A new genus and species of cricket from the Chapada Diamantina National Park, northeastern Brazil (Grylloidea: Phalangopsidae; Luzarinae).

PubMed

Dias, Pedro G B Souza; Mello, Francisco De Assis Ganeo De; Vieira, Lelisberto Baldo

2016-06-09

A new genus and species of Luzarinae cricket (Grylloidea, Phalangopsidae) is described from the Chapada Diamantina National Park, Bahia State, northeast Brazil. Sishiniheia diamantina, n. gen. n. sp. is described based in characters of external morphology and male genitalia and is characterized by the reduced FWs, absence of stridulatory file, thick longitudinal venation and the thin, pointed and curved pseudepiphallic arms.

The Centipede Genus Scolopendra in Mainland Southeast Asia: Molecular Phylogenetics, Geometric Morphometrics and External Morphology as Tools for Species Delimitation

PubMed Central

Siriwut, Warut; Edgecombe, Gregory D.; Sutcharit, Chirasak; Panha, Somsak

2015-01-01

Seven Scolopendra species from the Southeast Asian mainland delimited based on standard external morphological characters represent monophyletic groups in phylogenetic trees inferred from concatenated sequences of three gene fragments (cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1, 16S rRNA and 28S rRNA) using Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference. Geometric morphometric description of shape variation in the cephalic plate, forcipular coxosternite, and tergite of the ultimate leg-bearing segment provides additional criteria for distinguishing species. Colouration patterns in some Scolopendra species show a high degree of fit to phylogenetic trees at the population level. The most densely sampled species, Scolopendra dehaani Brandt, 1840, has three subclades with allopatric distributions in mainland SE Asia. The molecular phylogeny of S. pinguis Pocock, 1891, indicated ontogenetic colour variation among its populations. The taxonomic validation of S. dawydoffi Kronmüller, 2012, S. japonica Koch, 1878, and S. dehaani Brandt, 1840, each a former subspecies of S. subspinipes Leach, 1814 sensu Lewis, 2010, as full species was supported by molecular information and additional morphological data. Species delimitation in these taxonomically challenging animals is facilitated by an integrative approach that draws on both morphology and molecular phylogeny. PMID:26270342

Convergent and divergent patterns of morphological differentiation provide more evidence for reproductive character displacement in a wood cricket Gryllus fultoni (Orthoptera: Gryllidae)

PubMed Central

Jang, Yikweon; Won, Yong-Jin; Choe, Jae Chun

2009-01-01

Background In ecological character displacement, traits involved in reproductive isolation may not evolve in arbitrary directions when changes in these traits are by-products of adaptation to an ecological niche. In reproductive character displacement, however, selection acts directly on reproductive characters to enhance the degree of reproductive isolation between sympatric populations. Thus, the direction of change in reproductive characters may be arbitrary in relation to changes in other morphological characters. We characterized both tegminal characters and characters indicative of body size in sympatric and allopatric populations of Gryllus fultoni, a species displaying character displacement in its calling song characters in areas of sympatry with G. vernalis populations, to infer the nature and direction of selection acting on reproductive and morphological characters in sympatry. Results Except for mirror area, the number of teeth in a file, and ovipositor length of G. fultoni, all male and female morphological characters in G. fultoni and G. vernalis exhibited a uniform tendency to decrease in size with increasing latitude. There was no significant variation in female morphological characters between sympatric and allopatric G. fultoni populations. However, males of sympatric and allopatric G. fultoni populations significantly differed in head width, hind femur length, and mirror area even after controlling for clinal factors. Head width and hind femur length of G. fultoni were more similar to those of G. vernalis in sympatric populations than in allopatric populations, resulting in morphological convergence of G. fultoni and G. vernalis in sympatry. However, the mirror area of G. fultoni displayed the divergent pattern in relation to the sympatric G. vernalis populations. Conclusion Divergence-enhancing selection may be acting on mirror area as well as calling song characters, whereas local adaptation or clinal effects may explain variation in other morphological characters in sympatric populations of G. fultoni. This study also suggests that structures and behaviors that directly enhance reproductive isolation may evolve together, independently of other morphological traits. PMID:19183503

Convergent and divergent patterns of morphological differentiation provide more evidence for reproductive character displacement in a wood cricket Gryllus fultoni (Orthoptera: Gryllidae).

PubMed

Jang, Yikweon; Won, Yong-Jin; Choe, Jae Chun

2009-02-01

In ecological character displacement, traits involved in reproductive isolation may not evolve in arbitrary directions when changes in these traits are by-products of adaptation to an ecological niche. In reproductive character displacement, however, selection acts directly on reproductive characters to enhance the degree of reproductive isolation between sympatric populations. Thus, the direction of change in reproductive characters may be arbitrary in relation to changes in other morphological characters. We characterized both tegminal characters and characters indicative of body size in sympatric and allopatric populations of Gryllus fultoni, a species displaying character displacement in its calling song characters in areas of sympatry with G. vernalis populations, to infer the nature and direction of selection acting on reproductive and morphological characters in sympatry. Except for mirror area, the number of teeth in a file, and ovipositor length of G. fultoni, all male and female morphological characters in G. fultoni and G. vernalis exhibited a uniform tendency to decrease in size with increasing latitude. There was no significant variation in female morphological characters between sympatric and allopatric G. fultoni populations. However, males of sympatric and allopatric G. fultoni populations significantly differed in head width, hind femur length, and mirror area even after controlling for clinal factors. Head width and hind femur length of G. fultoni were more similar to those of G. vernalis in sympatric populations than in allopatric populations, resulting in morphological convergence of G. fultoni and G. vernalis in sympatry. However, the mirror area of G. fultoni displayed the divergent pattern in relation to the sympatric G. vernalis populations. Divergence-enhancing selection may be acting on mirror area as well as calling song characters, whereas local adaptation or clinal effects may explain variation in other morphological characters in sympatric populations of G. fultoni. This study also suggests that structures and behaviors that directly enhance reproductive isolation may evolve together, independently of other morphological traits.

Using seemingly unnecessary illustrations to improve the diagnostic usefulness of descriptions in taxonomy–a case study on Perochaeta orientalis (Diptera, Sepsidae)

PubMed Central

Ang, Yuchen; Wong, Ling Jing; Meier, Rudolf

2013-01-01

Abstract Many species descriptions, especially older ones, consist mostly of text and have few illustrations. Only the most conspicuous morphological features needed for species diagnosis and delimitation at the time of description are illustrated. Such descriptions can quickly become inadequate when new species or characters are discovered. We propose that descriptions should become more data-rich by presenting a large amount of images and illustrations to cover as much morphology as possible; these descriptions are more likely to remain adequate over time because their large amounts of visual data could capture character systems that may become important in the future. Such an approach can now be quickly and easily achieved given that high-quality digital photography is readily available. Here, we re-describe the sepsid fly Perochaeta orientalis (de Meijere 1913) (Diptera, Sepsidae) which has suffered from inadequate descriptions in the past, and use photomicrography, scanning electron microscopy and videography to document its external morphology and mating behaviour. All images and videos are embedded within the electronic publication. We discuss briefly benefits and problems with our approach. PMID:24363567

External macro- and micromorphology of the male of the stick insect Hermarchus leytensis (Insecta: Phasmatodea) with phylogenetic considerations.

PubMed

Gottardo, Marco; Vallotto, Davide

2014-04-01

External morphological features of adult males are described in the stick insect Hermarchus leytensis from the Philippines, a species belonging to the little-known euphasmatodean lineage Stephanacridini. Mouthparts are characterized by some likely specialized features: (1) a dentate dorsal cutting edge on the mandibles; (2) distinct differences in size and shape between the galeae; (3) absence of an apical field of trichomes on the galeae; and (4) lacinial setae not protruding from the mesal margin, which features three bearing-like protuberances. The latter character state represents a very unusual condition, not known in other phasmatodeans or even in polyneopteran insects. A distinctive characteristic of attachment devices is that each euplantula is divided into two separated pads with a smooth microstructure, as it also occurs in some members of the clade Schizodecema. Male terminalia exhibit character states previously unknown in Stephanacridini, including (1) a symmetrical type of vomer and (2) claspers equipped with ∼ 70 very minute ventral teeth on each thorn pad. Potential implications for the systematic placement of H. leytensis are discussed. The results also underline the importance of microanatomical investigations as source of substantial characters for future analyses on phasmatodean systematics. Copyright © 2014 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Aphanius arakensis, a new species of tooth-carp (Actinopterygii, Cyprinodontidae) from the endorheic Namak Lake basin in Iran.

PubMed

Teimori, Azad; Esmaeili, Hamid Reza; Gholami, Zeinab; Zarei, Neda; Reichenbacher, Bettina

2012-01-01

A new species of tooth-carp, Aphanius arakensissp. n., is described from the Namak Lake basin in Iran. The new species is distinguished by the congeners distributed in Iran by the following combination of characters: 10-12 anal fin rays, 28-32 lateral line scales, 10-13 caudal peduncle scales, 8-10 gill rakers, 12-19, commonly 15-16, clearly defined flank bars in males, a more prominent pigmentation along the flank added by relatively big blotches in the middle and posterior flank segments in females, a short but high antirostrum of the otolith that has a wide excisura, and a ventral rim with some small, drop-like processes, and 19 molecular apomorphies (17 transitions, two transversions) in the cytochrome b gene. It was suggested based on the phylogenetic analysis that the new species is sister to Aphanius sophiae from the Kor River and that Aphanius farsicus from the Maharlu Lake basin is sister to Aphanius arakensis plus Aphanius sophiae. A noticeable feature of the Aphanius diversity in Iran is the conservatism of the external morphology as well as morphometric and meristic characters, while distinctive differences are present in genetic characters, otolith morphology, and male color pattern. Transformation of the latter was probably driven by sexual selection.

New species of semi-aquatic freshwater earthworm genus Glyphidrilus Horst, 1889 from Thailand and Laos (Oligochaeta, Almidae)

PubMed Central

Chanabun, Ratmanee; Inkavilay, Khamla; Panha, Somsak

2017-01-01

Abstract Seven new species of semi-aquatic freshwater earthworms belonging to the genus Glyphidrilus Horst, 1889 are described from Thailand and Laos, Glyphidrilus nanensis Chanabun & Panha sp. n., G. satunensis Chanabun & Panha sp. n., G. chiangraiensis Chanabun & Panha sp. n., G. namphao Chanabun & Panha sp. n., G. sekongensis Chanabun & Panha sp. n., G. namdonensis Chanabun & Panha sp. n., and G. champasakensis Chanabun & Panha sp. n. The species are characterized by their external and internal morphological characteristics, as well as body sizes. Other morphological character differences between these seven species were also compared, and an identification key is provided. The relationships of the new species to congeners are discussed. PMID:28769665

Modelling rate distributions using character compatibility: implications for morphological evolution among fossil invertebrates.

PubMed

Wagner, Peter J

2012-02-23

Rate distributions are important considerations when testing hypotheses about morphological evolution or phylogeny. They also have implications about general processes underlying character evolution. Molecular systematists often assume that rates are Poisson processes with gamma distributions. However, morphological change is the product of multiple probabilistic processes and should theoretically be affected by hierarchical integration of characters. Both factors predict lognormal rate distributions. Here, a simple inverse modelling approach assesses the best single-rate, gamma and lognormal models given observed character compatibility for 115 invertebrate groups. Tests reject the single-rate model for nearly all cases. Moreover, the lognormal outperforms the gamma for character change rates and (especially) state derivation rates. The latter in particular is consistent with integration affecting morphological character evolution.

A taxonomic review of the centipede genus Scolopendra Linnaeus, 1758 (Scolopendromorpha, Scolopendridae) in mainland Southeast Asia, with description of a new species from Laos

PubMed Central

Siriwut, Warut; Edgecombe, Gregory D.; Sutcharit, Chirasak; Tongkerd, Piyoros; Panha, Somsak

2016-01-01

Abstract The centipede genus Scolopendra in mainland Southeast Asia is reviewed taxonomically based on morphological characters, informed by a molecular phylogenetic analysis using sequences from three mitochondrial and nuclear genes (COI, 16S rRNA and 28S rRNA). Eight nominal species of Scolopendra, namely Scolopendra morsitans Linnaeus, 1758, Scolopendra subspinipes Leach, 1816, Scolopendra dehaani Brandt, 1840, Scolopendra multidens Newport, 1844, Scolopendra calcarata Porat, 1876, Scolopendra japonica Koch, 1878, Scolopendra pinguis Pocock, 1891, and Scolopendra dawydoffi Kronmüller, 2012, are redescribed together with some revision of type materials. Geographical variation in each species has been compiled with reference to samples that span their distribution ranges in Southeast Asia and some parts of neighbouring areas such as East Asia, the Indian Ocean, and Africa. Comparative study of traditional taxonomic characters from external morphology provides further information to distinguish some closely related species. Scolopendra cataracta Siriwut, Edgecombe & Panha, sp. n., is described from the southern part of Laos, with additional records in Thailand and Vietnam. The phylogenetic framework for Southeast Asian Scolopendra recognizes Scolopendra calcarata + Scolopendra pinguis, Scolopendra morsitans, and a Scolopendra subspinipes group that unites the other six species as the main clades. Within the Scolopendra subspinipes group, two monophyletic groups can be distinguished by having either slender or short, thick ultimate leg prefemora and different numbers of apical spines on the coxopleuron. Scolopendra arborea Lewis, 1982, is placed in subjective synonymy with Scolopendra dehaani. A survey of external morphology of the genital segments confirms its potential for improving species identification in Scolopendra. Some observations on biology and behaviour are recorded based on field surveys in this area. PMID:27408540

A case study on the labeling of bottarga produced in Sardinia from ovaries of grey mullets (Mugil cephalus and Mugil capurrii) caught in Eastern Central Atlantic coasts

PubMed Central

Piras, Pierluigi; Sardu, Francesco; Meloni, Domenico; Riina, Maria Vittoria; Beltramo, Chiara; Acutis, Pier Luigi

2018-01-01

The aim of this case study is to show how traditional and molecular methods can be employed to identify the Mugilidae species currently used in Sardinia (Italy) to produce the traditional bottarga for the processing of their ovaries. A total of six specimens of Mugil cephalus (n=3) and Mugil capurrii (n=3) were subjected to external morphology and meristic measurements. Subsequently, tissue samples of white muscle and ovaries from three individuals per species were underwent PCR-sequencing assay of mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI). The external morphology and meristic characters showed a sufficient level of reliability in the identification between the two species. At the same time, the molecular techniques showed the discriminatory power and confirmed the correct species identification in all the sampling units. DNA barcoding may be an effective aid to traditional taxonomy and can facilitate accurate species identification among the Mugilidae. PMID:29732322

Molecular phylogeny and morphological revision of Myotis bats (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Taiwan and adjacent China.

PubMed

Ruedi, Manuel; Csorba, Gábor; Lin, Liang-Kong; Chou, Cheng-Han

2015-02-20

In taxonomic accounts, three species of Myotis have been traditionally reported to occur on the island of Taiwan: Watase's bat (M. formosus watasei Kishida), the Formosan broad-muzzled bat (M. muricola latirostris Kishida) and the Formosan mouse-eared bat (M. adversus taiwanensis Linde). The discovery in 1997 of an unknown taxon not fitting to the description of any of these species encouraged us to re-examine more thoroughly the systematics and phylogeny of Myotis bats inhabiting Taiwan. We used a combination of morphologic and molecular methods to aid the identification of the different taxa from this island and reconstruct their phylogenetic relationships. Multivariate analyses based on 17 craniodental characters of 105 specimens caught across Taiwan and further external characters allowed us to discriminate eight taxa of Myotinae co-occurring on this island. A subset of 80 specimens were further sequenced for the cytochrome b gene (1140 bp) and subjected to phylogenetic reconstructions including representative species from adjacent China and from all main lineages of the worldwide Myotis radiation. These molecular reconstructions showed that the Myotinae from Taiwan are phylogenetically diverse and are issued from several independent clades. The genetic results were completely congruent with the phenetic groupings based on craniodental and external morphology, as each of the eight Taiwanese taxa proved to be reciprocally monophyletic. Two unnamed taxa that did not fit into any of the known species were described as species new to science. Furthermore the taxon latirostris usually associated to the Asian M. muricola, was phylogenetically and morphologically distant from any other known Myotis and was assigned here to the fossil (Miocene) genus Submyotodon. Submyotodon latirostris, M. secundus sp. n. and M. soror sp. n. are endemic species from Taiwan, whereas the other five Myotis are more widespread and also found in the mainland. An identification key is provided to ease the discrimination of these Myotinae species in Taiwan and adjacent China.

Modelling rate distributions using character compatibility: implications for morphological evolution among fossil invertebrates

PubMed Central

Wagner, Peter J.

2012-01-01

Rate distributions are important considerations when testing hypotheses about morphological evolution or phylogeny. They also have implications about general processes underlying character evolution. Molecular systematists often assume that rates are Poisson processes with gamma distributions. However, morphological change is the product of multiple probabilistic processes and should theoretically be affected by hierarchical integration of characters. Both factors predict lognormal rate distributions. Here, a simple inverse modelling approach assesses the best single-rate, gamma and lognormal models given observed character compatibility for 115 invertebrate groups. Tests reject the single-rate model for nearly all cases. Moreover, the lognormal outperforms the gamma for character change rates and (especially) state derivation rates. The latter in particular is consistent with integration affecting morphological character evolution. PMID:21795266

Embryonic staging and external features of development of the Chimaeroid fish, Callorhinchus milii (Holocephali, Callorhinchidae).

PubMed

Didier, Dominique A; LeClair, Elizabeth E; Vanbuskirk, Dana R

1998-04-01

The development of Callorhinchus milii, a primitive chondrichthyan fish (Subclass Holocephali) is described in detail based on a complete series of embryos from stage 17 to hatching. The external features of these specimens, in comparison with other chondrichthyan embryos, are used to establish the first staging table for any chimaeroid species. Each stage of C. milii is defined by a suite of morphological characters in addition to total length, including the number of somites, extent of external pigmentation, eye size and shape, head flexure, heart morphology, and size and shape of paired and unpaired fins. Particular attention is given to features of the gill arches and associated structures, including external gill filaments and the opercular flap. Embryos of this species also possess a transient rostral bulb, a feature unique to chimaeroids. Embryological development of Callorhinchus milii is similar to that previously described for sharks and batoids (Subclass Elasmobranchii), including the spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias, the Japanese bullshark, Heterodontus japonicus, the lesser spotted dogfish, Scyliorhinus canicula, the frill shark, Chlamydoselachus anguineus, the guitarfish, Rhinobatus halavi, and the skate, Raja brachyura. Callorhinchus milii is also similar in overall development to another holocephalan, Hydrolagus colliei. A review of previous staging schemes confirms that early morphological development in all three major chondrichthyan lineages (sharks, batoids, and chimaeras) can be correlated using a common set of stages. A uniform staging system is provided that should prove useful in continuing ontogenetic and phylogenetic studies of this entire clade of fishes. J. Morphol. 236:25-47, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Copyright © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Aphanius arakensis, a new species of tooth-carp (Actinopterygii, Cyprinodontidae) from the endorheic Namak Lake basin in Iran

PubMed Central

Teimori, Azad; Esmaeili, Hamid Reza; Gholami, Zeinab; Zarei, Neda; Reichenbacher, Bettina

2012-01-01

Abstract A new species of tooth-carp, Aphanius arakensis sp. n., is described from the Namak Lake basin in Iran. The new species is distinguished by the congeners distributed in Iran by the following combination of characters: 10–12 anal fin rays, 28–32 lateral line scales, 10–13 caudal peduncle scales, 8–10 gill rakers, 12–19, commonly 15–16, clearly defined flank bars in males, a more prominent pigmentation along the flank added by relatively big blotches in the middle and posterior flank segments in females, a short but high antirostrum of the otolith that has a wide excisura, and a ventral rim with some small, drop-like processes, and 19 molecular apomorphies (17 transitions, two transversions) in the cytochrome b gene. It was suggested based on the phylogenetic analysis that the new species is sister to Aphanius sophiae from the Kor River and that Aphanius farsicus from the Maharlu Lake basin is sister to Aphanius arakensis plus Aphanius sophiae. A noticeable feature of the Aphanius diversity in Iran is the conservatism of the external morphology as well as morphometric and meristic characters, while distinctive differences are present in genetic characters, otolith morphology, and male color pattern. Transformation of the latter was probably driven by sexual selection. PMID:22936871

Are palaeoscolecids ancestral ecdysozoans?

PubMed

Harvey, Thomas H P; Dong, Xiping; Donoghue, Philip C J

2010-01-01

The reconstruction of ancestors is a central aim of comparative anatomy and evolutionary developmental biology, not least in attempts to understand the relationship between developmental and organismal evolution. Inferences based on living taxa can and should be tested against the fossil record, which provides an independent and direct view onto historical character combinations. Here, we consider the nature of the last common ancestor of living ecdysozoans through a detailed analysis of palaeoscolecids, an early and extinct group of introvert-bearing worms that have been proposed to be ancestral ecdysozoans. In a review of palaeoscolecid anatomy, including newly resolved details of the internal and external cuticle structure, we identify specific characters shared with various living nematoid and scalidophoran worms, but not with panarthropods. Considered within a formal cladistic context, these characters provide most overall support for a stem-priapulid affinity, meaning that palaeoscolecids are far-removed from the ecdysozoan ancestor. We conclude that previous interpretations in which palaeoscolecids occupy a deeper position in the ecdysozoan tree lack particular morphological support and rely instead on a paucity of preserved characters. This bears out a more general point that fossil taxa may appear plesiomorphic merely because they preserve only plesiomorphies, rather than the mélange of primitive and derived characters anticipated of organisms properly allocated to a position deep within animal phylogeny.

Redescription of Platygyndes Roewer 1943, a false Gonyleptidae, (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cosmetidae)

PubMed Central

Pinto-Da-Rocha, Ricardo; Hara, Marcos Ryotaro

2011-01-01

Abstract Praelibitia Roewer, 1956 and its type species, Praelibitia titicaca Roewer, 1956, are respectively synonymized with Platygyndes Roewer, 1943 and its type species Platygyndes titicaca Roewer, 1943, and furthermore the genus is transferred from the Gonyleptidae to the Cosmetidae. On the basis of domed and unarmed ocularium, increased number of granules on scutal areas, unarmed dorsal scutum and general body shape, Platygyndes seems to be closely related to Moselabius Roewer, 1956 and Caracarana Roewer, 1956. External morphological characters that are useful to revealing relationships among cosmetid genera are discussed. PMID:22144863

Redescription of Platygyndes Roewer 1943, a false Gonyleptidae, (Arachnida, Opiliones, Cosmetidae).

PubMed

Pinto-Da-Rocha, Ricardo; Hara, Marcos Ryotaro

2011-01-01

Praelibitia Roewer, 1956 and its type species, Praelibitia titicaca Roewer, 1956, are respectively synonymized with Platygyndes Roewer, 1943 and its type species Platygyndes titicaca Roewer, 1943, and furthermore the genus is transferred from the Gonyleptidae to the Cosmetidae. On the basis of domed and unarmed ocularium, increased number of granules on scutal areas, unarmed dorsal scutum and general body shape, Platygyndes seems to be closely related to Moselabius Roewer, 1956 and Caracarana Roewer, 1956. External morphological characters that are useful to revealing relationships among cosmetid genera are discussed.

Preservation of three-dimensional anatomy in phosphatized fossil arthropods enriches evolutionary inference.

PubMed

Schwermann, Achim H; Dos Santos Rolo, Tomy; Caterino, Michael S; Bechly, Günter; Schmied, Heiko; Baumbach, Tilo; van de Kamp, Thomas

2016-02-05

External and internal morphological characters of extant and fossil organisms are crucial to establishing their systematic position, ecological role and evolutionary trends. The lack of internal characters and soft-tissue preservation in many arthropod fossils, however, impedes comprehensive phylogenetic analyses and species descriptions according to taxonomic standards for Recent organisms. We found well-preserved three-dimensional anatomy in mineralized arthropods from Paleogene fissure fillings and demonstrate the value of these fossils by utilizing digitally reconstructed anatomical structure of a hister beetle. The new anatomical data facilitate a refinement of the species diagnosis and allowed us to reject a previous hypothesis of close phylogenetic relationship to an extant congeneric species. Our findings suggest that mineralized fossils, even those of macroscopically poor preservation, constitute a rich but yet largely unexploited source of anatomical data for fossil arthropods.

Replaying evolutionary transitions from the dental fossil record

PubMed Central

Harjunmaa, Enni; Seidel, Kerstin; Häkkinen, Teemu; Renvoisé, Elodie; Corfe, Ian J.; Kallonen, Aki; Zhang, Zhao-Qun; Evans, Alistair R.; Mikkola, Marja L.; Salazar-Ciudad, Isaac; Klein, Ophir D.; Jernvall, Jukka

2014-01-01

The evolutionary relationships of extinct species are ascertained primarily through the analysis of morphological characters. Character inter-dependencies can have a substantial effect on evolutionary interpretations, but the developmental underpinnings of character inter-dependence remain obscure because experiments frequently do not provide detailed resolution of morphological characters. Here we show experimentally and computationally how gradual modification of development differentially affects characters in the mouse dentition. We found that intermediate phenotypes could be produced by gradually adding ectodysplasin A (EDA) protein in culture to tooth explants carrying a null mutation in the tooth-patterning gene Eda. By identifying development-based character interdependencies, we show how to predict morphological patterns of teeth among mammalian species. Finally, in vivo inhibition of sonic hedgehog signalling in Eda null teeth enabled us to reproduce characters deep in the rodent ancestry. Taken together, evolutionarily informative transitions can be experimentally reproduced, thereby providing development-based expectations for character state transitions used in evolutionary studies. PMID:25079326

Head capsule characters in the Hymenoptera and their phylogenetic implications

PubMed Central

Vilhelmsen, Lars

2011-01-01

Abstract The head capsule of a taxon sample of three outgroup and 86 ingroup taxa is examined for characters of possible phylogenetic significance within Hymenoptera. 21 morphological characters are illustrated and scored, and their character evolution explored by mapping them onto a phylogeny recently produced from a large morphological data set. Many of the characters are informative and display unambiguous changes. Most of the character support demonstrated is supportive at the superfamily or family level. In contrast, only few characters corroborate deeper nodes in the phylogeny of Hymenoptera. PMID:22259288

Character evolution and missing (morphological) data across the core asterids (Gentianidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Character evolution and missing (morphological) data across Asteridae. Premise of the study: Our current understanding of flowering plant phylogeny provides an excellent framework for exploring various aspects of character evolution through comparative analyses. However, attempts to synthesize this ...

Expression profile of the sex determination gene doublesex in a gynandromorph of bumblebee, Bombus ignitus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ugajin, Atsushi; Matsuo, Koshiro; Kubo, Ryohei; Sasaki, Tetsuhiko; Ono, Masato

2016-04-01

Gynandromorphy that has both male and female features is known in many insect orders, including Hymenoptera. In most cases, however, only external morphology and behavioral aspects have been studied. We found a gynandromorph of bumblebee, Bombus ignitus, that showed almost bilateral distribution of external sexual traits, with male characters observed on the left side and female characters on the right side. This individual never exhibited sexual behavior toward new queens. The dissection of the head part showed that it had bilaterally dimorphic labial glands, only the left of which was well developed and synthesized male-specific pheromone components. In contrast, the gynandromorph possessed an ovipositor and a pair of ovaries in the abdominal part, suggesting that it had a uniformly female reproductive system. Furthermore, we characterized several internal organs of the gynandromorph by a molecular biological approach. The expression analyses of a sex determination gene, doublesex, in the brain, the fat bodies, the hindgut, and the ovaries of the gynandromorph revealed a male-type expression pattern exclusively in the left brain hemisphere and consistent female-type expression in other tissues. These findings clearly indicate the sexual discordance between external traits and internal organs in the gynandromorph. The results of genetic analyses using microsatellite markers suggested that this individual consisted of both genetically male- and female-type tissues.

Skeletal Morphology of Opius dissitus and Biosteres carbonarius (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), with a Discussion of Terminology

PubMed Central

Karlsson, Dave; Ronquist, Fredrik

2012-01-01

The Braconidae, a family of parasitic wasps, constitute a major taxonomic challenge with an estimated diversity of 40,000 to 120,000 species worldwide, only 18,000 of which have been described to date. The skeletal morphology of braconids is still not adequately understood and the terminology is partly idiosyncratic, despite the fact that anatomical features form the basis for most taxonomic work on the group. To help address this problem, we describe the external skeletal morphology of Opius dissitus Muesebeck 1963 and Biosteres carbonarius Nees 1834, two diverse representatives of one of the least known and most diverse braconid subfamilies, the Opiinae. We review the terminology used to describe skeletal features in the Ichneumonoidea in general and the Opiinae in particular, and identify a list of recommend terms, which are linked to the online Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology. The morphology of the studied species is illustrated with SEM-micrographs, photos and line drawings. Based on the examined species, we discuss intraspecific and interspecific morphological variation in the Opiinae and point out character complexes that merit further study. PMID:22558068

Skeletal morphology of Opius dissitus and Biosteres carbonarius (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), with a discussion of terminology.

PubMed

Karlsson, Dave; Ronquist, Fredrik

2012-01-01

The Braconidae, a family of parasitic wasps, constitute a major taxonomic challenge with an estimated diversity of 40,000 to 120,000 species worldwide, only 18,000 of which have been described to date. The skeletal morphology of braconids is still not adequately understood and the terminology is partly idiosyncratic, despite the fact that anatomical features form the basis for most taxonomic work on the group. To help address this problem, we describe the external skeletal morphology of Opius dissitus Muesebeck 1963 and Biosteres carbonarius Nees 1834, two diverse representatives of one of the least known and most diverse braconid subfamilies, the Opiinae. We review the terminology used to describe skeletal features in the Ichneumonoidea in general and the Opiinae in particular, and identify a list of recommend terms, which are linked to the online Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology. The morphology of the studied species is illustrated with SEM-micrographs, photos and line drawings. Based on the examined species, we discuss intraspecific and interspecific morphological variation in the Opiinae and point out character complexes that merit further study.

[Comparison of morphological and microscopical diagnostic characters of Hawthorn fruits (Crataegus species)].

PubMed

Gao, G Y; Feng, Y X

1995-01-01

This paper deals with studies on morphological and microscopical diagnostic characters of Chinese Hawthorn fruits. Their similarities and differences in morphological and microscopical characters among eight species of Crataegus (C. pinnatifida Bge., C. pinnatifida var. major NE Br., C. cuneata sieb. & Zuce., C. scabrifolia (Franch.) Rehd., C. hupehensis Sarg., C. kansuensis Wils, C. maximowiczii Schneid. and C. sanguinea Pall.) fruits are compared and illustrated with diagrams.

Pruning the Pearlsides: Reconciling morphology and molecules in mesopelagic fishes (Maurolicus: Sternoptychidae)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rees, D. J.; Byrkjedal, I.; Sutton, T. T.

2017-03-01

The genus Maurolicus comprises extremely abundant vertically-migrating fishes that have considerable biomass in a number of regions worldwide. The genus was generally considered monotypic, with a single species, M. muelleri (Gmelin, 1789), inhabiting all world oceans. Based on differences in combinations of a limited number of morphometric characters, 15 separate species have been proposed, mostly associated with different ocean basins and seamounts. However, due to similarities in external morphology and overlap in ranges of morphometric characteristics, there remains a need for further validation of these species. Here, we present results of a multi-gene analysis, together with morphological data, for five putative Maurolicus species from multiple locations in the northern and southern hemispheres. Sampling encompasses described species from the North and South Atlantic, Mediterranean Sea, south-east Indian Ocean and the western South Pacific. Mitochondrial (16S and COI) and nuclear (ITS-2) gene sequences for 120 specimens were used in Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian Inference analyses as well as creation of haplotype networks. Morphological character analyses were based on data from 279 adult individuals. Several clear groupings emerge, conflicting with previously recognised species: (1) a 'northern' clade comprising Maurolicus muelleri and M. amethystinopunctatus, (2) a 'southern' clade comprising M. australis, M. walvisensis (also M. japonicus) and (3) eastern Equatorial and western North Atlantic M. weitzmani. The southern clade taxa are genetically indistinguishable and not well defined morphologically and present a clear case for synonymisation as M. australis. Synonymisation is also proposed for M. muelleri and M. amethystinopunctatus, with limited morphological variation likely to reflect physical and biological differences experienced north / south of the sub-polar front. Maurolicus weitzmani is clearly differentiated from all other Maurolicus species on both a molecular and morphological basis. Studies of genetic and morphological diversity in Maurolicus will further contribute to the question of 'what constitutes a species in the open ocean?', where a complex picture is emerging of both unexpected variation, as well as the unexpectantly absent genetic variation, in cosmopolitan taxa.

Morphological variation and zoogeography of racers (Coluber constrictor) in the central Rocky Mountains

USGS Publications Warehouse

Corn, Paul Stephen; Bury, R. Bruce

1986-01-01

We examined 63 specimens of Coluber constrictor from Colorado and Utah using eight external morphological characters that have been used to distinguish C. c. mormon from C. c. flaviventris. We grouped the snakes into three Operational Taxonomic Units (OTU's) in a transect across the Rocky Mountains: the eastern Front Range foothills in Colorado; the inter-mountain region (western slope of Colorado and northeastern Utah); and the western foothills of the Wasatch Mountains in Utah. Statistically significant variation among the OTU's was discovered for ration of tail length to total length, number of central and subcaudal scales, and number of dentary teeth. However, variation is clinal with nearly complete overlap from one end f the transect to the other for each character, suggesting a wide zone of intergradiation in the inter-mountain region. We do not believe reported differences in reproductive parameters between Great Plains and Great Basin racers are sufficient grounds for recognition of species, because clutch size is both geographically variable and dependent on the environment. The distribution of C. constrictor is similar to that of other reptiles with transmontane distributions in the western United States, and we suggest two possible routes of dispersal across the Continental Divide in southwestern Wyoming. Thus, elevation of C. c. mormon to species status is not supported by morphological, reproductive, or zoogeographic evidence.

Stasis and convergence characterize morphological evolution in eupolypod II ferns.

PubMed

Sundue, Michael A; Rothfels, Carl J

2014-01-01

Patterns of morphological evolution at levels above family rank remain underexplored in the ferns. The present study seeks to address this gap through analysis of 79 morphological characters for 81 taxa, including representatives of all ten families of eupolypod II ferns. Recent molecular phylogenetic studies demonstrate that the evolution of the large eupolypod II clade (which includes nearly one-third of extant fern species) features unexpected patterns. The traditional 'athyrioid' ferns are scattered across the phylogeny despite their apparent morphological cohesiveness, and mixed among these seemingly conservative taxa are morphologically dissimilar groups that lack any obvious features uniting them with their relatives. Maximum-likelihood and maximum-parsimony character optimizations are used to determine characters that unite the seemingly disparate groups, and to test whether the polyphyly of the traditional athyrioid ferns is due to evolutionary stasis (symplesiomorphy) or convergent evolution. The major events in eupolypod II character evolution are reviewed, and character and character state concepts are reappraised, as a basis for further inquiries into fern morphology. Characters were scored from the literature, live plants and herbarium specimens, and optimized using maximum-parsimony and maximum-likelihood, onto a highly supported topology derived from maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analysis of molecular data. Phylogenetic signal of characters were tested for using randomization methods and fitdiscrete. The majority of character state changes within the eupolypod II phylogeny occur at the family level or above. Relative branch lengths for the morphological data resemble those from molecular data and fit an ancient rapid radiation model (long branches subtended by very short backbone internodes), with few characters uniting the morphologically disparate clades. The traditional athyrioid ferns were circumscribed based upon a combination of symplesiomorphic and homoplastic characters. Petiole vasculature consisting of two bundles is ancestral for eupolypods II and a synapomorphy for eupolypods II under deltran optimization. Sori restricted to one side of the vein defines the recently recognized clade comprising Rhachidosoraceae through Aspleniaceae, and sori present on both sides of the vein is a synapomorphy for the Athyriaceae sensu stricto. The results indicate that a chromosome base number of x =41 is synapomorphic for all eupolypods, a clade that includes over two-thirds of extant fern species. The integrated approach synthesizes morphological studies with current phylogenetic hypotheses and provides explicit statements of character evolution in the eupolypod II fern families. Strong character support is found for previously recognized clades, whereas few characters support previously unrecognized clades. Sorus position appears to be less complicated than previously hypothesized, and linear sori restricted to one side of the vein support the clade comprising Aspleniaceae, Diplaziopsidaceae, Hemidictyaceae and Rachidosoraceae - a lineage only recently identified. Despite x =41 being a frequent number among extant species, to our knowledge it has not previously been demonstrated as the ancestral state. This is the first synapomorphy proposed for the eupolypod clade, a lineage comprising 67 % of extant fern species. This study provides some of the first hypotheses of character evolution at the family level and above in light of recent phylogenetic results, and promotes further study in an area that remains open for original observation.

Stasis and convergence characterize morphological evolution in eupolypod II ferns

PubMed Central

Sundue, Michael A.; Rothfels, Carl J.

2014-01-01

Background and Aims Patterns of morphological evolution at levels above family rank remain underexplored in the ferns. The present study seeks to address this gap through analysis of 79 morphological characters for 81 taxa, including representatives of all ten families of eupolypod II ferns. Recent molecular phylogenetic studies demonstrate that the evolution of the large eupolypod II clade (which includes nearly one-third of extant fern species) features unexpected patterns. The traditional ‘athyrioid’ ferns are scattered across the phylogeny despite their apparent morphological cohesiveness, and mixed among these seemingly conservative taxa are morphologically dissimilar groups that lack any obvious features uniting them with their relatives. Maximum-likelihood and maximum-parsimony character optimizations are used to determine characters that unite the seemingly disparate groups, and to test whether the polyphyly of the traditional athyrioid ferns is due to evolutionary stasis (symplesiomorphy) or convergent evolution. The major events in eupolypod II character evolution are reviewed, and character and character state concepts are reappraised, as a basis for further inquiries into fern morphology. Methods Characters were scored from the literature, live plants and herbarium specimens, and optimized using maximum-parsimony and maximum-likelihood, onto a highly supported topology derived from maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analysis of molecular data. Phylogenetic signal of characters were tested for using randomization methods and fitdiscrete. Key Results The majority of character state changes within the eupolypod II phylogeny occur at the family level or above. Relative branch lengths for the morphological data resemble those from molecular data and fit an ancient rapid radiation model (long branches subtended by very short backbone internodes), with few characters uniting the morphologically disparate clades. The traditional athyrioid ferns were circumscribed based upon a combination of symplesiomorphic and homoplastic characters. Petiole vasculature consisting of two bundles is ancestral for eupolypods II and a synapomorphy for eupolypods II under deltran optimization. Sori restricted to one side of the vein defines the recently recognized clade comprising Rhachidosoraceae through Aspleniaceae, and sori present on both sides of the vein is a synapomorphy for the Athyriaceae sensu stricto. The results indicate that a chromosome base number of x =41 is synapomorphic for all eupolypods, a clade that includes over two-thirds of extant fern species. Conclusions The integrated approach synthesizes morphological studies with current phylogenetic hypotheses and provides explicit statements of character evolution in the eupolypod II fern families. Strong character support is found for previously recognized clades, whereas few characters support previously unrecognized clades. Sorus position appears to be less complicated than previously hypothesized, and linear sori restricted to one side of the vein support the clade comprising Aspleniaceae, Diplaziopsidaceae, Hemidictyaceae and Rachidosoraceae – a lineage only recently identified. Despite x =41 being a frequent number among extant species, to our knowledge it has not previously been demonstrated as the ancestral state. This is the first synapomorphy proposed for the eupolypod clade, a lineage comprising 67 % of extant fern species. This study provides some of the first hypotheses of character evolution at the family level and above in light of recent phylogenetic results, and promotes further study in an area that remains open for original observation. PMID:24197753

Preservation of three-dimensional anatomy in phosphatized fossil arthropods enriches evolutionary inference

PubMed Central

Schwermann, Achim H; dos Santos Rolo, Tomy; Caterino, Michael S; Bechly, Günter; Schmied, Heiko; Baumbach, Tilo; van de Kamp, Thomas

2016-01-01

External and internal morphological characters of extant and fossil organisms are crucial to establishing their systematic position, ecological role and evolutionary trends. The lack of internal characters and soft-tissue preservation in many arthropod fossils, however, impedes comprehensive phylogenetic analyses and species descriptions according to taxonomic standards for Recent organisms. We found well-preserved three-dimensional anatomy in mineralized arthropods from Paleogene fissure fillings and demonstrate the value of these fossils by utilizing digitally reconstructed anatomical structure of a hister beetle. The new anatomical data facilitate a refinement of the species diagnosis and allowed us to reject a previous hypothesis of close phylogenetic relationship to an extant congeneric species. Our findings suggest that mineralized fossils, even those of macroscopically poor preservation, constitute a rich but yet largely unexploited source of anatomical data for fossil arthropods. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.12129.001 PMID:26854367

A priori assumptions about characters as a cause of incongruence between molecular and morphological hypotheses of primate interrelationships.

PubMed

Tornow, Matthew A; Skelton, Randall R

2012-01-01

When molecules and morphology produce incongruent hypotheses of primate interrelationships, the data are typically viewed as incompatible, and molecular hypotheses are often considered to be better indicators of phylogenetic history. However, it has been demonstrated that the choice of which taxa to include in cladistic analysis as well as assumptions about character weighting, character state transformation order, and outgroup choice all influence hypotheses of relationships and may positively influence tree topology, so that relationships between extant taxa are consistent with those found using molecular data. Thus, the source of incongruence between morphological and molecular trees may lie not in the morphological data themselves but in assumptions surrounding the ways characters evolve and their impact on cladistic analysis. In this study, we investigate the role that assumptions about character polarity and transformation order play in creating incongruence between primate phylogenies based on morphological data and those supported by multiple lines of molecular data. By releasing constraints imposed on published morphological analyses of primates from disparate clades and subjecting those data to parsimony analysis, we test the hypothesis that incongruence between morphology and molecules results from inherent flaws in morphological data. To quantify the difference between incongruent trees, we introduce a new method called branch slide distance (BSD). BSD mitigates many of the limitations attributed to other tree comparison methods, thus allowing for a more accurate measure of topological similarity. We find that releasing a priori constraints on character behavior often produces trees that are consistent with molecular trees. Case studies are presented that illustrate how congruence between molecules and unconstrained morphological data may provide insight into issues of polarity, transformation order, homology, and homoplasy.

Novel Approaches for Phylogenetic Inference from Morphological Data and Total-Evidence Dating in Squamate Reptiles (Lizards, Snakes, and Amphisbaenians).

PubMed

Pyron, R Alexander

2017-01-01

Here, I combine previously underutilized models and priors to perform more biologically realistic phylogenetic inference from morphological data, with an example from squamate reptiles. When coding morphological characters, it is often possible to denote ordered states with explicit reference to observed or hypothetical ancestral conditions. Using this logic, we can integrate across character-state labels and estimate meaningful rates of forward and backward transitions from plesiomorphy to apomorphy. I refer to this approach as MkA, for “asymmetric.” The MkA model incorporates the biological reality of limited reversal for many phylogenetically informative characters, and significantly increases likelihoods in the empirical data sets. Despite this, the phylogeny of Squamata remains contentious. Total-evidence analyses using combined morphological and molecular data and the MkA approach tend toward recent consensus estimates supporting a nested Iguania. However, support for this topology is not unambiguous across data sets or analyses, and no mechanism has been proposed to explain the widespread incongruence between partitions, or the hidden support for various topologies in those partitions. Furthermore, different morphological data sets produced by different authors contain both different characters and different states for the same or similar characters, resulting in drastically different placements for many important fossil lineages. Effort is needed to standardize ontology for morphology, resolve incongruence, and estimate a robust phylogeny. The MkA approach provides a preliminary avenue for investigating morphological evolution while accounting for temporal evidence and asymmetry in character-state changes.

Morphometric and genetic analysis of Arcella intermedia and Arcella intermedia laevis (Amoebozoa, Arcellinida) illuminate phenotypic plasticity in microbial eukaryotes.

