scholarly journals Undocumented translocations spawn taxonomic inflation in Sri Lankan fire rasboras (Actinopterygii, Cyprinidae)

PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e6084 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiranya Sudasinghe ◽  
Jayampathi Herath ◽  
Rohan Pethiyagoda ◽  
Madhava Meegaskumbura

A recent (2013) taxonomic review of the freshwater-fish genus Rasboroides, which is endemic to Sri Lanka, showed it to comprise four species: R. vaterifloris, R. nigromarginatus, R. pallidus and R. rohani. Here, using an integrative-taxonomic analysis of morphometry, meristics and mitochondrial DNA sequences of cytochrome b (cytb) and cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (coi), we show that R. nigromarginatus is a synonym of R. vaterifloris, and that R. rohani is a synonym of R. pallidus. The creation and recognition of unnecessary taxa (‘taxonomic inflation’) was in this case a result of selective sampling confounded by a disregard of allometry. The population referred to R. rohani in the Walawe river basin represents an undocumented trans-basin translocation of R. pallidus, and a translocation into the Mahaweli river of R. vaterifloris, documented to have occurred ca 1980, in fact involves R. pallidus. A shared haplotype suggests the latter introduction was likely made from the Bentara river basin and not from the Kelani, as claimed. To stabilize the taxonomy of these fishes, the two valid species, R. vaterifloris and R. pallidus, are diagnosed and redescribed, and their distributions delineated. We draw attention to the wasteful diversion of conservation resources to populations resulting from undocumented translocations and to taxa resulting from taxonomic inflation. We argue against translocations except where mandated by a conservation emergency, and even then, only when supported by accurate documentation.

Zootaxa ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 1049 (1) ◽  
pp. 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
ENDRE WILLASSEN

Undescribed females representing four morphological types were found in a collection of adult Diamesa from about 5000 m altitude in Rongbuk, Tibet. Short DNA sequences of cytochrome oxidase subunit 2 were used to associate two single males in the material with conspecific females. Diamesa solhoyi n.sp. and Diamesa aculeata n.sp. are described. The complete type material and additional specimens have been deposited in the Insect Collection at the Institute of Zoology, Academia Sinica, Beijing (IZAS). The sequences are deposited in Genbank with accession numbers AM051227–AM051233.


Zootaxa ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2747 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
MADHAVA MEEGASKUMBURA ◽  
KELUM MANAMENDRA-ARACHCHI

Two new species of Sri Lankan shrub frogs of the genus Pseudophilautus are described. These species are diagnosed from their congeners on the basis of morphology, morphometrics and mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Pseudophilautus schneideri, new species, is distinguished from all Sri Lankan Pseudophilautus by its small size (< 22.8 mm SVL), distinct tympanum and supratympanic fold, sharp canthal edges, granular throat, chest and belly, and absence or presence of a vomerine ridge. Pseudophilautus hankeni, new species, is distinguished by its diminutive size (< 21.9 mm SVL), distinct tympanum, rounded canthal edges, tuberculated outer edge of lower arm, tuberculated dermal fold on outer edge of foot, granular throat, chest and belly, and the absence of a vomerine ridge. Pseudophilautus schneideri inhabits shrubs in open areas of the low to mid-elevations of the island’s south-western ‘wet zone’ (rainfall > 2,000 mm•yr -1 ), including anthropogenic habitats, while P. hankeni is found on shrubs in the understorey of montane forests of the highest peaks (c. 1,200– 1,600 m elevation) of the Knuckles region. These descriptions bring the total number of valid species of Sri Lankan Pseudophilautus to 67, 48 of which are extant.


