and simple example to illustrate the implications of violations of the assumption of selective neutrality. Methods: DNA sequences were generated for the mtDNA COI gene and the nuclear 28S rRNA of two closely related rocky shore snails, and species-level variation was compared. Nuclear rRNA is not usually used to study intraspecific variation in species that are not spatially structured, presumably because this marker is assumed to evolve so slowly that it is more suitable for phylogenetics. Results: Even though high inter-specific divergence reflected the faster evolutionary rate of COI, intraspecific genetic variation was similar for both markers. As a result, estimates of population expansion times based on mismatch distributions differed between the two markers by millions of years. Conclusions: Assuming that 28S evolution is more clock-like, these findings can be explained by variation-reducing purifying selection in mtDNA at the species level, and an elevated divergence rate caused by diversifying selection between the two species. Although these two selective forces together make mtDNA suitable as a marker for species identifications by means of DNA barcoding because they create a ‘barcoding gap’, estimates of demographic change based on this marker can be expected to be highly unreliable. Our study contributes to the growing evidence that the utility of mtDNA sequence data beyond DNA barcoding is limited.

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Toward a Natural Classification of Botryosphaeriaceae: A Study of the Type Specimens of Botryosphaeria sensu lato

Frontiers in Microbiology ◽

10.3389/fmicb.2021.737541 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Ying Zhang ◽

Yupei Zhou ◽

Wei Sun ◽

Lili Zhao ◽

D. Pavlic-Zupanc ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequence ◽

Dna Sequences ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Taxonomic Status ◽

Morphological Characters ◽

Phylogenetic Position ◽

Type Specimens ◽

Natural Classification ◽

Dna Sequence Data

The genus Botryosphaeria includes more than 200 epithets, but only the type species, Botryosphaeria dothidea and a dozen or more other species have been identified based on DNA sequence data. The taxonomic status of the other species remains unconfirmed because they lack either morphological information or DNA sequence data. In this study, types or authentic specimens of 16 “Botryosphaeria” species are reassessed to clarify their identity and phylogenetic position. nuDNA sequences of four regions, ITS, LSU, tef1-α and tub2, are analyzed and considered in combination with morphological characteristics. Based on the multigene phylogeny and morphological characters, Botryosphaeria cruenta and Botryosphaeria hamamelidis are transferred to Neofusicoccum. The generic status of Botryosphaeria aterrima and Botryosphaeria mirabile is confirmed in Botryosphaeria. Botryosphaeria berengeriana var. weigeliae and B. berengeriana var. acerina are treated synonyms of B. dothidea. Botryosphaeria mucosa is transferred to Neodeightonia as Neodeightonia mucosa, and Botryosphaeria ferruginea to Nothophoma as Nothophoma ferruginea. Botryosphaeria foliicola is reduced to synonymy with Phyllachorella micheliae. Botryosphaeria abuensis, Botryosphaeria aesculi, Botryosphaeria dasylirii, and Botryosphaeria wisteriae are tentatively kept in Botryosphaeria sensu stricto until further phylogenetic analysis is carried out on verified specimens. The ordinal status of Botryosphaeria apocyni, Botryosphaeria gaubae, and Botryosphaeria smilacinina cannot be determined, and tentatively accommodate these species in Dothideomycetes incertae sedis. The study demonstrates the significance of a polyphasic approach in characterizing type specimens, including the importance of using of DNA sequence data.