PubMed

Porfírio-Sousa, Alfredo L; Ribeiro, Giulia M; Lahr, Daniel J G

2017-04-01

Testate amoebae are eukaryotic microorganisms characterized by the presence of an external shell (test). The shell morphology is used as a diagnostic character, but discordance between morphological and molecular data has been demonstrated in groups of arcellinids (Amoebozoa), one of the principal groups of testate amoebae. Morphology of the test is supposed to differentiate genera and species and it is applied in ecological, monitoring and paleontological studies. However, if phenotype does not reflect genotype, conclusions in these types of studies become severely impaired. The objective of this work is to evaluate the morphometrical and morphological variation of the closely related and morphologically similar taxa Arcella intermedia laevis Tsyganov and Mazei, 2006 and Arcella intermedia (Deflandre 1928) Tsyganov and Mazei, 2006 in nature and in cultured individuals and see how these are correlated with molecular data. Our results demonstrate that phenotypic plasticity in Arcella intermedia make morphological distinctions impossible in both taxa. Arcella intermedia and Arcella intermedia laevis are molecularly identical for SSU rDNA and a mitochondrial molecular marker (NAD9/7). We conclude that morphological techniques alone cannot identify phenotypic plasticity from natural populations. More work is clearly needed to better understand the morphological, morphometric and molecular variability in these organisms. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Chinese Children's Character Recognition: Visuo-Orthographic, Phonological Processing and Morphological Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Hong; Shu, Hua; McBride-Chang, Catherine; Liu, Hongyun; Peng, Hong

2012-01-01

Tasks tapping visual skills, orthographic knowledge, phonological awareness, speeded naming, morphological awareness and Chinese character recognition were administered to 184 kindergarteners and 273 primary school students from Beijing. Regression analyses indicated that only syllable deletion, morphological construction and speeded number naming…

Morphological identification of Lucilia sericata, Lucilia cuprina and their hybrids (Diptera, Calliphoridae)

PubMed Central

Williams, Kirstin A.; Villet, Martin H.

2014-01-01

Abstract Hybrids of Lucilia sericata and Lucilia cuprina have been shown to exist in previous studies using molecular methods, but no study has shown explicitly that these hybrids can be identified morphologically. Published morphological characters used to identify L. sericata and L. cuprina were reviewed, and then scored and tested using specimens of both species and known hybrids. Ordination by multi-dimensional scaling indicated that the species were separable, and that hybrids resembled L. cuprina, whatever their origin. Discriminant function analysis of the characters successfully separated the specimens into three unambiguous groups – L. sericata, L. cuprina and hybrids. The hybrids were morphologically similar irrespective of whether they were from an ancient introgressed lineage or more modern. This is the first evidence that hybrids of these two species can be identified from their morphology. The usefulness of the morphological characters is also discussed and photographs of several characters are included to facilitate their assessment. PMID:25061373

[Polymorphism and structure of the population of Proteocephalus longicollis Zeder, 1800 (Cestoda: Proteocephalidae) in the vendace Coregonus albula L].

PubMed

Anikieva, L V; Kharin, V N; Spektor, E N

2004-01-01

Polymorphism and phenotypic diversity of a hostal ecoform of Proteocephalus longicollis from its typical host, the vendace, Coregonus albula L., were studied. A complex phenotypic structure of the parasite population and presence of morphologically different groupings were revealed. We distinguished four groupings based on the external characters and three groupings based on the feed and reproduction features; among latter groupings one has very specific variations of features. We conclude that P. longicollis has high intraspecific and intrapopulation heterogeneity, and the host plays a stabilising role in the parasite species formation.

Character analysis and the integration of molecular and morphological data in an understanding of sand dollar phylogeny.

PubMed

Marshall, C R

1992-03-01

Reconciling discordant morphological and molecular phylogenies remains a problem in modern systematics. By examining conflicting DNA-hybridization and morphological phylogenies of sand dollars, I show that morphological criteria may be used to help evaluate the reliability of molecular phylogenies where they differ from morphological trees. All available criteria for assessing the reliability of DNA-hybridization phylogenies suggest that the sand dollar DNA-hybridization phylogeny is robust. Standard homology-recognition criteria are used to assess the a priori reliabilities of the morphological attributes associated with the node drawn into question by the DNA data, and it is shown that these attributes are among the least phylogenetically informative of all the morphological characters. Moreover, the questioned node has the smallest number of supporting characters, and most of these characters are associated with the food grooves, which suggests that they may be functionally correlated. Thus, on the basis of the analysis of the morphological data and given the robustness of the DNA tree, the DNA phylogeny is preferred. Further, paleobiogeographic data support the DNA tree rather than the morphological tree, and a plausible heterochronic mechanism has been proposed that may account for the homoplasious morphological evolution that must have occurred if the DNA tree is correct.

Taxonomic Notes on Nasutitermes and Bulbitermes (Termitidae, Nasutitermitinae) from the Sunda region of Southeast Asia based on morphological and molecular characters

PubMed Central

Syaukani; Thompson, Graham J.

2011-01-01

Abstract The Sunda region of Southeastern Asia is rich in termite fauna, but termites from this region have been poorly described. In this study, we described eight species from two diverse genera from this region, and from the family Termitidae. We describe Bulbitermes 4 spp. and Nasutitermes 4 spp. from new field collections. Where possible we examine original holotype specimens, and describe the essential morphological characters for soldier and worker castes. We devise two new bifurcating keys to guide the field identification of each species. In addition, we develop a nucleotide sequence profile for the COI gene. From this molecular character matrix, we use Neighbour-Joining analysis to test the monophyly of each morphospecies and genus. We find that the morphological and molecular characters are highly concordant, whereby all taxa appear to represent distinct molecular clades. For termites, there is therefore agreement between the morphological taxonomic characters used to sort species from a bifurcating key and the molecular taxonomic characters used to sort species on a bifurcating tree. This joint analysis suggests that DNA barcoding holds considerable promise for termite taxonomy, especially for diverse clades like Bulbitermes and Nasutitermes for which a global morphological key would be intractable. PMID:22287894

Investigations on composition and morphology of electrochemical alumina and alumina yttria stabilised zirconia deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Hajjaji, S.; Manov, S.; Roy, J.; Aigouy, T.; Ben Bachir, A.; Aries, L.

2001-08-01

Conversion coatings modified by deposits of electrolytic alumina added or not with yttria and/or zirconia, have been studied which are well known for their resistance to chemical attack and high temperature. Conversion coating, characterised by a particular morphology and strong interfacial adhesion with the substrate, facilitate the electrochemical deposition of ceramic layers and enhance their adhesion to the substrate. Zirconia-alumina coating behaviour at 1000°C is similar to that of alumina coating; from 800°C, the chromium diffuses from the stainless steel through the electrolytic refractory coating up to the external interface, provokes discontinuities and can modify its protective character. Yttrium stabilises the cubic and the tetragonal form of the zirconia; so, during cooling, the phase transformation near 1000°C of tetragonal zirconia to monoclinic form cannot take place.

Previously undocumented diversity and abundance of cryptic species: a phylogenetic analysis of Indo-Pacific Arminidae Rafinesque, 1814 (Mollusca: Nudibranchia) with descriptions of 20 new species of Dermatobranchus

PubMed Central

Gosliner, Terrence M; Fahey, Shireen J

2011-01-01

The phylogenetic relationships amongst the Arminidae were analysed based upon morphological characters of 58 presently described species or nudibranchs, including 35 previously described Arminidae and 20 new species of Dermatobranchus. From the literature review and anatomical examinations, 43 characters were considered for 78 taxa. These characters were polarized using Berthella canariensis as the outgroup taxon and the type species of several other genera identified from recent publications. The resulting phylogeny supports the monophyly of Arminidae, Dermatobranchus, Doridina, and Proctonotidae. The paraphyly of the Arminina is further demonstrated in this study. Two previously described, but poorly known, species of Indo-Pacific Armina are redescribed, Armina magna Baba, 1955 and Armina paucifoliata Baba, 1955. The anatomy and taxonomic status of nine previously described species of Dermatobranchus were examined in this study. The anatomy of Dermatobranchus pustulosus (van Hasselt, 1824) has been overlooked since Bergh (1888) illustrated the radula of van Hasselt's specimen. It is redescribed and its range is extended to several new localities in the western Pacific. Dermatobranchus pulcherrimus Miller & Willan, 1986 is considered here as a new synonym of Dermatobranchus rubidus (Gould, 1852). The following 20 species of Dermatobranchus are new and are described in the present paper: Dermatobranchus albineus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus arminus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus caesitius sp. nov., Dermatobranchus caeruleomaculatus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus cymatilis sp. nov., Dermatobranchus dendonephthyphagus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus diagonalis sp. nov., Dermatobranchus earlei sp. nov., Dermatobranchus fasciatus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus funiculus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus kalyptos sp. nov., Dermatobranchus kokonas sp. nov., Dermatobranchus leoni sp. nov., Dermatobranchus microphallus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus oculus sp. nov., Dermatobranchus phyllodes sp. nov., Dermatobranchus piperoides sp. nov., Dermatobranchus rodmani sp. nov., Dermatobranchus semilunus sp. nov., and Dermatobranchus tuberculatus sp. nov. Eighteen of these new taxa are found in the Indo-Pacific tropics and two are found in temperate South Africa, D. albineus and D. arminus. Unique combinations of morphological characters distinguish these as new species of Dermatobranchus. Several species that are externally similar have radically divergent internal morphology, are members of different clades of Dermatobranchus, and represent cryptic species. Especially important is the radular morphology, which shows remarkable diversity of form, probably related directly to the diversification of feeding of members of this clade on various octocorals. PMID:21527987

Convergent Evolution of Unique Morphological Adaptations to a Subterranean Environment in Cave Millipedes (Diplopoda)

PubMed Central

Golovatch, Sergei; Wesener, Thomas; Tian, Mingyi

2017-01-01

Animal life in caves has fascinated researchers and the public alike because of the unusual and sometimes bizarre morphological adaptations observed in numerous troglobitic species. Despite their worldwide diversity, the adaptations of cave millipedes (Diplopoda) to a troglobitic lifestyle have rarely been examined. In this study, morphological characters were analyzed in species belonging to four different orders (Glomerida, Polydesmida, Chordeumatida, and Spirostreptida) and six different families (Glomeridae, Paradoxosomatidae, Polydesmidae, Haplodesmidae, Megalotylidae, and Cambalopsidae) that represent the taxonomic diversity of class Diplopoda. We focused on the recently discovered millipede fauna of caves in southern China. Thirty different characters were used to compare cave troglobites and epigean species within the same genera. A character matrix was created to analyze convergent evolution of cave adaptations. Males and females were analyzed independently to examine sex differences in cave adaptations. While 10 characters only occurred in a few phylogenetic groups, 20 characters were scored for in all families. Of these, four characters were discovered to have evolved convergently in all troglobitic millipedes. The characters that represented potential morphological cave adaptations in troglobitic species were: (1) a longer body; (2) a lighter body color; (3) elongation of the femora; and (4) elongation of the tarsi of walking legs. Surprisingly, female, but not male, antennae were more elongated in troglobites than in epigean species. Our study clearly shows that morphological adaptations have evolved convergently in different, unrelated millipede orders and families, most likely as a direct adaptation to cave life. PMID:28178274

Convergent Evolution of Unique Morphological Adaptations to a Subterranean Environment in Cave Millipedes (Diplopoda).

PubMed

Liu, Weixin; Golovatch, Sergei; Wesener, Thomas; Tian, Mingyi

2017-01-01

Animal life in caves has fascinated researchers and the public alike because of the unusual and sometimes bizarre morphological adaptations observed in numerous troglobitic species. Despite their worldwide diversity, the adaptations of cave millipedes (Diplopoda) to a troglobitic lifestyle have rarely been examined. In this study, morphological characters were analyzed in species belonging to four different orders (Glomerida, Polydesmida, Chordeumatida, and Spirostreptida) and six different families (Glomeridae, Paradoxosomatidae, Polydesmidae, Haplodesmidae, Megalotylidae, and Cambalopsidae) that represent the taxonomic diversity of class Diplopoda. We focused on the recently discovered millipede fauna of caves in southern China. Thirty different characters were used to compare cave troglobites and epigean species within the same genera. A character matrix was created to analyze convergent evolution of cave adaptations. Males and females were analyzed independently to examine sex differences in cave adaptations. While 10 characters only occurred in a few phylogenetic groups, 20 characters were scored for in all families. Of these, four characters were discovered to have evolved convergently in all troglobitic millipedes. The characters that represented potential morphological cave adaptations in troglobitic species were: (1) a longer body; (2) a lighter body color; (3) elongation of the femora; and (4) elongation of the tarsi of walking legs. Surprisingly, female, but not male, antennae were more elongated in troglobites than in epigean species. Our study clearly shows that morphological adaptations have evolved convergently in different, unrelated millipede orders and families, most likely as a direct adaptation to cave life.

Phylogeny of kemenyan (Styrax sp.) from North Sumatra based on morphological characters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Susilowati, A.; Kholibrina, C. R.; Rachmat, H. H.; Munthe, M. A.

2018-02-01

Kemenyan is the most famous local tree species from North Sumatra. Kemenyan is known as rosin producer that very valuable for pharmacheutical, cosmetic, food preservatives and vernis. Based on its history, there were only two species of kemenyan those were kemenyan durame and toba, but in its the natural distribution we also found others species showing different characteristics with previously known ones. The objectives of this research were:The objectives of this research were: (1). To determine the morphological diversity of kemenyan in North Sumatra and (2). To determine phylogeny clustering based on the morphological characters. Data was collected from direct observation and morphological characterization, based on purposive sampling technique to those samples trees atPakpak Bharat, North Sumatra. Morphological characters were examined using descriptive analysis, phenotypic variability using standard deviation, and cluster analysis. The result showed that there was a difference between 4 species kemenyen (batak, minyak, durame and toba) according to 75 observed characters including flower, fruits, leaf, stem, bark, crown type, wood and the resin. Analysis and both quantitative and qualitative characters kemenyan clustered into two groups. In which, kemenyan toba separated with other clusters.

Mathematical morphology-based shape feature analysis for Chinese character recognition systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pai, Tun-Wen; Shyu, Keh-Hwa; Chen, Ling-Fan; Tai, Gwo-Chin

1995-04-01

This paper proposes an efficient technique of shape feature extraction based on the application of mathematical morphology theory. A new shape complexity index for preclassification of machine printed Chinese Character Recognition (CCR) is also proposed. For characters represented in different fonts/sizes or in a low resolution environment, a more stable local feature such as shape structure is preferred for character recognition. Morphological valley extraction filters are applied to extract the protrusive strokes from four sides of an input Chinese character. The number of extracted local strokes reflects the shape complexity of each side. These shape features of characters are encoded as corresponding shape complexity indices. Based on the shape complexity index, data base is able to be classified into 16 groups prior to recognition procedures. The performance of associating with shape feature analysis reclaims several characters from misrecognized character sets and results in an average of 3.3% improvement of recognition rate from an existing recognition system. In addition to enhance the recognition performance, the extracted stroke information can be further analyzed and classified its own stroke type. Therefore, the combination of extracted strokes from each side provides a means for data base clustering based on radical or subword components. It is one of the best solutions for recognizing high complexity characters such as Chinese characters which are divided into more than 200 different categories and consist more than 13,000 characters.

Preliminary Study of the Effect of Incremental Rehearsal with a Morphological Component for Teaching Chinese Character Recognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kwong, Elena; Burns, Matthew K.

2016-01-01

The current study examined the effectiveness of Incremental Rehearsal (IR) for teaching Chinese character recognition using a single-case experimental design. In addition, a morphological component was added to standard IR procedures (IRM) to take into account the role of morphological awareness in Chinese reading. Three kindergarten students in…

Morphological Structure Processing during Word Recognition and Its Relationship to Character Reading among Third-Grade Chinese Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Duo; McBride-Chang, Catherine

2014-01-01

In the present study, we explored the characteristics of morphological structure processing during word recognition among third grade Chinese children and its possible relationship with Chinese character reading. By using the modified priming lexical decision paradigm, a significant morphological structure priming effect was found in the subject…

Good practices for common sole assessment in the Adriatic Sea: Genetic and morphological differentiation of Solea solea (Linnaeus, 1758) from S. aegyptiaca (Chabanaud, 1927) and stock identification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabatini, Laura; Bullo, Marianna; Cariani, Alessia; Celić, Igor; Ferrari, Alice; Guarniero, Ilaria; Leoni, Simone; Marčeta, Bojan; Marcone, Alessandro; Polidori, Piero; Raicevich, Saša; Tinti, Fausto; Vrgoč, Nedo; Scarcella, Giuseppe

2018-07-01

In the Adriatic Sea two cryptic species of sole coexist, the common and Egyptian sole. Soles are one of the most valuable demersal fishery resources in the Adriatic Sea, so a correct species identification is crucial in order to perform stock assessment and implement effective management measures based on reliable and accurate data. In this study specimens collected during fishery-independent and fishery-dependent activities in the Adriatic were analyzed and identified coupling morphological and genetic approaches. A comparison of these two methods for the sole species identification was carried out to assess the most effective, accurate and practical diagnostic morphological key-character(s). Results showed that external characters, in particular features of the posterior dorsal and anal fins, are valid and accurate morphological markers. Based on these traits, a practical identification key of the two sibling species was proposed. Moreover, it was possible to estimate the extent of the error due to species misidentification introduced in the common sole stock assessment carried out in the Northern-central Adriatic Sea (GSA17). A 5% bias in the correct identification of common sole specimens was detected. However, this bias was shown not to affect the common sole stock assessment. Moreover, the genetic profiling of the Adriatic common sole allowed estimating genetic diversity and assessing population structure. Significant divergence between common soles inhabiting the eastern part of the Southern Adriatic Sea and those collected from the other areas of the basin was confirmed. Therefore, the occurrence of genetically differentiated subpopulations supports the need to implement independent stock assessments and management measures.

First record of the genus Ptilocerus in the Australian Region, with the description of two new species (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae).

PubMed

Malipatil, M B

2018-04-16

The assassin bugs of the genus Ptilocerus Gray, 1831 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Holoptilinae) occurring in the Australian Region are reviewed for the first time, resulting in the description of two new species, viz., P. spangenbergi sp. nov. (Queensland and Northern Territory, Australia) and P. papuensis sp. nov. (Papua New Guinea). The latter species differs from P. fuscus Gray, 1831 (the type-species of genus Ptilocerus) in a couple of major external morphological characters, hence its tentative placement in the genus Ptilocerus is discussed. A key for the separation of the two new species is provided.

Phylogeny of Collembola based on cuticular compounds:inherent usefulness and limitation of a character type

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Porco, David; Deharveng, Louis

2009-08-01

The phylogeny of Collembola, originally discussed from a morphological point of view, has more recently benefited from novel insights brought by molecular analyses. Both morphological and molecular characters produced a well-resolved phylogenetic hypothesis including all orders, most families, and a large number of genera. However, several conflicting points exist between molecular and morphological data, and new characters are clearly needed to resolve these inconsistencies. In this study the usefulness of a new character type not previously used in the phylogenetic study of Collembola was tested: the epicuticular chemical compounds. Our phylogenetic analysis was based on 380 compounds from 26 Collembola species. The results show good resolution for terminal branches but not for internal nodes. This is probably due to the partial involvement of epicuticular lipids in ecological functions such as water conservation and sexual attraction. Thus, this character type is appropriate for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships among recently diversified groups.

Ancestral State Reconstruction Reveals Rampant Homoplasy of Diagnostic Morphological Characters in Urticaceae, Conflicting with Current Classification Schemes

PubMed Central

Wu, Zeng-Yuan; Milne, Richard I.; Chen, Chia-Jui; Liu, Jie; Wang, Hong; Li, De-Zhu

2015-01-01

Urticaceae is a family with more than 2000 species, which contains remarkable morphological diversity. It has undergone many taxonomic reorganizations, and is currently the subject of further systematic studies. To gain more resolution in systematic studies and to better understand the general patterns of character evolution in Urticaceae, based on our previous phylogeny including 169 accessions comprising 122 species across 47 Urticaceae genera, we examined 19 diagnostic characters, and analysed these employing both maximum-parsimony and maximum-likelihood approaches. Our results revealed that 16 characters exhibited multiple state changes within the family, with ten exhibiting >eight changes and three exhibiting between 28 and 40. Morphological synapomorphies were identified for many clades, but the diagnostic value of these was often limited due to reversals within the clade and/or homoplasies elsewhere. Recognition of the four clades comprising the family at subfamily level can be supported by a small number carefully chosen defining traits for each. Several non-monophyletic genera appear to be defined only by characters that are plesiomorphic within their clades, and more detailed work would be valuable to find defining traits for monophyletic clades within these. Some character evolution may be attributed to adaptive evolution in Urticaceae due to shifts in habitat or vegetation type. This study demonstrated the value of using phylogeny to trace character evolution, and determine the relative importance of morphological traits for classification. PMID:26529598

Wilsonosiphonia gen. nov. (Rhodomelaceae, Rhodophyta) based on molecular and morpho-anatomical characters.

PubMed

Bustamante, Danilo E; Won, Boo Yeon; Miller, Kathy Ann; Cho, Tae Oh

2017-04-01

Morphological, anatomical, and molecular sequence data were used to assess the establishment and phylogenetic position of the genus Wilsonosiphonia gen. nov. Phylogenies based on rbcL and concatenated rbcL and cox1 loci support recognition of Wilsonosiphonia gen. nov., sister to Herposiphonia. Diagnostic features for Wilsonosiphonia are rhizoids located at distal ends of pericentral cells and taproot-shaped multicellular tips of rhizoids. Wilsonosiphonia includes three species with diagnostic rbcL and cox1 sequences, Wilsonosiphonia fujiae sp. nov. (the generitype), W. howei comb. nov., and W. indica sp. nov. These three species resemble each other in external morphology, but W. fujiae is distinguished by having two tetrasporangia per segment rather than one, W. indica by having abundant and persistent trichoblasts, and W. howei by having few and deciduous trichoblasts. © 2017 Phycological Society of America.

Functional morphology of the hallucal metatarsal with implications for inferring grasping ability in extinct primates.

PubMed

Goodenberger, Katherine E; Boyer, Doug M; Orr, Caley M; Jacobs, Rachel L; Femiani, John C; Patel, Biren A

2015-03-01

Primate evolutionary morphologists have argued that selection for life in a fine branch niche resulted in grasping specializations that are reflected in the hallucal metatarsal (Mt1) morphology of extant "prosimians", while a transition to use of relatively larger, horizontal substrates explains the apparent loss of such characters in anthropoids. Accordingly, these morphological characters-Mt1 torsion, peroneal process length and thickness, and physiological abduction angle-have been used to reconstruct grasping ability and locomotor mode in the earliest fossil primates. Although these characters are prominently featured in debates on the origin and subsequent radiation of Primates, questions remain about their functional significance. This study examines the relationship between these morphological characters of the Mt1 and a novel metric of pedal grasping ability for a large number of extant taxa in a phylogenetic framework. Results indicate greater Mt1 torsion in taxa that engage in hallucal grasping and in those that utilize relatively small substrates more frequently. This study provides evidence that Carpolestes simpsoni has a torsion value more similar to grasping primates than to any scandentian. The results also show that taxa that habitually grasp vertical substrates are distinguished from other taxa in having relatively longer peroneal processes. Furthermore, a longer peroneal process is also correlated with calcaneal elongation, a metric previously found to reflect leaping proclivity. A more refined understanding of the functional associations between Mt1 morphology and behavior in extant primates enhances the potential for using these morphological characters to comprehend primate (locomotor) evolution. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Barcoding of ancient lake ostracods (crustacea) reveals cryptic speciation with extremely low distances.

PubMed

Karanovic, Ivana

2015-01-01

Ostracods are drastically reduced crustaceans, with never more than eight appendages enclosed between two valves, leaving only a limited number of morphological characters for species delineation. Conservative morphology of characters used to define genera, along with high variability of characters used to define species are creating problems in applying a morphospecies concept. A high intraspecific variability in a Lake Biwa (Japan) endemic, Physocypria biwaensis (Okubo, 1990), has been observed previously but was never studied in detail. Two sympatric forms, differing in pigmentation and size, suggest a presence of reproductive isolation. The aim of this study is to employ molecular and morphometric tools to aid in species delineation within P. biwaensis complex and reconstruct their phylogenetic relationships. A fragment of the mtCOI gene was amplified from 30 specimens, and an additional 37 specimens were studied for morphological characters. Resulting phylogenies showed that each morphologically distinct form is associated with a distinct phylogenetic group based on mtDNA. The average pairwise distance is very low (5%), indicating a recent divergence time. I speculate that there is a possibility that one of them originated in the lake, while the other probably colonized it afterwards. This seems to be supported with an apparent niche partitioning at different depths. In spite of the fact that traditionally used sexual characters are highly variable in these two species, the morphometric analysis of shell and soft part related characters clearly delineates them and suggests that such characters may be useful for future detection of seemingly cryptic ostracod species.

Comparative morphological studies on four populations of the shrimp Rimicaris exoculata from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vereshchaka, A. L.

1997-11-01

Four populations (a total of 677 specimens) of the hydrothermal shrimp species Rimicaris exoculata from three Mid-Atlantic Ridge vent fields were studied: Broken Spur (29°N), TAG (26°N), and "14-45" (14°N). Five morphological characters were analysed: number of dorsolateral spines on telson, telative carapace width, relative abdominal length, presence of "abnormal telson", and fat content. Dependences of each character upon shrimp size were analysed. Division of the shrimp ontogenesis on the basis of general morphology is proposed. Phenotypic analysis based upon five selected characters revealed statistically significant divergence between two populations within the same vent field TAG. Probable causes of observed divergence are discussed.

Assessment of available anatomical characters for linking living mammals to fossil taxa in phylogenetic analyses.

PubMed

Guillerme, Thomas; Cooper, Natalie

2016-05-01

Analyses of living and fossil taxa are crucial for understanding biodiversity through time. The total evidence method allows living and fossil taxa to be combined in phylogenies, using molecular data for living taxa and morphological data for living and fossil taxa. With this method, substantial overlap of coded anatomical characters among living and fossil taxa is vital for accurately inferring topology. However, although molecular data for living species are widely available, scientists generating morphological data mainly focus on fossils. Therefore, there are fewer coded anatomical characters in living taxa, even in well-studied groups such as mammals. We investigated the number of coded anatomical characters available in phylogenetic matrices for living mammals and how these were phylogenetically distributed across orders. Eleven of 28 mammalian orders have less than 25% species with available characters; this has implications for the accurate placement of fossils, although the issue is less pronounced at higher taxonomic levels. In most orders, species with available characters are randomly distributed across the phylogeny, which may reduce the impact of the problem. We suggest that increased morphological data collection efforts for living taxa are needed to produce accurate total evidence phylogenies. © 2016 The Authors.

The morphological state space revisited: what do phylogenetic patterns in homoplasy tell us about the number of possible character states?

PubMed Central

Hoyal Cuthill, Jennifer F.

2015-01-01

Biological variety and major evolutionary transitions suggest that the space of possible morphologies may have varied among lineages and through time. However, most models of phylogenetic character evolution assume that the potential state space is finite. Here, I explore what the morphological state space might be like, by analysing trends in homoplasy (repeated derivation of the same character state). Analyses of ten published character matrices are compared against computer simulations with different state space models: infinite states, finite states, ordered states and an ‘inertial' model, simulating phylogenetic constraints. Of these, only the infinite states model results in evolution without homoplasy, a prediction which is not generally met by real phylogenies. Many authors have interpreted the ubiquity of homoplasy as evidence that the number of evolutionary alternatives is finite. However, homoplasy is also predicted by phylogenetic constraints on the morphological distance that can be traversed between ancestor and descendent. Phylogenetic rarefaction (sub-sampling) shows that finite and inertial state spaces do produce contrasting trends in the distribution of homoplasy. Two clades show trends characteristic of phylogenetic inertia, with decreasing homoplasy (increasing consistency index) as we sub-sample more distantly related taxa. One clade shows increasing homoplasy, suggesting exhaustion of finite states. Different clades may, therefore, show different patterns of character evolution. However, when parsimony uninformative characters are excluded (which may occur without documentation in cladistic studies), it may no longer be possible to distinguish inertial and finite state spaces. Interestingly, inertial models predict that homoplasy should be clustered among comparatively close relatives (parallel evolution), whereas finite state models do not. If morphological evolution is often inertial in nature, then homoplasy (false homology) may primarily occur between close relatives, perhaps being replaced by functional analogy at higher taxonomic scales. PMID:26640650

A combinatorial approach to angiosperm pollen morphology.

PubMed

Mander, Luke

2016-11-30

Angiosperms (flowering plants) are strikingly diverse. This is clearly expressed in the morphology of their pollen grains, which are characterized by enormous variety in their shape and patterning. In this paper, I approach angiosperm pollen morphology from the perspective of enumerative combinatorics. This involves generating angiosperm pollen morphotypes by algorithmically combining character states and enumerating the results of these combinations. I use this approach to generate 3 643 200 pollen morphotypes, which I visualize using a parallel-coordinates plot. This represents a raw morphospace. To compare real-world and theoretical morphologies, I map the pollen of 1008 species of Neotropical angiosperms growing on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama, onto this raw morphospace. This highlights that, in addition to their well-documented taxonomic diversity, Neotropical rainforests also represent an enormous reservoir of morphological diversity. Angiosperm pollen morphospace at BCI has been filled mostly by pollen morphotypes that are unique to single plant species. Repetition of pollen morphotypes among higher taxa at BCI reflects both constraint and convergence. This combinatorial approach to morphology addresses the complexity that results from large numbers of discrete character combinations and could be employed in any situation where organismal form can be captured by discrete morphological characters. © 2016 The Author(s).

A combinatorial approach to angiosperm pollen morphology

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Angiosperms (flowering plants) are strikingly diverse. This is clearly expressed in the morphology of their pollen grains, which are characterized by enormous variety in their shape and patterning. In this paper, I approach angiosperm pollen morphology from the perspective of enumerative combinatorics. This involves generating angiosperm pollen morphotypes by algorithmically combining character states and enumerating the results of these combinations. I use this approach to generate 3 643 200 pollen morphotypes, which I visualize using a parallel-coordinates plot. This represents a raw morphospace. To compare real-world and theoretical morphologies, I map the pollen of 1008 species of Neotropical angiosperms growing on Barro Colorado Island (BCI), Panama, onto this raw morphospace. This highlights that, in addition to their well-documented taxonomic diversity, Neotropical rainforests also represent an enormous reservoir of morphological diversity. Angiosperm pollen morphospace at BCI has been filled mostly by pollen morphotypes that are unique to single plant species. Repetition of pollen morphotypes among higher taxa at BCI reflects both constraint and convergence. This combinatorial approach to morphology addresses the complexity that results from large numbers of discrete character combinations and could be employed in any situation where organismal form can be captured by discrete morphological characters. PMID:27881756

A new species of the genus Aulacorthum (Hemiptera: Aphididae) from the Korean Peninsula and its discrimination from a closely-related species using morphological and molecular characters.

PubMed

Lee, Wonhoon; Kim, Hyojoong; Havelka, Jan; Lee, Seunghwan

2011-04-01

Aulacorthum sp. collected on Artemisia princeps and Artemisia stolonifera (Asteraceae) in the Korean Peninsula was compared with the eight Aulacorthum species using molecular and morphological characters. In the sequence analysis, the genetic divergences of two mitochondrial genes, COI and CytB, between Aulacorthum sp. and the congeneric species were higher than those among the congeneric species. In the morphometric analysis, principal components analysis using 13 morphological characters reveals that Aulacorthum sp. is distinguished from the congeneric species, especially Aulacorthum albimagnoliae, which is morphologically most similar to Aulacorthum sp.. Based on these results, we propose a new species, Aulacorthum (Aulacorthum) artemisiphaga Lee, Havelka, and Lee sp. nov., with a description of apterous and alate viviparous females and an identification key to species in the genus Aulacorthum in the Korean Peninsula based on apterous viviparous females.

Comparison of morphological characters in Irish and English populations of the acanthocephalan Pomphorhynchus laevis (Müller, 1776).

PubMed

O'Mahony, E M; Kennedy, C R; Holland, C V

2004-10-01

Pomphorhynchus laevis is believed on ecological evidence to exist as three strains in the British Isles. However, the strains have never been shown to be capable of being distinguished using morphological characters. A morphological comparison was made between a sample of P. laevis from Salmo trutta in L. Feeagh in the west of Ireland and a sample from Leuciscus cephalus in R. Culm in the south of England. The length and width of the trunk, neck, bulb, proboscis and hooks were measured. The number of hooks per row, the number of rows and the positions of the stoutest and longest hooks were also recorded. A Principal Components Analysis based on the morphological measurements confirmed the separation of the two populations and showed that two characters successfully identified the populations: the position of the stoutest hook and the ratio of numbers of anterior to posterior hooks.

Review of the genera of Conoderinae (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) from North America, Central America, and the Caribbean

PubMed Central

Anzaldo, Salvatore S.

2017-01-01

Abstract The thirty-nine extant genera of Conoderinae known to occur in North America, Central America, and the Caribbean are reviewed based on external morphology. An identification key is provided along with diagnoses, distributions, species counts, and natural history information, when known, for each genus. Morphological character systems of importance for weevil classification are surveyed, potential relationships among the tribes and genera are discussed, and groups most in need of taxonomic and phylogenetic attention are identified. The following genera are transferred to new tribes: Acoptus LeConte, 1876 from the Lechriopini to the Othippiini (new placement) and the South American genus Hedycera Pascoe, 1870 from the Lechriopini to the Piazurini (new placement). Philides Champion, 1906 and Philinna Champion, 1906 are transferred from the Lechriopini to Conoderinae incertae sedis (new placement) although their placement as conoderines is uncertain. The species Copturomimus cinereus Heller, 1895 is designated as the type species of the genus Copturomimus Heller, 1895. PMID:28769729

The semi-aquatic freshwater earthworms of the genus Glyphidrilus Horst, 1889 from Thailand (Oligochaeta, Almidae) with re-descriptions of several species

PubMed Central

Chanabun, Ratmanee; Sutcharit, Chirasak; Tongkerd, Piyoros; Panha, Somsak

2013-01-01

Abstract The semi-aquatic freshwater earthworm genus Glyphidrilus Horst, 1889 from Thailand was investigated based on extensive recent collecting. The species in this genus were characterized by their external and internal morphological characters of the location of wings, genital openings, genital organ structures and their locations, as well as the dimensions of body length and number of segments. Several type specimens were compared with both previous and newly collected materials. Ten new species are described from several river systems in Thailand; as Glyphidrilus borealis sp. n., Glyphidrilus chaophraya sp. n., Glyphidrilus chiensis sp. n., Glyphidrilus huailuangensis sp. n., Glyphidrilus kratuensis sp. n., Glyphidrilus quadratus sp. n., Glyphidrilus trangensis sp. n., Glyphidrilus wararamensis sp. n., Glyphidrilus vangthongensis sp. n. and Glyphidrilus vesper sp. n. Each species is endemic to a single river system. All 26 previously described species are re-described, and eight lectotypes have been designated. An identification key and a morphological comparison summary are provided. PMID:23653518

Diversification of Angraecum (Orchidaceae, Vandeae) in Madagascar: Revised Phylogeny Reveals Species Accumulation through Time Rather than Rapid Radiation

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Angraecum is the largest genus of subtribe Angraecinae (Orchidaceae) with about 221 species. Madagascar is the center of the diversity for the genus with ca. 142 species, of which 90% are endemic. The great morphological diversity associated with species diversification in the genus on the island of Madagascar offers valuable insights for macroevolutionary studies. Phylogenies of the Angraecinae have been published but a lack of taxon and character sampling and their limited taxonomic resolution limit their uses for macroevolutionary studies. We present a new phylogeny of Angraecum based on chloroplast sequence data (matk, rps16, trnL), nuclear ribosomal (ITS2) and 39 morphological characters from 194 Angraecinae species of which 69 were newly sampled. Using this phylogeny, we evaluated the monophyly of the sections of Angraecum as defined by Garay and investigated the patterns of species diversification within the genus. We used maximum parsimony and bayesian analyses to generate phylogenetic trees and dated divergence times of the phylogeny. We analyzed diversification patterns within Angraecinae and Angraecum with an emphasis on four floral characters (flower color, flower size, labellum position, spur length) using macroevolutionary models to evaluate which characters or character states are associated with speciation rates, and inferred ancestral states of these characters. The phylogenetic analysis showed the polyphyly of Angraecum sensu lato and of all Angraecum sections except sect. Hadrangis, and that morphology can be consistent with the phylogeny. It appeared that the characters (flower color, flower size, spur length) formerly used by many authors to delineate Angraecum groups were insufficient to do so. However, the newly described character, position of the labellum (uppermost and lowermost), was the main character delimiting clades within a monophyletic Angraecum sensu stricto. This character also appeared to be associated with speciation rates in Angraecum. The macroevolutionary model-based phylogeny failed to detect shifts in diversification that could be associated directly with morphological diversification. Diversification in Angraecum resulted from gradual species accumulation through time rather than from rapid radiation, a diversification pattern often encountered in tropical rain forests. PMID:27669569

Diversification of Angraecum (Orchidaceae, Vandeae) in Madagascar: Revised Phylogeny Reveals Species Accumulation through Time Rather than Rapid Radiation.

PubMed

Andriananjamanantsoa, Herinandrianina N; Engberg, Shannon; Louis, Edward E; Brouillet, Luc

Angraecum is the largest genus of subtribe Angraecinae (Orchidaceae) with about 221 species. Madagascar is the center of the diversity for the genus with ca. 142 species, of which 90% are endemic. The great morphological diversity associated with species diversification in the genus on the island of Madagascar offers valuable insights for macroevolutionary studies. Phylogenies of the Angraecinae have been published but a lack of taxon and character sampling and their limited taxonomic resolution limit their uses for macroevolutionary studies. We present a new phylogeny of Angraecum based on chloroplast sequence data (matk, rps16, trnL), nuclear ribosomal (ITS2) and 39 morphological characters from 194 Angraecinae species of which 69 were newly sampled. Using this phylogeny, we evaluated the monophyly of the sections of Angraecum as defined by Garay and investigated the patterns of species diversification within the genus. We used maximum parsimony and bayesian analyses to generate phylogenetic trees and dated divergence times of the phylogeny. We analyzed diversification patterns within Angraecinae and Angraecum with an emphasis on four floral characters (flower color, flower size, labellum position, spur length) using macroevolutionary models to evaluate which characters or character states are associated with speciation rates, and inferred ancestral states of these characters. The phylogenetic analysis showed the polyphyly of Angraecum sensu lato and of all Angraecum sections except sect. Hadrangis, and that morphology can be consistent with the phylogeny. It appeared that the characters (flower color, flower size, spur length) formerly used by many authors to delineate Angraecum groups were insufficient to do so. However, the newly described character, position of the labellum (uppermost and lowermost), was the main character delimiting clades within a monophyletic Angraecum sensu stricto. This character also appeared to be associated with speciation rates in Angraecum. The macroevolutionary model-based phylogeny failed to detect shifts in diversification that could be associated directly with morphological diversification. Diversification in Angraecum resulted from gradual species accumulation through time rather than from rapid radiation, a diversification pattern often encountered in tropical rain forests.

The Cylindrobulla/Ascobulla complex--unraveling problems in identification and adding to Cylindrobulla diversity (Gastropoda, Heterobranchia, Sacoglossa) by describing a new species.

PubMed

Laetz, Elise; Christa, Gregor; Händeler, Katharina; Wägele, Heike

2014-12-09

Sacoglossa (Gastropoda: Heterobranchia) are generally considered a monophyletic group, previously associated within the now defunct "Opisthobranchia", but now basally located within Panpulmonata. In the light of this new phylogenetic hypothesis, detailed knowledge of the most basal groups within Sacoglossa is of paramount importance. This study focuses on the genus Cylindrobulla, which is usually considered the most basal group within the Sacoglossa from a morphological point of view, because it does not share the typical elongate radula teeth of all other Sacoglossa. We describe a new species, Cylindrobulla schuppi sp. nov., and provide data on its food. We reexamined and clarify the radula of the type species C. beauii, review the genus with all other valid species, provide new characters to aid in the proper identification of species within this genus, compare it to the very similar genus Ascobulla, present a determination key using external characters to ensure proper identification of the two similar genera, and discuss phylogenetic relationships within the shelled sacoglossan, the Oxynoacea.

Revision of Hemiquedius Casey (Staphylinidae, Staphylininae) and a review of beetles dependent on beavers and muskrats in North America

PubMed Central

Brunke, Adam; Smetana, Aleš; Carruthers-Lay, Duncan; Buffam, Joel

2017-01-01

Abstract Based on newly discovered characters on the male genitalia, external morphology and an accumulation of ecological data, we revise the single member of the genus Hemiquedius. Two new species, H. infinitus Brunke & Smetana, sp. n. and H. castoris Brunke & Smetana, sp. n., from eastern North America are described, and H. ferox (LeConte), restricted to peninsular Florida, is re-described. Hemiquedius castoris is strongly associated with the microhabitats provided by nest materials of the North American beaver and muskrat. A key to the three species of Hemiquedius is provided and diagnostic characters are illustrated. We also review the beetles known to be obligate associates of beavers and muskrats, and discuss the potential role of these keystone vertebrates in beetle evolution and distribution. Based on nest-associated beetles and their closest living relatives, beaver and muskrat lodges may extend distributions northward by moderating winters, promote sympatric speciation and act as refugia against extinction of lineages on a broader timescale. Further research into these potential impacts by ecologists and evolutionary biologists is encouraged. PMID:29118599

Revision of Hemiquedius Casey (Staphylinidae, Staphylininae) and a review of beetles dependent on beavers and muskrats in North America.

PubMed

Brunke, Adam; Smetana, Aleš; Carruthers-Lay, Duncan; Buffam, Joel

2017-01-01

Based on newly discovered characters on the male genitalia, external morphology and an accumulation of ecological data, we revise the single member of the genus Hemiquedius . Two new species, H. infinitus Brunke & Smetana, sp. n. and H. castoris Brunke & Smetana, sp. n. , from eastern North America are described, and H. ferox (LeConte), restricted to peninsular Florida, is re-described. Hemiquedius castoris is strongly associated with the microhabitats provided by nest materials of the North American beaver and muskrat. A key to the three species of Hemiquedius is provided and diagnostic characters are illustrated. We also review the beetles known to be obligate associates of beavers and muskrats, and discuss the potential role of these keystone vertebrates in beetle evolution and distribution. Based on nest-associated beetles and their closest living relatives, beaver and muskrat lodges may extend distributions northward by moderating winters, promote sympatric speciation and act as refugia against extinction of lineages on a broader timescale. Further research into these potential impacts by ecologists and evolutionary biologists is encouraged.

External morphology and calling song characteristics in Tibicen plebejus (Hemiptera: Cicadidae).

PubMed

Mehdipour, Maedeh; Sendi, Jalal Jalali; Zamanian, Hossein

2015-02-01

Tibicen plebejus is the largest cicada native to the ecosystem in northern Iran. The male cicada produces a loud calling song for attracting females from a long distance. It is presumed that the female selects a mate based on a combination of passive and active mechanisms, but it is not known if she selects for size, nor if the male's size correlates with any characteristic of the advertisement call. In this study, we report the relationship between calling song features and morphological characters in the male of T. plebejus. Research was conducted in northern Iran during the summer of 2010. Seventeen males were collected and their calling songs were recorded in a natural environment. Two morphological characters were measured: length and weight. Maximum, minimum and average of values of 10 key acoustic variables of the calling song were analyzed: phrase duration, phrase part 1, phrase part 2, number of phrases per minute, echeme duration, echeme period, interecheme interval, number of echeme per second, echeme/intereheme ratio, and dominant frequency. The data were tested for the level of association between morphology and acoustic variables using simple linear regression. In conclusion, in terms of song structure, three significant positive correlations existed between length and (1) mean echeme duration, (2) mean echeme/interecheme ratio, (3) maximum echeme/interecheme ratio. We found out also four significant negative correlations between both length and weight with (1) minimum interecheme intervals, (2) mean dominant frequency, (3) minimum dominant frequency, (4) maximum dominant frequency, and between weight and (1) minimum interecheme intervals, (2) mean dominant frequency, (3) minimum dominant frequency, (4) maximum dominant frequency. It can be found that larger males of T. plebejus produce songs of lower frequency and are less silent between echemes. Copyright © 2014 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Robust Phylogeny of Tetrastigma (Vitaceae) Based on Ten Plastid DNA Regions: Implications for Infrageneric Classification and Seed Character Evolution

PubMed Central

Habib, Sadaf; Dang, Viet-Cuong; Ickert-Bond, Stefanie M.; Zhang, Jin-Long; Lu, Li-Min; Wen, Jun; Chen, Zhi-Duan

2017-01-01

Tetrastigma (Miq.) Planch. is one of the most species-rich genera of the economically and agronomically important grape family Vitaceae. It includes ca. 95 species widely distributed in the tropics and subtropics of Asia and Australia. Species of Tetrastigma exhibit great diversity in both vegetative and reproductive characters. Here we inferred a well-supported phylogeny of Tetrastigma based on ten chloroplast DNA regions with an expanded taxon sampling of 72 species and two varieties. Our molecular results support six major clades within Tetrastigma and the relationships among these clades were well-resolved. We also documented seed morphology of 44 species covering the six major clades of the genus. Ancestral states of eight characters (seed shape, seed surface rumination pattern, chalaza length/width ratio, chalaza position, ventral infold position, ventral infold divergence, ventral infold depth in cross section, and endosperm shape) were reconstructed in Mesquite and R with four models. Character optimizations suggest that all character states have evolved multiple times except that the irregular-shaped surface rumination has derived only once in Tetrastigma. We evaluated the taxonomic importance of seed morphology and identified potential morphological evidence to support each major clade. Our comprehensive analyses of Tetrastigma shed insights into the infrageneric classification of this morphologically diverse and ecologically important genus in tropical and subtropical Asia. PMID:28491066

Combining morphometrics with molecular taxonomy: how different are similar foliose keratose sponges from the Australian tropics?