Nematology ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 851-862 ◽  
Author(s):  
Regina Carneiro ◽  
Don Dickson ◽  
Ayyamperumal Jeyaprakash ◽  
Byron Adams ◽  
Myrian Tigano

AbstractThe 18S rDNA of 19 populations of Meloidogyne spp. was amplified and directly sequenced. The region of mitochondrial DNA, located in the 3′ portion of the gene that codes for cytochrome oxidase subunit II (COII) through a portion of the 16S rRNA (lRNA) gene, from 16 of these populations was cloned and sequenced. Heteroplasmic sequences were identified from both rDNA and mtDNA regions for several taxa. Several sequences sampled from nominal taxa differed from previously published accounts. Phylogenetic trees based on alignments of these sequences were constructed using distance, parsimony and likelihood optimality criteria. For 18S rDNA data, three main clades were identified. One well supported clade (86–91% bootstrap) included the most common and widely disseminated species, e.g.,M. arenaria, M. javanica and M. incognita, some recently described or redescribed species (M. floridensis, M. paranaensis, and M. ethiopica) plus numerous unidentified isolates. All mitotic parthenogenetic species, except for M. oryzae, were included in this clade. Other, less well supported clades included the amphimictic and facultative meiotic species M. hapla, M. microtyla, M. maritima and M. duytsi. One such clade comprised three meiotic parthenogens (M. exigua, M. graminicola and M. chitwoodi) and M. oryzae. This clade was moderately supported (77% bootstrap) but the relationships within this clade were poor. For mitochondrial DNA data, only the species in clade I from rDNA analysis, and M. hapla were analysed. These species formed a well supported clade (100% bootstrap) to the exclusion of M. mayaguensis and M. hapla. The addition of taxa and mtDNA data to publicly available records improved the discrimination sensitivity of species and atypical, non-identified, isolates.


2020 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
pp. 5
Author(s):  
Cheng Liu ◽  
Zhijin Yang ◽  
Pan Liu ◽  
Shen Ye ◽  
Fozia Khan Siyal ◽  
...  

Pampus fishes (Perciformes: Stromateidae) are important commercial species and include six valid species in China. The southern lesser pomfret (Pampus minor Liu and Li, 1998) is a species of Pampus for which knowledge is incomplete. This report confirms the occurrence of P. minor in the coastal waters of Wenzhou, China, by analyzing five specimens of P. minor obtained in Wenzhou in March 2019. Morphometric measurements and meristic counts were performed. The diagnostic morphological features of these species were consistent with those of the neotype specimen of P. minor and sufficient for separating the examined specimens from other Pampus species. This study was based on the Cytochrome Oxidase Subunit 1 (CO1) gene, which was sequenced for the purpose of identification. The genetic distances between P. minor and other Pampus species ranged from 13.4% to 15.5%, and the mean genetic distance within the P. minor group was 0.2%. Given that P. minor has not been reported in this region, our findings represent the first record from the coastal waters of Wenzhou and extend the distribution range of this species to the central and northern East China Sea. The reason for the observed northward migration of some P. minor individuals from their northernmost recorded habitat (Taiwan Strait) might be global warming. The collection of additional specimens is needed to further study the geographic limits of P. minor and its presumed northern expansion.


Zootaxa ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 2756 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARKO PROUS ◽  
MIKK HEIDEMAA ◽  
VILLU SOON

The Empria longicornis species group (Hymenoptera, Tenthredinidae) is revised. Empria japonica Heidemaa & Prous, sp. nov. is described from Japan. The lectotypes of Empria gussakovskii Dovnar-Zapolskij, 1929, E. konowi Dovnar-Zapolskij, 1929, Poecilosoma longicornis Thomson, 1871, P. mongolica Konow, 1895, and P. tridens Konow, 1896 are designated. Empria konowi Dovnar-Zapolskij, 1929 (syn. nov.) and E. gussakovskii Dovnar-Zapolskij, 1929 (syn. nov.) are synonymized with E. tridens (Konow, 1896), and Empria waldstaetterense Liston, 1980 (syn. nov.) with E. alector Benson, 1938. Empria alpina Benson, 1938 and E. minuta Lindqvist, 1968, earlier misidentified as E. gussakovskii, are treated as valid species. Nine species are confirmed to belong in the longicornis-group: E. alector, E. alpina, E. basalis, E. japonica, E. loktini, E. longicornis, E. minuta, E. mongolica, and E. tridens. Distributional data of the species and a key to the imagines are provided. Ex ovo rearings of the four most common and often misidentified species in the group (E. alector, E. basalis, E. longicornis, and E. tridens) were carried out to verify their host plants and male conspecifics. External morphology, morphometrics (geometric and traditional), and DNA sequences (mitochondrial COI and nuclear ITS1 and ITS2) are used to delimit species within the group and to assess their phylogenetic relationships. Mitochondrial DNA sequences analyzed are mostly regarded as unsuitable for species circumscription, DNA barcoding and for reconstructing species phylogeny within the group. In this regard, analyses of the ITS sequences yielded more concordant results.


