scholarly journals Taxonomic reassessment of the genus Dichotomius (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) through integrative taxonomy

PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7332 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolina Pardo-Diaz ◽  
Alejandro Lopera Toro ◽  
Sergio Andrés Peña Tovar ◽  
Rodrigo Sarmiento-Garcés ◽  
Melissa Sanchez Herrera ◽  
...  

Dung beetles of the subfamily Scarabaeinae are widely recognised as important providers of multiple ecosystem services and are currently experiencing revisions that have improved our understanding of higher-level relationships in the subfamily. However, the study of phylogenetic relationships at the level of genus or species is still lagging behind. In this study we investigated the New World beetle genus Dichotomius, one of the richest within the New World Scarabaeinae, using the most comprehensive molecular and morphological dataset for the genus to date (in terms of number of species and individuals). Besides evaluating phylogenetic relationships, we also assessed species delimitation through a novel Bayesian approach (iBPP) that enables morphological and molecular data to be combined. Our findings support the monophyly of the genus Dichotomius but not that of the subgenera Selenocopris and Dichotomius sensu stricto (s.s). Also, our results do not support the recent synonymy of Selenocopris with Luederwaldtinia. Some species-groups within the genus were recovered, and seem associated with elevational distribution. Our species delimitation analyses were largely congruent irrespective of the set of parameters applied, but the most robust results were obtained when molecular and morphological data were combined. Although our current sampling and analyses were not powerful enough to make definite interpretations on the validity of all species evaluated, we can confidently recognise D. nisus, D. belus and D. mamillatus as valid and well differentiated species. Overall, our study provides new insights into the phylogenetic relationships and classification of dung beetles and has broad implications for their systematics and evolutionary analyses.


2007 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiufu Zhang ◽  
Jeremy J. Bruhl ◽  
Karen L. Wilson ◽  
Adam Marchant

The limits, definitions and relationships of Carpha have been controversial and unclear. This study using cladistic analyses of morphological and combined morphological and molecular data indicates that: (1) Carpha sensu latu is paraphyletic and its species form two clades, consistent with the definitions of Carpha sensu stricto and Asterochaete respectively (i.e. the data support the division of Carpha sensu latu into two genera: Carpha sensu stricto and Asterochaete); (2) the morphological data show a high degree of homoplasy within Schoeneae; (3) Schoeneae is not a monophyletic tribe; (4) Schoenus and Tricostularia are polyphyletic; (5) it is better to place Schoenoides back in Oreobolus; (6) separation of Capeobolus brevicaulis from Costularia or Tetraria is supported; and (7) both genera Costularia and Tetraria should be maintained. The study resolves some phylogenetic relationships between Carpha and its relatives. Many aspects of these relationships are in agreement with previous studies, but some of these relationships have no support. The study also resolves the phylogenetic relationships of species of Carpha, although with lack of support for some clades, highlighting the need for other sources of data.



Zootaxa ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 1517 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANK GLAW ◽  
ZOLTÁN T. NAGY ◽  
MIGUEL VENCES

Based on a specimen found at Montagne d'Ambre in northern Madagascar morphologically agreeing with Compsophis albiventris Mocquard, 1894, we report on the rediscovery of this enigmatic snake genus and species and its molecular phylogenetic relationships. Compsophis albiventris, considered to be the only representative of its genus and unreported since its original description, bears strong morphological similarities to species of Geodipsas Boulenger, 1896. A molecular phylogeny based on DNA sequences of three mitochondrial and nuclear genes (complete cytochrome b, fragments of 16S rRNA and c-mos) in Compsophis albiventris and three Geodipsas species corroborated close relationships between C. albiventris and Geodipsas boulengeri, and showed that the genera Compsophis and Geodipsas together form a monophyletic unit. Despite the general similarities, morphological data and chromatic features support the existence of two species groups, corresponding to Compsophis and Geodipsas. We consequently consider Geodipsas as a subgenus of Compsophis and transfer all species currently in Geodipsas into the genus Compsophis.



Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4869 (1) ◽  
pp. 149-150
Author(s):  
KAROL SZAWARYN ◽  
WIOLETTA TOMASZEWSKA