PubMed

Abdul Wahab, M A; Fromont, J; Whalan, S; Webster, N; Andreakis, N

2014-04-01

Sponge taxonomy can be challenging as many groups exhibit extreme morphological plasticity induced by local environmental conditions. Foliose keratose sponges of the sub-family Phyllospongiinae (Dictyoceratida, Thorectidae: Strepsichordaia, Phyllospongia and Carteriospongia) are commonly found in intertidal and subtidal habitats of the Indo-Pacific. Lacking spicules, these sponges can be difficult to differentiate due to the lack of reliable morphological characters for species delineation. We use molecular phylogenies inferred from the nuclear Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 region (ITS2) and morphometrics (19 characters; 52 character states) to identify evolutionarily significant units (ESUs; sensu Moritz) within foliose Phyllosponginiids collected from seven geographic locations across tropical eastern and Western Australia. The ITS2 topology was congruent with the tree derived from Bayesian inference of discrete morphological characters supporting expected taxonomic relationships at the genus level and the identification of five ESUs. However, phylogenies inferred from the ITS2 marker revealed multiple sequence clusters, some of which were characterised by distinct morphological features and specific geographic ranges. Our results are discussed in light of taxonomic incongruences within this study, hidden sponge diversity and the role of vicariant events in influencing present day distribution patterns. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular Phylogenies Support Homoplasy of Multiple Morphological Characters Used in the Taxonomy of Heteroscleromorpha (Porifera: Demospongiae)

PubMed Central

Morrow, Christine C.; Redmond, Niamh E.; Picton, Bernard E.; Thacker, Robert W.; Collins, Allen G.; Maggs, Christine A.; Sigwart, Julia D.; Allcock, A. Louise

2013-01-01

Sponge classification has long been based mainly on morphocladistic analyses but is now being greatly challenged by more than 12 years of accumulated analyses of molecular data analyses. The current study used phylogenetic hypotheses based on sequence data from 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, and the CO1 barcoding fragment, combined with morphology to justify the resurrection of the order Axinellida Lévi, 1953. Axinellida occupies a key position in different morphologically derived topologies. The abandonment of Axinellida and the establishment of Halichondrida Vosmaer, 1887 sensu lato to contain Halichondriidae Gray, 1867, Axinellidae Carter, 1875, Bubaridae Topsent, 1894, Heteroxyidae Dendy, 1905, and a new family Dictyonellidae van Soest et al., 1990 was based on the conclusion that an axially condensed skeleton evolved independently in separate lineages in preference to the less parsimonious assumption that asters (star-shaped spicules), acanthostyles (club-shaped spicules with spines), and sigmata (C-shaped spicules) each evolved more than once. Our new molecular trees are congruent and contrast with the earlier, morphologically based, trees. The results show that axially condensed skeletons, asters, acanthostyles, and sigmata are all homoplasious characters. The unrecognized homoplasious nature of these characters explains much of the incongruence between molecular-based and morphology-based phylogenies. We use the molecular trees presented here as a basis for re-interpreting the morphological characters within Heteroscleromorpha. The implications for the classification of Heteroscleromorpha are discussed and a new order Biemnida ord. nov. is erected. PMID:23753661

A new species of triadal coral snake of the genus Micrurus Wagler, 1824 (Serpentes: Elapidae) from northeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Pires, Matheus Godoy; Da Silva, Nelson Jorge; Feitosa, Darlan Tavares; Prudente, Ana Lúcia Da Costa; Filho, Gentil Alves Pereira; Zaher, Hussam

2014-06-05

The genus Micrurus comprises 123 currently recognized taxa (species and subspecies) that are traditionally arranged in four species groups diagnosable mainly by color pattern characteristics. Here, we describe a new species of triadal coral snake from northeastern Brazil. The new species is distinguished from other sympatric triadal congeners (M. lemniscatus carvalhoi, M. ibiboboca and M. brasiliensis) mainly by the entirely black parietals and by a suite of external characters and hemipenial morphology. The new species appears to be restricted to tropical ombrophilous lowland coastal forests of northeastern Brazil and all recently collected specimens are known to occur in small forest patches surrounded by periurban environment, which calls for an urgent evaluation on its conservation status.

Why do morphological phylogenies vary in quality? An investigation based on the comparative history of lizard clades.

PubMed

Arnold, E N

1990-05-22

Phylogenies based on morphology vary considerably in their quality: some are robust and explicit with little conflict in the data set, whereas others are far more tenuous, with much conflict and many possible alternatives. The main primary reasons for untrue or inexplicit morphological phylogenies are: not enough characters developed between branching points, uncertain character polarity, poorly differentiated character states, homoplasy caused by parallelism or reversal, and extinction, which may remove species entirely from consideration and can make originally conflicting data sets misleadingly compatible, increasing congruence at the expense of truth. Extinction differs from other confounding factors in not being apparent either in the data set or in subsequent analysis. One possibility is that variation in the quality of morphological phylogenies has resulted from exposure to different ecological situations. To investigate this, it is necessary to compare the histories of the clades concerned. In the case of explicit morphological phylogenies, ecological and behavioural data can be integrated with them and it may then be possible to decide whether morphological characters are likely to have been elicited by the environments through which the clade has passed. The credibility of such results depends not only on the phylogeny being robust but also on its detailed topology: a pectinate phylogeny will often allow more certain and more explicit statements to be made about historical events. In the case of poor phylogenies, it is not possible to produce detailed histories, but they can be compared with robust phylogenies in the range of ecological situations occupied, and whether they occupy novel situations in comparison with their outgroups. LeQuesne testing can give information about niche homoplasy, and it may also be possible to see if morphological features are functionally associated with ecological parameters, even if the direction of change is unknown. Examination of the robust and explicit phylogeny of the semaphore geckoes (Pristurus) suggests that its quality does stem from a variety of environmental factors. The group has progressed along an ecological continuum, passing through a series of increasingly severe niches that appear to have elicited many morphological changes. The fact that niches are progressively filled reduces the likelihood of species reinvading a previous one with related character reversal. Because the niches of advanced Pristurus are virtually unique within the Gekkonidae the morphological changes produced are also very rare and therefore easy to polarize. Ecological changes on the main stem of the phylogeny are abrupt and associated character states consequently well differentiated.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Unexplored Character Diversity in Onychophora (Velvet Worms): A Comparative Study of Three Peripatid Species

PubMed Central

Oliveira, Ivo de Sena; Franke, Franziska Anni; Hering, Lars; Schaffer, Stefan; Rowell, David M.; Weck-Heimann, Andreas; Monge-Nájera, Julián; Morera-Brenes, Bernal; Mayer, Georg

2012-01-01

Low character variation among onychophoran species has been an obstacle for taxonomic and phylogenetic studies in the past, however we have identified a number of new and informative characters using morphological, molecular, and chromosomal techniques. Our analyses involved a detailed examination of Epiperipatus biolleyi from Costa Rica, Eoperipatus sp. from Thailand, and a new onychophoran species and genus from Costa Rica, Principapillatus hitoyensis gen. et sp. nov.. Scanning electron microscopy on embryos and specimens of varying age revealed novel morphological characters and character states, including the distribution of different receptor types along the antennae, the arrangement and form of papillae on the head, body and legs, the presence and shape of interpedal structures and fields of modified scales on the ventral body surface, the arrangement of lips around the mouth, the number, position and structure of crural tubercles and anal gland openings, and the presence and shape of embryonic foot projections. Karyotypic analyses revealed differences in the number and size of chromosomes among the species studied. The results of our phylogenetic analyses using mitochondrial COI and 12S rRNA gene sequences are in line with morphological and karyotype data. However, our data show a large number of unexplored, albeit informative, characters in the Peripatidae. We suggest that analysing these characters in additional species would help unravel species diversity and phylogeny in the Onychophora, and that inconsistencies among most diagnostic features used for the peripatid genera in the literature could be addressed by identifying a suite of characters common to all peripatids. PMID:23284667

Gene Regulatory Networks, Homology, and the Early Panarthropod Fossil Record.

PubMed

Tweedt, Sarah M

2017-09-01

The arthropod body plan is widely believed to have derived from an ancestral form resembling Cambrian-aged fossil lobopodians, and interpretations of morphological and molecular data have long favored this hypothesis. It is possible, however, that appendages and other morphologies observed in extinct and living panarthropods evolved independently. The key to distinguishing between morphological homology and homoplasy lies in the study of developmental gene regulatory networks (GRNs), and specifically, in determining the unique genetic circuits that construct characters. In this study, I discuss character identity and panarthropod appendage evolution within a developmental GRN framework, with a specific focus on potential limb character identity networks ("ChINs"). I summarize recent molecular studies, and argue that current data do not rule out the possibility of independent panarthropod limb evolution. The link between character identity and GRN architecture has broad implications for homology assessment, and this genetic framework offers alternative approaches to fossil character coding, phylogenetic analyses, and future research into the origin of the arthropod body plan. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Predicting size limit of wild blood python (python brongersmai stull, 1938) harvesting in north sumatera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mangantar Pardamean Sianturi, Markus; Jumilawaty, Erni; Delvian; Hartanto, Adrian

2018-03-01

Blood python (Python brongersmai Stull, 1938) is one of heavily exploited wildlife in Indonesia. The high demands on its skin trade have made its harvesting regulated under quota-based setting by the government to prevent over-harvesting. To gain understanding on the sustainability of P. brongersmai in the wild, biological characters of wild-caught specimens were studied. Samples were collected from two slaughterhouses from Rantau Prapat and Langkat. Parameters measured were morphological (Snout-vent length (SVL), body mass, abdomen width) and anatomical characters (Fat classes). Total samples of P. brongersmai in this research were 541 with 269 male and 272 female snakes. Female snakes had the highest proportion of individuals with the best quality of abdominal fat reserves (Class 3). Linear models are built and tested for its significance in relation between fat classes as anatomical characters and morphological characters. All tested morphological characters were significant in female snakes. By using linear equation models, we generate size limit to prioritize harvesting in the future. We suggest the use of SVL and stomach width ranging between 139,7 – 141,5 cm and 24,72 – 25,71 cm respectively to achieve sustainability of P. brongersmai in the wild.

Combined Use of Morphological and Molecular Tools to Resolve Species Mis-Identifications in the Bivalvia The Case of Glycymeris glycymeris and G. pilosa.

PubMed

Purroy, Ariadna; Šegvić-Bubić, Tanja; Holmes, Anna; Bušelić, Ivana; Thébault, Julien; Featherstone, Amy; Peharda, Melita

Morphological and molecular tools were combined to resolve the misidentification between Glycymeris glycymeris and Glycymeris pilosa from Atlantic and Mediterranean populations. The ambiguous literature on the taxonomic status of these species requires this confirmation as a baseline to studies on their ecology and sclerochronology. We used classical and landmark-based morphometric approaches and performed bivariate and multivariate analyses to test for shell character interactions at the individual and population level. Both approaches generated complementary information. The former showed the shell width to length ratio and the valve asymmetry to be the main discriminant characters between Atlantic and Mediterranean populations. Additionally, the external microsculpture of additional and finer secondary ribs in G. glycymeris discriminates it from G. pilosa. Likewise, landmark-based geometric morphometrics revealed a stronger opisthogyrate beak and prosodetic ligament in G. pilosa than G. glycymeris. Our Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses based on COI and ITS2 genes identified that G. glycymeris and G. pilosa form two separate monophyletic clades with mean interspecific divergence of 11% and 0.9% for COI and ITS2, respectively. The congruent patterns of morphometric analysis together with mitochondrial and nuclear phylogenetic reconstructions indicated the separation of the two coexisting species. The intraspecific divergence occurred during the Eocene and accelerated during the late Pliocene and Pleistocene. Glycymeris pilosa showed a high level of genetic diversity, appearing as a more robust species whose tolerance of environmental conditions allowed its expansion throughout the Mediterranean.

Next-generation morphological character discovery and evaluation: an X-ray micro-CT enhanced revision of the ant genus Zasphinctus Wheeler (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Dorylinae) in the Afrotropics.

PubMed

Garcia, Francisco Hita; Fischer, Georg; Liu, Cong; Audisio, Tracy L; Economo, Evan P

2017-01-01

New technologies for imaging and analysis of morphological characters offer opportunities to enhance revisionary taxonomy and better integrate it with the rest of biology. In this study, we revise the Afrotropical fauna of the ant genus Zasphinctus Wheeler, and use high-resolution X-ray microtomography (micro-CT) to analyse a number of morphological characters of taxonomic and biological interest. We recognise and describe three new species: Z. obamai sp. n. , Z. sarowiwai sp. n. , and Z. wilsoni sp. n. The species delimitations are based on the morphological examination of all physical specimens in combination with 3D scans and volume reconstructions. Based on this approach, we present a new taxonomic discrimination system for the regional fauna that consists of a combination of easily observable morphological characters visible at magnifications of around 80-100 ×, less observable characters that require higher magnifications, as well as characters made visible through virtual dissections that would otherwise require destructive treatment. Zasphinctus are rarely collected ants and the material available to us is comparatively scarce. Consequently, we explore the use of micro-CT as a non-invasive tool for the virtual examination, manipulation, and dissection of such rare material. Furthermore, we delineate the treated species by providing a diagnostic character matrix illustrated by numerous images and supplement that with additional evidence in the form of stacked montage images, 3D PDFs and 3D rotation videos of scans of major body parts and full body (in total we provide 16 stacked montage photographs, 116 images of 3D reconstructions, 15 3D rotation videos, and 13 3D PDFs). In addition to the comparative morphology analyses used for species delimitations, we also apply micro-CT data to examine certain traits, such as mouthparts, cuticle thickness, and thoracic and abdominal muscles in order to assess their taxonomic usefulness or gain insights into the natural history of the genus. The complete datasets comprising the raw micro-CT data, 3D PDFs, 3D rotation videos, still images of 3D models, and coloured montage photos have been made available online as cybertypes (Dryad, http://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.4s3v1).

Next-generation morphological character discovery and evaluation: an X-ray micro-CT enhanced revision of the ant genus Zasphinctus Wheeler (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Dorylinae) in the Afrotropics

PubMed Central

Garcia, Francisco Hita; Fischer, Georg; Liu, Cong; Audisio, Tracy L.; Economo, Evan P.

2017-01-01

Abstract New technologies for imaging and analysis of morphological characters offer opportunities to enhance revisionary taxonomy and better integrate it with the rest of biology. In this study, we revise the Afrotropical fauna of the ant genus Zasphinctus Wheeler, and use high-resolution X-ray microtomography (micro-CT) to analyse a number of morphological characters of taxonomic and biological interest. We recognise and describe three new species: Z. obamai sp. n., Z. sarowiwai sp. n., and Z. wilsoni sp. n. The species delimitations are based on the morphological examination of all physical specimens in combination with 3D scans and volume reconstructions. Based on this approach, we present a new taxonomic discrimination system for the regional fauna that consists of a combination of easily observable morphological characters visible at magnifications of around 80–100 ×, less observable characters that require higher magnifications, as well as characters made visible through virtual dissections that would otherwise require destructive treatment. Zasphinctus are rarely collected ants and the material available to us is comparatively scarce. Consequently, we explore the use of micro-CT as a non-invasive tool for the virtual examination, manipulation, and dissection of such rare material. Furthermore, we delineate the treated species by providing a diagnostic character matrix illustrated by numerous images and supplement that with additional evidence in the form of stacked montage images, 3D PDFs and 3D rotation videos of scans of major body parts and full body (in total we provide 16 stacked montage photographs, 116 images of 3D reconstructions, 15 3D rotation videos, and 13 3D PDFs). In addition to the comparative morphology analyses used for species delimitations, we also apply micro-CT data to examine certain traits, such as mouthparts, cuticle thickness, and thoracic and abdominal muscles in order to assess their taxonomic usefulness or gain insights into the natural history of the genus. The complete datasets comprising the raw micro-CT data, 3D PDFs, 3D rotation videos, still images of 3D models, and coloured montage photos have been made available online as cybertypes (Dryad, http://dx.doi.org/10.5061/dryad.4s3v1). PMID:29362522

Morphological and molecular diagnostics of Phytoseiulus persimilis and Phytoseiulus macropilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae).

PubMed

Okassa, Mireille; Tixier, Marie-Stéphane; Kreiter, Serge

2010-11-01

This study focuses on the diagnostics of two natural enemy species, belonging to the genus Phytoseiulus in the family Phytoseiidae (sub-family Amblyseiinae): P. macropilis and P. persimilis. These two species are of primary importance in biological control all over the world. However, they are morphologically very similar and specific diagnostics is difficult. This study utilizes mitochondrial molecular markers (12S rRNA and Cytb mtDNA) to differentiate these two species. Morphological analyses showed significant differences between P. persimilis and P. macropilis for 17 morphological characters of the 32 considered. However, despite these significant differences, the ranges of all characters overlap. Only the serration of the macroseta on the basitarsus (StIV) allows the differentiation between P. persimilis and P. macropilis. Despite these small morphological differences, molecular results, for both mitochondrial DNA fragments considered (rRNA and Cytb mtDNA), showed a clear delineation between the specimens of P. macropilis and P. persimilis. This study emphasizes (i) that only one morphological character (serration of the seta StIV) clearly separates these two species, and (ii) the usefulness of an automatical molecular and simple diagnostic tool for accurate differentiation of the two species and ensure the morphological diagnostics. Further studies are proposed, including more DNA sequences especially for P. macropilis.

Seed morphology and anatomy and its utility in recognizing subfamilies and tribes of Zingiberaceae.

PubMed

Benedict, John C; Smith, Selena Y; Collinson, Margaret E; Leong-Škorničková, Jana; Specht, Chelsea D; Marone, Federica; Xiao, Xianghui; Parkinson, Dilworth Y

2015-11-01

Recent phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data suggested that the monocot family Zingiberaceae be separated into four subfamilies and four tribes. Robust morphological characters to support these clades are lacking. Seeds were analyzed in a phylogenetic context to test independently the circumscription of clades and to better understand evolution of seed characters within Zingiberaceae. Seventy-five species from three of the four subfamilies were analyzed using synchrotron based x-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) and scored for 39 morphoanatomical characters. Zingiberaceae seeds are some of the most structurally complex seeds in angiosperms. No single seed character was found to distinguish each subfamily, but combinations of characters were found to differentiate between the subfamilies. Recognition of the tribes based on seeds was possible for Globbeae, but not for Alpinieae, Riedelieae, or Zingibereae, due to considerable variation. SRXTM is an excellent, nondestructive tool to capture morphoanatomical variation of seeds and allows for the study of taxa with limited material available. Alpinioideae, Siphonochiloideae, Tamijioideae, and Zingiberoideae are well supported based on both molecular and morphological data, including multiple seed characters. Globbeae are well supported as a distinctive tribe within the Zingiberoideae, but no other tribe could be differentiated using seeds due to considerable homoplasy when compared with currently accepted relationships based on molecular data. Novel seed characters suggest tribal affinities for two currently unplaced Zingiberaceae taxa: Siliquamomum may be related to Riedelieae and Monolophus to Zingibereae, but further work is needed before formal revision of the family. © 2015 Botanical Society of America.

Early Reading Development in Chinese-Speaking Children with Hearing Loss

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chan, Yi-Chih; Yang, You-Jhen

2018-01-01

This study aims to explore early reading comprehension in Chinese-speaking children with hearing loss (HL) by examining character recognition and linguistic comprehension. Twenty-five children with HL received three measures relevant to character reading: phonological awareness (PA), morphological awareness (MA), and character recognition; two…

Diversity and population structure of a dominant deciduous tree based on morphological and genetic data

PubMed Central

Zhang, Qin-di; Jia, Rui-Zhi; Meng, Chao; Ti, Chao-Wen; Wang, Yi-Ling

2015-01-01

Knowledge of the genetic diversity and structure of tree species across their geographic ranges is essential for sustainable use and management of forest ecosystems. Acer grosseri Pax., an economically and ecologically important maple species, is mainly distributed in North China. In this study, the genetic diversity and population differentiation of 24 natural populations of this species were evaluated using sequence-related amplified polymorphism markers and morphological characters. The results show that highly significant differences occurred in 32 morphological traits. The coefficient of variation of 34 characters was 18.19 %. Principal component analysis indicated that 18 of 34 traits explained 60.20 % of the total variance. The phenotypic differentiation coefficient (VST) was 36.06 % for all morphological traits. The Shannon–Wiener index of 34 morphological characters was 6.09, while at the population level, it was 1.77. The percentage of polymorphic bands of all studied A. grosseri populations was 82.14 %. Nei's gene diversity (He) and Shannon's information index (I) were 0.35 and 0.50, respectively. Less genetic differentiation was detected among the natural populations (GST = 0.20, ΦST = 0.10). Twenty-four populations of A. grosseri formed two main clusters, which is consistent with morphological cluster analysis. Principal coordinates analysis and STRUCTURE analysis supported the UPGMA-cluster dendrogram. There was no significant correlation between genetic and geographical distances among populations. Both molecular and morphological data suggested that A. grosseri is rich in genetic diversity. The high level of genetic variation within populations could be affected by the biological characters, mating system and lifespan of A. grosseri, whereas the lower genetic diversity among populations could be caused by effective gene exchange, selective pressure from environmental heterogeneity and the species' geographical range. PMID:26311734

Molecular Species Delimitation in the Racomitrium canescens Complex (Grimmiaceae) and Implications for DNA Barcoding of Species Complexes in Mosses

PubMed Central

Stech, Michael; Veldman, Sarina; Larraín, Juan; Muñoz, Jesús; Quandt, Dietmar; Hassel, Kristian; Kruijer, Hans

2013-01-01

In bryophytes a morphological species concept is still most commonly employed, but delimitation of closely related species based on morphological characters is often difficult. Here we test morphological species circumscriptions in a species complex of the moss genus Racomitrium, the R. canescens complex, based on variable DNA sequence markers from the plastid (rps4-trnT-trnL region) and nuclear (nrITS) genomes. The extensive morphological variability within the complex has led to different opinions about the number of species and intraspecific taxa to be distinguished. Molecular phylogenetic reconstructions allowed to clearly distinguish all eight currently recognised species of the complex plus a ninth species that was inferred to belong to the complex in earlier molecular analyses. The taxonomic significance of intraspecific sequence variation is discussed. The present molecular data do not support the division of the R. canescens complex into two groups of species (subsections or sections). Most morphological characters, albeit being in part difficult to apply, are reliable for species identification in the R. canescens complex. However, misidentification of collections that were morphologically intermediate between species questioned the suitability of leaf shape as diagnostic character. Four partitions of the molecular markers (rps4-trnT, trnT-trnL, ITS1, ITS2) that could potentially be used for molecular species identification (DNA barcoding) performed almost equally well concerning amplification and sequencing success. Of these, ITS1 provided the highest species discrimination capacity and should be considered as a DNA barcoding marker for mosses, especially in complexes of closely related species. Molecular species identification should be complemented by redefining morphological characters, to develop a set of easy-to-use molecular and non-molecular identification tools for improving biodiversity assessments and ecological research including mosses. PMID:23341927

Molecular characterization of natural orchid in South slopes of Mount Merapi, Sleman regency, Yogyakarta

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferdiani, Defika I.; Devi, Fera L.; Koentjana, Johan P.; Milasari, Asri F.; Nur'aini, Indah; Semiarti, Endang

2015-09-01

Natural orchid is one of the most important tropical biodiversity. In Indonesia there are ± 6000 species out of 30000 orchids species in the world, of which there are ± 60 species at Mount Merapi. Repetitive eruption of Merapi have wiped out the biodiversity of orchids, therefore the efforts to conserve the orchids and to establish the database of natural orchids in Mount Merapi are needed. The orchid's database can be created based on DNA analysis, and establish barcoding DNA. DNA-barcodes can be used as molecular markers. The different character of morphology usually shows different pattern in DNA fragments. This research aims to characterize the phenotype and genotype of natural orchids of Mt. Merapi based on morphology and the structure of DNA in trnL-F intergenic region of chloroplasts DNA of orchid. Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) technique was used to characterize the molecular types of orchids in silico of intergenic space area of orchid chloroplast. In this study, 11 species of orchids were characterized based on morphological and molecular characters. The molecular characters were obtained from trnL-F intergenic region of leaves chloroplasts. The data indicates that there is a conserve DNA pattern in all orchids and the distinctive characters of some orchids. In this study, based on trnL-F intergenic region of chloroplast genome, the phylogenetic tree revealed that 11 species of orchids at Mt. Merapi can be grouped into 2 clades, that matched with morphological characters.

Validity of the growth model of the 'computerized visual perception assessment tool for Chinese characters structures'.

PubMed

Wu, Huey-Min; Li, Cheng-Hsaun; Kuo, Bor-Chen; Yang, Yu-Mao; Lin, Chin-Kai; Wan, Wei-Hsiang

2017-08-01

Morphological awareness is the foundation for the important developmental skills involved with vocabulary, as well as understanding the meaning of words, orthographic knowledge, reading, and writing. Visual perception of space and radicals in two-dimensional positions of Chinese characters' morphology is very important in identifying Chinese characters. The important predictive variables of special and visual perception in Chinese characters identification were investigated in the growth model in this research. The assessment tool is the "Computerized Visual Perception Assessment Tool for Chinese Characters Structures" developed by this study. There are two constructs, basic stroke and character structure. In the basic stroke, there are three subtests of one, two, and more than three strokes. In the character structure, there are three subtests of single-component character, horizontal-compound character, and vertical-compound character. This study used purposive sampling. In the first year, 551 children 4-6 years old participated in the study and were monitored for one year. In the second year, 388 children remained in the study and the successful follow-up rate was 70.4%. This study used a two-wave cross-lagged panel design to validate the growth model of the basic stroke and the character structure. There was significant correlation of the basic stroke and the character structure at different time points. The abilities in the basic stroke and in the character structure steadily developed over time for preschool children. Children's knowledge of the basic stroke effectively predicted their knowledge of the basic stroke and the character structure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Anatomy of the Role of Morphological Awareness in Chinese Character Learning: The Mediation of Vocabulary and Semantic Radical Knowledge and the Moderation of Morpheme Family Size

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Duo; Li, Hong; Wong, Kwok Shing Richard

2017-01-01

In the present study, the mediating roles of syllable awareness, orthographic knowledge, and vocabulary skills and the moderating role of morpheme family size in the association between morphological awareness and Chinese character reading were investigated with 176 second-grade Hong Kong Chinese children. In the path analyses, the results…

Species diversity driven by morphological and ecological disparity: a case study of comparative seed morphology and anatomy across a large monocot order

PubMed Central

Benedict, John C.; Smith, Selena Y.; Specht, Chelsea D.; Collinson, Margaret E.; Leong-Škorničková, Jana; Parkinson, Dilworth Y.; Marone, Federica

2016-01-01

Phenotypic variation can be attributed to genetic heritability as well as biotic and abiotic factors. Across Zingiberales, there is a high variation in the number of species per clade and in phenotypic diversity. Factors contributing to this phenotypic variation have never been studied in a phylogenetic or ecological context. Seeds of 166 species from all eight families in Zingiberales were analyzed for 51 characters using synchrotron based 3D X-ray tomographic microscopy to determine phylogenetically informative characters and to understand the distribution of morphological disparity within the order. All families are distinguishable based on seed characters. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analyses show Zingiberaceae occupy the largest seed morphospace relative to the other families, and environmental analyses demonstrate that Zingiberaceae inhabit both temperate and tropical regions, while other Zingiberales are almost exclusively tropical. Temperate species do not cluster in morphospace nor do they share a common suite of character states. This suggests that the diversity seen is not driven by adaptation to temperate niches; rather, the morphological disparity seen likely reflects an underlying genetic plasticity that allowed Zingiberaceae to repeatedly colonize temperate environments. The notable morphoanatomical variety in Zingiberaceae seeds may account for their extraordinary ecological success and high species diversity as compared to other Zingiberales. PMID:27594701

The State of Phylogenetic Analysis: Narrow Visions and Simple Answers-Examples from the Diptera (flies).

PubMed

Borkent, Art

2018-01-17

The order Diptera is remarkably diverse, not only in species but in morphological variation in every life stage, making them excellent candidates for phylogenetic analysis. Such analysis has been hampered by methods that have severely restricted character state interpretation. Morphological-based phylogenies should be based on a deep understanding of the morphology, development and function of character states, and have extensive outgroup comparisons made to determine their polarity. Character states clearly vary in their value for determining phylogenetic relationships and this needs to be studied and utilized. Characters themselves need more explicit discussion, including how some may be developmentally or functionally related to other characters (and potentially not independent indicators of genealogical relationship). The current practice by many, of filling a matrix with poorly understood character states and highly limited outgroup comparisons, is unacceptable if the results are to be a valid reflection of the actual history of the group.Parsimony analysis is not an objective interpretation of phylogenetic relationships when all characters are treated as equal in value. Exact mathematical values applied to characters are entirely arbitrary and are generally used to produce a phylogeny that the author considers as reasonable. Mathematical appraisal of a given node is similarly inconsequential because characters do not have an intrinsic mathematical value. Bremer support, for example, provides values that have no biological reality but provide the pretence of objectivity. Cladists need to focus their attention on testing the validity of each synapomorphy proposed, as the basis for all further phylogenetic interpretation, rather than the testing of differing phylogenies through various comparative programs.Current phylogenetic analyses have come to increasingly depend on DNA sequence-based characters, in spite of their tumultuous history of inconsistent results. Until such time as sequences can be shown to produce predictive phylogenies (i.e., using Hennigian logic), independent of morphological analysis, they should be viewed with caution and certainly not as a panacea as they are commonly portrayed.The purported comprehensive analyses of phylogenetic relationships between families of Diptera by Wiegmann et al. (2011) and Lambkin et al. (2013) have serious flaws and cannot be considered as the "Periodic Table" of such relationships as originally heralded.Systematists working on Diptera have a plethora of complex and informative morphological synapomorphies in every life stage, either described or awaiting study. Many lineages have the potential of providing a wealth of evolutionary stories to share with other biologists if we produce stable phylogenies based on weighted synapomorphies and interpreted to elucidate the zoogeographic and bionomic divergence of the group. Some lineages are devoid of convincing synapomorphies and, in spite of our desires, should be recognized as being largely uninterpretable.

Multilocus resolution of Mugilidae phylogeny (Teleostei: Mugiliformes): Implications for the family's taxonomy.

PubMed

Xia, Rong; Durand, Jean-Dominique; Fu, Cuizhang

2016-03-01

The interrelationships among mugilids (Mugiliformes: Mugilidae) remain highly debated. Using a mitochondrial gene-based phylogeny as criterion, a revised classification with 25 genera in the Mugilidae has recently been proposed. However, phylogenetic relationships of major mitochondrial lineages remain unresolved and to gain a general acceptance the classification requires confirmation based on multilocus evidence and diagnostic morphological characters. Here, we construct a species-tree using twelve nuclear and three mitochondrial loci and infer the evolution of 71 morphological characters. Our multilocus phylogeny does not agree with previous morphology-based hypotheses for the relationships within Mugilidae, confirms the revised classification with 25 genera and further resolves their phylogenetic relationships. Using the well-resolved multilocus phylogeny as the criterion, we reclassify Mugilidae genera into three new subfamilies (Myxinae, Rhinomugilinae, and Cheloninae) and one new, recombined, subfamily (Mugilinae). The Rhinomugilinae subfamily is further divided into four tribes. The revised classification of Mugilidae is supported by morpho-anatomical synapomorphies or a combination of characters. These characters are used to erect a key to the subfamilies and genera. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Identifying heterogeneity in rates of morphological evolution: discrete character change in the evolution of lungfish (Sarcopterygii; Dipnoi).

PubMed

Lloyd, Graeme T; Wang, Steve C; Brusatte, Stephen L

2012-02-01

Quantifying rates of morphological evolution is important in many macroevolutionary studies, and critical when assessing possible adaptive radiations and episodes of punctuated equilibrium in the fossil record. However, studies of morphological rates of change have lagged behind those on taxonomic diversification, and most authors have focused on continuous characters and quantifying patterns of morphological rates over time. Here, we provide a phylogenetic approach, using discrete characters and three statistical tests to determine points on a cladogram (branches or entire clades) that are characterized by significantly high or low rates of change. These methods include a randomization approach that identifies branches with significantly high rates and likelihood ratio tests that pinpoint either branches or clades that have significantly higher or lower rates than the pooled rate of the remainder of the tree. As a test case for these methods, we analyze a discrete character dataset of lungfish, which have long been regarded as "living fossils" due to an apparent slowdown in rates since the Devonian. We find that morphological rates are highly heterogeneous across the phylogeny and recover a general pattern of decreasing rates along the phylogenetic backbone toward living taxa, from the Devonian until the present. Compared with previous work, we are able to report a more nuanced picture of lungfish evolution using these new methods. © 2011 The Author(s). Evolution© 2011 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Taxonomy and morphology of species of the genus Squalus Linnaeus, 1758 from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean (Chondrichthyes: Squaliformes: Squalidae).

PubMed

Viana, Sarah T De F; Carvalho, Marcelo R De; Gomes, Ulisses L

2016-07-04

Squalus is a genus of reportedly cosmopolitan shark species that have a high taxonomic complexity due to difficulties in their morphological differentiation; many of its species need revision. Currently, there are 26 valid species of Squalus, which have been divided into three species-groups according to overall morphological similarity, the S. acanthias, S. megalops, and S. mitsukurii groups. Loss of type specimens, propagation of erroneous identifications in the literature, and difficulties in obtaining representative series for comparison are secondary challenges that have impeded a global taxonomic revision of the genus. This problem applies clearly to species from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, including species that occur off Brazil. Following a current global tendency, a regional taxonomic revision of Squalus was conducted in order to investigate which species are valid in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean and provide diagnostic morphological characters that can be efficiently used for identifying species. Comparative detailed analysis of external (e.g. morphometrics, dentition, and color pattern) and skeletal morphology (primarily meristic data, neurocrania and claspers) of specimens of Squalus from the region revealed four new species that are herein described (S. albicaudus sp. nov., S. bahiensis sp. nov., S. lobularis sp. nov., and S. quasimodo sp. nov.), as well as S. acanthias, which is redescribed from the region based on new material. Comparisons are offered based on examinations of congeneric species; this work is part of a global systematic revision of Squalus.

Delimiting species of Protaphorura (Collembola: Onychiuridae): integrative evidence based on morphology, DNA sequences and geography.

PubMed

Sun, Xin; Zhang, Feng; Ding, Yinhuan; Davies, Thomas W; Li, Yu; Wu, Donghui

2017-08-15

Species delimitation remains a significant challenge when the diagnostic morphological characters are limited. Integrative taxonomy was applied to the genus Protaphorura (Collembola: Onychiuridae), which is one of most difficult soil animals to distinguish taxonomically. Three delimitation approaches (morphology, molecular markers and geography) were applied providing rigorous species validation criteria with an acceptably low error rate. Multiple molecular approaches, including distance- and evolutionary model-based methods, were used to determine species boundaries based on 144 standard barcode sequences. Twenty-two molecular putative species were consistently recovered across molecular and geographical analyses. Geographic criteria were was proved to be an efficient delimitation method for onychiurids. Further morphological examination, based on the combination of the number of pseudocelli, parapseudocelli and ventral mesothoracic chaetae, confirmed 18 taxa of 22 molecular units, with six of them described as new species. These characters were found to be of high taxonomical value. This study highlights the potential benefits of integrative taxonomy, particularly simultaneous use of molecular/geographical tools, as a powerful way of ascertaining the true diversity of the Onychiuridae. Our study also highlights that discovering new morphological characters remains central to achieving a full understanding of collembolan taxonomy.

Neoethilla, a new genus for the first record of the Ethillini from the New World (Diptera, Tachinidae, Exoristinae)

PubMed Central

Cerretti, Pierfilippo; Wood, D. Monty; O’Hara, James E.

2012-01-01

Abstract New genus Neoethilla gen. n., is described to include two New World nominal species formerly recognized as valid species in Winthemia Robineau-Desvoidy: Exorista ignobilis van der Wulp and Winthemia antennalis Coquillett. Winthemia antennalis is proposed as a junior synonym of Exorista ignobilis syn. n. Neoethilla ignobilis comb. n. is removed from the Winthemiini and placed in the tribe Ethillini (Exoristinae) based on a study of the external features of adults, male terminalia, female reproductive system, and egg morphology. The small tribe Ethillini, not hitherto known from the New World, currently comprises fourteen genera worldwide. The phylogeny and systematics of the Ethillini and their relationships with related tribes are discussed and documented by descriptions and illustrations of relevant character states. PMID:23378795

Comparative SEM and LM foliar epidermal and palyno-morphological studies of Amaranthaceae and its taxonomic implications.

PubMed

Hussain, Amara Noor; Zafar, Muhammad; Ahmad, Mushtaq; Khan, Raees; Yaseen, Ghulam; Khan, Muhammad Saleem; Nazir, Abdul; Khan, Amir Muhammad; Shaheen, Shabnum

2018-05-01

Palynological features as well as comparative foliar epidermal using light and scanning electron microscope (SEM) of 17 species (10genera) of Amaranthaceae have been studied for its taxonomic significance. Different foliar and palynological micro-morphological characters were examined to explain their value in resolving the difficulty in identification. All species were amphistomatic but stomata on abaxial surface were more abundant. Taxonomically significant epidermal character including stomata type, trichomes (unicellular, multicellular, and capitate) and epidermal cells shapes (polygonal and irregular) were also observed. Pollens of this family are Polypantoporate, pores large, spheroidal, mesoporous region is sparsely to scabrate, densely psilate, and spinulose. All these characters can be active at species level for identification purpose. This study indicates that at different taxonomic levels, LM and SEM pollen and epidermal morphology is explanatory and significant to identify species and genera. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The dependence of carbide morphology on grain boundary character in the highly twinned Alloy 690

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hui; Xia, Shuang; Zhou, Bangxin; Chen, Wenjue; Hu, Changliang

2010-04-01

The dependence of morphology of grain boundary carbides on grain boundary character in Alloy 690 (Ni-30Cr-10Fe, mass fraction, %) with high fraction of low Σ coincidence site lattice (CSL) grain boundaries was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Some of the surface grains were removed by means of deep etching. It was observed that carbides grow dendritically at grain boundaries. The carbide bars observed near incoherent twin boundaries and twin related Σ9 grain boundaries are actually secondary dendrites of the carbides on these boundaries. Higher order dendrites could be observed on random grain boundaries, however, no bar-like dendrites were observed near Σ27 grain boundaries and random grain boundaries. The morphology difference of carbides precipitated at grain boundaries with different characters is discussed based on the experimental results in this paper.

Inferring Arthropod Phylogeny: Fossils and their Interaction with Other Data Sources.

PubMed

Edgecombe, Gregory D

2017-09-01

The past five years have witnessed a renewed interest in discrete morphological characters as a source of phylogenetic data, after a decade or more of their dismissal in favor of molecules-only approaches. This has stemmed in large part from refinements in total evidence dating, which requires morphological character matrices for extinct and extant taxa as well as temporal data from fossils. The unique contribution of palaeontology is stem groups, revealing the sequence of character acquisition in long-branch terminals and otherwise unknown character combinations and/or character states in extinct phenotypes. The origin of mandibles exemplifies an integrative approach to analyzing the origin of a complex phenotypic feature using molecular, anatomical, and palaeontological data: (1) transcriptomics defends a single origin of mandibles in the clade Mandibulata; (2) Cambrian fossils inform on morphological changes in the gnathal appendages in the mandibulate stem group; (3) molecular dating, calibrated by fossils in novel modes of exceptional preservation, draws the mandibulate crown group into the early Cambrian and constrains the timing of character evolution; and (4) functional studies in extant taxa identify genes that specify mandibular identity from a maxilla and, ultimately, a trunk limb-like precursor, as predicted by the serial similarity of these appendages in Cambrian stem-group fossils. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Conflicting character distribution within different data sets on cardueline finches: artifact or history?

PubMed

Fehrer, J

1996-01-01

Cardueline finches (Passeriformes: Fringillidae, Carduelinae) provide an example of unresolved species relationships despite decades of extensive study of the group. Existing morphological studies suffer from numerous cases of assumed parallel evolution due to a conflicting character distribution in different lineages. In this study, results of assumed parallel evolution due to a conflicting character distribution in different lineages. In this study, results of cytochrome b sequence analysis are compared with species relationships suggested by morphological and behavioral evidence. In the molecular analyses, species clusters mutually excluding each other were observed, lowering the statistical support of the internodes, i.e., the branches could not be resolved convincingly. Despite these difficulties, some phylogenetic signal was present in the molecular data as well as in the other approaches. In particular, any species or genus relationship suggested by cytochrome b sequence analysis was reflected by some other evidence. Based on this general congruence of the different data sets and on a considerable cytochrome b tree stability observed independent of species combination, choice of outgroup and tree-generating method, the short internodes are interpreted to reflect a historical reality. A model of cardueline evolution is proposed which assumes a population of cardueline ancestors with considerable polymorphism concerning the mitochondrial DNA and morphological characters alike. Retention of ancestral character states in different lineages and a subsequent rapid radiation are suggested to explain the conflicting character distributions observed in different fields of investigation.

Sampling diverse characters improves phylogenies: Craniodental and postcranial characters of vertebrates often imply different trees.

PubMed

Mounce, Ross C P; Sansom, Robert; Wills, Matthew A

2016-03-01

Morphological cladograms of vertebrates are often inferred from greater numbers of characters describing the skull and teeth than from postcranial characters. This is either because the skull is believed to yield characters with a stronger phylogenetic signal (i.e., contain less homoplasy), because morphological variation therein is more readily atomized, or because craniodental material is more widely available (particularly in the palaeontological case). An analysis of 85 vertebrate datasets published between 2000 and 2013 confirms that craniodental characters are significantly more numerous than postcranial characters, but finds no evidence that levels of homoplasy differ in the two partitions. However, a new partition test, based on tree-to-tree distances (as measured by the Robinson Foulds metric) rather than tree length, reveals that relationships inferred from the partitions are significantly different about one time in three, much more often than expected. Such differences may reflect divergent selective pressures in different body regions, resulting in different localized patterns of homoplasy. Most systematists attempt to sample characters broadly across body regions, but this is not always possible. We conclude that trees inferred largely from either craniodental or postcranial characters in isolation may differ significantly from those that would result from a more holistic approach. We urge the latter. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution © 2016 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

A Re-Interpretation of the Eocene Anuran Thaumastosaurus Based on MicroCT Examination of a ‘Mummified’ Specimen

PubMed Central

Laloy, Fabien; Rage, Jean-Claude; Evans, Susan E.; Boistel, Renaud; Lenoir, Nicolas; Laurin, Michel

2013-01-01

What originally appeared to be only an external cast of an anuran ‘mummy’ from the Quercy Phosphorites (southwestern France) was described as Rana plicata during the 19th century. Its geographical provenance is only vaguely known; therefore its precise age within the Paleogene was uncertain. The taxon was erected on the basis of the external morphology of the specimen, which includes few diagnostic characters. As a further complication, the name Rana plicata was recently shown to be unavailable at the time of the description, and the name Rana cadurcorum was proposed as a replacement. In order to see whether internal features were fossilized, the fossil was CT scanned. This showed that a large part of the skeleton is preserved. Unexpectedly, the scans revealed that the skull of the mummy is almost identical to that of Thaumastosaurus gezei, another anuran from the late middle or late Eocene of the Quercy Phosphorites. The few observed differences are attributable to intraspecific and ontogenetic variation, and R. cadurcorum is a junior subjective synonym of T. gezei. The mummy is therefore probably from the same time interval as T. gezei. The latter was previously known only by its skull, but the mummy provides important information on the postcranial skeleton. Earlier assessments, based only on the skull, placed Thaumastosaurus close to South American hyloid anurans, but a new phylogenetic analysis including postcranial characters reveals ranoid affinities. This study exemplifies the usefulness of modern imaging technologies that allow non-destructive study of previously inaccessible internal anatomical features. PMID:24086389

Protein Self-Assemblies That Can Generate, Hold, and Discharge Electric Potential in Response to Changes in Relative Humidity.

PubMed

Carter, Nathan A; Grove, Tijana Z

2018-05-30

Generation of electric potential upon external stimulus has attracted much attention for the development of highly functional sensors and devices. Herein, we report large-displacement, fast actuation in the self-assembled engineered repeat protein Consensus Tetratricopeptide Repeat protein (CTPR18) materials. The ionic nature of the CTPR18 protein coupled to the long-range alignment upon self-assembly results in the measured conductivity of 7.1 × 10 -2 S cm -1 , one of the highest reported for protein materials. The change of through-thickness morphological gradient in the self-assembled materials provides the means to select between faster, highly water-sensitive actuation or vastly increased mechanical strength. Tuning of the mode of motion, e.g., bending, twisting, and folding, is achieved by changing the morphological director. We further show that the highly ionic character of CTPR18 gives rise to piezo-like behavior in these materials, exemplified by low-voltage, ionically driven actuation and mechanically driven generation/discharge of voltage. This work contributes to our understanding of the emergence of stimuli-responsiveness in biopolymer assemblies.