Environments ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
Caterina M. Antognazza ◽  
Isabella Vanetti ◽  
Vanessa De Santis ◽  
Adriano Bellani ◽  
Monica Di Francesco ◽  
...  

The reintroduction of the extinct beluga sturgeon (Huso huso L.), an anadromous species with economic and traditional relevance, is a priority in next conservation strategies in Northern Italy. The EU-LIFE NATURA project aims to reintroduce the beluga sturgeon in the Po River basin through a captive breeding program. Critical requirements for the success of the program are river connectivity and knowledge of genetic diversity of the selected broodstocks to ensure self-sustainability of reintroduced populations. Here, the four broodstocks used for the reintroduction of beluga sturgeon have been genetically screened, genotyping 13 loci and sequencing mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene and the entire mitochondrial DNA control region (D-Loop). The four broodstocks showed a medium-high level of nuclear genetic variability and the presence of two sub-populations, evidencing a total level of inbreeding coefficients able to sustain the good potential as future breeders. Mitochondrial analyses showed a genetic variability comparable to wild populations, further strengthening the positive potential of the investigated broodstock. Therefore, this study, showed how the degree of genetic diversity found within the four broodstocks used for H. huso reintroduction in the Po River basin could be suitable to ensure the success of the program, avoiding the inbreeding depression associated with founder effect and captive breeding.


The Auk ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Per Alström ◽  
Pamela C Rasmussen ◽  
Canwei Xia ◽  
Lijun Zhang ◽  
Chengyi Liu ◽  
...  

Abstract Prinias (Cisticolidae: Prinia) are resident warblers of open areas across Africa and Asia and include many polytypic species whose species limits have not been seriously reevaluated recently. Based on an integrative taxonomic analysis of morphology, song, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), we suggest that 2 species should be recognized in the Graceful Prinia (Prinia gracilis) complex. In addition, our morphological analyses show the existence of a well-marked undescribed form in southeastern Somalia, which we name herein as a new subspecies. Prinia gracilis is a small, drab, long-tailed species with streaking above and plain pale underparts that has been suggested to fall into 2 groups: the southwestern nominate group (from Egypt to Oman) and the northeastern lepida group (from Turkey through India). However, the characters presented to justify this grouping are variable and show a mosaic pattern, and whether genetic and vocal differences exist is unknown. We found consistent between-group song differences, with the nominate group giving consistently longer inter-phrase intervals, whereas the members of the lepida group sing an essentially continuous reel. An mtDNA tree suggests a deep split between the nominate and lepida groups, with a coalescence time between these clades of ~ 2.2 million years ago. Vocal and mtDNA analyses provided evidence that the northeastern Arabian Peninsula taxon carpenteri belongs to the lepida group. We found that, of all the morphological characters proposed, only proportions and tail barring and spotting relatively consistently distinguish the 2 groups. However, these characters strongly suggest that the eastern Arabian Peninsula is populated by taxa of both the gracilis and lepida groups, in different areas, but we lack genetic and bioacoustic data to corroborate this. Although further study is needed in potential contact zones, we suggest that 2 species should be recognized in the P. gracilis complex, and we propose the retention of the English name Graceful Prinia for P. gracilis sensu stricto, while we suggest that P. lepida be known as Delicate Prinia.


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