scholarly journals Congenital feeding response to a novel prey in a Mexican gartersnake

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e8718
Author(s):  
Javier Manjarrez ◽  
Constantino Macías Garcia ◽  
Hugh Drummond
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Response ◽  
Feeding Response ◽  
Feeding Niche ◽  
Recent Origin ◽  
Spatial Isolation ◽  
Two Populations

In this study, we explored chemosensory, ingestive and prey-catching responses of neonate Mexican Black-bellied Gartersnakes (Thamnophis melanogaster) to crayfish (Cambarellus montezumae). By comparing snakes from a recently discovered crayfish-eating population and a typical non-crayfish-eating population, we asked which behavioral components change as a species enlarges its feeding niche. In the crayfish-eating population chemosensory responsiveness to crayfish was not enhanced but its heritability was higher. Neonates of both populations showed similar preference for freshly-molted versus unmolted crayfish, and whereas the tendency to ingest both crayfish stages remained stable between ages 15 and 90 days in the non-crayfish-eating population, in the crayfish-eating population it actually decreased. Techniques to catch and manipulate molted crayfish were similar in the two populations. We discuss the possibility that there is no increase in the behavioral response to eat crayfish by the neonates of the crayfish-eating populations, possibly due to the absence of ecological and spatial isolation between the two T. melanogaster populations. The crayfish ingestion in some population of T. melanogaster can be explained by environmental differences between populations, or by recent origin of crayfish ingestion in T. melanogaster.

Comparison of Principal Component Solutions in Two Populations

Methodology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregor Sočan
Keyword(s):  
Simulation Study ◽  
Principal Components ◽  
Common Factor ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Component Model ◽  
Bootstrap Procedure ◽  
Factor Loadings ◽  
Component Loadings ◽  
Principal Component Model ◽  
Two Populations

Abstract. When principal component solutions are compared across two groups, a question arises whether the extracted components have the same interpretation in both populations. The problem can be approached by testing null hypotheses stating that the congruence coefficients between pairs of vectors of component loadings are equal to 1. Chan, Leung, Chan, Ho, and Yung (1999) proposed a bootstrap procedure for testing the hypothesis of perfect congruence between vectors of common factor loadings. We demonstrate that the procedure by Chan et al. is both theoretically and empirically inadequate for the application on principal components. We propose a modification of their procedure, which constructs the resampling space according to the characteristics of the principal component model. The results of a simulation study show satisfactory empirical properties of the modified procedure.

Molecular phylogeny and taxonomic evaluation of the genus Asaccus Dixon and Anderson, 1973 (Reptilia: Phyllodactylidae) in Iran

2020 ◽  
pp. 207-214
Author(s):  
Akbar Fattahi
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Phylogeny ◽  
Nuclear Gene ◽  
Genetic Distances ◽  
Genetic Lineage ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
Zagros Mountains ◽  
Relict Species ◽  
Taxonomical Revision ◽  
Two Populations ◽  
Taxonomic Evaluation

The Iranian species of the phyllodactylid geckos of the genus Asaccus are found only in the valleys of the Zagros Mountains, a region which represents an important area of endemism in western Iran. Recently, many relict species have been described from the central and southern parts of the Zagros Mountains, which were previously known as A. elisae. The recent descriptions of species within this complex suggest that diversity within the genus may be higher than expected and that its taxonomy and systematics should be revised. In the present study, phylogenetic relationships within the genus Asaccus were evaluated using two mitochondrial and one nuclear gene. Genetically, the genus shows high levels of variability. The molecular phylogeny of the genus suggests the presence of three main clades along the Zagros Mountains with the southern population (from the Hormozgan province) and one clade (A. sp8 and A. sp9) being sister taxon to A. montanus from UAE. The remaining samples are separated into two reciprocally monophyletic groups: the northern (Kurdistan, Kermanshah and Ilam provinces) and the central (Lorestan, Khuzestan, Kohgilouye-Bouyer Ahmad and Fars provinces) Zagros groups. The results of the present study suggest that populations attributed to A. elisae in Iran correspond to distinct lineages with high genetic distances. In brief, our results suggest that the genus needs a major taxonomical revision The Arabian origin of the genus has not been confirmed, because two populations from Zagros were located within the A. montanus, A. gallagheri and A. platyrhynchus clade. Further morphological analyses are needed to systematically define each genetic lineage as a new taxon.