Recently the classification of the ladybird beetles’ tribe Epilachnini was revised based on morphological and molecular data (Szawaryn et al. 2015, Tomaszewska & Szawaryn 2016). Based on these findings a new classification of the tribe was proposed. The genus Epilachna Chevrolat in Dejean, 1837 sensu lato was split into several clades, with Epilachna sensu stricto limited to New World fauna, and one of the Afrotropical clades, formerly defined as Epilachna sahlbergi-group (Fürsch 1963), has been named Chazeauiana Tomaszewska & Szawaryn, 2015 (Szawaryn et al. 2015), with Epilachna sahlbergi Mulsant, 1850 as the type species. However, that taxon received an unnecessary replacement name, as Mulsant (1850) already described a subgenus of Epilachna named Cleta distributed in Afrotropics, with Epilachna eckloni Mulsant, 1850 as the type species, which also belongs to the E. sahlbergi-group. Consequently Cleta has been elevated to the genus level (Tomaszewska & Szawaryn 2016) and Chazeuiana was synonymized with Cleta as a junior synonym. Nonetheless, authors (Tomaszewska & Szawaryn 2016) were not aware that the name Cleta is preoccupied. It appeared that Duponchel (1845) established the genus Cleta in the family Geometridae (Lepidoptera) that makes Cleta Mulsant (1850) a junior homonym. Therefore, we propose here Afrocleta nom. nov. as a replacement name for Cleta Mulsant, 1850. 



2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cara Van Der Wal ◽  
Shane T. Ahyong ◽  
Simon Y. W. Ho ◽  
Luana S. F. Lins ◽  
Nathan Lo

The mantis shrimp superfamily Squilloidea, with over 185 described species, is the largest superfamily in the crustacean order Stomatopoda. To date, phylogenetic relationships within this superfamily have been comprehensively analysed using morphological data, with six major generic groupings being recovered. Here, we infer the phylogeny of Squilloidea using a combined dataset comprising 75 somatic morphological characters and four molecular markers. Nodal support is low when the morphological and molecular datasets are analysed separately but improves substantially when combined in a total-evidence phylogenetic analysis. We obtain a well resolved and strongly supported phylogeny that is largely congruent with previous estimates except that the Anchisquilloides-group, rather than the Meiosquilla-group, is the earliest-branching lineage in Squilloidea. The splits among the Anchisquilloides- and Meiosquilla-groups are followed by those of the Clorida-, Harpiosquilla-, Squilla- and Oratosquilla-groups. Most of the generic groups are recovered as monophyletic, with the exception of the Squilla- and Oratosquilla-groups. However, many genera within the Oratosquilla-group are not recovered as monophyletic. Further exploration with more extensive molecular sampling will be needed to resolve relationships within the Oratosquilla-group and to investigate the adaptive radiation of squilloids. Overall, our results demonstrate the merit of combining morphological and molecular datasets for resolving phylogenetic relationships.



Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4619 (2) ◽  
pp. 297-310
Author(s):  
YUN HSIAO ◽  
CHENG-LUNG TSAI

The genus Cephalomalthinus Pic, 1921 is a diverse group of soldier beetles known from East Asia, with modifications on the male antennae, which are traditionally used for species delimitation. However, antennae are uniform in some Cephalomalthinus groups, thus making species identification difficult. In this study, both morphological and molecular data are applied to solve the generic classification and species status of Micropodabrus simplicicornis Wittmer, 1993, which was recently synonymized with Cephalomalthinus formosanus (Pic, 1910). We analyzed holotypes, multiple specimens and DNA barcodes to re-examine the validity of this synonymy. The results suggest that M. simplicicornis should be resurrected from the synonymy with C. formosanus, and a new combination, Cephalomalthinus simplicicornis (Wittmer, 1993) rev. stat. et comb. n., is proposed accordingly. The results highlight the value of multisource taxonomy and the discordance between molecular and morphological data. 



2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 305-316
Author(s):  
M.A. Chursina ◽  
I.Ya. Grichanov

The recent catalogues of the family Dolichopodidae considered Syntormon pallipes (Fabricius, 1794) and S. pseudospicatus Strobl, 1899 as separate species. In this study, we used three approaches to estimate the significance of differences between the two species: molecular analysis (COI and 12S rRNA sequences), analysis of leg colour characters and geometric morphometric analysis of wing shape. The morphological data confirmed the absence of significant differences between S. pallipes and S. pseudospicatus found in the DNA analysis. Significant differences in the wing shape of two species have not been revealed. Hence, according to our data, there is no reason to consider S. pseudospicatus as a distinct species.



PhytoKeys ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 140 ◽  
pp. 33-45
Author(s):  
Chien-Ti Chao ◽  
Bing-Hong Huang ◽  
Jui-Tse Chang ◽  
Pei-Chun Liao

The genus Scutellaria comprises eight species distributed from 50 to 2000 m in Taiwan. Amongst them, S. barbata and S. taipeiensis are very similar on the basis of morphological and plastid DNA sequence information. Therefore, a comprehensive study of the taxonomic status of S. taipeiensis is necessary. We reviewed the herbarium sheets, related literature and protologues and compared morphologies of these two species, as well as their phylogenetic relationships. All evidence, including the diagnostic characters between S. taipeiensis and S. barbata, suggest that they belonged to a single species rather than two. As a result, S. taipeiensis is treated as a synonym of S. barbata.