Paleogenetic analyses reveal unsuspected phylogenetic affinities between mice and the extinct Malpaisomys insularis, an endemic rodent of the Canaries.

PubMed

Pagès, Marie; Chevret, Pascale; Gros-Balthazard, Muriel; Hughes, Sandrine; Alcover, Josep Antoni; Hutterer, Rainer; Rando, Juan Carlos; Michaux, Jacques; Hänni, Catherine

2012-01-01

The lava mouse, Malpaisomys insularis, was endemic to the Eastern Canary islands and became extinct at the beginning of the 14(th) century when the Europeans reached the archipelago. Studies to determine Malpaisomys' phylogenetic affinities, based on morphological characters, remained inconclusive because morphological changes experienced by this insular rodent make phylogenetic investigations a real challenge. Over 20 years since its first description, Malpaisomys' phylogenetic position remains enigmatic. In this study, we resolved this issue using molecular characters. Mitochondrial and nuclear markers were successfully amplified from subfossils of three lava mouse samples. Molecular phylogenetic reconstructions revealed, without any ambiguity, unsuspected relationships between Malpaisomys and extant mice (genus Mus, Murinae). Moreover, through molecular dating we estimated the origin of the Malpaisomys/mouse clade at 6.9 Ma, corresponding to the maximal age at which the archipelago was colonised by the Malpaisomys ancestor via natural rafting. This study reconsiders the derived morphological characters of Malpaisomys in light of this unexpected molecular finding. To reconcile molecular and morphological data, we propose to consider Malpaisomys insularis as an insular lineage of mouse.

The Foraminiferal Genus Orbitolina in North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Douglass, Raymond Charles

1960-01-01

The foraminiferal genus Orbitolina has been useful as an index fossil in the Cretaceous rocks of the circumglobal equatorial belt for nearly a century. In Europe and the Near and Middle East enough work has been done on the species to allow their use for approximate correlations within the Cretaceous sedimentary rocks. The study of American specimens of Orbitolina, had been almost neglected although they were used in a rather cursory fashion for markers of the Lower Cretaceous Trinity strata. Three species had been described and assigned to Orbitolina in the United States, but the validity of each of the species had been questioned. A study of the genus Orbitolina, its type species, its morphology and the stratigraphic and geographic distribution in North America are presented in this report. Stratigraphic sections were measured throughout the area of Lower Cretaceous outcrop in Texas, New Mexico. and Arizona, and samples of Orbitolina were taken from these measured sections. Several thousand thin sections were prepared from which 8 species of Orbitolina, 7 of them new, were recognized. Orbitolina texana (Roemer) was found to be confined to the lower part of the Glen Rose limestone and its equivalents. Orbitolina, minuta n. sp. is essentially confined to the upper part of the Glen Rose limestone and its equivalents. Four of the species are known only from the Arizona and New Mexico region. The species of Orbitolina are useful stratigraphically, but all their characters-internal as well as external-must be considered. The use of thin sections for the study of Orbitolina is essential. One of the first things that had to be determined was the correct concept of the genus Orbitolina. The type species had not been determined by earlier authors, although four species had been suggested at various times. With careful study of the early literature, it became apparent that the type species is Orbitulites lenticulata Lamarck, 1816=Madreporites lenticularis Blumenbach, 1805 by monotypy. The type species had never been studied using modern techniques. This paper presents the first description and illustrations of the type species based on internal as well as external characters. The American forms of Orbitolina had been referred to the species Orbitolina concava (Lamarck) by Silvestri and others. The necessity of understanding O. concava was apparent. Many misconceptions about O. concava had been developed and propagated until the modern concept no longer included the original material on which the svecies was based. Topotype material of Orbulites concava Lamarck, 1816, was restudied. For the first time both the internal and the external characters are described and illustrated. Orbitolina concava (Lamarck) is not conspecific with any of the North American forms. A thorough knowledge of the morphology of Orbitolina is essential to the interpretation of the features as seen in thin section. Carefully oriented sections were prepared and models built up illustrating the morphology. A new technique was adapted for multiple sectioning of specimens of Orbitolina. Using this technique, several oriented sections can be prepared from one specimen, enabling the correlation of features seen in axial, basal, and tangential sections. This technique should prove useful in the study of similar small objects, and therefore is described and illustrated. The early chambers of microspheric and megalospheric specimens were not well known. A technique for their study was developed and is described. The morphology of the early chambers of both generations is described and illustrated. The nature of the nepionic and neanic chambers of the microspheric generation is described and documented for the first time. The previous supposition of an early trochoid spire in microspheric specimens is rejected in favor of a flaring planispiral coil. This discovery must be considered in a study of the phylogeny. Charts are presented showing the strat

Combined Use of Morphological and Molecular Tools to Resolve Species Mis-Identifications in the Bivalvia The Case of Glycymeris glycymeris and G. pilosa

PubMed Central

Holmes, Anna; Bušelić, Ivana; Thébault, Julien; Featherstone, Amy

2016-01-01

Morphological and molecular tools were combined to resolve the misidentification between Glycymeris glycymeris and Glycymeris pilosa from Atlantic and Mediterranean populations. The ambiguous literature on the taxonomic status of these species requires this confirmation as a baseline to studies on their ecology and sclerochronology. We used classical and landmark-based morphometric approaches and performed bivariate and multivariate analyses to test for shell character interactions at the individual and population level. Both approaches generated complementary information. The former showed the shell width to length ratio and the valve asymmetry to be the main discriminant characters between Atlantic and Mediterranean populations. Additionally, the external microsculpture of additional and finer secondary ribs in G. glycymeris discriminates it from G. pilosa. Likewise, landmark-based geometric morphometrics revealed a stronger opisthogyrate beak and prosodetic ligament in G. pilosa than G. glycymeris. Our Bayesian and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses based on COI and ITS2 genes identified that G. glycymeris and G. pilosa form two separate monophyletic clades with mean interspecific divergence of 11% and 0.9% for COI and ITS2, respectively. The congruent patterns of morphometric analysis together with mitochondrial and nuclear phylogenetic reconstructions indicated the separation of the two coexisting species. The intraspecific divergence occurred during the Eocene and accelerated during the late Pliocene and Pleistocene. Glycymeris pilosa showed a high level of genetic diversity, appearing as a more robust species whose tolerance of environmental conditions allowed its expansion throughout the Mediterranean. PMID:27669452

Reevaluation of Physaloptera bispiculata (Nematoda: Spiruroidaea) by light and scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Mafra, A C; Lanfredi, R M

1998-06-01

This study was undertaken to clarify several aspects of morphological and taxonomic characters of Physaloptera bispiculata Vaz and Pereira, 1935, a parasite of the water rat, Nectomys squamipes. The cephalic structures (including lips, papillae, teeth, amphids, and porous areas) and details of the posterior end of male and female adult worms were examined by scanning electron microscopy, leading to the addition of new taxonomic characters for this species. We consider P. bispiculata a valid species, based on a comparative analysis of the specific characters for P. bispiculata and P. getula Seurat, 1917, including the morphology and morphometry of body structures as well as number and disposition of caudal papillae of the males.

Wyeomyia exallos, a new species of sylvatic mosquito (Diptera: Culicidae) from Brazil.

PubMed

Rocha, Glauber Pereira; Lourenço-de-Oliveira, Ricardo; Motta, Monique de Albuquerque

2012-11-01

Wyeomyia exallos, a new mosquito species from Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, is described based on morphological characters of the adult female, male, male genitalia, pupa and fourth-instar larva. The morphological characters of Wy. exallos sp. nov. are compared with those of different subgenera of Wyeomyia as well as of species without subgeneric position. It is proposed that the new species should be placed in genus Wyeomyia Theobald without subgeneric assignment.

Species diversity driven by morphological and ecological disparity: a case study of comparative seed morphology and anatomy across a large monocot order.

PubMed

Benedict, John C; Smith, Selena Y; Specht, Chelsea D; Collinson, Margaret E; Leong-Škorničková, Jana; Parkinson, Dilworth Y; Marone, Federica

2016-01-01

Phenotypic variation can be attributed to genetic heritability as well as biotic and abiotic factors. Across Zingiberales, there is a high variation in the number of species per clade and in phenotypic diversity. Factors contributing to this phenotypic variation have never been studied in a phylogenetic or ecological context. Seeds of 166 species from all eight families in Zingiberales were analyzed for 51 characters using synchrotron based 3D X-ray tomographic microscopy to determine phylogenetically informative characters and to understand the distribution of morphological disparity within the order. All families are distinguishable based on seed characters. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analyses show Zingiberaceae occupy the largest seed morphospace relative to the other families, and environmental analyses demonstrate that Zingiberaceae inhabit both temperate and tropical regions, while other Zingiberales are almost exclusively tropical. Temperate species do not cluster in morphospace nor do they share a common suite of character states. This suggests that the diversity seen is not driven by adaptation to temperate niches; rather, the morphological disparity seen likely reflects an underlying genetic plasticity that allowed Zingiberaceae to repeatedly colonize temperate environments. The notable morphoanatomical variety in Zingiberaceae seeds may account for their extraordinary ecological success and high species diversity as compared to other Zingiberales. © The Authors 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company.

Morphology-based phylogeny of the suckermouth armored catfishes, with emphasis on the Neoplecostominae (Teleostei: Siluriformes: Loricariidae).

PubMed

Pereira, Edson H L; Reis, Roberto E

2017-05-11

A phylogenetic study of the Loricariidae with emphasis on the Neoplecostominae is presented based on a maximum parsimony analysis of 268 phenotypic characters encompassing osteology, arthrology, and external morphology. Results support previous hypotheses of the monophyly of the Neoplecostominae and each of the included genera: Hirtella, Isbrueckerichthys, Kronichthys, Neoplecostomus, Pareiorhaphis, and Pareiorhina. In addition, previously undiscovered diversity was revealed within the subfamily as an additional genus-level taxon, herein described as Euryochus. Relationships among neoplecostomine genera are: (Kronichthys (Euryochus ((Hirtella + Pareiorhaphis) (Pareiorhina (Isbrueckerichthys + Neoplecostomus))))). Additional undescribed diversity was also detected among most neoplecostomine genera and the Hypoptopomatinae. In addition, recently discovered genera Nannoplecostomus and Microplecostomus were included in the analysis, and were identified as sequential sister-taxa to Neoplecostominae + Hypoptopomatinae, which are currently not included in any subfamily and regarded as incertae sedis in Loricariidae. The three species of Lithogenes were included in an encompassing phylogenetic analysis for the first time, and were identified as a monophyletic unit and sister group to all remaining loricariids. The other loricariid subfamilies were also corroborated as monophyletic, and presented the following interrelationships (Lithogeninae (Delturinae (Loricariinae (Hypostominae (Nannoplecostomus (Microplecostomus (Hypoptopomatinae + Neoplecostominae). The Neoplecostominae and its genera are phylogenetically diagnosed, and hypothesized relationships are compared to those of previous morphological and molecular phylogenetic studies.

Bio-Liquid Morphological Analysis

PubMed Central

Shatokhina, S.N.; Shabalin, V.N.; Buzoverya, M.E.; Punin, V.T.

2004-01-01

Information is presented on the new scientific line in medicine and biology: bio-liquid morphology. The interdisciplinary character of the given research area is emphasized. The problems and prospects of bio-liquid morphological analysis development both in applied and fundamental aspects are discussed. PMID:15349509

Skull Development, Ossification Pattern, and Adult Shape in the Emerging Lizard Model Organism Pogona vitticeps: A Comparative Analysis With Other Squamates.

PubMed

Ollonen, Joni; Da Silva, Filipe O; Mahlow, Kristin; Di-Poï, Nicolas

2018-01-01

The rise of the Evo-Devo field and the development of multidisciplinary research tools at various levels of biological organization have led to a growing interest in researching for new non-model organisms. Squamates (lizards and snakes) are particularly important for understanding fundamental questions about the evolution of vertebrates because of their high diversity and evolutionary innovations and adaptations that portrait a striking body plan change that reached its extreme in snakes. Yet, little is known about the intricate connection between phenotype and genotype in squamates, partly due to limited developmental knowledge and incomplete characterization of embryonic development. Surprisingly, squamate models have received limited attention in comparative developmental studies, and only a few species examined so far can be considered as representative and appropriate model organism for mechanistic Evo-Devo studies. Fortunately, the agamid lizard Pogona vitticeps (central bearded dragon) is one of the most popular, domesticated reptile species with both a well-established history in captivity and key advantages for research, thus forming an ideal laboratory model system and justifying his recent use in reptile biology research. We first report here the complete post-oviposition embryonic development for P. vitticeps based on standardized staging systems and external morphological characters previously defined for squamates. Whereas the overall morphological development follows the general trends observed in other squamates, our comparisons indicate major differences in the developmental sequence of several tissues, including early craniofacial characters. Detailed analysis of both embryonic skull development and adult skull shape, using a comparative approach integrating CT-scans and gene expression studies in P. vitticeps as well as comparative embryology and 3D geometric morphometrics in a large dataset of lizards and snakes, highlights the extreme adult skull shape of P. vitticeps and further indicates that heterochrony has played a key role in the early development and ossification of squamate skull bones. Such detailed studies of embryonic character development, craniofacial patterning, and bone formation are essential for the establishment of well-selected squamate species as Evo-Devo model organisms. We expect that P. vitticeps will continue to emerge as a new attractive model organism for understanding developmental and molecular processes underlying tissue formation, morphology, and evolution.

Skull Development, Ossification Pattern, and Adult Shape in the Emerging Lizard Model Organism Pogona vitticeps: A Comparative Analysis With Other Squamates

PubMed Central

Ollonen, Joni; Da Silva, Filipe O.; Mahlow, Kristin; Di-Poï, Nicolas

2018-01-01

The rise of the Evo-Devo field and the development of multidisciplinary research tools at various levels of biological organization have led to a growing interest in researching for new non-model organisms. Squamates (lizards and snakes) are particularly important for understanding fundamental questions about the evolution of vertebrates because of their high diversity and evolutionary innovations and adaptations that portrait a striking body plan change that reached its extreme in snakes. Yet, little is known about the intricate connection between phenotype and genotype in squamates, partly due to limited developmental knowledge and incomplete characterization of embryonic development. Surprisingly, squamate models have received limited attention in comparative developmental studies, and only a few species examined so far can be considered as representative and appropriate model organism for mechanistic Evo-Devo studies. Fortunately, the agamid lizard Pogona vitticeps (central bearded dragon) is one of the most popular, domesticated reptile species with both a well-established history in captivity and key advantages for research, thus forming an ideal laboratory model system and justifying his recent use in reptile biology research. We first report here the complete post-oviposition embryonic development for P. vitticeps based on standardized staging systems and external morphological characters previously defined for squamates. Whereas the overall morphological development follows the general trends observed in other squamates, our comparisons indicate major differences in the developmental sequence of several tissues, including early craniofacial characters. Detailed analysis of both embryonic skull development and adult skull shape, using a comparative approach integrating CT-scans and gene expression studies in P. vitticeps as well as comparative embryology and 3D geometric morphometrics in a large dataset of lizards and snakes, highlights the extreme adult skull shape of P. vitticeps and further indicates that heterochrony has played a key role in the early development and ossification of squamate skull bones. Such detailed studies of embryonic character development, craniofacial patterning, and bone formation are essential for the establishment of well-selected squamate species as Evo-Devo model organisms. We expect that P. vitticeps will continue to emerge as a new attractive model organism for understanding developmental and molecular processes underlying tissue formation, morphology, and evolution. PMID:29643813

Flood induced phenotypic plasticity in amphibious genus Elatine (Elatinaceae).

PubMed

Molnár V, Attila; Tóth, János Pál; Sramkó, Gábor; Horváth, Orsolya; Popiela, Agnieszka; Mesterházy, Attila; Lukács, Balázs András

2015-01-01

Vegetative characters are widely used in the taxonomy of the amphibious genus Elatine L. However, these usually show great variation not just between species but between their aquatic and terrestrial forms. In the present study we examine the variation of seed and vegetative characters in nine Elatine species (E. brachysperma, E. californica, E. gussonei, E. hexandra, E. hungarica, E. hydropiper, E. macropoda, E. orthosperma and E. triandra) to reveal the extension of plasticity induced by the amphibious environment, and to test character reliability for species identification. Cultivated plant clones were kept under controlled conditions exposed to either aquatic or terrestrial environmental conditions. Six vegetative characters (length of stem, length of internodium, length of lamina, width of lamina, length of petioles, length of pedicel) and four seed characters (curvature, number of pits / lateral row, 1st and 2nd dimension) were measured on 50 fruiting stems of the aquatic and on 50 stems of the terrestrial form of the same clone. MDA, NPMANOVA Random Forest classification and cluster analysis were used to unravel the morphological differences between aquatic and terrestrial forms. The results of MDA cross-validated and Random Forest classification clearly indicated that only seed traits are stable within species (i.e., different forms of the same species keep similar morphology). Consequently, only seed morphology is valuable for taxonomic purposes since vegetative traits are highly influenced by environmental factors.

Flood induced phenotypic plasticity in amphibious genus Elatine (Elatinaceae)

PubMed Central

Sramkó, Gábor; Horváth, Orsolya; Popiela, Agnieszka; Mesterházy, Attila; Lukács, Balázs András

2015-01-01

Vegetative characters are widely used in the taxonomy of the amphibious genus Elatine L. However, these usually show great variation not just between species but between their aquatic and terrestrial forms. In the present study we examine the variation of seed and vegetative characters in nine Elatine species (E. brachysperma, E. californica, E. gussonei, E. hexandra, E. hungarica, E. hydropiper, E. macropoda, E. orthosperma and E. triandra) to reveal the extension of plasticity induced by the amphibious environment, and to test character reliability for species identification. Cultivated plant clones were kept under controlled conditions exposed to either aquatic or terrestrial environmental conditions. Six vegetative characters (length of stem, length of internodium, length of lamina, width of lamina, length of petioles, length of pedicel) and four seed characters (curvature, number of pits / lateral row, 1st and 2nd dimension) were measured on 50 fruiting stems of the aquatic and on 50 stems of the terrestrial form of the same clone. MDA, NPMANOVA Random Forest classification and cluster analysis were used to unravel the morphological differences between aquatic and terrestrial forms. The results of MDA cross-validated and Random Forest classification clearly indicated that only seed traits are stable within species (i.e., different forms of the same species keep similar morphology). Consequently, only seed morphology is valuable for taxonomic purposes since vegetative traits are highly influenced by environmental factors. PMID:26713235

External morphology of Lightiella monniotae (Crustacea, Cephalocarida) in the light of Cambrian 'Orsten' crustaceans.

PubMed

Olesen, Jørgen; Haug, Joachim T; Maas, Andreas; Waloszek, Dieter

2011-09-01

The species-poor meiofaunal Cephalocarida have played an important role in discussions of the phylogeny and evolution of Crustacea since their discovery in 1955. One reason may be that the morphology of cephalocarids includes some aspects of putatively ancient appearance, such as the simple roof-shaped head shield, the anterior three head appendages resembling those of a nauplius larva, or the trunk-limb-like second maxilla. Cephalocarida have even been suggested to represent the sister taxon to all other Eucrustacea. Presence of possibly plesiomorphic characters, however, does not necessarily point to a basal position in the system. Growing evidence demonstrates that the modification of the fourth post-antennular cephalic appendage, the 'maxilla', into a "mouth part" may have occurred independently in the different eucrustacean lineages, so a trunk-limb-like maxilla is an ancient feature that does not hold only for cephalocarids. Retention of its plesiomorphic shape and function in the Cephalocarida remains, however, noteworthy. Cephalocarids are still little studied and incompletely known, especially their external morphology. By examining several adults and one young specimen of Lightiella monniotae Cals and Delamare Deboutteville, 1970 from New Caledonia, we aimed to a) document as many details as possible, and b) compare these data with other species of Cephalocarida. We also aimed to reconstruct aspects of the ground pattern of Cephalocarida, which is a pre-requisite for any comparisons in a broader perspective of crustacean phylogeny. Among the new findings or conclusions are: (1) Lightiella is in need of a revision since several assumed differences between the species are questionable or subject to intra-specific variability; (2) the cuticle of the trunk-limb basipod is sub-divided into a number of smaller sclerotized areas as in various exceptionally 3D preserved fossil crustaceans from Cambrian 'Orsten' faunal assemblages; (3) a small transitional portion on the post-maxillulary limbs in the area where the endopod and basipod connect is discussed as either a reduced, proximal endopod segment or as an evolutionary new joint of the basipod to enhance its flexibility; (4) the so-called pseud-epipod is interpreted as an outer branch of the exopod; (5) compared to 'Orsten' crustaceans many characters of the Cephalocarida are more modified than previously assumed, including the morphology of the trunk-limb basipod, and the unique, ring-shaped appearance of the abdominal segments. Also the development is not as plesiomorphic as sometimes assumed, at least not compared to that of the strictly anamorphic series of the 'Orsten' eucrustacean Rehbachiella kinnekullensis. The application of SEM techniques has again proved to be especially appropriate because of the small size of these animals, and because it permits direct comparisons with other similarly small crustaceans and the 'Orsten' crustaceans and their larvae. Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Phenetic relationships of nine varieties of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) based on morphological characters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hidayat, Topik; Barlian, Andri; Kusdianti, R.; Kirana, Rinda

2017-05-01

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.; Solanaceae) is an important commodity in Indonesia as one of the main crop after rice. Recently some new varieties have been released, but their relationship have not been studied yet. The purpose of this research was to determine the relationship among nine varieties of potatoes. Phenetic analysis was conducted using 27 morphological character states, which was derived from stems, leaves, and tubers. The character states observed were scored, and further analyzed based on Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) method. The results showed a high diversity of morphological character states, of which 20 states were significantly different across the varieties. Phenogram indicated that the nine varieties of potato were classified into three main groups. While the first group was consisted of varieties of Cipanas, Granola, Atlantic, and Repita, the second group was housed of Manohara and GM 05. The third group was composed of Margahayu, Mb 17, and Maglia. This pattern of relationships can be used as one of the basis in the process of crossbreeding to assemble the new varieties. The crossbreeding will be better if it is made between distantly related varieties.

Ecomorphological analysis of the astragalo-calcaneal complex in rodents and inferences of locomotor behaviours in extinct rodent species

PubMed Central

Hautier, Lionel; Marivaux, Laurent; Vianey-Liaud, Monique

2016-01-01

Studies linking postcranial morphology with locomotion in mammals are common. However, such studies are mostly restricted to caviomorphs in rodents. We present here data from various families, belonging to the three main groups of rodents (Sciuroidea, Myodonta, and Ctenohystrica). The aim of this study is to define morphological indicators for the astragalus and calcaneus, which allow for inferences to be made about the locomotor behaviours in rodents. Several specimens were dissected and described to bridge the myology of the leg with the morphology of the bones of interest. Osteological characters were described, compared, mechanically interpreted, and correlated with a “functional sequence” comprising six categories linked to the lifestyle and locomotion (jumping, cursorial, generalist, fossorial, climber and semi-aquatic). Some character states are typical of some of these categories, especially arboreal climbers, fossorial and “cursorial-jumping” taxa. Such reliable characters might be used to infer locomotor behaviours in extinct species. Linear discriminant analyses (LDAs) were used on a wider sample of species and show that astragalar and calcaneal characters can be used to discriminate the categories among extant species whereas a posteriori inferences on extinct species should be examined with caution. PMID:27761303

Innovative Bayesian and Parsimony Phylogeny of Dung Beetles (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Scarabaeinae) Enhanced by Ontology-Based Partitioning of Morphological Characters

PubMed Central

Tarasov, Sergei; Génier, François

2015-01-01

Scarabaeine dung beetles are the dominant dung feeding group of insects and are widely used as model organisms in conservation, ecology and developmental biology. Due to the conflicts among 13 recently published phylogenies dealing with the higher-level relationships of dung beetles, the phylogeny of this lineage remains largely unresolved. In this study, we conduct rigorous phylogenetic analyses of dung beetles, based on an unprecedented taxon sample (110 taxa) and detailed investigation of morphology (205 characters). We provide the description of morphology and thoroughly illustrate the used characters. Along with parsimony, traditionally used in the analysis of morphological data, we also apply the Bayesian method with a novel approach that uses anatomy ontology for matrix partitioning. This approach allows for heterogeneity in evolutionary rates among characters from different anatomical regions. Anatomy ontology generates a number of parameter-partition schemes which we compare using Bayes factor. We also test the effect of inclusion of autapomorphies in the morphological analysis, which hitherto has not been examined. Generally, schemes with more parameters were favored in the Bayesian comparison suggesting that characters located on different body regions evolve at different rates and that partitioning of the data matrix using anatomy ontology is reasonable; however, trees from the parsimony and all the Bayesian analyses were quite consistent. The hypothesized phylogeny reveals many novel clades and provides additional support for some clades recovered in previous analyses. Our results provide a solid basis for a new classification of dung beetles, in which the taxonomic limits of the tribes Dichotomiini, Deltochilini and Coprini are restricted and many new tribes must be described. Based on the consistency of the phylogeny with biogeography, we speculate that dung beetles may have originated in the Mesozoic contrary to the traditional view pointing to a Cenozoic origin. PMID:25781019

Morphological and molecular reassessment of graptemys oculifera and Graptemys flavimaculata (Testudines: Emydidae)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ennen, J.R.; Kreiser, B.R.; Qualls, C.P.; Lovich, J.E.

2010-01-01

The turtle genus Graptemys consists of 15 recognized taxa, distinguished largely on the basis of pigmentation pattern (i.e., soft tissue and shell), head size, and shell morphology. However, phylogenetic studies have shown limited sequence divergence within the genus and between Graptemys oculifera and Graptemys flavimaculata relative to most other members of the Emydidae. Graptemys oculifera of the Pearl River drainage and G. flavimaculata of the Pascagoula River drainage have been recognized as species since 1890 and 1954, respectively. However, the description of G. flavimaculata was based on a limited number of morphological characters. Several of these characters overlap between G. flavimaculata and G. oculifera, and no attempt was made to test for significant morphological differentiation. In this study, we reevaluated the morphological and genetic distinctiveness of G. flavimaculata and G. oculifera with (1) multivariate statistical analyses of 44 morphological characters and (2) 1,560 bp of sequence data from two mitochondrial genes (control region and ND4). The morphological and molecular analyses produced incongruent results. The principal components analysis ordinations separated the two species along a pigmentation gradient with G. flavimaculata having more yellow pigmentation than G. oculifera. Likewise, clustering analyses separated the specimens into two distinct groups with little overlap between the species. Our mitochondrial data supported previous findings of limited genetic differentiation between the two species. However, the results of our morphological analyses, in conjunction with recently published nuclear gene sequence data, support the continued recognition of the two species. Copyright 2010 Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles.

Quantitative and Qualitative Differences in Morphological Traits Revealed between Diploid Fragaria Species

PubMed Central

SARGENT, DANIEL J.; GEIBEL, M.; HAWKINS, J. A.; WILKINSON, M. J.; BATTEY, N. H.; SIMPSON, D. W.

2004-01-01

• Background and Aims The aims of this investigation were to highlight the qualitative and quantitative diversity apparent between nine diploid Fragaria species and produce interspecific populations segregating for a large number of morphological characters suitable for quantitative trait loci analysis. • Methods A qualitative comparison of eight described diploid Fragaria species was performed and measurements were taken of 23 morphological traits from 19 accessions including eight described species and one previously undescribed species. A principal components analysis was performed on 14 mathematically unrelated traits from these accessions, which partitioned the species accessions into distinct morphological groups. Interspecific crosses were performed with accessions of species that displayed significant quantitative divergence and, from these, populations that should segregate for a range of quantitative traits were raised. • Key Results Significant differences between species were observed for all 23 morphological traits quantified and three distinct groups of species accessions were observed after the principal components analysis. Interspecific crosses were performed between these groups, and F2 and backcross populations were raised that should segregate for a range of morphological characters. In addition, the study highlighted a number of distinctive morphological characters in many of the species studied. • Conclusions Diploid Fragaria species are morphologically diverse, yet remain highly interfertile, making the group an ideal model for the study of the genetic basis of phenotypic differences between species through map-based investigation using quantitative trait loci. The segregating interspecific populations raised will be ideal for such investigations and could also provide insights into the nature and extent of genome evolution within this group. PMID:15469944

Association mapping of agro-morphological characters among the global collection of finger millet genotypes using genomic SSR markers.

PubMed

Kalyana Babu, B; Agrawal, P K; Pandey, Dinesh; Jaiswal, J P; Kumar, Anil

2014-08-01

Identification of alleles responsible for various agro-morphological characters is a major concern to further improve the finger millet germplasm. Forty-six genomic SSRs were used for genetic analysis and population structure analysis of a global collection of 190 finger millet genotypes and fifteen agro-morphological characters were evaluated. The overall results showed that Asian genotypes were smaller in height, smaller flag leaf length, less basal tiller number, early flowering and early maturity nature, small ear head length, and smaller in length of longest finger. The 46 SSRs yielded 90 scorable alleles and the polymorphism information content values varied from 0.292 to 0.703 at an average of 0.442. The gene diversity was in the range of 0.355 to 0.750 with an average value of 0.528. The 46 genomic SSR loci grouped the 190 finger millet genotypes into two major clusters based on their geographical origin by the both phylogenetic clustering and population structure analysis by STRUCTURE software. Association mapping of QTLs for 15 agro-morphological characters with 46 genomic SSRs resulted in identification of five markers were linked to QTLs of four traits at a significant threshold (P) level of ≤ 0.01 and ≤ 0.001. The QTL for basal tiller number was strongly associated with the locus UGEP81 at a P value of 0.001 by explaining the phenotypic variance (R (2)) of 10.8%. The QTL for days to 50% flowering was linked by two SSR loci UGEP77 and UGEP90, explained 10 and 8.7% of R (2) respectively at a P value of 0.01. The SSR marker, FM9 found to have strong association to two agro-morphological traits, flag leaf width (P-0.001, R(2)-14.1 %) and plant height (P-0.001, R(2)-11.2%). The markers linked to the QTLs for above agro-morphological characters found in the present study can be further used for cloning of the full length gene, fine mapping and their further use in the marker assisted breeding programmes for introgression of alleles into locally well adapted germplasm.

Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the fern genus Pteris (Pteridaceae).

PubMed

Chao, Yi-Shan; Rouhan, Germinal; Amoroso, Victor B; Chiou, Wen-Liang

2014-07-01

Pteris (Pteridaceae), comprising over 250 species, had been thought to be a monophyletic genus until the three monotypic genera Neurocallis, Ochropteris and Platyzoma were included. However, the relationships between the type species of the genus Pteris, P. longifolia, and other species are still unknown. Furthermore, several infrageneric morphological classifications have been proposed, but are debated. To date, no worldwide phylogenetic hypothesis has been proposed for the genus, and no comprehensive biogeographical history of Pteris, crucial to understanding its cosmopolitan distribution, has been presented. A molecular phylogeny of Pteris is presented for 135 species, based on cpDNA rbcL and matK and using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference approaches. The inferred phylogeny was used to assess the biogeographical history of Pteris and to reconstruct the evolution of one ecological and four morphological characters commonly used for infrageneric classifications. The monophyly of Pteris remains uncertain, especially regarding the relationship of Pteris with Actiniopteris + Onychium and Platyzoma. Pteris comprises 11 clades supported by combinations of ecological and morphological character states, but none of the characters used in previous classifications were found to be exclusive synapomorphies. The results indicate that Pteris diversified around 47 million years ago, and when species colonized new geographical areas they generated new lineages, which are associated with morphological character transitions. This first phylogeny of Pteris on a global scale and including more than half of the diversity of the genus should contribute to a new, more reliable infrageneric classification of Pteris, based not only on a few morphological characters but also on ecological traits and geographical distribution. The inferred biogeographical history highlights long-distance dispersal as a major process shaping the worldwide distribution of the species. Colonization of different niches was followed by subsequent morphological diversification. Dispersal events followed by allopatric and parapatric speciation contribute to the species diversity of Pteris. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A multi-gene phylogeny of Cephalopoda supports convergent morphological evolution in association with multiple habitat shifts in the marine environment

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The marine environment is comprised of numerous divergent organisms living under similar selective pressures, often resulting in the evolution of convergent structures such as the fusiform body shape of pelagic squids, fishes, and some marine mammals. However, little is known about the frequency of, and circumstances leading to, convergent evolution in the open ocean. Here, we present a comparative study of the molluscan class Cephalopoda, a marine group known to occupy habitats from the intertidal to the deep sea. Several lineages bear features that may coincide with a benthic or pelagic existence, making this a valuable group for testing hypotheses of correlated evolution. To test for convergence and correlation, we generate the most taxonomically comprehensive multi-gene phylogeny of cephalopods to date. We then create a character matrix of habitat type and morphological characters, which we use to infer ancestral character states and test for correlation between habitat and morphology. Results Our study utilizes a taxonomically well-sampled phylogeny to show convergent evolution in all six morphological characters we analyzed. Three of these characters also correlate with habitat. The presence of an autogenic photophore (those relying upon autonomous enzymatic light reactions) is correlated with a pelagic habitat, while the cornea and accessory nidamental gland correlate with a benthic lifestyle. Here, we present the first statistical tests for correlation between convergent traits and habitat in cephalopods to better understand the evolutionary history of characters that are adaptive in benthic or pelagic environments, respectively. Discussion Our study supports the hypothesis that habitat has influenced convergent evolution in the marine environment: benthic organisms tend to exhibit similar characteristics that confer protection from invasion by other benthic taxa, while pelagic organisms possess features that facilitate crypsis and communication in an environment lacking physical refuges. Features that have originated multiple times in distantly related lineages are likely adaptive for the organisms inhabiting a particular environment: studying the frequency and evolutionary history of such convergent characters can increase understanding of the underlying forces driving ecological and evolutionary transitions in the marine environment. PMID:22839506

Unlocking the "Black box": internal female genitalia in Sepsidae (Diptera) evolve fast and are species-specific

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The species-specificity of male genitalia has been well documented in many insect groups and sexual selection has been proposed as the evolutionary force driving the often rapid, morphological divergence. The internal female genitalia, in sharp contrast, remain poorly studied. Here, we present the first comparative study of the internal reproductive system of Sepsidae. We test the species-specificity of the female genitalia by comparing recently diverged sister taxa. We also compare the rate of change in female morphological characters with the rate of fast-evolving, molecular and behavioral characters. Results We describe the ectodermal parts of the female reproductive tract for 41 species representing 21 of the 37 described genera and define 19 morphological characters with discontinuous variation found in eight structures that are part of the reproductive tract. Using a well-resolved molecular phylogeny based on 10 genes, we reconstruct the evolution of these characters across the family [120 steps; Consistency Index (CI): 0.41]. Two structures, in particular, evolve faster than the rest. The first is the ventral receptacle, which is a secondary sperm storage organ. It accounts for more than half of all the evolutionary changes observed (7 characters; 61 steps; CI: 0.46). It is morphologically diverse across genera, can be bi-lobed or multi-chambered (up to 80 chambers), and is strongly sclerotized in one clade. The second structure is the dorsal sclerite, which is present in all sepsids except Orygma luctuosum and Ortalischema albitarse. It is associated with the opening of the spermathecal ducts and is often distinct even among sister species (4 characters; 16 steps; CI: 0.56). Conclusions We find the internal female genitalia are diverse in Sepsidae and diagnostic for all species. In particular, fast-evolving structures like the ventral receptacle and dorsal sclerite are likely involved in post-copulatory sexual selection. In comparison to behavioral and molecular data, the female structures are evolving 2/3 as fast as the non-constant third positions of the COI barcoding gene. They display less convergent evolution in characters (CI = 0.54) than the third positions or sepsid mating behavior (CICOI = 0.36; CIBEHAV = 0.45). PMID:20831809

The thorax of the cave cricket Troglophilus neglectus: anatomical adaptations in an ancient wingless insect lineage (Orthoptera: Rhaphidophoridae).

PubMed

Leubner, Fanny; Hörnschemeyer, Thomas; Bradler, Sven

2016-02-18

Secondary winglessness is a common phenomenon found among neopteran insects. With an estimated age of at least 140 million years, the cave crickets (Rhaphidophoridae) form the oldest exclusively wingless lineage within the long-horned grasshoppers (Ensifera). With respect to their morphology, cave crickets are generally considered to represent a `primitive' group of Ensifera, for which no apomorphic character has been reported so far. We present the first detailed investigation and description of the thoracic skeletal and muscular anatomy of the East Mediterranean cave cricket Troglophilus neglectus (Ensifera: Rhaphidophoridae). T. neglectus possesses sternopleural muscles that are not yet reported from other neopteran insects. Cave crickets in general exhibit some unique features with respect to their thoracic skeletal anatomy: an externally reduced prospinasternum, a narrow median sclerite situated between the meso- and metathorax, a star-shaped prospina, and a triramous metafurca. The thoracic muscle equipment of T. neglectus compared to that of the bush cricket Conocephalus maculatus (Ensifera: Tettigoniidae) and the house cricket Acheta domesticus (Ensifera: Gryllidae) reveals a number of potentially synapomorphic characters between these lineages. Based on the observed morphology we favor a closer relationship of Rhaphidophoridae to Tettigoniidae rather than to Gryllidae. In addition, the comparison of the thoracic morphology of T. neglectus to that of other wingless Polyneoptera allows reliable conclusions about anatomical adaptations correlated with secondary winglessness. The anatomy in apterous Ensifera, viz. the reduction of discrete direct and indirect flight muscles as well as the strengthening of specific leg muscles, largely resembles the condition found in wingless stick insects (Euphasmatodea), but is strikingly different from that of other related wingless insects, e.g. heel walkers (Mantophasmatodea), ice crawlers (Grylloblattodea), and certain grasshoppers (Caelifera). The composition of direct flight muscles largely follows similar patterns in winged respectively wingless species within major polyneopteran lineages, but it is highly heterogeneous between those lineages.

Do molecules matter more than morphology? Promises and pitfalls in parasites.

PubMed

Perkins, S L; Martinsen, E S; Falk, B G

2011-11-01

Systematics involves resolving both the taxonomy and phylogenetic placement of organisms. We review the advantages and disadvantages of the two kinds of information commonly used for such inferences--morphological and molecular data--as applied to the systematics of metazoan parasites generally, with special attention to the malaria parasites. The problems that potentially confound the use of morphology in parasites include challenges to consistent specimen preservation, plasticity of features depending on hosts or other environmental factors, and morphological convergence. Molecular characters such as DNA sequences present an alternative data source and are particularly useful when not all the parasite's life stages are present or when parasitaemia is low. Nonetheless, molecular data can bring challenges that include troublesome DNA isolation, paralogous gene copies, difficulty in developing molecular markers, and preferential amplification in mixed species infections. Given the differential benefits and shortcomings of both molecular and morphological characters, both should be implemented in parasite taxonomy and phylogenetics.

Phylogeny, paleontology, and primates: do incomplete fossils bias the tree of life?

PubMed

Pattinson, David J; Thompson, Richard S; Piotrowski, Aleks K; Asher, Robert J

2015-03-01

Paleontological systematics relies heavily on morphological data that have undergone decay and fossilization. Here, we apply a heuristic means to assess how a fossil's incompleteness detracts from inferring its phylogenetic relationships. We compiled a phylogenetic matrix for primates and simulated the extinction of living species by deleting an extant taxon's molecular data and keeping only those morphological characters present in actual fossils. The choice of characters present in a given living taxon (the subject) was defined by those present in a given fossil (the template). By measuring congruence between a well-corroborated phylogeny to those incorporating artificial fossils, and by comparing real vs. random character distributions and states, we tested the information content of paleontological datasets and determined if extinction of a living species leads to bias in phylogeny reconstruction. We found a positive correlation between fossil completeness and topological congruence. Real fossil templates sampled for 36 or more of the 360 available morphological characters (including dental) performed significantly better than similarly complete templates with random states. Templates dominated by only one partition performed worse than templates with randomly sampled characters across partitions. The template based on the Eocene primate Darwinius masillae performs better than most other templates with a similar number of sampled characters, likely due to preservation of data across multiple partitions. Our results support the interpretation that Darwinius is strepsirhine, not haplorhine, and suggest that paleontological datasets are reliable in primate phylogeny reconstruction. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Including autapomorphies is important for paleontological tip-dating with clocklike data, but not with non-clock data.

PubMed

Matzke, Nicholas J; Irmis, Randall B

2018-01-01

Tip-dating, where fossils are included as dated terminal taxa in Bayesian dating inference, is an increasingly popular method. Data for these studies often come from morphological character matrices originally developed for non-dated, and usually parsimony, analyses. In parsimony, only shared derived characters (synapomorphies) provide grouping information, so many character matrices have an ascertainment bias: they omit autapomorphies (unique derived character states), which are considered uninformative. There has been no study of the effect of this ascertainment bias in tip-dating, but autapomorphies can be informative in model-based inference. We expected that excluding autapomorphies would shorten the morphological branchlengths of terminal branches, and thus bias downwards the time branchlengths inferred in tip-dating. We tested for this effect using a matrix for Carboniferous-Permian eureptiles where all autapomorphies had been deliberately coded. Surprisingly, date estimates are virtually unchanged when autapomorphies are excluded, although we find large changes in morphological rate estimates and small effects on topological and dating confidence. We hypothesized that the puzzling lack of effect on dating was caused by the non-clock nature of the eureptile data. We confirm this explanation by simulating strict clock and non-clock datasets, showing that autapomorphy exclusion biases dating only for the clocklike case. A theoretical solution to ascertainment bias is computing the ascertainment bias correction (M k parsinf ), but we explore this correction in detail, and show that it is computationally impractical for typical datasets with many character states and taxa. Therefore we recommend that palaeontologists collect autapomorphies whenever possible when assembling character matrices.

Seed morphology and anatomy and its utility in recognizing subfamilies and tribes of Zingiberaceae

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Benedict, John C.; Smith, Selena Y.; Collinson, Margaret E.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Recent phylogenetic analyses based on molecular data suggested that the monocot family Zingiberaceae be separated into four subfamilies and four tribes. Robust morphological characters to support these clades are lacking. Seeds were analyzed in a phylogenetic context to test independently the circumscription of clades and to better understand evolution of seed characters within Zingiberaceae. METHODS: Seventy-five species from three of the four subfamilies were analyzed using synchrotron based x-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) and scored for 39 morphoanatomical characters. KEY RESULTS: Zingiberaceae seeds are some of the most structurally complex seeds in angiosperms. No single seed charactermore » was found to distinguish each subfamily, but combinations of characters were found to differentiate between the subfamilies. Recognition of the tribes based on seeds was possible for Globbeae, but not for Alpinieae, Riedelieae, or Zingibereae, due to considerable variation. CONCLUSIONS: SRXTM is an excellent, nondestructive tool to capture morphoanatomical variation of seeds and allows for the study of taxa with limited material available. Alpinioideae, Siphonochiloideae, Tamijioideae, and Zingiberoideae are well supported based on both molecular and morphological data, including multiple seed characters. Globbeae are well supported as a distinctive tribe within the Zingiberoideae, but no other tribe could be differentiated using seeds due to considerable homoplasy when compared with currently accepted relationships based on molecular data. Novel seed characters suggest tribal affinities for two currently unplaced Zingiberaceae taxa: Siliquamomum may be related to Riedelieae and Monolophus to Zingibereae, but further work is needed before formal revision of the family.« less

Fruit morphological descriptors as a tool for discrimination of Daucus L. germplasm

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Morphological diversity of a Daucus L. germplasm collection maintained at the National Gene Bank of Tunisia was assessed using fourteen morphological descriptors related to mature fruits. Quantification of variability for each character was investigated using the standardized Shannon-Weaver Diversit...

Revision of the genus Menevia Schaus, 1928 (Lepidoptera, Mimallonoidea, Mimallonidae) with the description of 11 new species

PubMed Central

St. Laurent, Ryan A.; Dombroskie, Jason J.