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Evaluating methodologies for species delimitation: the mismatch between phenotypes and genotypes in lichenized fungi (Bryoria sect. Implexae, Parmeliaceae)

Persoonia - Molecular Phylogeny and Evolution of Fungi ◽

10.3767/persoonia.2019.42.04 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 42 (1) ◽

pp. 75-100 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

C.G. Boluda ◽

V.J. Rico ◽

P.K. Divakar ◽

O. Nadyeina ◽

L. Myllys ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequences ◽

Species Delimitation ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Species Recognition ◽

Phylogenetic Analyses ◽

Phylogenetic Reconstruction ◽

Haplotype Network ◽

Molecular Data ◽

Integrative Taxonomy ◽

Molecular Sequence Data

In many lichen-forming fungi, molecular phylogenetic analyses lead to the discovery of cryptic species within traditional morphospecies. However, in some cases, molecular sequence data also questions the separation of phenotypically characterised species. Here we apply an integrative taxonomy approach – including morphological, chemical, molecular, and distributional characters – to re-assess species boundaries in a traditionally speciose group of hair lichens, Bryoria sect. Implexae. We sampled multilocus sequence and microsatellite data from 142 specimens from a broad intercontinental distribution. Molecular data included DNA sequences of the standard fungal markers ITS, IGS, GAPDH, two newly tested loci (FRBi15 and FRBi16), and SSR frequencies from 18 microsatellite markers. Datasets were analysed with Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic reconstruction, phenogram reconstruction, STRUCTURE Bayesian clustering, principal coordinate analysis, haplotype network, and several different species delimitation analyses (ABGD, PTP, GMYC, and DISSECT). Additionally, past population demography and divergence times are estimated. The different approaches to species recognition do not support the monophyly of the 11 currently accepted morphospecies, and rather suggest the reduction of these to four phylogenetic species. Moreover, three of these are relatively recent in origin and cryptic, including phenotypically and chemically variable specimens. Issues regarding the integration of an evolutionary perspective into taxonomic conclusions in species complexes, which have undergone recent diversification, are discussed. The four accepted species, all epitypified by sequenced material, are Bryoria fuscescens, B. glabra, B. kockiana, and B. pseudofuscescens. Ten species rank names are reduced to synonymy. In the absence of molecular data, they can be recorded as the B. fuscescens complex. Intraspecific phenotype plasticity and factors affecting the speciation of different morphospecies in this group of Bryoria are outlined.

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Species delimitation in trematodes using DNA sequences: Middle-American Clinostomum as a case study

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182016001517 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 143 (13) ◽

pp. 1773-1789 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

GERARDO PÉREZ-PONCE DE LEÓN ◽

MARTÍN GARCÍA-VARELA ◽

CARLOS D. PINACHO-PINACHO ◽

ANA L. SERENO-URIBE ◽

ROBERT POULIN

Keyword(s):

Phylogenetic Analysis ◽

Dna Sequences ◽

Species Delimitation ◽

Nuclear Gene ◽

Species Tree ◽

Coi Gene ◽

Complex Life Cycle ◽

Species Boundaries ◽

Intermediate Hosts ◽

Putative Species

SUMMARYThe recent development of genetic methods allows the delineation of species boundaries, especially in organisms where morphological characters are not reliable to differentiate species. However, few empirical studies have used these tools to delineate species among parasitic metazoans. Here we investigate the species boundaries of Clinostomum, a cosmopolitan trematode genus with complex life cycle. We sequenced a mitochondrial [cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI)] gene for multiple individuals (adults and metacercariae) from Middle-America. Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of the COI uncovered five reciprocally monophyletic clades. COI sequences were then explored using the Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery to identify putative species; this species delimitation method recognized six species. A subsample was sequenced for a nuclear gene (ITS1, 5·8S, ITS2), and a concatenated phylogenetic analysis was performed through Bayesian inference. The species delimitation of Middle-American Clinostomum was finally validated using a multispecies coalescent analysis (species tree). In total, five putative species are recognized among our samples. Mapping the second intermediate hosts (fish) onto the species tree suggests that metacercariae of these five species exhibit some level of host specificity towards their fish intermediate host (at the family level), irrespective of geographical distribution.