Zootaxa ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 680 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
ARNE NYGREN

Autolytinae is revised based on available types, and newly collected specimens. Out of 170 nominal species, 18 are considered as incertae sedis, 43 are regarded as junior synonyms, and 25 are referred to as nomina dubia. The relationships of Autolytinae is assessed from 51 morphological characters and 211 states for 76 ingroup-taxa, and 460 molecular characters from mitochondrial 16S rDNA and nuclear 18S rDNA for 31 ingroup-taxa; outgroups include 12 non-autolytine syllid polychaetes. Two analyses are provided, one including morphological data only, and one with combined morphological and molecular data sets. The resulting strict consensus tree from the combined data is chosen for a reclassification. Three main clades are identified: Procerini trib. n., Autolytini Grube, 1850, and Epigamia gen. n. Proceraea Ehlers, 1864 and Myrianida Milne Edwards, 1845 are referred to as nomen protectum, while Scolopendra Slabber, 1781, Podonereis Blainville, 1818, Amytis Savigny, 1822, Polynice Savigny, 1822, and Nereisyllis Blainville, 1828 are considered



Phytotaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 516 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
KURTULUŞ ÖZGİŞİ ◽  
BURCU TARIKAHYA-HACIOĞLU

Symphytum is regarded one of the most complicated genera in terms of the classification of its members among the Boraginaceae. In addition to different infrageneric classification methods, several species complex or aggregates have been proposed to deal with the taxonomical problem of genus members. Symphytum asperum aggregate was first introduced by Kurtto, who proposed six taxa within this aggregate. However, according to further studies by different researchers based on morphological data, total number of species of the complex was variable. The number of species was reduced to three, comprising S. asperum, S. savvalense, and S. sylvaticum, after the phylogenetic and morphological studies of Tarıkahya-Hacıoğlu and Erik. However, the taxonomical status of some of these species (i.e., S. savvalense and S. sylvaticum, and S. sepulcrale), which was assigned as a member of this complex by Kurtto, has been regarded as unresolved. To solve this uncertainty, different species delimitation methods were used, including statistical parsimony network analysis (TCS), generalized mixed Yule coalescent (GMYC), and Bayesian Phylogenetics and Phylogeography (BPP) of the ITS, trnL-F and trnS-G sequence data. In addition to members of this complex, S. ibericum, which is phylogenetically nested within the S. asperum aggregate, was also used. The TCS and GMYC analyses demonstrated more complicated clusters, whereas high posterior probabilities of BPP clusters were more compatible with the morphological data. In accordance with the morphological approach of Tarıkahya-Hacıoğlu and Erik, the species delimitation analyses based on molecular data support the recognition of S. asperum, S. ibericum, S. savvalense, and S. sylvaticum as different species.



2010 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 93-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juliana Sterli

The origin and evolution of the crown-group of turtles (Cryptodira + Pleurodira) is one of the most interesting topics in turtle evolution, second perhaps only to the phylogenetic position of turtles among amniotes. The present contribution focuses on the former problem, exploring the phylogenetic relationships of extant and extinct turtles based on the most comprehensive phylogenetic dataset of morphological and molecular data analyzed to date. Parsimony analyses were conducted for different partitions of data (molecular and morphological) and for the combined dataset. In the present analysis, separate analyses of the molecular data always retrieve Pleurodira allied to Trionychia. Separate analysis of the morphological dataset, by contrast, depicts a more traditional arrangement of taxa, with Pleurodira as the sister group of Cryptodira, being Chelonioidea the most basal cryptodiran clade. The simultaneous analysis of all available data retrieves all major extant clades as monophyletic, except for Cryptodira given that Pleurodira is retrieved as the sister group of Trionychia. The paraphyly of Cryptodira is an unorthodox result, and is mainly caused by the combination of two factors. First, the molecular signal allies Pleurodira and Trionychia. Second, the morphological data with extinct taxa locates the position of the root of crown-group Testudines in the branch leading to Chelonioidea. This study highlights major but poorly explored topics of turtle evolution: the alternate position of Pleurodira and the root of crown turtles. The diversification of crown turtles is characterized by the presence of long external branches and short internal branches (with low support for the internal nodes separating the major clades of crown turtles), suggesting a rapid radiation of this clade. This rapid radiation is also supported by the fossil record, because soon after the appearance of the oldest crown-group turtles (Middle-Late Jurassic of Asia) the number and diversity of turtles increases remarkably. This evolutionary scenario of a rapid diversification of modern turtles into the major modern lineages is likely the reason for the difficulty in determining the interrelationships and the position of the root of crown-group turtles.



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