2016-01-01

Abstract The Neotropical genus Menevia Schaus, 1928 is revised to include 18 species, 11 of which are new. Two species, Menevia ostia comb. n. and Menevia parostia comb. n. are transferred from Pamea Walker, 1855 to Menevia. Four species-groups are diagnosed for the first time based on external characters and male genitalia morphology. The following new species are described: Menevia rosea sp. n., Menevia torvamessoria sp. n., Menevia magna sp. n., Menevia menapia sp. n., Menevia mielkei sp. n., Menevia australis sp. n., Menevia vulgaris sp. n., Menevia franclemonti sp. n., Menevia vulgaricula sp. n., Menevia cordillera sp. n., and Menevia delphinus sp. n.. A neotype is designated for Mimallo plagiata Walker, 1855, which has since been placed in Menevia. Mimallo saturata Walker, 1855 is interpreted to be a nomen dubium. PMID:27047245

Synthesis of MnFe2O4 magnetic nano hollow spheres by a facile solvothermal route and its characterization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dey, Chaitali; Chaudhuri, Arka; Goswami, Madhuri Mandal

2018-04-01

Herein, we report the synthesis of manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) magnetic nano hollow sphere (NHS) by a solvothermal route. Crystalline phase was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive x-ray (EDX). Magnetic measurements were done in vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and morphological structure was analyzed by field emission high resolution scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and structural characterization was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal analysis was performed by thermo-gravimetric analysis-differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA). The size of the NHS was around 470 nm, this large size may show a potential applicability in industrial application, like dye adsorption, catalysis etc. In addition, because of its ferromagnetic character at room temperature, it can be easily separated by external magnetic field after the application is done.

Review of Marmasoma White with lectotype designation of M. sumptuosum White and an identification key to the Australasian/Oceanian genera of Ecliminae (Diptera, Bombyliidae).

PubMed

Rodrigues, Paula Fernanda Motta; McAlister, Erica; Lamas, Carlos José Einicker

2017-02-15

The bombyliid genus Marmasoma White is restricted to Australia. Marmasoma sumptuosum White, the only known species of the genus, is studied and a lectotype and paralectotypes are designated. Based on the type series and on additional material, a redescription of the species is presented and the main characters of the external morphology of adults are illustrated and photographed, including male and female genitalia. In addition, the remarkable aedeagus of M. sumptuosum, unique among all Ecliminae species by the presence of serrated projections on its apical portion, is described and photographed in detail for the first time. An identification key to the Australasian/Oceanian genera of Ecliminae and a distribution map with the known geographic records of Marmasoma are also included.

VARIABILITY AND CHARACTER ASSOCIATION IN ROSE COLOURED LEADWORT (PLUMBAGO ROSEA Linn.)

PubMed Central

Kurian, Alice; Anitha, C.A.; Nybe, E.V.

2001-01-01

Forty five plumbago rosea accessions collected from different parts of Kerala state were evaluated for variability in morphological and yield related characters and plumbagin content. Highly significant variation was evident for all the characters studied except leaf size indicating wide variability in the accessions. Accessions PR 25 and PR 31 appear to be promising with respect to root yield and high plumbagin content. Character association revelated significant and positive correlation of all the characters except leaf size with yield. Hence, selection of high yielding types could easily be done based on visual characters expressing more vegetative growth but with reduced leaf size. PMID:22557037

A new species of Acanthodactylus Fitzinger 1834 (Sauria: Lacertidae) from southern Iran.

PubMed

Nastaran, Heidari; Nasrullah Rastegar, Pouyani; Eskandar, Rastegar-Pouyani; Mehdi, Rajabizadeh

2013-01-01

A new and distinctive species of lacertid genus Acanthodactylus Fitzinger, 1834 is described from 7 km east of Khamir Port, Hormozgan Province, southern Iran at an elevation of 30-40m above sea level (asl). Analyses of morphological characters and the comparison with other formerly known species of this genus have proven the status of this taxon as a new, distinct species. Combinations of scalation characters and distinct morphology, coloration and habitat peculiarities in calcareous mountains distinguish Acanthodactylus khamirensis sp.nov from all remaining species of the genus in the area. In order to show the validity of the new species, we carried out a comparative statistical analysis using 13 metric and six meristic morphological characters on all of the neighboring congeners of the new species using descriptive (one-way ANOVA) as well as multivariate analyses (PCA and DFA). The results confirm the specific status of the new taxon. Detailed information and an updated identification key for the genus A canthodactylus in Iran are presented.

Evolutionary history of the Afro-Madagascan Ixora species (Rubiaceae): species diversification and distribution of key morphological traits inferred from dated molecular phylogenetic trees

PubMed Central

Tosh, J.; Dessein, S.; Buerki, S.; Groeninckx, I.; Mouly, A.; Bremer, B.; Smets, E. F.; De Block, P.

2013-01-01

Background and Aims Previous work on the pantropical genus Ixora has revealed an Afro-Madagascan clade, but as yet no study has focused in detail on the evolutionary history and morphological trends in this group. Here the evolutionary history of Afro-Madagascan Ixora spp. (a clade of approx. 80 taxa) is investigated and the phylogenetic trees compared with several key morphological traits in taxa occurring in Madagascar. Methods Phylogenetic relationships of Afro-Madagascan Ixora are assessed using sequence data from four plastid regions (petD, rps16, rpoB-trnC and trnL-trnF) and nuclear ribosomal external transcribed spacer (ETS) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions. The phylogenetic distribution of key morphological characters is assessed. Bayesian inference (implemented in BEAST) is used to estimate the temporal origin of Ixora based on fossil evidence. Key Results Two separate lineages of Madagascan taxa are recovered, one of which is nested in a group of East African taxa. Divergence in Ixora is estimated to have commenced during the mid Miocene, with extensive cladogenesis occurring in the Afro-Madagascan clade during the Pliocene onwards. Conclusions Both lineages of Madagascan Ixora exhibit morphological innovations that are rare throughout the rest of the genus, including a trend towards pauciflorous inflorescences and a trend towards extreme corolla tube length, suggesting that the same ecological and selective pressures are acting upon taxa from both Madagascan lineages. Novel ecological opportunities resulting from climate-induced habitat fragmentation and corolla tube length diversification are likely to have facilitated species radiation on Madagascar. PMID:24142919

Morphological and histological characters of penile organization in eleven species of molossid bats.

PubMed

Comelis, Manuela T; Bueno, Larissa M; Góes, Rejane M; Taboga, S R; Morielle-Versute, Eliana

2018-04-01

The penis is the reproductive organ that ensures efficient copulation and success of internal fertilization in all species of mammals, with special challenges for bats, where copulation can occur during flight. Comparative anatomical analyses of different species of bats can contribute to a better understanding of morphological diversity of this organ, concerning organization and function. In this study, we describe the external morphology and histomorphology of the penis and baculum in eleven species of molossid bats. The present study showed that penile organization in these species displayed the basic vascular mammalian pattern and had a similar pattern concerning the presence of the tissues constituting the penis, exhibiting three types of erectile tissue (the corpus cavernosum, accessory cavernous tissue, and corpus spongiosum) around the urethra. However, certain features varied among the species, demonstrating that most species are distinguishable by glans and baculum morphology and glans histological organization. Major variations in glans morphology were genus-specific, and the greatest similarities were shared by Eumops species and N. laticaudatus. The greatest interspecific similarities occurred between M. molossus and M. rufus and between Eumops species. Save for M. molossus and M. rufus, morphology of the baculum was species-specific; and in E. perotis, it did not occur in all specimens, indicating that it is probably under selection. In the histological organization, the most evident differences were number of septa and localization of the corpora cavernosa. In species with a baculum (Molossus, Eumops and Nyctinomops species), the corpora cavernosa predominantly occupied the dorsal region of the penile glans and is associated with the proximal (basal) portion of the baculum. In species that do not have a baculum (Cynomops, Molossops and Neoplatymops species), the corpora cavernosa predominantly occupied the ventro-lateral region of the glans. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Paleogenetic Analyses Reveal Unsuspected Phylogenetic Affinities between Mice and the Extinct Malpaisomys insularis, an Endemic Rodent of the Canaries

PubMed Central

Gros-Balthazard, Muriel; Hughes, Sandrine; Alcover, Josep Antoni; Hutterer, Rainer; Rando, Juan Carlos; Michaux, Jacques; Hänni, Catherine

2012-01-01

Background The lava mouse, Malpaisomys insularis, was endemic to the Eastern Canary islands and became extinct at the beginning of the 14th century when the Europeans reached the archipelago. Studies to determine Malpaisomys' phylogenetic affinities, based on morphological characters, remained inconclusive because morphological changes experienced by this insular rodent make phylogenetic investigations a real challenge. Over 20 years since its first description, Malpaisomys' phylogenetic position remains enigmatic. Methodology/Principal Findings In this study, we resolved this issue using molecular characters. Mitochondrial and nuclear markers were successfully amplified from subfossils of three lava mouse samples. Molecular phylogenetic reconstructions revealed, without any ambiguity, unsuspected relationships between Malpaisomys and extant mice (genus Mus, Murinae). Moreover, through molecular dating we estimated the origin of the Malpaisomys/mouse clade at 6.9 Ma, corresponding to the maximal age at which the archipelago was colonised by the Malpaisomys ancestor via natural rafting. Conclusion/Significance This study reconsiders the derived morphological characters of Malpaisomys in light of this unexpected molecular finding. To reconcile molecular and morphological data, we propose to consider Malpaisomys insularis as an insular lineage of mouse. PMID:22363563

Insight into the validity of Leptobrachium guangxiense (Anura: Megophryidae): evidence from mitochondrial DNA sequences and morphological characters.

PubMed

Chen, Weicai; Zhang, Wei; Zhou, Shichu; Li, Ning; Huang, Yong; Mo, Yunming

2013-01-01

Lepobrachiun guangxiense Fei, Mo, Ye and Jiang, 2009 (Anura: Megophryidae), is presently thought to be endemic to Shangsi, Guangxi Province, China. A molecular phylogenetic analysis and morphological data were performed to gain insight into the phylogenetic position of this species. Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference methods were employed to reconstruct phylogenetic relationship, using 1914 bp of sequences from mtDNA genes of 12S rRNA, tRNAVal and 16S rRNA. Topologies revealed that L. guangxiense and Tam Dao (Vietnam) L. chapaense lineage (3A) formed a monophyletic group with well-supported values. The uncorrected p-distance of ~1.4k bp 16S rRNA data-sets between Tam Dao L. chapaense lineage (3A) and L. guangxiense is only 0.1%. Morphologically, L. guangxiense and Tam Dao L. chapaense lineage (3A) shared the same characters, and are distinguishable from "true" L. chapaense from the type locality in Sa Pa, Vietnam. Based on morphological characters and mitochondrial DNA, we suggested that the Tam Dao lineages of L. chapaense are conspecific with L. guangxiense. This represents a range extension for L. guangxiense, and a new country record for Vietnam.

Phylogeny and character evolution of the coprinoid mushroom genus Parasola as inferred from LSU and ITS nrDNA sequence data.

PubMed

Nagy, L G; Kocsubé, S; Papp, T; Vágvölgyi, C

2009-06-01

Phylogenetic relationships, species concepts and morphological evolution of the coprinoid mushroom genus Parasola were studied. A combined dataset of nuclear ribosomal ITS and LSU sequences was used to infer phylogenetic relationships of Parasola species and several outgroup taxa. Clades recovered in the phylogenetic analyses corresponded well to morphologically discernable species, although in the case of P. leiocephala, P. lilatincta and P. plicatilis amended concepts proved necessary. Parasola galericuliformis and P. hemerobia are shown to be synonymous with P. leiocephala and P. plicatilis, respectively. By mapping morphological characters on the phylogeny, it is shown that the emergence of deliquescent Parasola taxa was accompanied by the development of pleurocystidia, brachybasidia and a plicate pileus. Spore shape and the position of the germ pore on the spores showed definite evolutionary trends within the group: from ellipsoid the former becomes more voluminous and heart-shaped, the latter evolves from central to eccentric in taxa referred to as 'crown' Parasola species. The results are discussed and compared to other Coprinus s.l. and Psathyrella taxa. Homoplasy and phylogenetic significance of various morphological characters, as well as indels in ITS and LSU sequences, are also evaluated.

Pollen morphology and plant taxonomy of white oaks in eastern North America

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Solomon, A.M.

An evaluation of possible approaches to fossil oak pollen identification utilized scanning electron microscopy to examine exine-surface features of 171 collections, representing 16 Quercus subgenus Lepidobalanus species and varieties of eastern North America. Twenty qualitative pollen morphological characters were defined and tabulated for each of 217 pollen grains. The data were subjected to cluster analysis and cluster diagrams were compared with published white oak taxonomy. Pollen morphology and plant taxonomy compared well in series of the subgenus Lepidobalanus due primarily to consistency of character presence and absence within species and varieties. Pollen morphology of white oaks appears to reflect plantmore » systematics above the species level. Use of routine SEM analysis to identify series of white oaks among fossil pollen grains likely will yield valid results. 38 references.« less

The evolutionary history of Mimosa (Leguminosae): toward a phylogeny of the sensitive plants.

PubMed

Simon, Marcelo F; Grether, Rosaura; de Queiroz, Luciano P; Särkinen, Tiina E; Dutra, Valquíria F; Hughes, Colin E

2011-07-01

Large genera provide remarkable opportunities to investigate patterns of morphological evolution and historical biogeography in plants. A molecular phylogeny of the species-rich and morphologically and ecologically diverse genus Mimosa was generated to evaluate its infrageneric classification, reconstruct the evolution of a set of morphological characters, and establish the relationships of Old World species to the rest of the genus. We used trnD-trnT plastid sequences for 259 species of Mimosa (ca. 50% of the total) to reconstruct the phylogeny of the genus. Six morphological characters (petiolar nectary, inflorescence type, number of stamens, number of petals, pollen type, and seismonasty) were optimized onto the molecular tree. Mimosa was recovered as a monophyletic clade nested within the Piptadenia group and includes the former members of Schrankia, corroborating transfer of that genus to Mimosa. Although we found good support for several infrageneric groups, only one section (Mimadenia) was recovered as monophyletic. All but one of the morphological characters analyzed showed high levels of homoplasy. High levels of geographic structure were found, with species from the same area tending to group together in the phylogeny. Old World species of Mimosa form a monophyletic clade deeply nested within New World groups, indicating recent (6-10 Ma) long-distance dispersal. Although based on a single plastid region, our results establish a preliminary phylogenetic framework for Mimosa that can be used to infer patterns of morphological evolution and relationships and which provides pointers toward a revised infrageneric classification.

Molecular phylogeny of Gymnocalycium (Cactaceae): assessment of alternative infrageneric systems, a new subgenus, and trends in the evolution of the genus.

PubMed

Demaio, Pablo H; Barfuss, Michael H J; Kiesling, Roberto; Till, Walter; Chiapella, Jorge O

2011-11-01

The South American genus Gymnocalycium (Cactoideae-Trichocereae) demonstrates how the sole use of morphological data in Cactaceae results in conflicts in assessing phylogeny, constructing a taxonomic system, and analyzing trends in the evolution of the genus. Molecular phylogenetic analysis was performed using parsimony and Bayesian methods on a 6195-bp data matrix of plastid DNA sequences (atpI-atpH, petL-psbE, trnK-matK, trnT-trnL-trnF) of 78 samples, including 52 species and infraspecific taxa representing all the subgenera of Gymnocalycium. We assessed morphological character evolution using likelihood methods to optimize characters on a Bayesian tree and to reconstruct possible ancestral states. The results of the phylogenetic study confirm the monophyly of the genus, while supporting overall the available infrageneric classification based on seed morphology. Analysis showed the subgenera Microsemineum and Macrosemineum to be polyphyletic and paraphyletic. Analysis of morphological characters showed a tendency toward reduction of stem size, reduction in quantity and hardiness of spines, increment of seed size, development of napiform roots, and change from juicy and colorful fruits to dry and green fruits. Gymnocalycium saglionis is the only species of Microsemineum and a new name is required to identify the clade including the remaining species of Microsemineum; we propose the name Scabrosemineum in agreement with seed morphology. Identifying morphological trends and environmental features allows for a better understanding of the events that might have influenced the diversification of the genus.

An Expanded Combined Evidence Approach to the Gavialis Problem Using Geometric Morphometric Data from Crocodylian Braincases and Eustachian Systems

PubMed Central

Gold, Maria Eugenia Leone; Brochu, Christopher A.; Norell, Mark A.

2014-01-01

The phylogenetic position of the Indian gharial (Gavialis gangeticus) is disputed - morphological characters place Gavialis as the sister to all other extant crocodylians, whereas molecular and combined analyses find Gavialis and the false gharial (Tomistoma schlegelii) to be sister taxa. Geometric morphometric techniques have only begun to be applied to this issue, but most of these studies have focused on the exterior of the skull. The braincase has provided useful phylogenetic information for basal crurotarsans, but has not been explored for the crown group. The Eustachian system is thought to vary phylogenetically in Crocodylia, but has not been analytically tested. To determine if gross morphology of the crocodylian braincase proves informative to the relationships of Gavialis and Tomistoma, we used two- and three-dimensional geometric morphometric approaches. Internal braincase images were obtained using high-resolution computerized tomography scans. A principal components analysis identified that the first component axis was primarily associated with size and did not show groupings that divide the specimens by phylogenetic affinity. Sliding semi-landmarks and a relative warp analysis indicate that a unique Eustachian morphology separates Gavialis from other extant members of Crocodylia. Ontogenetic expansion of the braincase results in a more dorsoventrally elongate median Eustachian canal. Changes in the shape of the Eustachian system do provide phylogenetic distinctions between major crocodylian clades. Each morphometric dataset, consisting of continuous morphological characters, was added independently to a combined cladistic analysis of discrete morphological and molecular characters. The braincase data alone produced a clade that included crocodylids and Gavialis, whereas the Eustachian data resulted in Gavialis being considered a basally divergent lineage. When each morphometric dataset was used in a combined analysis with discrete morphological and molecular characters, it generated a tree that matched the topology of the molecular phylogeny of Crocodylia. PMID:25198124

Morphological variation and chromosome studies of Calligonum mongolicum and C. pumilum (polygonaceae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Calligonum spp. are common plant species in desert areas of central Asia. Since they are drought-resistant, salt-tolerant and grow successfully in sand, they are useful for wind-breaks and dune stabilization. The fruit morphology is regarded as a key taxonomic character for the genus. Morphological ...

Phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of the genus Algansea Girard (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) of central Mexico inferred from molecular data

PubMed Central

Pérez-Rodríguez, Rodolfo; Domínguez-Domínguez, Omar; de León, Gerardo Pérez Ponce; Doadrio, Ignacio

2009-01-01

Background The genus Algansea is one of the most representative freshwater fish groups in central Mexico due to its wide geographic distribution and unusual level of endemicity. Despite the small number of species, this genus has had an unsettled taxonomic history due to high levels of intraspecific morphological variation. Moreover, several phylogenetic hypotheses among congeners have been proposed but have had the following shortcomings: the use of homoplasious morphological characters, the use of character codification and polarisation methods that lacked objectivity, and incomplete taxonomic sampling. In this study, a phylogenetic analysis among species of Algansea is presented. This analysis is based upon two molecular markers, the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b and the first intron of the ribosomal protein S7 gene. Results Bayesian analysis based on a combined matrix (cytochrome b and first intron S7) showed that Algansea is a monophyletic group and that Agosia chrysogaster is the sister group. Divergence times dated the origin of the genus around 16.6 MYA, with subsequent cladogenetic events occurring between 6.4 and 2.8 MYA. When mapped onto the molecular phylogenetic hypothesis, the character states of three morphological characters did not support previous hypotheses on the evolution of morphological traits in the genus Algansea, whereas the character states of the remaining six characters partially corroborated those hypotheses. Conclusion Monophyly of the genus Algansea was corroborated in this study. Tree topology shows the genus consists of three main lineages: Central-Eastern, Western, and Southern clades. However, the relationships among these clades remained unresolved. Congruence found between the available geological and climatic history and the divergence times made it possible to infer the biogeographical history of Algansea, which suggested that vicariance events were responsible for the evolutionary history of the genus. Interestingly, this pattern was shared with other members of the freshwater fish fauna of central Mexico. In addition, molecular data also show that some morphological traits alleged to represent synapomorphies in previous studies were actually homoplasies. Others traits were corroborated as synapomorphies, particularly in those species of a subgroup corresponding with the Central-Eastern clade within Algansea; this corroboration is interpreted as a result of evolutionary adaptations. PMID:19735558

Computational biomechanics changes our view on insect head evolution.

PubMed

Blanke, Alexander; Watson, Peter J; Holbrey, Richard; Fagan, Michael J

2017-02-08

Despite large-scale molecular attempts, the relationships of the basal winged insect lineages dragonflies, mayflies and neopterans, are still unresolved. Other data sources, such as morphology, suffer from unclear functional dependencies of the structures considered, which might mislead phylogenetic inference. Here, we assess this problem by combining for the first time biomechanics with phylogenetics using two advanced engineering techniques, multibody dynamics analysis and finite-element analysis, to objectively identify functional linkages in insect head structures which have been used traditionally to argue basal winged insect relationships. With a biomechanical model of unprecedented detail, we are able to investigate the mechanics of morphological characters under biologically realistic load, i.e. biting. We show that a range of head characters, mainly ridges, endoskeletal elements and joints, are indeed mechanically linked to each other. An analysis of character state correlation in a morphological data matrix focused on head characters shows highly significant correlation of these mechanically linked structures. Phylogenetic tree reconstruction under different data exclusion schemes based on the correlation analysis unambiguously supports a sistergroup relationship of dragonflies and mayflies. The combination of biomechanics and phylogenetics as it is proposed here could be a promising approach to assess functional dependencies in many organisms to increase our understanding of phenotypic evolution. © 2017 The Author(s).

External morphology of stable fly (Diptera: Muscidae) larvae

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the external morphology of first-, second-, and third-instar stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans (L.)). In the cephalic region, the antennae, labial lobe, and maxillary palpi are morphologically similar among instars. Antennae comprise a prominent ante...

A new armored archosauriform (Diapsida: Archosauromorpha) from the marine Middle Triassic of China, with implications for the diverse life styles of archosauriforms prior to the diversification of Archosauria.

PubMed

Li, Chun; Wu, Xiao-Chun; Zhao, Li-Jun; Nesbitt, Sterling J; Stocker, Michelle R; Wang, Li-Ting

2016-12-01

Reptiles have a long history of transitioning from terrestrial to semi-aquatic or aquatic environments that stretches back at least 250 million years. Within Archosauria, both living crocodylians and birds have semi-aquatic members. Closer to the root of Archosauria and within the closest relatives of the clade, there is a growing body of evidence that early members of those clades had a semi-aquatic lifestyle. However, the morphological adaptations to a semi-aquatic environment remain equivocal in most cases. Here, we introduce a new Middle Triassic (245-235 Ma) archosauriform, Litorosuchus somnii, gen. et sp. nov., based on a nearly complete skeleton from the Zhuganpo Member (Ladinian [241-235 Ma]) of the Falang Formation, Yunnan, China. Our phylogenetic analyses suggest that Litorosuchus is a stem archosaur closely related to the aberrant Vancleavea just outside of Archosauria. The well-preserved skeleton of L. somnii bears a number of morphological characters consistent with other aquatic-adapted tetrapods including: a dorsally directed external naris, tall neural spines and elongate chevrons in an elongated tail, a short and broad scapula, webbed feet, long cervical vertebrae with long slender ribs, and an elongated rostrum with long and pointed teeth. Together these features represent one of the best-supported cases of a semi-aquatic mode of life for a stem archosaur. Together with Vancleavea campi, the discovery of L. somnii demonstrates a growing body of evidence that there was much more diversity in mode of life outside Archosauria. Furthermore, L. somnii helps interpret other possible character states consistent with a semi-aquatic mode of life for archosauriforms, including archosaurs.

A new armored archosauriform (Diapsida: Archosauromorpha) from the marine Middle Triassic of China, with implications for the diverse life styles of archosauriforms prior to the diversification of Archosauria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Chun; Wu, Xiao-chun; Zhao, Li-jun; Nesbitt, Sterling J.; Stocker, Michelle R.; Wang, Li-Ting

2016-12-01

Reptiles have a long history of transitioning from terrestrial to semi-aquatic or aquatic environments that stretches back at least 250 million years. Within Archosauria, both living crocodylians and birds have semi-aquatic members. Closer to the root of Archosauria and within the closest relatives of the clade, there is a growing body of evidence that early members of those clades had a semi-aquatic lifestyle. However, the morphological adaptations to a semi-aquatic environment remain equivocal in most cases. Here, we introduce a new Middle Triassic (245-235 Ma) archosauriform, Litorosuchus somnii, gen. et sp. nov., based on a nearly complete skeleton from the Zhuganpo Member (Ladinian [241-235 Ma]) of the Falang Formation, Yunnan, China. Our phylogenetic analyses suggest that Litorosuchus is a stem archosaur closely related to the aberrant Vancleavea just outside of Archosauria. The well-preserved skeleton of L. somnii bears a number of morphological characters consistent with other aquatic-adapted tetrapods including: a dorsally directed external naris, tall neural spines and elongate chevrons in an elongated tail, a short and broad scapula, webbed feet, long cervical vertebrae with long slender ribs, and an elongated rostrum with long and pointed teeth. Together these features represent one of the best-supported cases of a semi-aquatic mode of life for a stem archosaur. Together with Vancleavea campi, the discovery of L. somnii demonstrates a growing body of evidence that there was much more diversity in mode of life outside Archosauria. Furthermore, L. somnii helps interpret other possible character states consistent with a semi-aquatic mode of life for archosauriforms, including archosaurs.

Hiding deep in the trees: discovery of divergent mitochondrial lineages in Malagasy chameleons of the Calumma nasutum group

PubMed Central

Gehring, Philip-Sebastian; Tolley, Krystal A; Eckhardt, Falk Sebastian; Townsend, Ted M; Ziegler, Thomas; Ratsoavina, Fanomezana; Glaw, Frank; Vences, Miguel

2012-01-01

We conducted a comprehensive molecular phylogenetic study for a group of chameleons from Madagascar (Chamaeleonidae: Calumma nasutum group, comprising seven nominal species) to examine the genetic and species diversity in this widespread genus. Based on DNA sequences of the mitochondrial gene (ND2) from 215 specimens, we reconstructed the phylogeny using a Bayesian approach. Our results show deep divergences among several unnamed mitochondrial lineages that are difficult to identify morphologically. We evaluated lineage diversification using a number of statistical phylogenetic methods (general mixed Yule-coalescent model; SpeciesIdentifier; net p-distances) to objectively delimit lineages that we here consider as operational taxonomic units (OTUs), and for which the taxonomic status remains largely unknown. In addition, we compared molecular and morphological differentiation in detail for one particularly diverse clade (the C. boettgeri complex) from northern Madagascar. To assess the species boundaries within this group we used an integrative taxonomic approach, combining evidence from two independent molecular markers (ND2 and CMOS), together with genital and other external morphological characters, and conclude that some of the newly discovered OTUs are separate species (confirmed candidate species, CCS), while others should best be considered as deep conspecific lineages (DCLs). Our analysis supports a total of 33 OTUs, of which seven correspond to described species, suggesting that the taxonomy of the C. nasutum group is in need of revision. PMID:22957155

A supermatrix analysis of genomic, morphological, and paleontological data from crown Cetacea

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Cetacea (dolphins, porpoises, and whales) is a clade of aquatic species that includes the most massive, deepest diving, and largest brained mammals. Understanding the temporal pattern of diversification in the group as well as the evolution of cetacean anatomy and behavior requires a robust and well-resolved phylogenetic hypothesis. Although a large body of molecular data has accumulated over the past 20 years, DNA sequences of cetaceans have not been directly integrated with the rich, cetacean fossil record to reconcile discrepancies among molecular and morphological characters. Results We combined new nuclear DNA sequences, including segments of six genes (~2800 basepairs) from the functionally extinct Yangtze River dolphin, with an expanded morphological matrix and published genomic data. Diverse analyses of these data resolved the relationships of 74 taxa that represent all extant families and 11 extinct families of Cetacea. The resulting supermatrix (61,155 characters) and its sub-partitions were analyzed using parsimony methods. Bayesian and maximum likelihood (ML) searches were conducted on the molecular partition, and a molecular scaffold obtained from these searches was used to constrain a parsimony search of the morphological partition. Based on analysis of the supermatrix and model-based analyses of the molecular partition, we found overwhelming support for 15 extant clades. When extinct taxa are included, we recovered trees that are significantly correlated with the fossil record. These trees were used to reconstruct the timing of cetacean diversification and the evolution of characters shared by "river dolphins," a non-monophyletic set of species according to all of our phylogenetic analyses. Conclusions The parsimony analysis of the supermatrix and the analysis of morphology constrained to fit the ML/Bayesian molecular tree yielded broadly congruent phylogenetic hypotheses. In trees from both analyses, all Oligocene taxa included in our study fell outside crown Mysticeti and crown Odontoceti, suggesting that these two clades radiated in the late Oligocene or later, contra some recent molecular clock studies. Our trees also imply that many character states shared by river dolphins evolved in their oceanic ancestors, contradicting the hypothesis that these characters are convergent adaptations to fluvial habitats. PMID:21518443

A supermatrix analysis of genomic, morphological, and paleontological data from crown Cetacea.

PubMed

Geisler, Jonathan H; McGowen, Michael R; Yang, Guang; Gatesy, John

2011-04-25

Cetacea (dolphins, porpoises, and whales) is a clade of aquatic species that includes the most massive, deepest diving, and largest brained mammals. Understanding the temporal pattern of diversification in the group as well as the evolution of cetacean anatomy and behavior requires a robust and well-resolved phylogenetic hypothesis. Although a large body of molecular data has accumulated over the past 20 years, DNA sequences of cetaceans have not been directly integrated with the rich, cetacean fossil record to reconcile discrepancies among molecular and morphological characters. We combined new nuclear DNA sequences, including segments of six genes (~2800 basepairs) from the functionally extinct Yangtze River dolphin, with an expanded morphological matrix and published genomic data. Diverse analyses of these data resolved the relationships of 74 taxa that represent all extant families and 11 extinct families of Cetacea. The resulting supermatrix (61,155 characters) and its sub-partitions were analyzed using parsimony methods. Bayesian and maximum likelihood (ML) searches were conducted on the molecular partition, and a molecular scaffold obtained from these searches was used to constrain a parsimony search of the morphological partition. Based on analysis of the supermatrix and model-based analyses of the molecular partition, we found overwhelming support for 15 extant clades. When extinct taxa are included, we recovered trees that are significantly correlated with the fossil record. These trees were used to reconstruct the timing of cetacean diversification and the evolution of characters shared by "river dolphins," a non-monophyletic set of species according to all of our phylogenetic analyses. The parsimony analysis of the supermatrix and the analysis of morphology constrained to fit the ML/Bayesian molecular tree yielded broadly congruent phylogenetic hypotheses. In trees from both analyses, all Oligocene taxa included in our study fell outside crown Mysticeti and crown Odontoceti, suggesting that these two clades radiated in the late Oligocene or later, contra some recent molecular clock studies. Our trees also imply that many character states shared by river dolphins evolved in their oceanic ancestors, contradicting the hypothesis that these characters are convergent adaptations to fluvial habitats.

A new species of Limnonectes (Amphibia: Anura: Dicroglossidae) from Vietnam.

PubMed

Pham, Cuong The; Le, Minh Duc; Nguyen, Tao Thien; Ziegler, Thomas; Wu, Zheng Jun; Nguyen, Truong Quang

2017-05-24

A new species of Limnonectes is described from northeastern Vietnam based on morphological and molecular differences. Morphologically, the new species is distinguishable from its congeners on the basis of a combination of the following diagnostic characters: Large size (SVL 50.1-68.9 in males, 45.5-63.0 mm in females); males with moderately enlarged head (HL/SVL 0.48), head longer than wide; vomerine teeth present; external vocal sacs absent; rostral length short (RL/SVL 0.16 in males, 0.15 in females); tympanum distinct (TD/ED 0.63 in males, 0.60 in females); dorsal surface of head, body and flanks with flattened tubercles; dorsal surface of tibia possessing small tubercles; supratympanic fold present; dorsolateral fold absent; webbing formula I0-0II0-1/3III0-1/3IV1/2-0V; in life, dorsum yellowish brown with a dark brown marking; throat and chest white with dark brown marking; ventral surface of fore and hind limbs as well as belly white. In phylogenetic analyses, the new species is placed as the sister taxon to Limnonectes fujianensis with strong statistical support in all analyses.

A new species of Odorrana (Amphibia: Anura: Ranidae) from Vietnam.

PubMed

Pham, Cuong The; Nguyen, Truong Quang; Le, Minh Duc; Bonkowski, Michael; Ziegler, Thomas

2016-02-26

A new species of Odorrana is described from the karst forests in northeastern Vietnam based on morphological differences and molecular divergence. Morphologically, the new species is distinguishable from its congeners on the basis of a combination of the following diagnostic characters: (1) size large (SVL 85.9-91.6 mm in males, 108.7-110.1 mm in females); (2) head longer than wide; (3) vomerine teeth present; (4) external vocal sacs absent; (5) snout short (SL/SVL 0.16-0.17); (6) tympanum large (TD/ED 0.70 in males, 0.68 in females); (7) dorsal surface of head and anterior part of body smooth, posterior part of body and flanks with small tubercles; (8) supratympanic fold present; (9) dorsolateral fold absent; (10) webbing formula I0-0II0-0III0-1/2IV1/2-0V; (11) in life, dorsum green with dark brown spots; (12) flanks greyish brown with dark brown spots; (13) throat and chest grey, underside of limbs with large dark brown spots, edged in white, forming a network. In the phylogenetic analyses, the new species is unambiguously nested within the O. andersonii group, and placed as the sister taxon to O. wuchuanensis.

A new species of Physalaemus (Anura, Leptodactylidae) from the Atlantic Forest of Misiones, northeastern Argentina.

PubMed

Cardozo, Dario E; Pereyra, Martin O

2018-02-27

A new species of Physalaemus from Misiones province, Argentina, in the Atlantic forest domain is described. The new species is a member of the P. gracilis group, based on its phylogenetic position and the occurrence of a putative morphological synapomorphy (occurrence of an unpigmented median stripe on throat, chest, and/or abdomen). Physalaemus sp. nov. is characterized by a long advertisement call composed of non-pulsed notes with slightly descendant modulation, large size (mean SVL = 32.0 mm males, 34.0 mm females), slender body aspect, head longer than wide, supratympanic fold developed, an unpigmented median stripe on venter, medium sized inguinal glands, tarsal tubercle present, and supernumerary tubercles on hands and feet, which are character states that combined distinguish the new species from all the members of the genus. In this study, we provide its formal description based on external morphology, advertisement call, and 16S genetic distance. In addition, the distribution ranges for the new species and P. gracilis are revisited, the advertisement call of P. gracilis is redescribed, and a discussion about the available names which could be applicable to the new species is provided.

Diversity of Ptychadena in Rwanda and taxonomic status of P. chrysogaster Laurent, 1954 (Amphibia, Anura, Ptychadenidae)

PubMed Central

Dehling, J. Maximilian; Sinsch, Ulrich

2013-01-01

Abstract We assess the diversity of Ptychadena species in Rwanda based on re-examination of voucher specimens in museum collections and our own data from recent assessment of the species composition of amphibian communities in Rwanda. We recognize five species which we allocate to the following available names: P. anchietae, P. chrysogaster, P. nilotica, P. porosissima, and P. uzungwensis. We did not find evidence for the presence of P. grandisonae and P. oxyrhynchus which have been listed for the country. The five species can be distinguished by quantitative morphometrics (discriminant analysis, success rate: 100 %) and a number of qualitative characters of external morphology. We provide an identification key to the Rwandan species and describe the morphology of each species in detail. The taxonomic status and the phylogenetic position of Ptychadena chrysogaster are further assessed based on the partial sequence of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA. The species differs genetically from available homologous sequences from congeners by an uncorrected p distance of at least 4.2 % and appears to be most closely related to specimens assigned to P. porosissima, P. mahnerti, “P. aff. uzungwensis” and “P. aff. bibroni”. PMID:24363574

Unearthing the Fossorial Tadpoles of the Indian Dancing Frog Family Micrixalidae.

PubMed

Senevirathne, Gayani; Garg, Sonali; Kerney, Ryan; Meegaskumbura, Madhava; Biju, S D

2016-01-01

Tadpoles of the monotypic Indian dancing frog family Micrixalidae have remained obscure for over 125 years. Here we report the discovery of the elusive tadpoles of Micrixalus herrei from the sand beds of a forested stream in southern Western Ghats, and confirm their identity through DNA barcoding. These actively burrowing tadpoles lead an entirely fossorial life from eggs to late metamorphic stages. We describe their internal and external morphological characters while highlighting the following features: eel-like appearance, extensively muscularized body and tail, reduced tail fins, skin-covered eyes, delayed development of eye pigmentation in early pre-metamorphic stages (Gosner stages 25-29), prominent tubular sinistral spiracle, large transverse processes on vertebrae II and III, ankylosed ribs on transverse processes of vertebra II, notochord terminating before the atlantal cotyle-occipital condyle junction, absence of keratodonts, serrated well-formed jaw sheaths, and extensive calcified endolymphatic sacs reaching sacrum posteriorly. The tadpole gut contains mostly fine sediments and sand. We discuss the eel-like morphology and feeding habits of M. herrei in the context of convergence with other well-known fossorial tadpoles. This discovery builds the knowledge base for further comparative analyses and conservation of Micrixalus, an ancient and endemic lineage of Indian frogs.

Taxonomic revision of Drymoluber Amaral, 1930 (Serpentes: Colubridae).

PubMed

Costa, Henrique Caldeira; Moura, Mário Ribeiro; Feio, Renato Neves

2013-01-01

The present study is a taxonomic revision of the genus Drymoluber Amaral, 1930, using meristic and morphometric characters, aspects of external hemipenial morphology and body coloration. Sexual dimorphism occurs in D. dichrous and D. brazili but was not detected in D. apurimacensis. Morphological variation within D. dichrous is related to geographic distance between populations. Furthermore, variation in the number of ventrals and subcaudals in D. dichrous and D. brazili follows latitudinal and longitudinal clinal patterns. Drymoluber dichrous is diagnosed by the presence of 15-15-15 smooth dorsal scale rows with two apical pits, and 157-180 ventrals and 86-110 subcaudals; it occurs along the eastern versant of the Andes, in the Amazon forest, on the Guiana Shield, in the Atlantic forest, and its transitional areas with the Caatinga and Cerrado. Drymoluber brazili has 17-17-15 smooth dorsal scale rows with two apical pits, 182-202 ventrals and 109-127 subcaudals, and ranges throughout the Caatinga, Cerrado, Atlantic forest and transitional areas between these last two domains. Drymoluber apurimacensis has 13-13-13 smooth dorsal scale rows without apical pits, 158-182 ventrals and 84-93 subcaudals, and occurs in the Apurimac Valley, south of the Apurimac and Pampas rivers in Peru.

Energy and nutrient flows connecting coastal wetland food webs to land and lake

EPA Science Inventory

Both landscape character and hydrologic forces (principally, tributary discharge and seiches) can influence utilization of externally-derived energy and nutrients in coastal wetland food webs. We quantified the contribution of internal vs external energy and nutrients among wetla...

Model of annual plants dynamics with facilitation and competition.

PubMed

Droz, Michel; Pękalski, Andrzej

2013-10-21

An individual-based model describing the dynamics of one type of annual plants is presented. We use Monte Carlo simulations where each plant has its own history and the interactions among plants are between nearest neighbours. The character of the interaction (positive or negative) depends on local conditions. The plants compete for two external resources-water and light. The amount of water and/or light a plant receives depends on the external factor but also on local arrangement. Survival, growth and seed production of plants are determined by how well their demands for the resources are met. The survival and seeds production tests have a probabilistic character, which makes the dynamics more realistic than by using a deterministic approach. There is a non-linear coupling between the external supplies. Water evaporates from the soil at a rate depending on constant evaporation rate, local conditions and the amount of light. We examine the dynamics of the plant population along two environmental gradients, allowing also for surplus of water and/or light. We show that the largest number of plants is when the demands for both resources are equal to the supplies. We estimate also the role of evaporation and we find that it depends on the situation. It could be negative, but sometimes it has a positive character. We show that the link between the type of interaction (positive or negative) and external conditions has a complex character. In general in favourable environment plants have a stronger tendency for competitive interactions, leading to mostly isolated plants. When the conditions are getting more difficult, cooperation becomes the dominant type of interactions and the plants grow in clusters. The type of plants-sun-loving or shade tolerating, plays also an important role. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Data set incongruence and correlated character evolution: An example of functional convergence in the hind-limbs of stifftail diving ducks

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCracken, K.G.; Harshman, J.; Mcclellan, D.A.; Afton, A.D.

1999-01-01

The unwitting inclusion of convergent characters in phylogenetic estimates poses a serious problem for efforts to recover phylogeny. Convergence is not inscrutable, however, particularly when one group of characters tracks phylogeny and another set tracks adaptive history. In such cases, convergent characters may be correlated with one or a few functional anatomical units and readily identifiable by using comparative methods. Stifftail ducks (Oxyurinae) offer one such opportunity to study correlated character evolution and function in the context of phylogenetic reconstruction. Morphological analyses place stifftail ducks as part of a large clade of diving ducks that includes the sea ducks (Mergini), Hymenolaimus, Merganetta, and Tachyeres, and possibly the pochards (Aythyini). Molecular analyses, on the other hand, place stifftails far from other diving ducks and suggest, moreover, that stifftails are polyphyletic. Mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequences of eight stifftail species traditionally supposed to form a clade were compared with each other and with sequences from 50 other anseriform and galliform species. Stifftail ducks are not the sister group of sea ducks but lie outside the typical ducks (Anatinae). Of the four traditional stifftail genera, monophyly of Oxyura and its sister group relationship with Nomonyx are strongly supported. Heteronetta probably is the sister group of that clade, but support is weak. Biziura is not a true stifftail. Within Oxyura, Old World species (O. australis, O. leucocephala, O. mnccoa) appear to form a clade, with New World species (O. jamaicensis, O. vittata) branching basally. Incongruence between molecules and morphology is interpreted to be the result of adaptive specialization and functional convergence in the hind limbs of Biziura and true stifftails. When morphological characters are divided into classes, only hind-limb characters are significantly in conflict with the molecular tree. Likewise, null models of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitution based on patterns of codon-degeneracy and chemical dissimilarity indicate that the nucleotide and amino acid changes postulated by the molecular tree are more plausible than those postulated by the morphological tree. These findings teach general lessons about the utility of highly adaptive characters (in particular those related to foraging ecology) and underscore the problems that convergence can pose for attempts to recover phylogeny. They also demonstrate how the concept of natural data partitions and simple models of evolution (e.g., parsimony, likelihood, neutrality) can be used to test the accuracy of independent phylogenetic estimates and provide arguments in favor of one tree topology over another.

A phylogenetic framework for root lesion nematodes of the genus Pratylenchus (Nematoda): Evidence from 18S and D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S ribosomal RNA genes and morphological characters.

PubMed

Subbotin, Sergei A; Ragsdale, Erik J; Mullens, Teresa; Roberts, Philip A; Mundo-Ocampo, Manuel; Baldwin, James G

2008-08-01

The root lesion nematodes of the genus Pratylenchus Filipjev, 1936 are migratory endoparasites of plant roots, considered among the most widespread and important nematode parasites in a variety of crops. We obtained gene sequences from the D2 and D3 expansion segments of 28S rRNA partial and 18S rRNA from 31 populations belonging to 11 valid and two unidentified species of root lesion nematodes and five outgroup taxa. These datasets were analyzed using maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference. The alignments were generated using the secondary structure models for these molecules and analyzed with Bayesian inference under the standard models and the complex model, considering helices under the doublet model and loops and bulges under the general time reversible model. The phylogenetic informativeness of morphological characters is tested by reconstruction of their histories on rRNA based trees using parallel parsimony and Bayesian approaches. Phylogenetic and sequence analyses of the 28S D2-D3 dataset with 145 accessions for 28 species and 18S dataset with 68 accessions for 15 species confirmed among large numbers of geographical diverse isolates that most classical morphospecies are monophyletic. Phylogenetic analyses revealed at least six distinct major clades of examined Pratylenchus species and these clades are generally congruent with those defined by characters derived from lip patterns, numbers of lip annules, and spermatheca shape. Morphological results suggest the need for sophisticated character discovery and analysis for morphology based phylogenetics in nematodes.