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Identification of the fungal endophyte of Ammophila breviligulata (American beachgrass) as Epichloë amarillans

PeerJ ◽

10.7717/peerj.4300 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 ◽

pp. e4300 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ian Drake ◽

James F. White Jr ◽

Faith C. Belanger

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequences ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Elongation Factor ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Fungal Endophyte ◽

Translation Elongation ◽

Ammophila Breviligulata ◽

Dna Sequence Data ◽

Elongation Factor 1 Alpha ◽

Elongation Factor 1

The grass Ammophila breviligulata (American beachgrass) is known to host an endophyte of the genus Epichloë. Based on morphological characteristics it was originally identified as Acremonium typhinum var. ammophilae and is currently designated as Epichloë typhina var. ammophilae. However, the Epichloë species has not previously been identified based on DNA sequence data. Based on phylogenetic placement of beta-tubulin and translation elongation factor 1-alpha DNA sequences the endophyte is identified as a member of E. amarillans rather than E. typhina.

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Identification of Neoceratitis asiatica (Becker) (Diptera: Tephritidae) based on morphological characteristics and DNA barcode

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4363.4.7 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 4363 (4) ◽

pp. 553

Author(s):

SHAOKUN GUO ◽

JIA HE ◽

ZIHUA ZHAO ◽

LIJUN LIU ◽

LIYUAN GAO ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequences ◽

Phylogenetic Trees ◽

Gap Analysis ◽

Dna Barcode ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Coi Gene ◽

Economic Losses ◽

Morphological Identification ◽

Lycium Barbarum ◽

Accurate Identification

Neoceratitis asiatica (Becker), which especially infests wolfberry (Lycium barbarum L.), could cause serious economic losses every year in China, especially to organic wolfberry production. In some important wolfberry plantings, it is difficult and time-consuming to rear the larvae or pupae to adults for morphological identification. Molecular identification based on DNA barcode is a solution to the problem. In this study, 15 samples were collected from Ningxia, China. Among them, five adults were identified according to their morphological characteristics. The utility of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene sequence as DNA barcode in distinguishing N. asiatica was evaluated by analysing Kimura 2-parameter distances and phylogenetic trees. There were significant differences between intra-specific and inter-specific genetic distances according to the barcoding gap analysis. The uncertain larval and pupal samples were within the same cluster as N. asiatica adults and formed sister cluster to N. cyanescens. A combination of morphological and molecular methods enabled accurate identification of N. asiatica. This is the first study using DNA barcode to identify N. asiatica and the obtained DNA sequences will be added to the DNA barcode database.

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High genetic connectivity in a gastropod with long-lived planktonic larvae

Journal of Molluscan Studies ◽

10.1093/mollus/eyz032 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 86 (1) ◽

pp. 42-55 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Fabio Crocetta ◽

Luigi Caputi ◽

Sofia Paz-Sedano ◽

Valentina Tanduo ◽

Angelo Vazzana ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dna Sequence ◽

Dna Sequences ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Isolation By Distance ◽

Gross Anatomy ◽

Coi Gene ◽

Genetic Connectivity ◽

Extrinsic Factors ◽

Dna Sequence Data ◽

Pelagic Larvae

Abstract Genetic connectivity plays a crucial role in shaping the geographic structure of species. Our aim in this study was to explore the pattern of genetic connectivity in Bursa scrobilator, an iconic marine caenogastropod with long-lived pelagic larvae. Our study was based on the analysis of DNA sequence data for the 658-bp barcoding fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. This is the largest DNA sequence dataset assembled to date for B. scrobilator. These data confirm that the two recently described subspecies B. scrobilator scrobilator (Linnaeus, 1758), from the Mediterranean and Macaronesia, and B. s. coriacea (Reeve, 1844), from West Africa, constitute two evolutionarily significant units (ESUs). We found that for the nominal subspecies, the variation in morphology (shell, radula and gross anatomy) and DNA sequences was not geographically structured, and this agrees with what we would expect in a species with high connectivity at the larval stage. The divergence between the two subspecies cannot be easily explained by isolation by distance, and we would argue that one or more extrinsic factors may have played a role in isolating the two ESUs and maintaining that isolation.

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