Comparing Genetic Variation within Red Winter Wheat Populations with and without Image-Based Optical Sorter Selection

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 266-277
Author(s):  
Hussein M. Khaeim ◽  
Anthony Clark ◽  
Tom Pearson ◽  
Dr. David Van Sanford
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Fusarium Head Blight ◽  
Heading Date ◽  
Fusarium Head Blight Resistance ◽  
Gibberella Zeae ◽  
Mass Selection ◽  
Head Blight ◽  
Red Winter Wheat ◽  
Two Populations ◽  
Head Scab

Head scab is historically a devastating disease affecting not just all classes of wheat but also barley and other small grains around the world. Fusarium head blight (FHB), or head scab, is caused most often by Fusarium graminearum (Schwabe), (sexual stage – Gibberella zeae) although several Fusarium spp. can cause the disease. This study was conducted to determine the effect of mass selection for FHB resistance using an image-based optical sorter. lines were derived from the C0 and C2 of two populations to compare genetic variation within populations with and without sorter selection. Our overall hypothesis is that sorting grain results in improved Fusarium head blight resistance. Both of the used wheat derived line populations have genetic variation, and population 1 has more than population 17. They are significantly different from each other for fusarium damged kernel (FDK), deoxynivalenol (DON), and other FHB traits. Although both populations are suitable to be grown for bulks, population 1 seems better since it has more genetic variation as well as lower FDK and DON, and earlier heading date. Lines within each population were significantly different and some lines in each population had significantly lower FDK and DON after selection using an optical sorter. Some lines had significant reduction in both FDK and DON, and some others had either FDK or DON reduction. Lines of population 1 that had significant reduction, were more numerous than in population 17, and FDK and DON reduction were greater.

Paepalanthus fabianeae (Eriocaulaceae): A New Microendemic Species from a Morphologically Coherent Clade

2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 794-801
Author(s):  
Caroline Oliveira Andrino ◽  
Marcelo Fragomeni Simon ◽  
Jair Eustáquio Quintino Faria ◽  
André Luiz da Costa Moreira ◽  
Paulo Takeo Sano
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Iucn Red List ◽  
Phylogenetic Position ◽  
Similar Species ◽  
Infrageneric Classification ◽  
Espinhaço Range ◽  
Nuclear Its ◽  
Two Populations

Abstract—We describe and illustrate Paepalanthus fabianeae, a new species of Eriocaulaceae from the central portion of the Espinhaço Range in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Previous phylogenetic evidence based on analyses of nuclear (ITS and ETS) and plastid (trnL-trnF and psba-trnH) sequences revealed P. fabianeae as belonging to a strongly supported and morphologically coherent clade containing five other species, all of them microendemic, restricted to the Espinhaço range. Due to the infrageneric classification of Paepalanthus being highly artificial, we preferred not assigning P. fabianeae to any infrageneric group. Paepalanthus fabianeae is known from two populations growing in campos rupestres (highland rocky fields) in the meridional Espinhaço Range. The species is characterized by pseudodichotomously branched stems, small, linear, recurved, and reflexed leaves, urceolate capitula, and bifid stigmas. Illustrations, photos, the phylogenetic position, and a detailed description, as well as comments on habitat, morphology, and affinities with similar species are provided. The restricted area of occurrence allied with threats to the quality of the habitat, mainly due to quartzite mining, justifies the preliminary classification of the new species in the Critically Endangered (CR) category using the guidelines and criteria of the IUCN Red List.

Allozyme Variation and Population Substructuring in the Caucasian Ground Lizards Lacerta derjugini and Lacerta praticola

2011 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ross D. MacCulloch ◽  
Ilya S. Darevsky ◽  
Robert W. Murphy ◽  
Jinzhong Fu
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Allozyme Variation ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Geographic Separation ◽  
Population Substructuring ◽  
Allozyme Loci ◽  
Two Populations

Genetic diversity at 35 allozyme loci was surveyed in Lacerta derjugini (3 populations) and L. praticola (2 populations). Indices of variability were consistent with those found in other Caucasian Lacerta. There was little genetic substructuring between two populations of L. praticola despite considerable geographic separation. Conversely, populations of L. derjugini in close proximity to one another exhibited considerable substructuring.

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