Molecular phylogenetics and character evolution of morphologically diverse groups, Dendrobium section Dendrobium and allies

PubMed Central

Takamiya, Tomoko; Wongsawad, Pheravut; Sathapattayanon, Apirada; Tajima, Natsuko; Suzuki, Shunichiro; Kitamura, Saki; Shioda, Nao; Handa, Takashi; Kitanaka, Susumu; Iijima, Hiroshi; Yukawa, Tomohisa

2014-01-01

It is always difficult to construct coherent classification systems for plant lineages having diverse morphological characters. The genus Dendrobium, one of the largest genera in the Orchidaceae, includes ∼1100 species, and enormous morphological diversification has hindered the establishment of consistent classification systems covering all major groups of this genus. Given the particular importance of species in Dendrobium section Dendrobium and allied groups as floriculture and crude drug genetic resources, there is an urgent need to establish a stable classification system. To clarify phylogenetic relationships in Dendrobium section Dendrobium and allied groups, we analysed the macromolecular characters of the group. Phylogenetic analyses of 210 taxa of Dendrobium were conducted on DNA sequences of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of 18S–26S nuclear ribosomal DNA and the maturase-coding gene (matK) located in an intron of the plastid gene trnK using maximum parsimony and Bayesian methods. The parsimony and Bayesian analyses revealed 13 distinct clades in the group comprising section Dendrobium and its allied groups. Results also showed paraphyly or polyphyly of sections Amblyanthus, Aporum, Breviflores, Calcarifera, Crumenata, Dendrobium, Densiflora, Distichophyllae, Dolichocentrum, Holochrysa, Oxyglossum and Pedilonum. On the other hand, the monophyly of section Stachyobium was well supported. It was found that many of the morphological characters that have been believed to reflect phylogenetic relationships are, in fact, the result of convergence. As such, many of the sections that have been recognized up to this point were found to not be monophyletic, so recircumscription of sections is required. PMID:25107672

Monitoring to Protect the Character of Individual Wildernesses

Treesearch

David N. Cole

2006-01-01

A primary goal of wilderness stewardship is to protect individual wilderness areas from most anthropogenic change. Numerous agents of change threaten to degrade wilderness character. These agents of change are both internal (for example, grazing) and external (for example, polluting industries) to wilderness. They can be activities (for example, recreation use) or the...

Reassessment of Morphological Diagnostic Characters and Species Boundaries Requires Taxonomical Changes for the Genus Orthopyxis L. Agassiz, 1862 (Campanulariidae, Hydrozoa) and Some Related Campanulariids

PubMed Central

Cunha, Amanda F.; Genzano, Gabriel N.; Marques, Antonio C.

2015-01-01

The genus Orthopyxis is widely known for its morphological variability, making species identification particularly difficult. A number of nominal species have been recorded in the southwestern Atlantic, although most of these records are doubtful. The goal of this study was to infer species boundaries in the genus Orthopyxis from the southwestern Atlantic using an integrative approach. Intergeneric limits were also tested using comparisons with specimens of the genus Campanularia. We performed DNA analyses using the mitochondrial genes 16S and COI and the nuclear ITS1 and ITS2 regions. Orthopyxis was monophyletic in maximum likelihood analyses using the combined dataset and in analyses with 16S alone. Four lineages of Orthopyxis were retrieved for all analyses, corresponding morphologically to the species Orthopyxis sargassicola (previously known in the area), Orthopyxis crenata (first recorded for the southwestern Atlantic), Orthopyxis caliculata (= Orthopyxis minuta Vannucci, 1949 and considered a synonym of O. integra by some authors), and Orthopyxis mianzani sp. nov. A re-evaluation of the traditional morphological diagnostic characters, guided by our molecular analyses, revealed that O. integra does not occur in the study area, and O. caliculata is the correct identification of one of the lineages occurring in this region, corroborating the validity of that species. Orthopyxis mianzani sp. nov. resembles O. caliculata with respect to gonothecae morphology and a smooth hydrothecae rim, although it shows significant differences for other characters, such as perisarc thickness, which has traditionally been thought to have wide intraspecific variation. The species O. sargassicola is morphologically similar to O. crenata, although they differ in gonothecae morphology, and these species can only be reliably identified when this structure is present. PMID:25723572

Formation of hierarchical macro porous YAlO:Ce multifunctional nanophosphors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jayanthi Rajan, K., E-mail: k.jayanthirajan@gmail.com, E-mail: manorama@iict.res.in; Manorama, Sunkara V., E-mail: k.jayanthirajan@gmail.com, E-mail: manorama@iict.res.in

2016-03-21

Hierarchically macro-porous lumino-magnetic yttrium aluminium oxide (YAlO:- YAT: tetragonal; YAG: garnet; YAM: monoclinic) ceramic nanophosphors doped with trivalent cerium (Ce) ions have been synthesized by a novel and versatile self assembly route without the need of any external templates. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies confirm the presence of dopant and its valence state. Room temperature ferromagnetism in undoped and YAlO:Ce suggest an intrinsic nature of ferromagnetism dependent on host lattice imperfection along with yellow photoluminescence emission explicitly arising due to Ce doping established the non-interfering character of the two phenomena. Such a porous morphology has the potential ofmore » the biocarriers and could be engineered to make it suitable for spintronic applications by incorporation of dielectric into the pores and in conjunction with blue light emitting devices which could be used to obtain white light.« less

A Linnaeus NG (TM) interactive key to the Lithocolletinae of North-West Europe aimed at accelerating the accumulation of reliable biodiversity data (Lepidoptera, Gracillariidae).

PubMed

Doorenweerd, Camiel; van Haren, Merel M; Schermer, Maarten; Pieterse, Sander; van Nieukerken, Erik J

2014-01-01

We present an interactive key that is available online through any web browser without the need to install any additional software, making it an easily accessible tool for the larger public. The key can be found at http://identify.naturalis.nl/lithocolletinae. The key includes all 86 North-West European Lithocolletinae, a subfamily of smaller moths ("micro-moths") that is commonly not treated in field guides. The user can input data on several external morphological character systems in addition to distribution, host plant and even characteristics of the larval feeding traces to reach an identification. We expect that this will enable more people to contribute with reliable observation data on this group of moths and alleviate the workload of taxonomic specialists, allowing them to focus on other new keys or taxonomic work.

A new species of Rhytidognathus (Carabidae, Migadopini) from Argentina

PubMed Central

Roig-Juñent, Sergio; Rouaux, Julia

2012-01-01

Abstract The Migadopini are a small tribe of Carabidae with 47 species that occur in South America, Australia, and New Zealand, in the sub-Antarctic areas. In South America, most of the genera inhabit areas related to sub-Antartic Nothofagus forest except two monogeneric genera, the Ecuadorian genus Aquilex Moret and the Pampean genus Rhytidognathus Chaudoir. These two genera are geographically isolated from the remaining five South American genera. New material of Rhytidognathus from the northeast of Buenos Aires province and from Entre Ríos province permits establishing that the previous records of Rhytidognathus ovalis (Dejean) for Argentina were erroneous and that it belongs to a new species. Based on external morphological characters and from male and female genitalia we describe Rhytidognathus platensis as a new species. In this contribution we provide illustrations, keys, habitat characteristics and some biogeographic considerations on the distribution of Rhytidognathus. PMID:23275755

A new species of Rhytidognathus (Carabidae, Migadopini) from Argentina.

PubMed

Roig-Juñent, Sergio; Rouaux, Julia

2012-01-01

The Migadopini are a small tribe of Carabidae with 47 species that occur in South America, Australia, and New Zealand, in the sub-Antarctic areas. In South America, most of the genera inhabit areas related to sub-Antartic Nothofagus forest except two monogeneric genera, the Ecuadorian genus Aquilex Moret and the Pampean genus Rhytidognathus Chaudoir. These two genera are geographically isolated from the remaining five South American genera. New material of Rhytidognathus from the northeast of Buenos Aires province and from Entre Ríos province permits establishing that the previous records of Rhytidognathus ovalis (Dejean) for Argentina were erroneous and that it belongs to a new species. Based on external morphological characters and from male and female genitalia we describe Rhytidognathus platensis as a new species. In this contribution we provide illustrations, keys, habitat characteristics and some biogeographic considerations on the distribution of Rhytidognathus.

The Cladophora complex (Chlorophyta): new views based on 18S rRNA gene sequences.

PubMed

Bakker, F T; Olsen, J L; Stam, W T; van den Hoek, C

1994-12-01

Evolutionary relationships among species traditionally ascribed to the Siphonocladales/Cladophorales have remained unclear due to a lack of phylogenetically informative characters and extensive morphological plasticity resulting in morphological convergence. This study explores some of the diversity within the generic complex Cladophora and its siphonocladalaen allies. Twelve species of Cladophora representing 6 of the 11 morphological sections recognized by van den Hoek were analyzed along with 8 siphonocladalaen species using 18S rRNA gene sequences. The final alignment consisted of 1460 positions containing 92 phylogenetically informative substitutions. Weighting schemes (EOR weighting, combinatorial weighting) were applied in maximum parsimony analysis to correct for substitution bias. Stem characters were weighted 0.66 relative to single-stranded characters to correct for secondary structural constraints. Both weighting approaches resulted in greater phylogenetic resolution. Results confirm that there is no basis for the independent recognition of the Cladophorales and Siphonocladales. The Siphonocladales is polyphyletic, and Cladophora is paraphyletic. All analyses support two principal lineages, of which one contains predominantly tropical members including almost all siphonocladalean taxa, while the other lineage consists of mostly warm- to cold-temperate species of Cladophora.

Morphological leaf variability in natural populations of Pistacia atlantica Desf. subsp. atlantica along climatic gradient: new features to update Pistacia atlantica subsp. atlantica key.

PubMed

El Zerey-Belaskri, Asma; Benhassaini, Hachemi

2016-04-01

The effect of bioclimate range on the variation in Pistacia atlantica Desf. subsp. atlantica leaf morphology was studied on 16 sites in Northwest Algeria. The study examined biometrically mature leaves totaling 3520 compound leaves. Fifteen characters (10 quantitative and 5 qualitative) were assessed on each leaf. For each quantitative character, the nested analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine relative magnitude of variation at each level of the nested hierarchy. The correlation between the climatic parameters and the leaf morphology was examined. The statistical analysis applied on the quantitative leaf characters showed highly significant variation at the within-site level and between-site variation. The correlation coefficient (r) showed also an important correlation between climatic parameters and leaf morphology. The results of this study exhibited several values reported for the first time on the species, such as the length and the width of the leaf (reaching up to 24.5 cm/21.9 cm), the number of leaflets (up to 18 leaflets/leaf), and the petiole length of the terminal leaflet (reaching up to 3.4 cm). The original findings of this study are used to update the P. atlantica subsp. atlantica identification key.

Geographic variation in the black bear (Ursus americanus) in the eastern United States and Canada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kennedy, M.L.; Kennedy, P.K.; Bogan, M.A.; Waits, J.L.

2002-01-01

The pattern of geographic variation in morphologic characters of the black bear (Ursus americanus) was assessed at 13 sites in the eastern United States and Canada. Thirty measurements from 206 males and 207 females were recorded to the nearest 0.01 mm using digital calipers and subjected to principal components analysis. A matrix of correlations among skull characters was computed, and the first 3 principal components were extracted. These accounted for 90.5% of the variation in the character set for males and 87.1% for females. Three-dimensional projection of localities onto principal components showed that, for males and females, largest individuals occurred in the more southern localities (e.g., males--Louisiana-Mississippi, eastern Texas; females--Louisiana-eastern Texas) and the smallest animals occurred in the northernmost locality (Quebec). Generally, bears were similar morphologically to those in nearby geographic areas. For males, correlations between morphologic variation and environmental factors indicated a significant relationship between size variation and mean January temperature, mean July temperature, mean annual precipitation, latitude, and actual evapotranspiration; for females, a significant relationship was observed between morphologic variation and mean annual temperature, mean January temperature, mean July temperature, latitude, and actual evapotranspiration. There was no significant correlation for either sex between environmental factors and projections onto components II and III.

Morphological differences in parr of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar from three regions in Norway.

PubMed

Solem, O; Berg, O K

2011-05-01

Morphological characters were compared in parr (total length 33-166 mm) of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar sampled from eight wild populations in three regions, three in northern, two in the middle and three in southern Norway, covering a distance of 1700 km (from 70° N to 58° N). On the basis of morphological characters 94·6% of the individuals were correctly classified into the three regions. Discrimination between populations within these three regions also had a high degree of correct classification (89·0-95·8%). Principle component analysis identified largest differences to be in head characters, notably eye diameter and jawbone, with the smallest diameter and head size among the northernmost populations. Fish from the southern rivers had a deeper body form whereas fish from the middle region had larger heads and pectoral fins. This illustrates that S. salar already in the early parr stage has morphological traits, which can be used in discrimination between regions and populations and that these differences are discernible in spite of the volume of escaped farmed fish spawning in Norwegian rivers during the past 30 years. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology © 2011 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

MORPHOLOGICAL AND PATHOGENIC VARIATIONS IN TREPONEMA PALLIDUM

PubMed Central

Noguchi, Hideyo

1912-01-01

When many cultures of Treponema pallidum, whether obtained from the testicular lesions produced in rabbits or directly from human cases of syphilis, are compared, certain definite differences in morphological character become apparent. The different specimens can be divided into thicker and thinner forms or types, and an average or normal form or type. The last is the common or most frequent variety, but the other two occur with sufficient frequency and retain their characters with such constancy as to constitute distinct varieties. Indeed, two of the varieties—the average and the thinner—occurred in association in a chancre and were separated afterwards in cultures. The gross cultural properties of the three varieties present no points of distinction. The lesions caused in the testicle of the rabbit differ according to the variety inoculated, and consist either of a diffuse or of a nodular orchitis. This is a highly important distinction, and if, in the study of a still larger number of specimens of pallida, it is maintained, it is capable of throwing light on certain important clinical features of the human syphilitic disease. The thinner variety of Treponema pallidum resembles in morphology Treponema microdentium, from which it is unmistakably distinguished by cultural characters. The morphological and pathogenic variations in cultures of the pallidum may constitute racial differences within the species. PMID:19867516

Morphological variation in the cosmopolitan fish parasite Neobenedenia girellae (Capsalidae: Monogenea).

PubMed

Brazenor, Alexander K; Saunders, Richard J; Miller, Terrence L; Hutson, Kate S

2018-02-01

Intra-species morphological variation presents a considerable problem for species identification and can result in taxonomic confusion. This is particularly pertinent for species of Neobenedenia which are harmful agents in captive fish populations and have historically been identified almost entirely based on morphological characters. This study aimed to understand how the morphology of Neobenedenia girellae varies with host fish species and the environment. Standard morphological features of genetically indistinct parasites from various host fish species were measured under controlled temperatures and salinities. An initial field-based investigation found that parasite morphology significantly differed between genetically indistinct parasites infecting various host fish species. The majority of the morphological variation observed (60%) was attributed to features that assist in parasite attachment to the host (i.e. the posterior and anterior attachment organs and their accessory hooks) which are important characters in monogenean taxonomy. We then experimentally examined the effects of the interaction between host fish species and environmental factors (temperature and salinity) on the morphology of isogenic parasites derived from a single, isolated hermaphroditic N. girellae infecting barramundi, Lates calcarifer. Experimental infection of L. calcarifer and cobia, Rachycentron canadum, under controlled laboratory conditions did not confer host-mediated phenotypic plasticity in N. girellae, suggesting that measured morphological differences could be adaptive and only occur over multiple parasite generations. Subsequent experimental infection of a single host species, L. calcarifer, at various temperatures (22, 30 and 32 °C) and salinities (35 and 40‰) showed that in the cooler environments (22 °C) N. girellae body proportions were significantly smaller compared with warmer temperatures (30 and 32 °C; P < 0.0001), whereas salinity had no effect. This is evidence that temperature can drive phenotypic plasticity in key taxonomic characters of N. girellae under certain environmental conditions. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

A new genus and species of xenodermatid snake (Squamata: Caenophidia: Xenodermatidae) from northern Lao People's Democratic Republic.

PubMed

Teynié, Alexandre; David, Patrick; Lottier, Anne; Le, Minh Duc; Vidal, Nicolas; Nguyen, Truong Quang

2015-03-09

A male snake collected in Louangphabang Province and a second specimen observed in Houaphan Province, North Laos, share morphological characters with the Asian genus Fimbrios Smith, 1921, including erected edges on the first supra- and infralabial scales, but differ in the following morphological characters: fewer dorsal scale rows (25-27 vs. 30-33), fewer maxillary teeth (27 vs. 30-35), posterior teeth progressively slightly enlarged, and especially the correspondence of two dorsal scale rows per ventral plate throughout the body (i.e. the first dorsal scale row made of a small scale above the fore part of a ventral, followed by a much larger scale above its hind part), a condition known only in Xenodermus Reinhardt, 1836. As the Laotian specimens differ in morphological characters from other genera and species in the family Xenodermatidae, and on the basis of molecular analyses showing a large genetic divergence from the genus Fimbrios (p-distance ≥14.7 %, mitochondrial COI gene), we place these specimens in a new genus, Parafimbrios gen. nov., and describe them as a new species, Parafimbrios lao sp. nov. Besides the characters mentioned above, the new species is diagnosed by a combination of the following ones: small, strongly keeled dorsal scales; rostral and first four supra- and infralabials with raised, erected edges; horizontal tissue ridges above the rostral; loreal single, large, elongate; ventral scales 177-189; subcaudals 55-56, undivided; dorsal colour purplish-grey, neck with a broad, very pale grey collar reaching downwards the pale grey colour of the venter. The morphological characters of the new genus are compared with those of the genera Fimbrios Smith, 1921, Xenodermus Reinhardt, 1836, Stoliczkaia Jerdon, 1870, Achalinus Peters, 1869, and Xylophis Beddome, 1878. A key to the genera Achalinus, Fimbrios and Parafimbrios gen. nov. is provided. Parafimbrios laos spec. nov. is the 111th snake species currently recorded from Laos.

Uniformity of plants regenerated from orange (Citrus sinensis Osb.) protoplasts.

PubMed

Kobayashi, S

1987-05-01

Using 25 plants (protoclones) regenerated from orange (Citrus sinensis Osb.) protoplasts, several characters, including leaf and flower morphology, leaf oil, isozyme patterns and chromosome number, were examined. No significant variations in each character were recorded among the protoclones. Uniformity observed among protoclones was identical to that of nucellar seedlings.

Understanding phylogenetic incongruence: lessons from phyllostomid bats

PubMed Central

Dávalos, Liliana M; Cirranello, Andrea L; Geisler, Jonathan H; Simmons, Nancy B

2012-01-01

All characters and trait systems in an organism share a common evolutionary history that can be estimated using phylogenetic methods. However, differential rates of change and the evolutionary mechanisms driving those rates result in pervasive phylogenetic conflict. These drivers need to be uncovered because mismatches between evolutionary processes and phylogenetic models can lead to high confidence in incorrect hypotheses. Incongruence between phylogenies derived from morphological versus molecular analyses, and between trees based on different subsets of molecular sequences has become pervasive as datasets have expanded rapidly in both characters and species. For more than a decade, evolutionary relationships among members of the New World bat family Phyllostomidae inferred from morphological and molecular data have been in conflict. Here, we develop and apply methods to minimize systematic biases, uncover the biological mechanisms underlying phylogenetic conflict, and outline data requirements for future phylogenomic and morphological data collection. We introduce new morphological data for phyllostomids and outgroups and expand previous molecular analyses to eliminate methodological sources of phylogenetic conflict such as taxonomic sampling, sparse character sampling, or use of different algorithms to estimate the phylogeny. We also evaluate the impact of biological sources of conflict: saturation in morphological changes and molecular substitutions, and other processes that result in incongruent trees, including convergent morphological and molecular evolution. Methodological sources of incongruence play some role in generating phylogenetic conflict, and are relatively easy to eliminate by matching taxa, collecting more characters, and applying the same algorithms to optimize phylogeny. The evolutionary patterns uncovered are consistent with multiple biological sources of conflict, including saturation in morphological and molecular changes, adaptive morphological convergence among nectar-feeding lineages, and incongruent gene trees. Applying methods to account for nucleotide sequence saturation reduces, but does not completely eliminate, phylogenetic conflict. We ruled out paralogy, lateral gene transfer, and poor taxon sampling and outgroup choices among the processes leading to incongruent gene trees in phyllostomid bats. Uncovering and countering the possible effects of introgression and lineage sorting of ancestral polymorphism on gene trees will require great leaps in genomic and allelic sequencing in this species-rich mammalian family. We also found evidence for adaptive molecular evolution leading to convergence in mitochondrial proteins among nectar-feeding lineages. In conclusion, the biological processes that generate phylogenetic conflict are ubiquitous, and overcoming incongruence requires better models and more data than have been collected even in well-studied organisms such as phyllostomid bats. PMID:22891620

Relating appendicular skeletal variation of sigmodontine rodents to locomotion modes in a phylogenetic context.

PubMed

Carvalho Coutinho, Ludmilla; Alves de Oliveira, João

2017-10-01

Sigmodontinae rodents constitute the second-largest subfamily among mammals. Alongside the taxonomic diversity, they are also ecologically diverse, exhibiting a wide array of locomotion modes, with semifossorial, terrestrial, semiaquatic, scansorial, arboreal, and saltatorial forms. To understand the ecomorphologic aspects that allow these rodents to display such locomotion diversity, we analyzed 35 qualitative characters of the appendicular skeleton (humerus, ulna, radius, scapula, femur, tibia, ilium, ischium and pubis) in 795 specimens belonging to 64 species, 34 genera and 10 tribes, representing all locomotion modes assigned to this subfamily. We performed a statistical analysis based upon the coefficient of trait differentiation to test the congruence of character states and the different locomotion modes. We also mapped characters states in a molecular phylogeny in order to reconstruct ancestral states and to evaluate how appendicular characters evolved within main lineages of Sigmodontinae radiation under a phylogenetic framework. The statistical analyses revealed six characters related to specific locomotion modes, except terrestrial. The mapping and parsimony ancestral states reconstruction identified two characters with phylogenetical signal and eight characters that are exclusively or more frequently recorded in certain modes of locomotion, four of them also detected by the statistical analysis. Notwithstanding the documented morphological variation, few changes characterize the transition to each of the locomotion modes, at least regarding the appendicular skeleton. This finding corroborates previous results that showed that sigmodontines exhibit an all-purpose appendicular morphology that allows them to use and explore a great variety of habitats. © 2017 Anatomical Society.

Ultrastructure of the post-corpus of Zeldia punctata (Cephalobina) for analysis of the evolutionary framework of nematodes related to Caenorhabditis elegans (Rhabditina).

PubMed Central

Zhang, Y C; Baldwin, J G

2000-01-01

The ultrastructure of the post-corpus of Zeldia punctata (Cephalobina) was compared with previous observations of Caenorhabditis elegans (Rhabditina) and Diplenteron sp. (Diplogastrina) with the goal of interpreting the morphological evolution of the feeding structures in the Secernentea. The post-corpus of Z. punctata consists of six marginal, 13 muscle, five gland and seven nerve cells. The most anterior of four layers of muscle cells consists of six mononucleate cells in Z. punctata. The homologous layer in C. elegans and Diplenteron consists of three binucleate cells, suggesting a unique derived character (synapomorphy) shared between the Rhabditina and Diplogastrina. Contrary to Diplenteron sp. where we observed three oesophageal glands, Z. punctata and C. elegans have five oesophageal glands. We question this shared character as reflecting a common evolution between the Cephalobina and Rhabditina, because there are strong arguments for functional (adaptive) convergence of the five glands in these bacterial feeders. Convergence is further suggested by the mosaic distribution of three versus five glands throughout the Nemata; this distribution creates difficulties in establishing character polarity. Although morphological data are often laborious to recover and interpret, we nevertheless view 'reciprocal illumination' between molecular and morphological characters as the most promising and robust process for reconstructing the evolution of the Secernentea and its feeding structures. PMID:10902689

Phenotypic polymorphism of Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) may lead to species misidentification.

PubMed

Grella, Maicon D; Savino, André G; Paulo, Daniel F; Mendes, Felipe M; Azeredo-Espin, Ana M L; Queiroz, Margareth M C; Thyssen, Patricia J; Linhares, Arício X

2015-01-01

Species identification is an essential step in the progress and completion of work in several areas of biological knowledge, but it is not a simple process. Due to the close phylogenetic relationship of certain species, morphological characters are not always sufficiently distinguishable. As a result, it is necessary to combine several methods of analysis that contribute to a distinct categorization of taxa. This study aimed to raise diagnostic characters, both morphological and molecular, for the correct identification of species of the genus Chrysomya (Diptera: Calliphoridae) recorded in the New World, which has continuously generated discussion about its taxonomic position over the last century. A clear example of this situation was the first record of Chrysomya rufifacies in Brazilian territory in 2012. However, the morphological polymorphism and genetic variability of Chrysomya albiceps studied here show that both species (C. rufifacies and C. albiceps) share very similar character states, leading to misidentification and subsequent registration error of species present in our territory. This conclusion is demonstrated by the authors, based on a review of the material deposited in major scientific collections in Brazil and subsequent molecular and phylogenetic analysis of these samples. Additionally, we have proposed a new taxonomic key to separate the species of Chrysomya found on the American continent, taking into account a larger number of characters beyond those available in current literature. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Utility of combining morphological characters, nuclear and mitochondrial genes: An attempt to resolve the conflicts of species identification for ciliated protists.

PubMed

Zhao, Yan; Yi, Zhenzhen; Gentekaki, Eleni; Zhan, Aibin; Al-Farraj, Saleh A; Song, Weibo

2016-01-01

Ciliates comprise a highly diverse protozoan lineage inhabiting all biotopes and playing crucial roles in regulating microbial food webs. Nevertheless, subtle morphological differences and tiny sizes hinder proper species identification for many ciliates. Here, we use the species-rich taxon Frontonia and employ both nuclear and mitochondrial loci. We attempt to assess the level of genetic diversity and evaluate the potential of each marker in delineating species of Frontonia. Morphological features and ecological characteristics are also integrated into genetic results, in an attempt to resolve conflicts of species identification based on morphological and molecular methods. Our studies reveal: (1) the mitochondrial cox1 gene, nuclear ITS1 and ITS2 as well as the hypervariable D2 region of LSU rDNA are promising candidates for species delineation; (2) the cox1 gene provides the best resolution for analyses below the species level; (3) the V2 and V4 hypervariable regions of SSU rDNA, and D1 of LSU rDNA as well as the 5.8S rDNA gene do not show distinct barcoding gap due to overlap between intra- and inter-specific genetic divergences; (4) morphological character-based analysis shows promise for delimitation of Frontonia species; and (5) all gene markers and character-based analyses demonstrate that the genus Frontonia consists of three groups and monophyly of the genus Frontonia is questionable. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tamarix minoa (Tamaricaceae), a new species from the island of Crete (Greece) based on morphological and plastid molecular sequence data

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tamarix minoa is described from material collected on the S Aegean island of Crete (Kriti), Greece. A morphological comparison with the species considered to be closest, T. africana and T. hampeana, is provided. An original illustration showing the main morphological characters of the new species is...

Morphological, molecular and biological evidence reveal two cryptic species in Mecinus janthinus Germar (Coleoptera, Curculionidae), a successful biological control agent of Dalmatian toadflax, Linaria dalmatica (Lamiales, Plantaginaceae)

Treesearch

Ivo Tosevski; Roberto Caldara; Jelena Jovic; Gerardo Hernandez-Vera; Cosimo Baviera; Andre Gassmann; Brent C. Emerson

2011-01-01

A combined morphological, molecular and biological study shows that the weevil species presently named Mecinus janthinus is actually composed of two different cryptic species: M. janthinus Germar, 1821 and M. janthiniformis Tosevski & Caldara sp.n. These species are morphologically distinguishable from each other by a few very subtle morphological characters. On...

Floral morphology of Gonocaryum with emphasis on the gynoecium

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We investigated the floral development of Gonocaryum, a genus of Cardiopteridaceae that was segregated from Icacinaceae s.l., using scanning electron microscopy to clarify its gynoecial structure and facilitate morphological comparisons of Cardiopteridaceae. The key floral developmental characters i...

The Role of Orthographic Neighborhood Size Effects in Chinese Word Recognition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Meng-Feng; Lin, Wei-Chun; Chou, Tai-Li; Yang, Fu-Ling; Wu, Jei-Tun

2015-01-01

Previous studies about the orthographic neighborhood size (NS) in Chinese have overlooked the morphological processing, and the co-variation between the character frequency and the the NS. The present study manipulated the word frequency and the NS simultaneously, with the leading character frequency controlled, to explore their influences on word…

Phylogenetic analyses of mtDNA sequences corroborate taxonomic designations based on cuticular hydrocarbons in subterranean termites

Treesearch

Kirsten A. Copren; Lori J. Nelson; Edward L. Vargo; Michael I. Haverty

2005-01-01

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) are valuable characters for the analysis of cryptic insect species with few discernible morphological characters. Yet, their use in insect systematics, speciWcally in subterranean termites in the genus Reticulitermes (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae), remains controversial. In this paper, we show that taxonomic designations...

Molecular phylogeny of pearl oysters and their relatives (Mollusca, Bivalvia, Pterioidea)

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The superfamily Pterioidea is a morphologically and ecologically diverse lineage of epifaunal marine bivalves distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical continental shelf regions. This group includes commercially important pearl culture species and model organisms used for medical studies of biomineralization. Recent morphological treatment of selected pterioideans and molecular phylogenetic analyses of higher-level relationships in Bivalvia have challenged the traditional view that pterioidean families are monophyletic. This issue is examined here in light of molecular data sets composed of DNA sequences for nuclear and mitochondrial loci, and a published character data set of anatomical and shell morphological characters. Results The present study is the first comprehensive species-level analysis of the Pterioidea to produce a well-resolved, robust phylogenetic hypothesis for nearly all extant taxa. The data were analyzed for potential biases due to taxon and character sampling, and idiosyncracies of different molecular evolutionary processes. The congruence and contribution of different partitions were quantified, and the sensitivity of clade stability to alignment parameters was explored. Conclusions Four primary conclusions were reached: (1) the results strongly supported the monophyly of the Pterioidea; (2) none of the previously defined families (except for the monotypic Pulvinitidae) were monophyletic; (3) the arrangement of the genera was novel and unanticipated, however strongly supported and robust to changes in alignment parameters; and (4) optimizing key morphological characters onto topologies derived from the analysis of molecular data revealed many instances of homoplasy and uncovered synapomorphies for major nodes. Additionally, a complete species-level sampling of the genus Pinctada provided further insights into the on-going controversy regarding the taxonomic identity of major pearl culture species. PMID:21059254

Phylogeny of Comatulidae (Echinodermata: Crinoidea: Comatulida): a new classification and an assessment of morphological characters for crinoid taxonomy.

PubMed

Summers, Mindi M; Messing, Charles G; Rouse, Greg W

2014-11-01

Comatulidae Fleming, 1828 (previously, and incorrectly, Comasteridae A.H. Clark, 1908a), is a group of feather star crinoids currently divided into four accepted subfamilies, 21 genera and approximately 95 nominal species. Comatulidae is the most commonly-encountered and species-rich crinoid group on shallow tropical coral reefs, particularly in the Indo-western Pacific region (IWP). We conducted a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the group with concatenated data from up to seven genes for 43 nominal species spanning 17 genera and all subfamilies. Basal nodes returned low support, but maximum likelihood, maximum parsimony, and Bayesian analyses were largely congruent, permitting an evaluation of current taxonomy and analysis of morphological character transformations. Two of the four current subfamilies were paraphyletic, whereas 15 of the 17 included genera returned as monophyletic. We provide a new classification with two subfamilies, Comatulinae and Comatellinae n. subfamily Summers, Messing, & Rouse, the former containing five tribes. We revised membership of analyzed genera to make them all clades and erected Anneissia n. gen. Summers, Messing, & Rouse. Transformation analyses for morphological features generally used in feather star classification (e.g., ray branching patterns, articulations) and those specifically for Comatulidae (e.g., comb pinnule form, mouth placement) were labile with considerable homoplasy. These traditional characters, in combination, allow for generic diagnoses, but in most cases we did not recover apomorphies for subfamilies, tribes, and genera. New morphological characters that will be informative for crinoid taxonomy and identification are still needed. DNA sequence data currently provides the most reliable method of identification to the species-level for many taxa of Comatulidae. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

GEOMORPHIC THRESHOLDS AND CHANNEL MORPHOLOGY IN LARGE RIVERS

EPA Science Inventory

Systematic changes in channel morphology occur as channel gradient, streamflow, and sediment character change and interact. Geomorphic thresholds of various kinds are useful metrics to define these changes along the river network, as they are based on in-channel processes that d...

Effect of captivity on morphology: negligible changes in external morphology mask significant changes in internal morphology

PubMed Central

Munn, Adam J.; Byrne, Phillip G.

2018-01-01

Captive breeding programmes are increasingly relied upon for threatened species management. Changes in morphology can occur in captivity, often with unknown consequences for reintroductions. Few studies have examined the morphological changes that occur in captive animals compared with wild animals. Further, the effect of multiple generations being maintained in captivity, and the potential effects of captivity on sexual dimorphism remain poorly understood. We compared external and internal morphology of captive and wild animals using house mouse (Mus musculus) as a model species. In addition, we looked at morphology across two captive generations, and compared morphology between sexes. We found no statistically significant differences in external morphology, but after one generation in captivity there was evidence for a shift in the internal morphology of captive-reared mice; captive-reared mice (two generations bred) had lighter combined kidney and spleen masses compared with wild-caught mice. Sexual dimorphism was maintained in captivity. Our findings demonstrate that captive breeding can alter internal morphology. Given that these morphological changes may impact organismal functioning and viability following release, further investigation is warranted. If the morphological change is shown to be maladaptive, these changes would have significant implications for captive-source populations that are used for reintroduction, including reduced survivorship.

Morphological cladistic analysis of eight popular Olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars grown in Saudi Arabia using Numerical Taxonomic System for personal computer to detect phyletic relationship and their proximate fruit composition

PubMed Central

Al-Ruqaie, I.; Al-Khalifah, N.S.; Shanavaskhan, A.E.

2015-01-01

Varietal identification of olives is an intrinsic and empirical exercise owing to the large number of synonyms and homonyms, intensive exchange of genotypes, presence of varietal clones and lack of proper certification in nurseries. A comparative study of morphological characters of eight olive cultivars grown in Saudi Arabia was carried out and analyzed using NTSYSpc (Numerical Taxonomy System for personal computer) system segregated smaller fruits in one clade and the rest in two clades. Koroneiki, a Greek cultivar with a small sized fruit shared arm with Spanish variety Arbosana. Morphologic analysis using NTSYSpc revealed that biometrics of leaves, fruits and seeds are reliable morphologic characters to distinguish between varieties, except for a few morphologically very similar olive cultivars. The proximate analysis showed significant variations in the protein, fiber, crude fat, ash and moisture content of different cultivars. The study also showed that neither the size of fruit nor the fruit pulp thickness is a limiting factor determining crude fat content of olives. PMID:26858547

Morphological Variations within the Ontogeny of Deinonychus antirrhopus (Theropoda, Dromaeosauridae)

PubMed Central

Parsons, William L.; Parsons, Kristen M.

2015-01-01

This research resulted from the determination that MCZ 8791 is a specimen of Deinonychus antirrhopus between one and two years of age and that the morphological variations within particular growth stages of this taxon have yet to be described. The primary goal of the research is to identify ontogenetic variations in this taxon. Histological analyses determined that the Deinonychus specimens AMNH 3015 and MOR 1178 were adults. Comparisons are made between MCZ 8791 and these adult specimens. The holotype, YPM 5205, and the other associated specimens of this taxon within the YPM collection are similar in size and morphology to AMNH 3015. Further comparisons were made with the three partial specimens OMNH 50268, MCZ 4371, and MOR 1182. Although these specimens represent only a partial ontogenetic series, a number of morphological variations can be described. One secondary goal of this research is to compare the known pattern of variable, informative, ontogenetic characters in MCZ 8791 to a similar pattern of morphological characters in the sub-adult dromaeosaurid specimen Bambiraptor feinbergorum, AMNH FR: 30556. If the characters that have been determined to represent variable juvenile morphology in the ontogeny of Deinonychus are exhibited in Bambiraptor, this study will begin the process of determining whether a similar, conservative, ontogenetic pattern exists throughout the rest of Dromaeosauridae. If defensible, it may reduce the number of sympatric taxa within this clade. The other secondary goal relates to the forelimb function. The approximate body size, forelimb length, wrist development, and the presence of a more prominent olecranon on the ulna of MCZ 8791 support the hypothesis that juveniles of this taxon possessed some form of flight capability. PMID:25875499

Oldest fossil flowers of hamamelidaceous affinity, from the Late Cretaceous of New Jersey.

PubMed Central

Crepet, W L; Nixon, K C; Friis, E M; Freudenstein, J V

1992-01-01

Exceptionally well-preserved staminate inflorescences, pistillate inflorescences, and detached stamens with important phylogenetic and paleoecological implications have been discovered from the Turonian (ca. 88.5-90.4 million years B.P.) Raritan Formation of New Jersey. The fossils have a combination of floral and pollen characters found in various genera of modern entomophilous and anemophilous Hamamelidaceae and anemophilous Platanus (Platanaceae). The floral characters of the fossils, including a sepal cup, staminal tube, and apparently nectariferous staminodes, indicate that this taxon was probably insect pollinated. The juxtaposition of character complexes in an extinct taxon from disparate modern taxa provides an interesting phylogenetic perspective on the origins of Hamamelidaceae and is a striking example of a fossil that is a mosaic of familial level characters relative to modern taxa. Of even broader interest, however, is the occurrence of staminodal nectaries that have structural characters intermediate between the fossil's functional stamens and modern hamamelidaceous petals. This transitional staminode morphology in the context of the other fossil characters suggests a staminodal origin of petals in the hamamelid-rosid lineage. This hypothesis is supported by the apparent staminode position within the fossil flowers where petals are found in modern genera. The character complex of morphologically transitional staminodes, a staminal tube, and sepal cup can be viewed as prehypanthial, lacking only fusion of the staminal tube to the sepal cup. The appearance of the character complex embodied in these flowers during the late mid-Cretaceous may signal the early stages of the relationship between specialized pollinators, such as bees, and the hamamelid-rosid-asterid lineage of angiosperms, arguably one of the most important events in angiosperm radiation. Images PMID:11607328

Oldest fossil flowers of hamamelidaceous affinity, from the Late Cretaceous of New Jersey.

PubMed

Crepet, W L; Nixon, K C; Friis, E M; Freudenstein, J V

1992-10-01

Exceptionally well-preserved staminate inflorescences, pistillate inflorescences, and detached stamens with important phylogenetic and paleoecological implications have been discovered from the Turonian (ca. 88.5-90.4 million years B.P.) Raritan Formation of New Jersey. The fossils have a combination of floral and pollen characters found in various genera of modern entomophilous and anemophilous Hamamelidaceae and anemophilous Platanus (Platanaceae). The floral characters of the fossils, including a sepal cup, staminal tube, and apparently nectariferous staminodes, indicate that this taxon was probably insect pollinated. The juxtaposition of character complexes in an extinct taxon from disparate modern taxa provides an interesting phylogenetic perspective on the origins of Hamamelidaceae and is a striking example of a fossil that is a mosaic of familial level characters relative to modern taxa. Of even broader interest, however, is the occurrence of staminodal nectaries that have structural characters intermediate between the fossil's functional stamens and modern hamamelidaceous petals. This transitional staminode morphology in the context of the other fossil characters suggests a staminodal origin of petals in the hamamelid-rosid lineage. This hypothesis is supported by the apparent staminode position within the fossil flowers where petals are found in modern genera. The character complex of morphologically transitional staminodes, a staminal tube, and sepal cup can be viewed as prehypanthial, lacking only fusion of the staminal tube to the sepal cup. The appearance of the character complex embodied in these flowers during the late mid-Cretaceous may signal the early stages of the relationship between specialized pollinators, such as bees, and the hamamelid-rosid-asterid lineage of angiosperms, arguably one of the most important events in angiosperm radiation.

Contributions of Morphological Awareness to Adult L2 Chinese Word Meaning Inferencing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ke, Sihui Echo; Koda, Keiko

2017-01-01

This study examined the contributions of morphological awareness (MA) to second language (L2) word meaning inferencing in English-speaking adult learners of Chinese (N = 50). Three research questions were posed: Are L2 learners sensitive to the morphological structure of unknown multi-character words? Does first language (L1) MA contribute to L2…

Flower development of Goniorrhachis marginata reveals new insights into the evolution of the florally diverse detarioid legumes.

PubMed

Prenner, Gerhard; Cardoso, Domingos

2017-02-01

The study of floral morphology and ontogeny and the re-investigation of existing data help to uncover potential synapomorphic characters and foster our understanding of phylogenetic relationships that rely primarily on molecular analyses. Goniorrhachis marginata is a monotypic caesalpinioid legume (Leguminosae) that shows some interesting floral features, such as a long hypanthium and regular Rosaceae-like flowers. We studied the ontogeny and morphology of the flowers in detail and present our results in a broad phylogenetic context. Flower buds were collected in the field, fixed in 70 % ethanol and investigated using scanning electron microscopy. Older buds in spirit were carefully opened to investigate the direction of style bending. Characters of the style from 131 taxa from the main legume lineages were analysed and mapped on a Bayesian molecular phylogeny. The tetramerous calyx is the result of complete loss of one sepal. The formation of the radially symmetrical corolla starts in a typical caesalpinioid pattern with the adaxial petal innermost (ascending aestivation). The young style bends in the abaxial direction, which is a character found exclusively in all studied detarioid legumes and therefore a newly described synapomorphy for the clade. We show that investigation of unstudied taxa and reinvestigation of published data can uncover new, previously overlooked and important characters. Curvature of the style can be detected in young buds with a hand lens and therefore is an important character for field botanists. Our study reveals the importance of including poorly studied and/or phylogenetically enigmatic taxa in molecular phylogenies and in detailed morphological and ontogenetic analyses. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Flower development of Goniorrhachis marginata reveals new insights into the evolution of the florally diverse detarioid legumes

PubMed Central

Prenner, Gerhard; Cardoso, Domingos

2017-01-01

Background and Aims The study of floral morphology and ontogeny and the re-investigation of existing data help to uncover potential synapomorphic characters and foster our understanding of phylogenetic relationships that rely primarily on molecular analyses. Goniorrhachis marginata is a monotypic caesalpinioid legume (Leguminosae) that shows some interesting floral features, such as a long hypanthium and regular Rosaceae-like flowers. We studied the ontogeny and morphology of the flowers in detail and present our results in a broad phylogenetic context. Methods Flower buds were collected in the field, fixed in 70 % ethanol and investigated using scanning electron microscopy. Older buds in spirit were carefully opened to investigate the direction of style bending. Characters of the style from 131 taxa from the main legume lineages were analysed and mapped on a Bayesian molecular phylogeny. Key Results The tetramerous calyx is the result of complete loss of one sepal. The formation of the radially symmetrical corolla starts in a typical caesalpinioid pattern with the adaxial petal innermost (ascending aestivation). The young style bends in the abaxial direction, which is a character found exclusively in all studied detarioid legumes and therefore a newly described synapomorphy for the clade. Conclusions We show that investigation of unstudied taxa and reinvestigation of published data can uncover new, previously overlooked and important characters. Curvature of the style can be detected in young buds with a hand lens and therefore is an important character for field botanists. Our study reveals the importance of including poorly studied and/or phylogenetically enigmatic taxa in molecular phylogenies and in detailed morphological and ontogenetic analyses. PMID:28025284

Floral morphology and anatomy of Ophiocaryon, a paedomorphic genus of Sabiaceae.

PubMed

Thaowetsuwan, P; Honorio Coronado, E N; Ronse De Craene, L P

2017-11-10

Ophiocaryon is a lesser known genus in Sabiaceae. This study examines flowers of six Ophiocaryon species in comparison with Meliosmaalba, to identify taxonomically informative characters for understanding relationships within the family Sabiaceae, to imply previously unknown pollination mechanisms of Ophiocaryon, and to contribute to the placement of Sabiaceae within the early-diverging eudicots. Floral morphology and anatomy of six Ophiocaryon species and M. alba were studied and described using scanning electron microscopy, clearing techniques and resin sectioning. Novel characters of Ophiocaryon were identified, e.g. conical cells on petals, different kinds of orbicules in anthers, stomata on nectary appendage tips and ovary, two distinct surface patterns on stamens and ovary, tanniferous cell layers in the ovary wall, and acorn-shaped unitegmic ovules with very short integuments. Comparison of floral characters between Ophiocaryon and Meliosma found that the calyx, corolla, androecium and gynoecium of Ophiocaryon resemble an undeveloped state of the latter taxon, reflecting a paedomorphic regression of the flower of Ophiocaryon. The flower morphology and anatomy of Ophiocaryon was compared with its putative sister species M. alba, but no clear shared derived characters could be detected. Moreover, the findings of scent, presence of conical cells on petals and a nectary suggest flowers are pollinated by small insects with a secondary pollen presentation on the cupula of fertile stamens. We found that Ophiocaryon may be derived from ancestors that were similar to extant Meliosma in their flower structure and pollination mechanism. However, the lack of shared derived characters between Ophiocaryon and its phylogenetic sister group M. alba is puzzling and requires further investigations on the diversity of the latter species. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com

Combining phylogenomics and fossils in higher-level squamate reptile phylogeny: molecular data change the placement of fossil taxa.

PubMed

Wiens, John J; Kuczynski, Caitlin A; Townsend, Ted; Reeder, Tod W; Mulcahy, Daniel G; Sites, Jack W

2010-12-01

Molecular data offer great potential to resolve the phylogeny of living taxa but can molecular data improve our understanding of relationships of fossil taxa? Simulations suggest that this is possible, but few empirical examples have demonstrated the ability of molecular data to change the placement of fossil taxa. We offer such an example here. We analyze the placement of snakes among squamate reptiles, combining published morphological data (363 characters) and new DNA sequence data (15,794 characters, 22 nuclear loci) for 45 living and 19 fossil taxa. We find several intriguing results. First, some fossil taxa undergo major changes in their phylogenetic position when molecular data are added. Second, most fossil taxa are placed with strong support in the expected clades by the combined data Bayesian analyses, despite each having >98% missing cells and despite recent suggestions that extensive missing data are problematic for Bayesian phylogenetics. Third, morphological data can change the placement of living taxa in combined analyses, even when there is an overwhelming majority of molecular characters. Finally, we find strong but apparently misleading signal in the morphological data, seemingly associated with a burrowing lifestyle in snakes, amphisbaenians, and dibamids. Overall, our results suggest promise for an integrated and comprehensive Tree of Life by combining molecular and morphological data for living and fossil taxa.

External rostral characters for differentiation of sexes in the biological control agent Mecinus janthinus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Treesearch

Marjolein Schat; Sharlene E. Sing; Robert K. D. Peterson

2007-01-01

The stem-boring weevil, Mecinus janthinus (Germar), is a promising, well established classical biological control agent for the exotic invasive weed Dalmatian toadflax (Linaria dalmatica (L.) Mill.) (Scrophulariaceae). In this paper we present readily apparent rostral characters that can be used for sex differentiation of live stem-boring weevils at low magnification....

Two new species of Gaeolaelaps (Acari: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) from Iran, with a revised generic concept and notes on significant morphological characters in the genus.

PubMed

Kazemi, Shahrooz; Rajaei, Asma; Beaulieu, Frédéric

2014-09-18

Two new species of laelapid mites of the genus Gaeolaelaps Evans & Till are described based on adult females collected from soil and litter in Kerman Province, southeastern Iran, and Mazandaran Province, northern Iran. Gaeolaelaps jondishapouri Nemati & Kavianpour is redescribed based on the holotype and additional specimens collected in southeastern Iran. The concept of the genus is revised to incorporate some atypical characters of recently described species. Finally, some morphological attributes with potential to define natural species groupings as well as hypoaspidine genera are discussed, particularly idiosomal gland pores and poroids.

Classification and phylogenetic analysis of Chinese hawthorn assessed by plant and pollen morphology.

PubMed

Ma, S L Y; Lu, Y M

2016-09-19

The Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida Bge. var. major N.E.Br.) is uniquely originated in northern China. The ecological and horticultural importance of Chinese hawthorn is considerable and some varieties are valued for their fruit or medicine extracts. Its taxonomy and phylogeny remain poorly understood. Apart from general plant morphological traits, pollen is an important trait for the classification of plants and their evolutionary origin. However, few studies have investigated the pollen of Chinese hawthorn. Here, an analysis of plant and pollen morphological characteristics was conducted in 57 cultivars from the Shenyang region. Thirty plant morphological characters and nine pollen grain characters were investigated. The plant morphological analysis revealed that the coefficient of variation for 13 traits was >20%, which indicates a high degree of variability. We also found that the pollen grains varied greatly in size, shape (from prolate to perprolate), and exine pattern (striate-perforate predominantly). The number of apertures was typically three. Based on these findings, we suggest that pollen morphology associated with plant morphological traits can be used for classification and phylogenetic analysis of Chinese hawthorn cultivars. In sum, our results provide new insights and constitute a scientific basis for future studies on the classification and evolution of Chinese hawthorn.

Trichuris spp. (Nematoda: Trichuridae) from two rodents, Mastomys natalensis and Gerbilliscus vicinus in Tanzania.

PubMed

Ribas, Alexis; López, Sergi; Makundi, Rhodes H; Leirs, Herwig; de Bellocq, Joëlle Goüy

2013-10-01

During a survey of the helminth community of several rodent species in the Morogoro region (Tanzania), Trichuris whipworms (Nematoda: Trichuridae) were found in the ceca of the Natal multimammate mouse, Mastomys natalensis and a gerbil, Gerbilliscus vicinus (both Rodentia: Muridae). The taxonomic literature regarding Trichuris from African native rodents describes 10 species, but includes few metric and morphologic characters that discriminate between some of the pairs. The whipworms we sampled in Tanzanian Natal multimammate mice and gerbils were morphologically identified, respectively, as Trichuris mastomysi Verster, 1960 and Trichuris carlieri Gedoelst, 1916 sensu lato, but with characters that overlap or partially overlap with the cosmopolitan Murinae whipworm, Trichuris muris , already reported from several rodents in Africa. To clarify our identification, we sequenced the ITS-1, 5.8S, and ITS-2 ribosomal DNA region of the worms' nuclear genome. The genetic analyses clearly distinguish the whipworms we found in M. natalensis from those found in the gerbil, and both of these from T. muris whipworm reference sequences. The overlap of morphological characters between rodent whipworms suggests that reports of T. muris from rodent species not closely related to Murinae in other parts of Africa should be treated with caution.

Morphological characters are compatible with mitogenomic data in resolving the phylogeny of nymphalid butterflies (lepidoptera: papilionoidea: nymphalidae).

PubMed

Shi, Qing-Hui; Sun, Xiao-Yan; Wang, Yun-Liang; Hao, Jia-Sheng; Yang, Qun

2015-01-01

Nymphalidae is the largest family of butterflies with their phylogenetic relationships not adequately approached to date. The mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) of 11 new nymphalid species were reported and a comparative mitogenomic analysis was conducted together with other 22 available nymphalid mitogenomes. A phylogenetic analysis of the 33 species from all 13 currently recognized nymphalid subfamilies was done based on the mitogenomic data set with three Lycaenidae species as the outgroups. The mitogenome comparison showed that the eleven new mitogenomes were similar with those of other butterflies in gene content and order. The reconstructed phylogenetic trees reveal that the nymphalids are made up of five major clades (the nymphaline, heliconiine, satyrine, danaine and libytheine clades), with sister relationship between subfamilies Cyrestinae and Biblidinae, and most likely between subfamilies Morphinae and Satyrinae. This whole mitogenome-based phylogeny is generally congruent with those of former studies based on nuclear-gene and mitogenomic analyses, but differs considerably from the result of morphological cladistic analysis, such as the basal position of Libytheinae in morpho-phylogeny is not confirmed in molecular studies. However, we found that the mitogenomic phylogeny established herein is compatible with selected morphological characters (including developmental and adult morpho-characters).

A revision of dragon millipedes I: genus Desmoxytes Chamberlin, 1923, with the description of eight new species (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae)

PubMed Central

Srisonchai, Ruttapon; Enghoff, Henrik; Likhitrakarn, Natdanai; Panha, Somsak

2018-01-01

Abstract The dragon millipede genus Desmoxytes s.l. is split into five genera, based on morphological characters and preliminary molecular phylogenetic analyses. The present article includes a review of Desmoxytes s.s., while future articles will deal with Hylomus Cook and Loomis, 1924 and three new genera which preliminarily are referred to as the ‘acantherpestes’, ‘gigas’, and ‘spiny’ groups. Diagnostic morphological characters of each group are discussed. Hylomus is resurrected as a valid genus and the following 33 species are assigned to it: H. asper (Attems, 1937), comb. n., H. cattienensis (Nguyen, Golovatch & Anichkin, 2005), comb. n., H. cervarius (Attems, 1953), comb. n., H. cornutus (Zhang & Li, 1982), comb. n., H. draco Cook & Loomis, 1924, stat. rev., H. enghoffi (Nguyen, Golovatch & Anichkin, 2005), comb. n., H. eupterygotus (Golovatch, Li, Liu & Geoffroy, 2012), comb. n., H. getuhensis (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2014), comb. n., H. grandis (Golovatch, VandenSpiegel & Semenyuk, 2016), comb. n., H. hostilis (Golovatch & Enghoff, 1994), comb. n., H. jeekeli (Golovatch & Enghoff, 1994), comb. n., H. lingulatus (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2014), comb. n., H. laticollis (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016), comb. n., H. longispinus (Loksa, 1960), comb. n., H. lui (Golovatch, Li, Liu & Geoffroy, 2012), comb. n., H. minutuberculus (Zhang, 1986), comb. n., H. nodulosus (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2014), comb. n., H. parvulus (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2014), comb. n., H. phasmoides (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016), comb. n., H. pilosus (Attems, 1937), comb. n., H. proximus (Nguyen, Golovatch & Anichkin, 2005), comb. n., H. rhinoceros (Likhitrakarn, Golovatch & Panha, 2015), comb. n., H. rhinoparvus (Likhitrakarn, Golovatch & Panha, 2015), comb. n., H. scolopendroides (Golovatch, Geoffroy & Mauriès, 2010), comb. n., H. scutigeroides (Golovatch, Geoffroy & Mauriès, 2010), comb. n., H. similis (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016), comb. n., H. simplex (Golovatch, VandenSpiegel & Semenyuk, 2016), comb. n., H. simplipodus (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016), comb. n., H. specialis (Nguyen, Golovatch & Anichkin, 2005), comb. n., H. spectabilis (Attems, 1937), comb. n., H. spinitergus (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016), comb. n., H. spinissimus (Golovatch, Li, Liu & Geoffroy, 2012), comb. n. and H. variabilis (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016), comb. n. Desmoxytes s.s. includes the following species: D. breviverpa Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, 2016; D. cervina (Pocock,1895); D. delfae (Jeekel, 1964); D. des Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, 2016; D. pinnasquali Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, 2016; D. planata (Pocock, 1895); D. purpurosea Enghoff, Sutcharit & Panha, 2007; D. takensis Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, 2016; D. taurina (Pocock, 1895); D. terae (Jeekel, 1964), all of which are re-described based mainly on type material. Two new synonyms are proposed: Desmoxytes pterygota Golovatch & Enghoff, 1994, syn. n. (= Desmoxytes cervina (Pocock, 1895)), Desmoxytes rubra Golovatch & Enghoff, 1994, syn. n. (= Desmoxytes delfae (Jeekel, 1964)). Six new species are described from Thailand: D. aurata Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n., D. corythosaurus Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n., D. euros Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n., D. flabella Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n., D. golovatchi Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n., D. octoconigera Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n., as well as one from Malaysia: D. perakensis Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n., and one from Myanmar: D. waepyanensis Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n. The species can mostly be easily distinguished by gonopod structure in combination with other external characters; some cases of particularly similar congeners are discussed. All species of Desmoxytes s.s. seem to be endemic to continental Southeast Asia (except the ‘tramp’ species D. planata). Some biological observations (relationship with mites, moulting) are recorded for the first time. Complete illustrations of external morphological characters, an identification key, and distribution maps of all species are provided. PMID:29875597

A revision of dragon millipedes I: genus Desmoxytes Chamberlin, 1923, with the description of eight new species (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae).

PubMed

Srisonchai, Ruttapon; Enghoff, Henrik; Likhitrakarn, Natdanai; Panha, Somsak

2018-01-01

The dragon millipede genus Desmoxytes s.l. is split into five genera, based on morphological characters and preliminary molecular phylogenetic analyses. The present article includes a review of Desmoxytes s.s., while future articles will deal with Hylomus Cook and Loomis, 1924 and three new genera which preliminarily are referred to as the ' acantherpestes ', ' gigas ', and ' spiny ' groups. Diagnostic morphological characters of each group are discussed. Hylomus is resurrected as a valid genus and the following 33 species are assigned to it: H. asper (Attems, 1937), comb. n. , H. cattienensis (Nguyen, Golovatch & Anichkin, 2005), comb. n. , H. cervarius (Attems, 1953), comb. n. , H. cornutus (Zhang & Li, 1982), comb. n. , H. draco Cook & Loomis, 1924, stat. rev. , H. enghoffi (Nguyen, Golovatch & Anichkin, 2005), comb. n. , H. eupterygotus (Golovatch, Li, Liu & Geoffroy, 2012), comb. n. , H. getuhensis (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2014), comb. n. , H. grandis (Golovatch, VandenSpiegel & Semenyuk, 2016), comb. n. , H. hostilis (Golovatch & Enghoff, 1994), comb. n. , H. jeekeli (Golovatch & Enghoff, 1994), comb. n. , H. lingulatus (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2014), comb. n. , H. laticollis (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016), comb. n. , H. longispinus (Loksa, 1960), comb. n. , H. lui (Golovatch, Li, Liu & Geoffroy, 2012), comb. n. , H. minutuberculus (Zhang, 1986), comb. n. , H. nodulosus (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2014), comb. n. , H. parvulus (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2014), comb. n. , H. phasmoides (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016), comb. n. , H. pilosus (Attems, 1937), comb. n. , H. proximus (Nguyen, Golovatch & Anichkin, 2005), comb. n. , H. rhinoceros (Likhitrakarn, Golovatch & Panha, 2015), comb. n. , H. rhinoparvus (Likhitrakarn, Golovatch & Panha, 2015), comb. n. , H. scolopendroides (Golovatch, Geoffroy & Mauriès, 2010), comb. n. , H. scutigeroides (Golovatch, Geoffroy & Mauriès, 2010), comb. n. , H. similis (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016), comb. n. , H. simplex (Golovatch, VandenSpiegel & Semenyuk, 2016), comb. n. , H. simplipodus (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016), comb. n. , H. specialis (Nguyen, Golovatch & Anichkin, 2005), comb. n. , H. spectabilis (Attems, 1937), comb. n. , H. spinitergus (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016), comb. n. , H. spinissimus (Golovatch, Li, Liu & Geoffroy, 2012), comb. n. and H. variabilis (Liu, Golovatch & Tian, 2016), comb. n. Desmoxytes s.s. includes the following species: D. breviverpa Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, 2016; D. cervina (Pocock,1895); D. delfae (Jeekel, 1964); D. des Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, 2016; D. pinnasquali Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, 2016; D. planata (Pocock, 1895); D. purpurosea Enghoff, Sutcharit & Panha, 2007; D. takensis Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, 2016; D. taurina (Pocock, 1895); D. terae (Jeekel, 1964), all of which are re-described based mainly on type material. Two new synonyms are proposed: Desmoxytes pterygota Golovatch & Enghoff, 1994, syn. n. (= Desmoxytes cervina (Pocock, 1895)), Desmoxytes rubra Golovatch & Enghoff, 1994, syn. n. (= Desmoxytes delfae (Jeekel, 1964)). Six new species are described from Thailand: D. aurata Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n. , D. corythosaurus Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n. , D. euros Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n. , D. flabella Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n. , D. golovatchi Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n. , D. octoconigera Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n. , as well as one from Malaysia: D. perakensis Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n. , and one from Myanmar: D. waepyanensis Srisonchai, Enghoff & Panha, sp. n. The species can mostly be easily distinguished by gonopod structure in combination with other external characters; some cases of particularly similar congeners are discussed. All species of Desmoxytes s.s. seem to be endemic to continental Southeast Asia (except the 'tramp' species D. planata ). Some biological observations (relationship with mites, moulting) are recorded for the first time. Complete illustrations of external morphological characters, an identification key, and distribution maps of all species are provided.

Genetic and Morphological Analyses Demonstrate That Schizolecis guntheri (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) Is Likely to Be a Species Complex

PubMed Central

Souza, Camila S.; Costa-Silva, Guilherme J.; Roxo, Fábio F.; Foresti, Fausto; Oliveira, Claudio

2018-01-01

Schizolecis is a monotypic genus of Siluriformes widely distributed throughout isolated coastal drainages of southeastern Brazil. Previous studies have shown that fish groups found in isolated river basins tend to differentiate over time in the absence of gene flow, resulting in allopatric speciation. In this study, we used partial sequences of the mitochondrial gene COI with the analysis of the General Mixed Yule Coalescent model (GMYC) and the Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD) for single locus species delimitation, and a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of external morphology to test the hypothesis that Schizolecis guntheri is a complex of species. We analyzed 94 samples of S. guntheri for GMYC and ABGD, and 82 samples for PCA from 22 coastal rivers draining to the Atlantic in southeastern Brazil from the Paraná State to the north of the Rio de Janeiro State. As a result, the GMYC model and the ABGD delimited five operational taxonomy units (OTUs – a nomenclature referred to in the present study of the possible new species delimited for the genetic analysis), a much higher number compared to the traditional alfa taxonomy that only recognizes S. guntheri across the isolated coastal rivers of Brazil. Furthermore, the PCA analysis suggests that S. guntheri is highly variable in aspects of external body proportions, including dorsal-fin spine length, pectoral-fin spine length, pelvic-fin spine length, lower caudal-fin spine length, caudal peduncle depth, anal width and mandibular ramus length. However, no exclusive character was found among the isolated populations that could be used to describe a new species of Schizolecis. Therefore, we can conclude, based on our results of PCA contrasting with the results of GMYC and ABGD, that S. guntheri represents a complex of species. PMID:29552028

Genetic and Morphological Analyses Demonstrate That Schizolecis guntheri (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) Is Likely to Be a Species Complex.

PubMed

Souza, Camila S; Costa-Silva, Guilherme J; Roxo, Fábio F; Foresti, Fausto; Oliveira, Claudio

2018-01-01

Schizolecis is a monotypic genus of Siluriformes widely distributed throughout isolated coastal drainages of southeastern Brazil. Previous studies have shown that fish groups found in isolated river basins tend to differentiate over time in the absence of gene flow, resulting in allopatric speciation. In this study, we used partial sequences of the mitochondrial gene COI with the analysis of the General Mixed Yule Coalescent model (GMYC) and the Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery (ABGD) for single locus species delimitation, and a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of external morphology to test the hypothesis that Schizolecis guntheri is a complex of species. We analyzed 94 samples of S. guntheri for GMYC and ABGD, and 82 samples for PCA from 22 coastal rivers draining to the Atlantic in southeastern Brazil from the Paraná State to the north of the Rio de Janeiro State. As a result, the GMYC model and the ABGD delimited five operational taxonomy units (OTUs - a nomenclature referred to in the present study of the possible new species delimited for the genetic analysis), a much higher number compared to the traditional alfa taxonomy that only recognizes S. guntheri across the isolated coastal rivers of Brazil. Furthermore, the PCA analysis suggests that S. guntheri is highly variable in aspects of external body proportions, including dorsal-fin spine length, pectoral-fin spine length, pelvic-fin spine length, lower caudal-fin spine length, caudal peduncle depth, anal width and mandibular ramus length. However, no exclusive character was found among the isolated populations that could be used to describe a new species of Schizolecis . Therefore, we can conclude, based on our results of PCA contrasting with the results of GMYC and ABGD, that S. guntheri represents a complex of species.

Phylogeny and systematic position of Opiliones: a combined analysis of chelicerate relationships using morphological and molecular data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giribet, Gonzalo; Edgecombe, Gregory D.; Wheeler, Ward C.; Babbitt, Courtney

2002-01-01

The ordinal level phylogeny of the Arachnida and the suprafamilial level phylogeny of the Opiliones were studied on the basis of a combined analysis of 253 morphological characters, the complete sequence of the 18S rRNA gene, and the D3 region of the 28S rRNA gene. Molecular data were collected for 63 terminal taxa. Morphological data were collected for 35 exemplar taxa of Opiliones, but groundplans were applied to some of the remaining chelicerate groups. Six extinct terminals, including Paleozoic scorpions, are scored for morphological characters. The data were analyzed using strict parsimony for the morphological data matrix and via direct optimization for the molecular and combined data matrices. A sensitivity analysis of 15 parameter sets was undertaken, and character congruence was used as the optimality criterion to choose among competing hypotheses. The results obtained are unstable for the high-level chelicerate relationships (except for Tetrapulmonata, Pedipalpi, and Camarostomata), and the sister group of the Opiliones is not clearly established, although the monophyly of Dromopoda is supported under many parameter sets. However, the internal phylogeny of the Opiliones is robust to parameter choice and allows the discarding of previous hypotheses of opilionid phylogeny such as the "Cyphopalpatores" or "Palpatores." The topology obtained is congruent with the previous hypothesis of "Palpatores" paraphyly as follows: (Cyphophthalmi (Eupnoi (Dyspnoi + Laniatores))). Resolution within the Eupnoi, Dyspnoi, and Laniatores (the latter two united as Dyspnolaniatores nov.) is also stable to the superfamily level, permitting a new classification system for the Opiliones. c2002 The Willi Hennig Society.

The First Comprehensive Phylogeny of Coptis (Ranunculaceae) and Its Implications for Character Evolution and Classification

PubMed Central

Xiang, Kun-Li; Wu, Sheng-Dan; Yu, Sheng-Xian; Liu, Yang; Jabbour, Florian; Erst, Andrey S.; Zhao, Liang; Wang, Wei; Chen, Zhi-Duan

2016-01-01

Coptis (Ranunculaceae) contains 15 species and is one of the pharmaceutically most important plant genera in eastern Asia. Understanding of the evolution of morphological characters and phylogenetic relationships within the genus is very limited. Here, we present the first comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the genus based on two plastid and one nuclear markers. The phylogeny was reconstructed using Bayesian inference, as well as maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods. The Swofford-Olsen-Waddell-Hillis and Bayesian tests were used to assess the strength of the conflicts between traditional taxonomic units and those suggested by the phylogenetic inferences. Evolution of morphological characters was inferred using Bayesian method to identify synapomorphies for the infrageneric lineages. Our data recognize two strongly supported clades within Coptis. The first clade contains subgenus Coptis and section Japonocoptis of subgenus Metacoptis, supported by morphological characters, such as traits of the central leaflet base, petal color, and petal shape. The second clade consists of section Japonocoptis of subgenus Metacoptis. Coptis morii is not united with C. quinquefolia, in contrast with the view that C. morii is a synonym of C. quinquefolia. Two varieties of C. chinensis do not cluster together. Coptis groenlandica and C. lutescens are reduced to C. trifolia and C. japonica, respectively. Central leaflet base, sepal shape, and petal blade carry a strong phylogenetic signal in Coptis, while leaf type, sepal and petal color, and petal shape exhibit relatively higher levels of evolutionary flexibility. PMID:27044035

Multi-Informant Assessment of Temperament in Children with Externalizing Behavior Problems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Copeland, William; Landry, Kerry; Stanger, Catherine; Hudziak, James J.

2004-01-01

We examined the criterion validity of parent and self-report versions of the Junior Temperament and Character Inventory (JTCI) in children with high levels of externalizing problems. The sample included 412 children (206 participants and 206 siblings) participating in a family study of attention and aggressive behavior problems. Criterion validity…

Round and pointed-head grenadier fishes (Actinopterygii: Gadiformes) represent a single sister group: evidence from the complete mitochondrial genome sequences.

PubMed

Satoh, Takashi P; Miya, Masaki; Endo, Hiromitsu; Nishida, Mutsumi

2006-07-01

The gene order of mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) has been employed as a useful phylogenetic marker in various metazoan animals, because it may represent uniquely derived characters shared by members of monophyletic groups. During the course of molecular phylogenetic studies of the order Gadiformes (cods and their relatives) based on whole mitogenome sequences, we found that two deep-sea grenadiers (Squalogadus modificatus and Trachyrincus murrayi: family Macrouridae) revealed a unusually identical gene order (translocation of the tRNA(Leu (UUR))). Both are members of the same family, although their external morphologies differed so greatly (e.g., round vs. pointed head) that they have been placed in different subfamilies Macrouroidinae and Trachyrincinae, respectively. Additionally, we determined the whole mitogenome sequences of two other species, Bathygadus antrodes and Ventrifossa garmani, representing a total of four subfamilies currently recognized within Macrouridae. The latter two species also exhibited gene rearrangements, resulting in a total of three different patterns of unique gene order being observed in the four subfamilies. Partitioned Bayesian analysis was conducted using available whole mitogenome sequences from five macrourids plus five outgroups. The resultant trees clearly indicated that S. modificatus and T. murrayi formed a monophyletic group, having a sister relationship to other macrourids. Thus, monophyly of the two species with disparate head morphologies was corroborated by two different lines of evidence (nucleotide sequences and gene order). The overall topology of the present tree differed from any of the previously proposed, morphology-based phylogenetic hypotheses.

ADAPT: The Agent Development and Prototyping Testbed.

PubMed

Shoulson, Alexander; Marshak, Nathan; Kapadia, Mubbasir; Badler, Norman I

2014-07-01

We present ADAPT, a flexible platform for designing and authoring functional, purposeful human characters in a rich virtual environment. Our framework incorporates character animation, navigation, and behavior with modular interchangeable components to produce narrative scenes. The animation system provides locomotion, reaching, gaze tracking, gesturing, sitting, and reactions to external physical forces, and can easily be extended with more functionality due to a decoupled, modular structure. The navigation component allows characters to maneuver through a complex environment with predictive steering for dynamic obstacle avoidance. Finally, our behavior framework allows a user to fully leverage a character's animation and navigation capabilities when authoring both individual decision-making and complex interactions between actors using a centralized, event-driven model.

A phylogenetic analysis of the megadiverse Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Chalcidoidea (Hymenoptera) are extremely diverse with an estimated 500,000 species. We present the first phylogenetic analysis of the superfamily based on a cladistic analysis of both morphological and molecular data. A total of 233 morphological characters were scored for 300 taxa and 265 genera, a...

[Phosphatidylserine externalization and functional-morphological impairment of sperm in men with long barren marriage].

PubMed

Ploskonos, M V

2016-08-01

To identify the relationship between phosphatidylserine externalization, as an early marker of apoptosis, and functional and morphological sperm impairment in infertile men to subsequently evaluate the effect of apoptosis on sperm fertility. Ejaculates of 18 fertile and 78 subfertile men were examined. Phosphatidylserine externalization was detected by staining the sperm with fluorochrome conjugated Annexin V (AnV-FITC) and propidium iodide using fluorescence microscopy. and conclusions: Ejaculates of fertile and subfertile men differed in the percentage of annexin-V-positive sperm. The correlation of (AnV+/PI+) - sperm of subfertile men with sperm concentration, motility and defects of sperm morphology shows the adverse effects of apoptosis on sperm quality and suggests that phosphatidylserine externalization is a factor for reducing sperm fertility.

Variation in the myosoricine hand skeleton and its implications for locomotory behavior (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Woodman, Neal; Stabile, Frank A.

2015-01-01

Substrate use and locomotory behavior of mammals are typically reflected in external characteristics of the forefeet, such as the relative proportions of the digits and claws. Although skeletal anatomy of the forefeet can be more informative than external characters, skeletons remain rare in systematic collections. This is particularly true for the Myosoricinae (Eulipotyphla: Soricidae), a small clade of African shrews that includes both ambulatory forest shrews (Myosorex) and semifossorial mole shrews (Surdisorex). Most species in this subfamily have restricted distributions, and their behavior and ecology are mostly unstudied. To better understand the potential range of locomotory behavior among myosoricines, we used digital x-rays to image and facilitate measuring the forefoot skeletons of 9 species. As a gauge of potential variation, we compared them with the ambulatory talpid Uropsilus (Talpidae) and the semifossorial talpid Neurotrichus. The hand morphologies of myosoricines show a graded range of potential substrate use between ambulatory and semifossorial. Some of these shrews exhibit adaptations for increased burrowing efficiency that are similar to those seen in talpids and other mammals, such as longer, broader distal phalanges and claws and shorter, wider metacarpals and proximal and middle phalanges. They also, however, have characteristics that are distinct from talpids, such as maintenance of forefoot asymmetry and an increased emphasis of ray III.

Is geography an accurate predictor of evolutionary history in the millipede family Xystodesmidae?

PubMed Central

Marek, Paul E.

2017-01-01

For the past several centuries, millipede taxonomists have used the morphology of male copulatory structures (modified legs called gonopods), which are strongly variable and suggestive of species-level differences, as a source to understand taxon relationships. Millipedes in the family Xystodesmidae are blind, dispersal-limited and have narrow habitat requirements. Therefore, geographical proximity may instead be a better predictor of evolutionary relationship than morphology, especially since gonopodal anatomy is extremely divergent and similarities may be masked by evolutionary convergence. Here we provide a phylogenetics-based test of the power of morphological versus geographical character sets for resolving phylogenetic relationships in xystodesmid millipedes. Molecular data from 90 species-group taxa in the family were included in a six-gene phylogenetic analysis to provide the basis for comparing trees generated from these alternative character sets. The molecular phylogeny was compared to topologies representing three hypotheses: (1) a prior classification formulated using morphological and geographical data, (2) hierarchical groupings derived from Euclidean geographical distance, and (3) one based solely on morphological data. Euclidean geographical distance was not found to be a better predictor of evolutionary relationship than the prior classification, the latter of which was the most similar to the molecular topology. However, all three of the alternative topologies were highly divergent (Bayes factor >10) from the molecular topology, with the tree inferred exclusively from morphology being the most divergent. The results of this analysis show that a high degree of morphological convergence from substantial gonopod shape divergence generated spurious phylogenetic relationships. These results indicate the impact that a high degree of morphological homoplasy may have had on prior treatments of the family. Using the results of our phylogenetic analysis, we make several changes to the classification of the family, including transferring the rare state-threatened species Sigmoria whiteheadi Shelley, 1986 to the genus Apheloria Chamberlin, 1921—a relationship not readily apparent based on morphology alone. We show that while gonopod differences are a premier source of taxonomic characters to diagnose species pairwise, the traits should be viewed critically as taxonomic features uniting higher levels. PMID:29038750

Molecular phylogenetics of subfamily Ornithogaloideae (Hyacinthaceae) based on nuclear and plastid DNA regions, including a new taxonomic arrangement

PubMed Central

Martínez-Azorín, Mario; Crespo, Manuel B.; Juan, Ana; Fay, Michael F.

2011-01-01

Background and Aims The taxonomic arrangement within subfamily Ornithogaloideae (Hyacinthaceae) has been a matter of controversy in recent decades: several new taxonomic treatments have been proposed, based exclusively on plastid DNA sequences, and these have resulted in classifications which are to a great extent contradictory. Some authors have recognized only a single genus Ornithogalum for the whole subfamily, including 250–300 species of variable morphology, whereas others have recognized many genera. In the latter case, the genera are inevitably much smaller and they are better defined morphologically. However, some are not monophyletic as circumscribed. Methods Phylogenetic analyses of Ornithogaloideae were based on nucleotide sequences of four plastid regions (trnL intron, trnL-F spacer, rbcL and matK) and a nuclear region (ITS). Eighty species covering all relevant taxonomic groups previously recognized in the subfamily were sampled. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses were performed. The molecular data were compared with a matrix of 34 morphological characters. Key Results Combinations of plastid and nuclear data yielded phylogenetic trees which are better resolved than those obtained with any plastid region alone or plastid regions in combination. Three main clades are found, corresponding to the previously recognized tribes Albuceae, Dipcadieae and Ornithogaleae. In these, up to 19 clades are described which are definable by morphology and biogeography. These mostly correspond to previously described taxa, though some need recircumscription. Morphological characters are assessed for their diagnostic value for taxonomy in the subfamily. Conclusions On the basis of the phylogenetic analyses, 19 monophyletic genera are accepted within Ornithogaloideae: Albuca, Avonsera, Battandiera, Cathissa, Coilonox, Dipcadi, Eliokarmos, Elsiea, Ethesia, Galtonia, Honorius, Loncomelos, Melomphis, Neopatersonia, Nicipe, Ornithogalum, Pseudogaltonia, Stellarioides and Trimelopter. Each of these has a particular syndrome of morphological characters. As a result, 105 new combinations are made and two new names are proposed to accommodate the taxa studied in the new arrangement. A short morphological diagnosis, synonymy, details of distribution and an identification key are presented. PMID:21163815

Morphological and molecular phylogenetic context of the angiosperms: contrasting the 'top-down' and 'bottom-up' approaches used to infer the likely characteristics of the first flowers.

PubMed

Bateman, Richard M; Hilton, Jason; Rudall, Paula J

2006-01-01

Recent attempts to address the long-debated 'origin' of the angiosperms depend on a phylogenetic framework derived from a matrix of taxa versus characters; most assume that empirical rigour is proportional to the size of the matrix. Sequence-based genotypic approaches increase the number of characters (nucleotides and indels) in the matrix but are confined to the highly restricted spectrum of extant species, whereas morphology-based approaches increase the number of phylogenetically informative taxa (including fossils) at the expense of accessing only a restricted spectrum of phenotypic characters. The two approaches are currently delivering strongly contrasting hypotheses of relationship. Most molecular studies indicate that all extant gymnosperms form a natural group, suggesting surprisingly early divergence of the lineage that led to angiosperms, whereas morphology-only phylogenies indicate that a succession of (mostly extinct) gymnosperms preceded a later angiosperm origin. Causes of this conflict include: (i) the vast phenotypic and genotypic lacuna, largely reflecting pre-Cenozoic extinctions, that separates early-divergent living angiosperms from their closest relatives among the living gymnosperms; (ii) profound uncertainty regarding which (a) extant and (b) extinct angiosperms are most closely related to gymnosperms; and (iii) profound uncertainty regarding which (a) extant and (b) extinct gymnosperms are most closely related to angiosperms, and thus best serve as 'outgroups' dictating the perceived evolutionary polarity of character transitions among the early-divergent angiosperms. These factors still permit a remarkable range of contrasting, yet credible, hypotheses regarding the order of acquisition of the many phenotypic characters, reproductive and vegetative, that distinguish 'classic' angiospermy from 'classic' gymnospermy. The flower remains ill-defined and its mode (or modes) of origin remains hotly disputed; some definitions and hypotheses of evolutionary relationships preclude a role for the flower in delimiting the angiosperms. We advocate maintenance of parallel, reciprocally illuminating programmes of morphological and molecular phylogeny reconstruction, respectively supported by homology testing through additional taxa (especially fossils) and evolutionary-developmental genetic studies that explore genes potentially responsible for major phenotypic transitions.

Phenotypic plasticity of Vaccinium meridionale (Ericaceae) in wild populations of mountain forests in Colombia.

PubMed

Ligarreto, Gustavo A; Patiño, Maria del Pilar; Magnitskiy, Stanislav V

2011-06-01

Vaccinium meridionale is a promising crop for the Andean region of South America and is currently available only in the wild. Spontaneous populations of this plant are found across the Colombian mountains, but very few published records on this plant morphology are available. A zonification study of V. meridionale was conducted in four principal areas of a low mountain forest of Colombia (Provinces of Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Santander and Nariño) in 2007. A total of 20 populations and 100 plants of V. meridionale were individually characterized and surveyed, using a list of 26 characters of morphological variables (9 quantitative and 17 qualitative characters). Our results indicated that natural populations of V. meridionale might be found in the tropical forest under a highly heterogeneous climate and microclimate conditions, at different mountain regions between 2 357 and 3 168masl. The shrubs of V. meridionale exhibited a high level of intra-population variation in several quantitative (plant height, stem diameter) and qualitative (growth habit, ramification density, presence of anthocyanins in stems) morphological characters, suggesting an environmentally induced phenotypic plasticity. Plant height, stem diameter and foliar density were the most variable morphological traits, with coefficients of variation higher than 50%. However, several quantitative characters of its reproductive potential, such as berry dimensions, rachis length and number of flowers per inflorescence, resulted with low plasticity with coefficients of variation lower than 30.2%, indicating that these characters were genetically determined. The highest correlation coefficients (p < 0.05) resulted to be between fruit length and fruit width (0.90), leaf length and leaf width (0.78), plant height and stem diameter (0.60), and inflorescence length and flowers number per inflorescence (0.57). The results suggest that an important genetic resource exists for this species in the wild. Low variation in fruit size, which constitutes a target trait for plant breeders, could be useful for selection of cultivars of V. meridionale. The results of this study could also be applied in conservation programs aimed to protect these diverse populations in the mountain forests of Colombia.

Evolution of cranial telescoping in echolocating whales (Cetacea: Odontoceti).

PubMed

Churchill, Morgan; Geisler, Jonathan H; Beatty, Brian L; Goswami, Anjali

2018-05-01

Odontocete (echolocating whale) skulls exhibit extreme posterior displacement and overlapping of facial bones, here referred to as retrograde cranial telescoping. To examine retrograde cranial telescoping across 40 million years of whale evolution, we collected 3D scans of whale skulls spanning odontocete evolution. We used a sliding semilandmark morphometric approach with Procrustes superimposition and PCA to capture and describe the morphological variation present in the facial region, followed by Ancestral Character State Reconstruction (ACSR) and evolutionary model fitting on significant components to determine how retrograde cranial telescoping evolved. The first PC score explains the majority of variation associated with telescoping and reflects the posterior migration of the external nares and premaxilla alongside expansion of the maxilla and frontal. The earliest diverging fossil odontocetes were found to exhibit a lesser degree of cranial telescoping than later diverging but contemporary whale taxa. Major shifts in PC scores and centroid size are identified at the base of Odontoceti, and early burst and punctuated equilibrium models best fit the evolution of retrograde telescoping. This indicates that the Oligocene was a period of unusually high diversity and evolution in whale skull morphology, with little subsequent evolution in telescoping. © 2018 The Author(s). Evolution © 2018 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Taxonomic revision of the long-nosed armadillos, Genus Dasypus Linnaeus, 1758 (Mammalia, Cingulata)

PubMed Central

Patterson, Bruce D.; Cordeiro-Estrela, Pedro

2018-01-01

Dasypus is the most speciose genus of the order Cingulata, including approximately 40% of known living armadillos. Nine species are currently recognized, although comprehensive analyses of the entire genus have never been done. Our aim is to revise the taxonomy of the long-nosed armadillos and properly define the taxa. We examined 2126 specimens of Dasypus preserved in 39 different museum collections, including 17 type specimens. Three complementary methods were applied to explore morphological datasets both qualitatively and quantitatively. Qualitative morphological variation in discrete characters was assessed by direct observations of specimens. Linear morphometric variation was based on external data and cranial measurements of 887 adult skulls. The shape and size of the skull was abstracted through two-dimensional geometric morphometric analyses of dorsal, lateral and ventral views of respectively 421, 211, and 220 adult specimens. Our results converge on the recognition of eight living species (D. beniensis, D. kappleri, D. mazzai, D. novemcinctus, D. pastasae, D. pilosus, D. sabanicola, and D. septemcinctus), and three subspecies of D. septemcinctus (D. s. septemcinctus, D. s. hybridus, and a new subspecies from Cordoba described here). Information on type material, diagnosis, distribution, and taxonomic comments for each taxon are provided. We designate a lectotype for D. novemcinctus; and a neotype for Loricatus hybridus (= D. septemcinctus hybridus). PMID:29624590

Size and shape variations of the bony components of sperm whale cochleae.

PubMed

Schnitzler, Joseph G; Frédérich, Bruno; Früchtnicht, Sven; Schaffeld, Tobias; Baltzer, Johannes; Ruser, Andreas; Siebert, Ursula

2017-04-25

Several mass strandings of sperm whales occurred in the North Sea during January and February 2016. Twelve animals were necropsied and sampled around 48 h after their discovery on German coasts of Schleswig Holstein. The present study aims to explore the morphological variation of the primary sensory organ of sperm whales, the left and right auditory system, using high-resolution computerised tomography imaging. We performed a quantitative analysis of size and shape of cochleae using landmark-based geometric morphometrics to reveal inter-individual anatomical variations. A hierarchical cluster analysis based on thirty-one external morphometric characters classified these 12 individuals in two stranding clusters. A relative amount of shape variation could be attributable to geographical differences among stranding locations and clusters. Our geometric data allowed the discrimination of distinct bachelor schools among sperm whales that stranded on German coasts. We argue that the cochleae are individually shaped, varying greatly in dimensions and that the intra-specific variation observed in the morphology of the cochleae may partially reflect their affiliation to their bachelor school. There are increasing concerns about the impact of noise on cetaceans and describing the auditory periphery of odontocetes is a key conservation issue to further assess the effect of noise pollution.

A new genus and three new species of miniaturized microhylid frogs from Indochina (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae: Asterophryinae).

PubMed

Poyarkov, Nikolay A; Suwannapoom, Chatmongkon; Pawangkhanant, Parinya; Aksornneam, Akrachai; Duong, Tang Van; Korost, Dmitriy V; Che, Jing

2018-05-18

We report on the discovery of a new genus of microhylid subfamily Asterophryinae from northern and eastern Indochina, containing three new species. Vietnamophryne Gen. nov. are secretive miniaturized frogs (SVL<21 mm) with a mostly semi-fossorial lifestyle. To assess phylogenetic relationships, we studied 12S rRNA-16S rRNA mtDNA fragments with a final alignment of 2 591 bp for 53 microhylid species. External morphology characters and osteological characteristics analyzed using micro-CT scanning were used for describing the new genus. Results of phylogenetic analyses assigned the new genus into the mainly Australasian subfamily Asterophryinae as a sister taxon to the genus Siamophryne from southern Indochina. The three specimens collected from Gia Lai Province in central Vietnam, Cao Bang Province in northern Vietnam, and Chiang Rai Province in northern Thailand proved to be separate species, different both in morphology and genetics (genetic divergence 3.1%≤P≤5.1%). Our work provides further evidence for the "out of Indo-Eurasia" scenario for Asterophryinae, indicating that the initial cladogenesis and differentiation of this group of frogs occurred in the Indochina Peninsula. To date, each of the three new species of Vietnamophryne Gen. nov. is known only from a single specimen; thus, their distribution, life history, and conservation status require further study.

Unearthing the Fossorial Tadpoles of the Indian Dancing Frog Family Micrixalidae

PubMed Central

Senevirathne, Gayani; Garg, Sonali; Kerney, Ryan; Meegaskumbura, Madhava; Biju, S. D.

2016-01-01

Tadpoles of the monotypic Indian dancing frog family Micrixalidae have remained obscure for over 125 years. Here we report the discovery of the elusive tadpoles of Micrixalus herrei from the sand beds of a forested stream in southern Western Ghats, and confirm their identity through DNA barcoding. These actively burrowing tadpoles lead an entirely fossorial life from eggs to late metamorphic stages. We describe their internal and external morphological characters while highlighting the following features: eel-like appearance, extensively muscularized body and tail, reduced tail fins, skin-covered eyes, delayed development of eye pigmentation in early pre-metamorphic stages (Gosner stages 25–29), prominent tubular sinistral spiracle, large transverse processes on vertebrae II and III, ankylosed ribs on transverse processes of vertebra II, notochord terminating before the atlantal cotyle-occipital condyle junction, absence of keratodonts, serrated well-formed jaw sheaths, and extensive calcified endolymphatic sacs reaching sacrum posteriorly. The tadpole gut contains mostly fine sediments and sand. We discuss the eel-like morphology and feeding habits of M. herrei in the context of convergence with other well-known fossorial tadpoles. This discovery builds the knowledge base for further comparative analyses and conservation of Micrixalus, an ancient and endemic lineage of Indian frogs. PMID:27027870

Origin of the endemic fern genus Diellia coincides with the renewal of Hawaiian terrestrial life in the Miocene

PubMed Central

Schneider, Harald; Ranker, Tom A.; Russell, Stephen J.; Cranfill, Raymond; Geiger, Jennifer M.O.; Aguraiuja, Ruth; Wood, Ken R.; Grundmann, Michael; Kloberdanz, Keelie; Vogel, Johannes C.

2005-01-01

The enigmatic fern genus Diellia, endemic to the Hawaiian archipelago, consists of five extant and one recently extinct species. Diellia is morphologically highly variable, and a unique combination of characters has led to several contrasting hypotheses regarding the relationship of Diellia to other ferns. A phylogenetic analysis of four chloroplast loci places Diellia within ‘black-stemmed’ rock spleenworts of the species-rich genus Asplenium, as previously suggested by W. H. Wagner. Using an external calibration point, we estimate the divergence of the Diellia lineage from its nearest relatives to have occurred at ca. 24.3 Myr ago matching an independent estimate for the renewal of Hawaiian terrestrial life (ca. 23 Myr ago). We therefore suggest that the ancestor of the Diellia lineage may have been among the first successful colonists of the newly emerging islands in the archipelago. Disparity between morphological and nucleotide sequence variation within Diellia is consistent with a recent rapid radiation. Our estimated time of the Diellia radiation (ca. 2 Myr ago) is younger than the oldest island of Kaua’i (ca. 5.1 Myr ago) but older than the younger major islands of Maui (ca. 1.3 Myr ago), Lana’i (ca. 1.3 Myr ago) and Hawaii (ca. 0.43 Myr ago). PMID:15734701

Validating DNA barcodes: A non-destructive extraction protocol enables simultaneous vouchering of DNA and morphological vouchers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Morphology-based keys support accurate identification of many taxa. However, identification can be difficult for taxa that are not well studied, very small, members of cryptic species complexes, or represented by immature stages. For such cases, DNA barcodes may provide diagnostic characters. Ecolog...

Genotyping-by-sequencing reveals the origin of the Tunisian relatives of cultivated carrot

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Knowledge of the morphological diversity of a germplasm collection is fundamental for genebank managers and plant breeders. The main objective of this work was to characterize 33 landraces of carrot from 13 different regions of Tunisia, based on 34 agro-morphological characters related to leaves and...

Taxonomic complexity of powdery mildew pathogens found on lentil and pea in the US Pacific Northwest

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Classification of powdery mildews found on lentil and pea in greenhouse and field production conditions in the US Pacific Northwest was investigated using morphological and molecular characters. Isolates collected from lentil plants grown in the greenhouse or field displayed morphologies in substant...

Phylogenetics Exercise Using Inherited Human Traits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tuimala, Jarno

2006-01-01

A bioinformatics laboratory exercise based on inherited human morphological traits is presented. It teaches how morphological characters can be used to study the evolutionary history of humans using parsimony. The exercise can easily be used in a pen-and-paper laboratory, but if computers are available, a more versatile analysis can be carried…

Using creation science to demonstrate evolution? Senter's strategy revisited.

PubMed

Wood, T C

2011-04-01

Senter's strategy of arguing against creationism using their own methodology focused on demonstrating a morphological continuum between birds and nonavian dinosaurs using classical multidimensional scaling (CMDS), a method used by some creationists to assign species to assist in the detection of phylogenetic 'discontinuities.' Because creationists do not typically use CMDS in the manner Senter used it, his results were re-examined using 'distance correlation,' a method used to assign species to 'created kinds.' Distance correlation using Senter's set of taxa and characters supports his conclusion of morphological continuity, but other sets of taxa with more characters do not. These results lessen the potential impact that Senter's strategy might have on creationism; however, it is possible that future fossil discoveries will provide stronger support for morphological continuity between dinosaurs and birds. © 2011 The Author. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2011 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Comparative Morphology of the Larvae of the Rove Beetles of Paederus , Lathrobium , and Tetartopeus , With Notes on its Systematic Position (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Paederinae)

PubMed Central

Staniec, Bernard; Sałapa, Dorota; Pietrykowska-Tudruj, Ewa

2014-01-01

Abstract The mature larvae of the rove beetles (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) Lathrobium lineatocolle Scriba and Tetartopeus quadratus (Paykull) are described for the first time, and the larva of Paederus littoralis Gravenhorst is redescribed. Detailed illustrations of their structural features are provided. The description of T. quadratus is the first for that genus. Diagnostic larval, morphological characters for Paederus , Lathrobium , and Tetartopeus are proposed. Based on the earlier published and new data, morphological comparisons at the subtribal and genus levels within the subfamily Paederinae are given. The principal differences among subtribes and genera involve structures located on the head, but several relate to abdominal sclerites and urogomphi. Based on the current data, the previously proposed characters diagnostic for the subfamily Paederinae are verified. A status of Paederidus and Tetartopeus as genera as opposed to their subgeneric status within Paederus and Lathrobium , respectively, was confirmed. PMID:25480975

The ovary structure and oogenesis in the basal crustaceans and hexapods. Possible phylogenetic significance.

PubMed

Jaglarz, Mariusz K; Kubrakiewicz, Janusz; Bilinski, Szczepan M

2014-07-01

Recent large-scale phylogenetic analyses of exclusively molecular or combined molecular and morphological characters support a close relationship between Crustacea and Hexapoda. The growing consensus on this phylogenetic link is reflected in uniting both taxa under the name Pancrustacea or Tetraconata. Several recent molecular phylogenies have also indicated that the monophyletic hexapods should be nested within paraphyletic crustaceans. However, it is still contentious exactly which crustacean taxon is the sister group to Hexapoda. Among the favored candidates are Branchiopoda, Malacostraca, Remipedia and Xenocarida (Remipedia + Cephalocarida). In this context, we review morphological and ultrastructural features of the ovary architecture and oogenesis in these crustacean groups in search of traits potentially suitable for phylogenetic considerations. We have identified a suite of morphological characters which may prove useful in further comparative studies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultrastructural characters of a Physarum melleum on living leaves of Dendrobium candidum in China*

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jing-ze; Liu, Lu-ning; Fiore-Donno, Anna-Maria; Xu, Tong

2007-01-01

A known species, Physarum melleum, was found fruiting on living leaves of Dendrobium candidum, which was collected in China in 2004. Its morphological characters were revealed by light microscopy (LM), environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Character variations were distinguished by its olive-yellow peridium and its always thinner capillitium containing globulose granular material between the large calcareous nodes. The calcium carbonate granules, deposited on stalks, peridium and hypothallus as well as within stalks, were globose and smooth. PMID:18257124

Phylogenetic relationships, character evolution, and taxonomic implications within the slipper lobsters (Crustacea: Decapoda: Scyllaridae).

PubMed

Yang, Chien-Hui; Bracken-Grissom, Heather; Kim, Dohyup; Crandall, Keith A; Chan, Tin-Yam

2012-01-01

The slipper lobsters belong to the family Scyllaridae which contains a total of 20 genera and 89 species distributed across four subfamilies (Arctidinae, Ibacinae, Scyllarinae, and Theninae). We have collected nucleotide sequence data from regions of five different genes (16S, 18S, COI, 28S, H3) to estimate phylogenetic relationships among 54 species from the Scyllaridae with a focus on the species rich subfamily Scyllarinae. We have included in our analyses at least one representative from all 20 genera in the Scyllaridae and 35 of the 52 species within the Scyllarinae. Our resulting phylogenetic estimate shows the subfamilies are monophyletic, except for Ibacinae, which has paraphyletic relationships among genera. Many of the genera within the Scyllarinae form non-monophyletic groups, while the genera from all other subfamilies form well supported clades. We discuss the implications of this history on the evolution of morphological characters and ecological transitions (nearshore vs. offshore) within the slipper lobsters. Finally, we identify, through ancestral state character reconstructions, key morphological features diagnostic of the major clades of diversity within the Scyllaridae and relate this character evolution to current taxonomy and classification. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Two new species of shrews (Soricidae) from the western highlands of Guatemala

USGS Publications Warehouse

Woodman, Neal

2010-01-01

The broad-clawed shrews (Soricomorpha: Soricidae: Cryptotis) encompass a clade of 5 species—Cryptotis alticolus (Merriam), C. goldmani (Merriam), C. goodwini Jackson, C. griseoventris Jackson, and C. peregrinus (Merriam)—that is known collectively as the Cryptotis goldmani group and is characterized by broadened forefeet, elongated and broadened fore claws, and broadened humeri. These shrews are distributed in highland regions from central Mexico to Honduras. Two broad-clawed shrews, C. goodwini and C. griseoventris, occur in southern Mexico and Guatemala and are presumed sister species whose primary distinguishing feature is the larger size of C. goodwini. In an investigation of variation within and between these 2 species, I studied characteristics of the postcranial skeleton. Statistical analyses of a variety of character suites indicate that the forelimb morphology in this group exhibits less intraspecific variation and greater interspecific variation than cranio-mandibular morphology, although most skull characters support groupings based on forelimb characters. Together, these characters define 4 distinct groups among the specimens examined. C. griseoventris is restricted to the northern highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, and C. goodwini occurs in the southern highlands of Chiapas and Guatemala. Herein, I describe 2 new species of broad-clawed shrews from the Sierra de los Cuchumatanes, Guatemala.

Further study on Physaloptera clausa Rudolphi, 1819 (Spirurida: Physalopteridae) from the Amur hedgehog Erinaceus amurensis Schrenk (Eulipotyphla: Erinaceidae).

PubMed

Chen, Hui-Xia; Ju, Hui-Dong; Li, Yang; Li, Liang

2017-12-20

In the present study, light and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to further study the detailed morphology of Physaloptera clausa Rudolphi, 1819, based on the material collected from the Amur hedgehog E. amurensis Schrenk in China. The results revealed a few previously unreported morphological features and some morphological and morphometric variability between our specimens and the previous studies. The present supplementary morphological characters and morphometric data could help us to recognize this species more accurately.

A study of the utility of convergent characters for phylogeny reconstruction: do ecomorphological characters track evolutionary history in Anolis lizards?

PubMed

Poe, Steven

2005-01-01

The reconstruction of phylogeny requires homologous similarities across species. Characters that have been shown to evolve quickly or convergently in some species are often considered to be poor phylogenetic markers. Here I evaluate the phylogenetic utility of a set of morphological characters that are correlated with ecology and have been shown to evolve convergently in Anolis lizards in the Greater Antilles. Results of randomization tests suggest that these "ecomorph" characters are adequate phylogenetic markers, both for Anolis in general and for the Greater Antillean species for which ecomorphological convergence was originally documented. Explanations for this result include the presence of ecomorphologically similar species within evolutionary radiations within islands, some monophyly of ecomorphs across islands, and the existence of several species that defy ecomorphological characterization but share phylogenetic similarity in some ecomorph characters.

Eight new Arthrinium species from China

PubMed Central

Wang, Mei; Tan, Xiao-Ming; Liu, Fang; Cai, Lei

2018-01-01

Abstract The genus Arthrinium includes important plant pathogens, endophytes and saprobes with a wide host range and geographic distribution. In this paper, 74 Arthrinium strains isolated from various substrates such as bamboo leaves, tea plants, soil and air from karst caves in China were examined using a multi-locus phylogeny based on a combined dataset of ITS rDNA, TEF1 and TUB2, in conjunction with morphological characters, host association and ecological distribution. Eight new species were described based on their distinct phylogenetic relationships and morphological characters. Our results indicated a high species diversity of Arthrinium with wide host ranges, amongst which, Poaceae and Cyperaceae were the major host plant families of Arthrinium species. PMID:29755262

Characters and phylogenetic relationships of nectar-feeding bats, with descriptions of new Lonchophylla from western South America (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae: Lonchophyllini)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Woodman, N.; Timm, R.M.

2006-01-01

The Neotropical Lonchophyllini (Chiropter: Phyllostomidae) currently comprise four genera and thirteen species of nectar-feeding bats. These species often are separated into larger-bodied (eight species) and smaller-bodied (five species) forms to aid in identification. Our morphological and morphometrical analyses of the smaller Lonchophyllini revealed the existence of two distinctive, previously undescribed species of bats of the genus Lonchophylla from western South America. We describe a new form from Amazonian Peru as Lonchophylla pattoni and one from western Colombia as Lonchophylla cadenai. Phyllogenetic analysis of the Lonchophyllini based primarily on morphological characters indicates that these two new species are closely related to Lonchophylla thomasi.

Incadendron : a new genus of Euphorbiaceae tribe Hippomaneae from the sub-Andean cordilleras of Ecuador and Peru

PubMed Central

Wurdack, Kenneth J.; Farfan-Rios, William

2017-01-01

Abstract Incadendron esseri K.Wurdack & Farfan, gen. & sp. nov., from the wet sub-Andean cordilleras of Ecuador (Cordillera del Cóndor) and Peru (Cusco, Oxapampa) is described and illustrated. This recently discovered large canopy tree with a narrow elevational range presents an unusual combination of rare morphological characters in Hippomaneae including mucilage-secreting sheathing stipules, conduplicate ptyxis, and large, woody fruits. The broader significance of these characters in Hippomaneae is discussed. The morphology and anatomy of Incadendron were investigated, highlighting its fruit similarities with Guiana Shield endemic Senefelderopsis, and the systematics value of ptyxis variation, which remains poorly studied for the family. PMID:29033661

Eight new Arthrinium species from China.

PubMed

Wang, Mei; Tan, Xiao-Ming; Liu, Fang; Cai, Lei

2018-01-01

The genus Arthrinium includes important plant pathogens, endophytes and saprobes with a wide host range and geographic distribution. In this paper, 74 Arthrinium strains isolated from various substrates such as bamboo leaves, tea plants, soil and air from karst caves in China were examined using a multi-locus phylogeny based on a combined dataset of ITS rDNA, TEF1 and TUB2, in conjunction with morphological characters, host association and ecological distribution. Eight new species were described based on their distinct phylogenetic relationships and morphological characters. Our results indicated a high species diversity of Arthrinium with wide host ranges, amongst which, Poaceae and Cyperaceae were the major host plant families of Arthrinium species.

Parallel Evolution of Larval Feeding Behavior, Morphology, and Habitat in the Snail-Kiling fly Genus Tetanocera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapman, E. G.; Foote, B. A.; Malukiewicz, J.; Hoeh, W. R.

2005-05-01

Sciomyzid larvae (Diptera: Acalyptratae) display a wide range of feeding behaviors, typically preying on a wide variety of gastropods. The genus Tetanocera is particularly interesting because its species occupy five larval feeding groups with each species' larvae living in one of two habitat types (aquatic or terrestrial). We constructed a molecular phylogeny for Tetanocera, estimated evolutionary transitions in larval feeding behaviors and habitats that occurred during Tetanocera phylogenesis, and investigated potential correlations among larval habitat and morphological characteristics. Approximately 3800 base pairs (both mitochondrial and nuclear) of sequence data were used to build the phylogeny. Larval feeding groups and habitat type were mapped onto the phylogeny and pair-wise comparisons were used to evaluate potential associations between habitat and morphology. Feeding and habitat groups within Tetanocera were usually not monophyletic and it was estimated that Tetanocera lineages made at least three independent aquatic to terrestrial transitions. These parallel habitat shifts were typically accompanied by parallel character state changes in four morphological characteristics (larval color and three posterior spiracular disc characters). These larval habitat-morphology associations were statistically significant and consistent with the action of natural selection in facilitating the morphological changes that occurred during aquatic to terrestrial habitat transitions in Tetanocera.

Delineating species boundaries using an iterative taxonomic approach: the case of soldierless termites (Isoptera, Termitidae, Apicotermitinae).

PubMed

Bourguignon, Thomas; Šobotník, Jan; Hanus, Robert; Krasulová, Jana; Vrkoslav, Vladimír; Cvačka, Josef; Roisin, Yves

2013-12-01

Species boundaries are traditionally inferred using morphological characters, although morphology sometimes fails to correctly delineate species. To overcome this limitation, researchers have widely taken advantage of alternative methods such as DNA barcoding or analysis of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHs) profiles, but rarely use them simultaneously in an iterative taxonomic approach. Here, we follow such an approach using morphology, DNA barcoding and CHs profiles to precisely discriminate species of soldierless termites, a diversified clade constituting about one-third of the Neotropical termite species richness, but poorly resolved taxonomically due to the paucity of useful characters. We sampled soldierless termites in various forest types of the Nouragues Nature Reserve, French Guiana. Our results show that morphological species determination generally matches DNA barcoding, which only suggests the existence of three cryptic species in the 31 morphological species. Among them, Longustitermes manni is the only species whose splitting is corroborated by ecological data, other widely distributed species being supported by DNA barcoding. On the contrary, although CHs profiles provide a certain taxonomic signal, they often suggest inconsistent groupings which are not supported by other methods. Overall, our data support DNA barcoding and morphology as two efficient methods to distinguish soldierless termite species. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evolutionary Trends of Perkinsozoa (Alveolata) Characters Based on Observations of Two New Genera of Parasitoids of dinoflagellates, Dinovorax gen. nov. and Snorkelia gen. nov.

PubMed Central

Reñé, Albert; Alacid, Elisabet; Ferrera, Isabel; Garcés, Esther

2017-01-01

Parasites are one of the ecologically most relevant groups of marine food webs, but their taxonomic and biological complexity hampers the assessment of their diversity and evolutionary trends. Moreover, the within-host processes that govern parasitoid infection, development and reproduction are often unknown. In this study, we describe a new species of a perkinsozoan endoparasitoid that infects the toxic dinoflagellate Dinophysis sacculus, by including observations of its morphology, ultrastructure, life-cycle development and phylogeny. The SSU rDNA sequence and main morphological features were also obtained for a second parasitoid species infecting the bloom-forming dinoflagellate Levanderina fissa. Phylogenetic analyses including the sequences obtained show that all known Perkinsozoa species infecting dinoflagellates cluster together. However, sequences of Parvilucifera prorocentri and those obtained in this study cluster at the base of the clade, while the rest of Parvilucifera representatives form a separated highly-supported cluster. These results, together with differing morphological characters like the formation of a germ-tube, the presence of trichocysts, or the heterochromatin presence in zoospores nucleus justify the erection of Dinovorax pyriformis gen. nov. et sp. nov., and Snorkelia prorocentri gen. nov. et comb. nov. (=Parvilucifera prorocentri). The morphological features and phylogenetic position of these parasitoids represent ancestral characters for the Perkinsozoa phylum, and also for Dinozoa clade, allowing the inference of the evolutionary framework of these Alveolata members. PMID:28970818

Morphological and community changes of turf algae in competition with corals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cetz-Navarro, Neidy P.; Quan-Young, Lizette I.; Espinoza-Avalos, Julio

2015-08-01

The morphological plasticity and community responses of algae competing with corals have not been assessed. We evaluated eight morphological characters of four species of stoloniferous clonal filamentous turf algae (FTA), including Lophosiphonia cristata (Lc) and Polysiphonia scopulorum var. villum (Psv), and the composition and number of turf algae (TA) in competition for space with the coral Orbicella spp. under experimental and non-manipulated conditions. All FTA exhibited morphological responses, such as increasing the formation of new ramets (except for Psv when competing with O. faveolata). Opposite responses in the space between erect axes were found when Psv competed with O. faveolata and when Lc competed with O. annularis. The characters modified by each FTA species, and the number and composition of TA species growing next to coral tissue differed from that of the TA growing at ≥3 cm. The specific and community responses indicate that some species of TA can actively colonise coral tissue and that fundamental competitive interactions between the two types of organisms occur within the first millimetres of the coral-algal boundary. These findings suggest that the morphological plasticity, high number, and functional redundancy of stoloniferous TA species favour their colonisation of coral tissue and resistance against coral invasion.

Morphological and community changes of turf algae in competition with corals.

PubMed

Cetz-Navarro, Neidy P; Quan-Young, Lizette I; Espinoza-Avalos, Julio

2015-08-05

The morphological plasticity and community responses of algae competing with corals have not been assessed. We evaluated eight morphological characters of four species of stoloniferous clonal filamentous turf algae (FTA), including Lophosiphonia cristata (Lc) and Polysiphonia scopulorum var. villum (Psv), and the composition and number of turf algae (TA) in competition for space with the coral Orbicella spp. under experimental and non-manipulated conditions. All FTA exhibited morphological responses, such as increasing the formation of new ramets (except for Psv when competing with O. faveolata). Opposite responses in the space between erect axes were found when Psv competed with O. faveolata and when Lc competed with O. annularis. The characters modified by each FTA species, and the number and composition of TA species growing next to coral tissue differed from that of the TA growing at ≥ 3 cm. The specific and community responses indicate that some species of TA can actively colonise coral tissue and that fundamental competitive interactions between the two types of organisms occur within the first millimetres of the coral-algal boundary. These findings suggest that the morphological plasticity, high number, and functional redundancy of stoloniferous TA species favour their colonisation of coral tissue and resistance against coral invasion.

Segmentation and selection of appropriate Chinese characters in writing place names in Japanese.

PubMed

Tokimoto, S; Flores d'Arcais, G B

2001-03-01

This paper explores the relation between an unknown place name written in hiragana (a Japanese syllabary) and its corresponding written representation in kanji (Chinese characters). We propose three principles as those operating in the selection of the appropriate Chinese characters in writing unknown place names. The three principles are concerned with the combination of on and kun readings (zyuubako-yomi), the number of segmentations, and the bimoraicity characteristics of kanji chosen. We performed two experiments to test the principles; the results supported our hypotheses. These results have some implications for the structure of the Japanese mental lexicon, for the processing load in the use of Chinese characters, and for Japanese prosody and morphology.

Integrated Analyses Resolve Conflicts over Squamate Reptile Phylogeny and Reveal Unexpected Placements for Fossil Taxa

PubMed Central

Reeder, Tod W.; Townsend, Ted M.; Mulcahy, Daniel G.; Noonan, Brice P.; Wood, Perry L.; Sites, Jack W.; Wiens, John J.

2015-01-01

Squamate reptiles (lizards and snakes) are a pivotal group whose relationships have become increasingly controversial. Squamates include >9000 species, making them the second largest group of terrestrial vertebrates. They are important medicinally and as model systems for ecological and evolutionary research. However, studies of squamate biology are hindered by uncertainty over their relationships, and some consider squamate phylogeny unresolved, given recent conflicts between molecular and morphological results. To resolve these conflicts, we expand existing morphological and molecular datasets for squamates (691 morphological characters and 46 genes, for 161 living and 49 fossil taxa, including a new set of 81 morphological characters and adding two genes from published studies) and perform integrated analyses. Our results resolve higher-level relationships as indicated by molecular analyses, and reveal hidden morphological support for the molecular hypothesis (but not vice-versa). Furthermore, we find that integrating molecular, morphological, and paleontological data leads to surprising placements for two major fossil clades (Mosasauria and Polyglyphanodontia). These results further demonstrate the importance of combining fossil and molecular information, and the potential problems of estimating the placement of fossil taxa from morphological data alone. Thus, our results caution against estimating fossil relationships without considering relevant molecular data, and against placing fossils into molecular trees (e.g. for dating analyses) without considering the possible impact of molecular data on their placement. PMID:25803280

Integrated analyses resolve conflicts over squamate reptile phylogeny and reveal unexpected placements for fossil taxa.

PubMed

Reeder, Tod W; Townsend, Ted M; Mulcahy, Daniel G; Noonan, Brice P; Wood, Perry L; Sites, Jack W; Wiens, John J

2015-01-01

Squamate reptiles (lizards and snakes) are a pivotal group whose relationships have become increasingly controversial. Squamates include >9000 species, making them the second largest group of terrestrial vertebrates. They are important medicinally and as model systems for ecological and evolutionary research. However, studies of squamate biology are hindered by uncertainty over their relationships, and some consider squamate phylogeny unresolved, given recent conflicts between molecular and morphological results. To resolve these conflicts, we expand existing morphological and molecular datasets for squamates (691 morphological characters and 46 genes, for 161 living and 49 fossil taxa, including a new set of 81 morphological characters and adding two genes from published studies) and perform integrated analyses. Our results resolve higher-level relationships as indicated by molecular analyses, and reveal hidden morphological support for the molecular hypothesis (but not vice-versa). Furthermore, we find that integrating molecular, morphological, and paleontological data leads to surprising placements for two major fossil clades (Mosasauria and Polyglyphanodontia). These results further demonstrate the importance of combining fossil and molecular information, and the potential problems of estimating the placement of fossil taxa from morphological data alone. Thus, our results caution against estimating fossil relationships without considering relevant molecular data, and against placing fossils into molecular trees (e.g. for dating analyses) without considering the possible impact of molecular data on their placement.

Phylogeny of Marsileaceous Ferns and Relationships of the Fossil Hydropteris pinnata Reconsidered.

PubMed

Pryer

1999-09-01

Recent phylogenetic studies have provided compelling evidence that confirms the once disputed hypothesis of monophyly for heterosporous leptosporangiate ferns (Marsileaceae and Salviniaceae). Hypotheses for relationships among the three genera of Marsileaceae (Marsilea, Regnellidium, and Pilularia), however, have continued to be in conflict. The phylogeny of Marsileaceae is investigated here using information from morphology and rbcL sequence data. In addition, relationships among all heterosporous ferns, including the whole-plant fossil Hydropteris pinnata are reconsidered. Data sets of 71 morphological and 1239 rbcL characters for 23 leptosporangiate ferns, including eight heterosporous ingroup taxa and 15 homosporous outgroup taxa, were subjected to maximum parsimony analysis. Morphological analyses were carried out both with and without the fossil Hydropteris, and it was excluded from all analyses with rbcL data. An annotated list of the 71 morphological characters is provided in the appendix. For comparative purposes, the Rothwell and Stockey (1994) data set was also reanalyzed here. The best estimate of phylogenetic relationships for Marsileaceae in all analyses is that Pilularia and Regnellidium are sister taxa and Marsilea is sister to that clade. Morphological synapomorphies for various nodes are discussed. Analyses that included Hydropteris resulted in two most-parsimonious trees that differ only in the placement of the fossil. One topology is identical to the relationship found by Rothwell and Stockey (1994), placing the fossil sister to the Azolla plus Salvinia clade. The alternative topology places Hydropteris as the most basal member of the heterosporous fern clade. Equivocal interpretations for character evolution in heterosporous ferns are discussed in the context of these two most-parsimonious trees. Because of the observed degree of character ambiguity, the phylogenetic placement of Hydropteris is best viewed as unresolved, and recognition of the suborder Hydropteridineae, as circumscribed by Rothwell and Stockey (1994), is regarded as premature. The two competing hypotheses of relationships for heterosporous ferns are also compared with the known temporal distribution of relevant taxa. Stratigraphic fit of the phylogenetic estimates is measured by using the Stratigraphic Consistency Index and by comparison with minimum divergence times.

Who was that masked man? Conjoint representations of intrinsic motions with actor appearance.

PubMed

Kersten, Alan W; Earles, Julie L; Negri, Leehe

2018-09-01

Motion plays an important role in recognising animate creatures. This research supports a distinction between intrinsic and extrinsic motions in their relationship to identifying information about the characters performing the motions. Participants viewed events involving costumed human characters. Intrinsic motions involved relative movements of a character's body parts, whereas extrinsic motions involved movements with respect to external landmarks. Participants were later tested for recognition of the motions and who had performed them. The critical test items involved familiar characters performing motions that had previously been performed by other characters. Participants falsely recognised extrinsic conjunction items, in which characters followed the paths of other characters, more often than intrinsic conjunction items, in which characters moved in the manner of other characters. In contrast, participants falsely recognised new extrinsic motions less often than new intrinsic motions, suggesting that they remembered extrinsic motions but had difficulty remembering who had performed them. Modelling of receiver operating characteristics indicated that participants discriminated old items from intrinsic conjunction items via familiarity, consistent with conjoint representations of intrinsic motion and identity information. In contrast, participants used recollection to distinguish old items from extrinsic conjunction items, consistent with separate but associated representations of extrinsic motion and identity information.

Speciation within Columnea section Angustiflora (Gesneriaceae): islands, pollinators and climate.

PubMed

Schulte, Lacie J; Clark, John L; Novak, Stephen J; Jeffries, Shandra K; Smith, James F

2015-03-01

Despite many advances in evolutionary biology, understanding the proximate mechanisms that lead to speciation for many taxonomic groups remains elusive. Phylogenetic analyses provide a means to generate well-supported estimates of species relationships. Understanding how genetic isolation (restricted gene flow) occurred in the past requires not only a well-supported molecular phylogenetic analysis, but also an understanding of when character states that define species may have changed. In this study, phylogenetic trees resolve species level relationships for fourteen of the fifteen species within Columnea section Angustiflorae (Gesneriaceae). The distributions of sister species pairs are compared and ancestral character states are reconstructed using Bayesian stochastic mapping. Climate variables were also assessed and shifts in ancestral climate conditions were mapped using SEEVA. The relationships between morphological character states and climate variables were assessed with correlation analyses. These results indicate that species in section Angustiflorae have likely diverged as a result of allopatric, parapatric, and sympatric speciation, with both biotic and abiotic forces driving morphological and phenological divergence. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Discovery of Cryptophasa Lewin, 1805 (Lepidoptera: Xyloryctidae) from Indonesia with the descriptions of three new species.

PubMed

Sutrisno, Hari; Watung, Jackson F; Suwito, Awit

2015-07-30

Three new species of Cryptophasa Lewin, 1805 are described from eastern Indonesia: C. watungi Sutrisno & Suwito, 2015 sp. nov., C. kwerbaensis Sutrisno & Suwito, 2015 sp. nov., and C. choliki Sutrisno & Suwito, 2015 sp. nov. Each species is described based on adult external and genital characters. The potential apomorphic character in male genitalia of Cryptophasa, the shape of the uncus, is discussed.

Dipole moment and solvatochromism of benzoic acid liquid crystals: Tuning the dipole moment and molecular orbital energies by substituted Au under external electric field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sıdır, Yadigar Gülseven; Sıdır, İsa; Demiray, Ferhat

2017-06-01

The optical absorption and steady-state fluorescence spectra of 4-heptyloxybenzoic acid (4hoba), 4-octyloxybenzoic acid (4ooba) and 4-nonyloxybenzoic acid (4noba) liquid crystals have been measured in a series of different polarity organic solvents. The ground state (μg) and excited state (μe) dipole moments of the monomeric and dimeric 4-alkyloxybenzoic acid liquid crystals have been obtained by means of different solvatochromic shift methods. HOMO-LUMO gaps (HLG) and dipole moments have been tuned by applying external electric (EF) field on monomer, dimer and Au substituted monomer and dimer liquid crystal structures. By applying external electric field, Au substituted monomer liquid crystals display semiconductor character, while Au substituted dimer liquid crystals gain metallic character under E = 0.04 V/Å. Eventuated specific and non-specific interactions between solvent and solute in solvent medium have been expounded by using LSER (Linear Solvation Energy Relationships).

Aphis (Hemiptera: Aphididae) species groups found in the Midwestern United States and their contribution to the phylogenetic knowledge of the genus.

PubMed

Lagos, Doris M; Voegtlin, David J; Coeur d'acier, Armelle; Giordano, Rosanna

2014-06-01

A phylogeny of the genus Aphis Linnaeus, 1 758 was built primarily from specimens collected in the Midwest of the United States. A data matrix was constructed with 68 species and 41 morphological characters with respective character states of alate and apterous viviparous females. Dendrogram topologies of analyses performed using UPGMA (Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean), Maximum Parsimony and Bayesian analysis of Cytochrome Oxidase I, Elongation Factor 1-α and primary endosymbiont Buchnera aphidicola 16S sequences were not congruent. Bayesian analysis strongly supported most terminal nodes of the phylogenetic trees. The phylogeny was strongly supported by EF1-α, and analysis of COI and EF1-α molecular data combined with morphological characters. It was not supported by single analysis of COI or Buchnera aphidicola 16S. Results from the Bayesian phylogeny show 4 main species groups: asclepiadis, fabae, gossypii, and middletonii. Results place Aphis and species of the genera Protaphis Börner, 1952, Toxoptera Koch, and Xerobion Nevsky, 1928 in a monophyletic clade. Morphological characters support this monophyly as well. The phylogeny shows that the monophyletic clade of the North American middletonii species group belong to the genus Protaphis: P. debilicornis (Gillette & Palmer, 1929), comb. nov., P. echinaceae (Lagos and Voegtlin, 2009), comb. nov., and P. middletonii (Thomas, 1879). The genus Toxoptera should be considered a subgenus of Aphis (stat. nov.). The analysis also indicates that the current genus Iowana Frison, 1954 should be considered a subgenus of Aphis (stat. nov.). © 2013 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

A new genus and species of arboreal toad with phytotelmonous larvae, from the Andaman Islands, India (Lissamphibia, Anura, Bufonidae)

PubMed Central

Chandramouli, S. R.; Vasudevan, Karthikeyan; Harikrishnan, S.; Dutta, Sushil Kumar; Janani, S. Jegath; Sharma, Richa; Das, Indraneil; Aggarwal, Ramesh K.

2016-01-01

Abstract A new bufonid amphibian, belonging to a new monotypic genus, is described from the Andaman Islands, in the Bay of Bengal, Republic of India, based on unique external morphological and skeletal characters which are compared with those of known Oriental and other relevant bufonid genera. Blythophryne gen. n. is distinguished from other bufonid genera by its small adult size (mean SVL 24.02 mm), the presence of six presacral vertebrae, an absence of coccygeal expansions, presence of an elongated pair of parotoid glands, expanded discs at digit tips and phytotelmonous tadpoles that lack oral denticles. The taxonomic and phylogenetic position of the new taxon (that we named as Blythophryne beryet gen. et sp. n.) was ascertained by comparing its 12S and 16S partial genes with those of Oriental and other relevant bufonid lineages. Resulting molecular phylogeny supports the erection of a novel monotypic genus for this lineage from the Andaman Islands of India. PMID:26877687

Two new species in the Echinoderes coulli group (Echinoderidae, Cyclorhagida, Kinorhyncha) from the Ryukyu Islands, Japan

PubMed Central

Yamasaki, Hiroshi; Fujimoto, Shinta

2014-01-01

Abstract Two new species belonging to the Echinoderes coulli group are described with their external morphologies and sequences of nuclear 18S rRNA and 28S rRNA genes, and mitochondrial COI gene. The first species, Echinoderes komatsui sp. n., is characterized by absence of acicular spines, and presence of lateroventral tubules on segments 5 and 8, laterodorsal tubules on segment 10, inverted triangle or wide oval shaped large sieve plates, lateral terminal accessory spines in female, and short tips of ventral pectinate fringe on segment 10. The second species, Echinoderes hwiizaa sp. n., is characterized by absence of acicular spines, and presence of lateroventral tubules on segments 5 and 7–9, midlateral tubules on segment 8, laterodorsal tubules on segment 10, large narrow oval shaped sieve plates on segment 9, and thick, short and blunt lateral terminal spines about 10–15% of trunk length. The diagnostic characters and key to species of E. coulli group are provided as well. PMID:24624018

Morphology delimits more species than molecular genetic clusters of invasive Pilosella.

PubMed

Moffat, Chandra E; Ensing, David J; Gaskin, John F; De Clerck-Floate, Rosemarie A; Pither, Jason

2015-07-01

• Accurate assessments of biodiversity are paramount for understanding ecosystem processes and adaptation to change. Invasive species often contribute substantially to local biodiversity; correctly identifying and distinguishing invaders is thus necessary to assess their potential impacts. We compared the reliability of morphology and molecular sequences to discriminate six putative species of invasive Pilosella hawkweeds (syn. Hieracium, Asteraceae), known for unreliable identifications and historical introgression. We asked (1) which morphological traits dependably discriminate putative species, (2) if genetic clusters supported morphological species, and (3) if novel hybridizations occur in the invaded range.• We assessed 33 morphometric characters for their discriminatory power using the randomForest classifier and, using AFLPs, evaluated genetic clustering with the program structure and subsequently with an AMOVA. The strength of the association between morphological and genotypic dissimilarity was assessed with a Mantel test.• Morphometric analyses delimited six species while genetic analyses defined only four clusters. Specifically, we found (1) eight morphological traits could reliably distinguish species, (2) structure suggested strong genetic differentiation but for only four putative species clusters, and (3) genetic data suggest both novel hybridizations and multiple introductions have occurred.• (1) Traditional floristic techniques may resolve more species than molecular analyses in taxonomic groups subject to introgression. (2) Even within complexes of closely related species, relatively few but highly discerning morphological characters can reliably discriminate species. (3) By clarifying patterns of morphological and genotypic variation of invasive Pilosella, we lay foundations for further ecological study and mitigation. © 2015 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

On the enigmatic Heterostomus curvipalpis Bigot, 1857, with a description of the pupa (Diptera, Brachycera).

PubMed

Coscarón, Sixto; Coscarón, María Del Carmen; Gil-Azevedo, Leonardo H

2013-02-20

The previously unknown pupa of Heterostomus curvipalpis Bigot is described. The morphology of the pupa of Heterostomus is compared with the pupae of Xylophagomorpha, Tabanomorpha and Stratiomyomorpha families, based on five characters, and its phylogenetic position is discussed. Currently placed in Xylophagidae, we conclude that the pupa of Heterostomus shares most characters with the pupae of Pelecorhynchidae.

Morphological variation, management and domestication of 'maguey alto' (Agave inaequidens) and 'maguey manso' (A. hookeri) in Michoacán, México.

PubMed

Figueredo, Carmen Julia; Casas, Alejandro; Colunga-GarcíaMarín, Patricia; Nassar, Jafet M; González-Rodríguez, Antonio

2014-09-16

Agave inaequidens and A. hookeri are anciently used species for producing the fermented beverage 'pulque', food and fiber in central Mexico. A. inaequidens is wild and cultivated and A. hookeri only cultivated, A. inaequidens being its putative wild relative. We analysed purposes and mechanisms of artificial selection and phenotypic divergences between wild and managed populations of A. inaequidens and between them and A. hookeri, hypothesizing phenotypic divergence between wild and domesticated populations of A. inaequidens in characters associated to domestication, and that A. hookeri would be phenotypically similar to cultivated A. inaequidens. We studied five wild and five cultivated populations of A. inaequidens, and three cultivated populations of A. hookeri. We interviewed agave managers documenting mechanisms of artificial selection, and measured 25 morphological characters. Morphological similarity and differentiation among plants and populations were analysed through multivariate methods and ANOVAs. People recognized 2-8 variants of A. inaequidens; for cultivation they select young plants collected in wild areas recognized as producing the best quality mescal agaves. Also, they collect seeds of the largest and most vigorous plants, sowing seeds in plant beds and then transplanting the most vigorous plantlets into plantations. Multivariate methods classified separately the wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens and these from A. hookeri, mainly because of characters related with plant and teeth size. The cultivated plants of A. inaequidens are significantly bigger with larger teeth than wild plants. A. hookeri are also significatly bigger plants with larger leaves but lower teeth density and size than A. inaequidens. Some cultivated plants of A. inaequidens were classified as A. hookeri, and nearly 10% of A. hookeri as cultivated A. inaequidens. Wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens differed in 13 characters, whereas A. hookeri differed in 23 characters with wild populations and only in 6 characters with cultivated populations of A. inaequidens. Divergence between wild and cultivated populations of A. inaequidens reflect artificial selection. A. hookeri is similar to the cultivated A. inaequidens, which supports the hypothesis that A. hookeri could be the extreme of a domestication gradient of a species complex.

Identification of SSR and retrotransposon-based molecular markers linked to morphological characters in oily sunfl ower (Helianthus annuus L.) under natural and water-limited states.

PubMed

Ali, Soleimani Gezeljeh; Darvishzadeh, Reza; Ebrahimi, Asa; Bihamta, Mohammad Reza

2018-03-01

Sunflower is an important source of edible oil. Drought is known as an important factor limiting the growth and productivity of field crops in most parts of the world. Agricultural biotechnology mainly aims at developing crops with higher tolerance to the challenging environmental conditions, such as drought. This study examined a number of morphological characters, along with relative water content (RWC) in 100 inbred sunflower lines. A 10 × 10 simple lattice design with two replications was employed to measure the mentioned parameters under natural and water-limited states during two successive years. In molecular trial, 30 simple sequence repeat (SSR) primer pairs, as well as 14 inter-retrotransposon amplified polymorphism (IRAP) and 14 retrotransposon-microsatellite amplified polymorphism (REMAP) primer combinations were used for DNA fingerprinting of the lines. Most of the examined characters had lower average values under water-limited than natural states. Maximum and minimum reductions were observed in the cases of yield and oil percentage, respectively. The broad-sense heritabilities for all the examined characters were 0.20-0.73 and 0.10-0.34 under natural and water-limited states, respectively. In the studied samples, 8.97% of the 435 possible locus pairs of the SSRs represented significant linkage disequilibrium (LD) levels. In the association analysis using SSR markers, 22 and 21 markers were identified (P ≤ 0.05) for the studied characters under natural and water-limited states, respectively. The corresponding values were 50 and 37 using retrotransposon-based molecular markers. Some detected markers were communal between the characters under water-limited and natural states. This was in line with the phenotypic correlations detected between the characters. Communal markers facilitate the simultaneous selection of several characters and can thus improve the efficacy of selection based on markers in the plant-breeding activities.

An attempt to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships within Caribbean nummulitids: simulating relationships and tracing character evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eder, Wolfgang; Ives Torres-Silva, Ana; Hohenegger, Johann

2017-04-01

Phylogenetic analysis and trees based on molecular data are broadly applied and used to infer genetical and biogeographic relationship in recent larger foraminifera. Molecular phylogenetic is intensively used within recent nummulitids, however for fossil representatives these trees are only of minor informational value. Hence, within paleontological studies a phylogenetic approach through morphometric analysis is of much higher value. To tackle phylogenetic relationships within the nummulitid family, a much higher number of morphological character must be measured than are commonly used in biometric studies, where mostly parameters describing embryonic size (e.g., proloculus diameter, deuteroloculus diameter) and/or the marginal spiral (e.g., spiral diagrams, spiral indices) are studied. For this purpose 11 growth-independent and/or growth-invariant characters have been used to describe the morphological variability of equatorial thin sections of seven Carribbean nummulitid taxa (Nummulites striatoreticulatus, N. macgillavry, Palaeonummulites willcoxi, P.floridensis, P. soldadensis, P.trinitatensis and P.ocalanus) and one outgroup taxon (Ranikothalia bermudezi). Using these characters, phylogenetic trees were calculated using a restricted maximum likelihood algorithm (REML), and results are cross-checked by ordination and cluster analysis. Square-change parsimony method has been run to reconstruct ancestral states, as well as to simulate the evolution of the chosen characters along the calculated phylogenetic tree and, independent - contrast analysis was used to estimate confidence intervals. Based on these simulations, phylogenetic tendencies of certain characters proposed for nummulitids (e.g., Cope's rule or nepionic acceleration) can be tested, whether these tendencies are valid for the whole family or only for certain clades. At least, within the Carribean nummulitids, phylogenetic trends along some growth-independent characters of the embryo (e.g., first chamber length and P/D ratio) and some growth-invariant characters of the chamber sequence (e.g., backbend angle, initial chamber base length and chamber length increase) are evident.

3-Rooted Maxillary First Premolars: An Ex Vivo Study of External and Internal Morphologies.

PubMed

Beltes, Panagiotis; Kalaitzoglou, Maria-Elpida; Kantilieraki, Eleni; Beltes, Charalampos; Angelopoulos, Christos

2017-08-01

This study aimed to analyze the external and internal morphologies of 3-rooted maxillary first premolars using cone-beam computed tomographic (CBCT) imaging. Fifty-six three-rooted maxillary first premolars were imaged by CBCT imaging and classified into 4 groups on the basis of external root morphology. Internal morphologic features, including the shapes of the buccal and palatal orifices and distances of bifurcation of the buccal-palatal and mesiobuccal-distobuccal root canals from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ), were measured. The teeth were classified into 4 groups on the basis of external morphology: group A, separation of the buccal and palatal roots with bifurcation of the former into the mesiobuccal and distobuccal roots (n = 22); group B, fusion of 2 buccal roots with the palatal root being separate (n = 19); group C, complete or partial fusion of the distobuccal and palatal roots (n = 9); and group D, fusion of all 3 roots (n = 6). The buccal orifice was mainly triangular/heart shaped. The distance of bifurcation of the buccal-palatal root canals from the CEJ in group A differed significantly from those in groups B and C (P < .05). There were significant differences in the distance of bifurcation of the mesiobuccal-distobuccal root canals from the CEJ among groups A, B, and C (P < .05). Four teeth exhibited C-shaped root canal systems of different configurations. The external and internal morphologies of 3-rooted maxillary first premolars vary considerably. Copyright © 2017 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Integrating restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) with morphological cladistic analysis clarifies evolutionary relationships among major species groups of bee orchids

PubMed Central

Sramkó, Gábor; Paun, Ovidiu

2018-01-01

Abstract Background and Aims Bee orchids (Ophrys) have become the most popular model system for studying reproduction via insect-mediated pseudo-copulation and for exploring the consequent, putatively adaptive, evolutionary radiations. However, despite intensive past research, both the phylogenetic structure and species diversity within the genus remain highly contentious. Here, we integrate next-generation sequencing and morphological cladistic techniques to clarify the phylogeny of the genus. Methods At least two accessions of each of the ten species groups previously circumscribed from large-scale cloned nuclear ribosomal internal transcibed spacer (nrITS) sequencing were subjected to restriction site-associated sequencing (RAD-seq). The resulting matrix of 4159 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for 34 accessions was used to construct an unrooted network and a rooted maximum likelihood phylogeny. A parallel morphological cladistic matrix of 43 characters generated both polymorphic and non-polymorphic sets of parsimony trees before being mapped across the RAD-seq topology. Key Results RAD-seq data strongly support the monophyly of nine out of ten groups previously circumscribed using nrITS and resolve three major clades; in contrast, supposed microspecies are barely distinguishable. Strong incongruence separated the RAD-seq trees from both the morphological trees and traditional classifications; mapping of the morphological characters across the RAD-seq topology rendered them far more homoplastic. Conclusions The comparatively high level of morphological homoplasy reflects extensive convergence, whereas the derived placement of the fusca group is attributed to paedomorphic simplification. The phenotype of the most recent common ancestor of the extant lineages is inferred, but it post-dates the majority of the character-state changes that typify the genus. RAD-seq may represent the high-water mark of the contribution of molecular phylogenetics to understanding evolution within Ophrys; further progress will require large-scale population-level studies that integrate phenotypic and genotypic data in a cogent conceptual framework. PMID:29325077

Genetic, Ecological and Morphological Distinctness of the Blue Mussels Mytilus trossulus Gould and M. edulis L. in the White Sea.

PubMed

Katolikova, Marina; Khaitov, Vadim; Väinölä, Risto; Gantsevich, Michael; Strelkov, Petr

2016-01-01

Two blue mussel lineages of Pliocene origin, Mytilus edulis (ME) and M. trossulus (MT), co-occur and hybridize in several regions on the shores of the North Atlantic. The two species were distinguished from each other by molecular methods in the 1980s, and a large amount of comparative data on them has been accumulated since that time. However, while ME and MT are now routinely distinguished by various genetic markers, they tend to be overlooked in ecological studies since morphological characters for taxonomic identification have been lacking, and no consistent habitat differences between lineages have been reported. Surveying a recently discovered area of ME and MT co-occurrence in the White Sea and employing a set of allozyme markers for identification, we address the issue whether ME and MT are true biological species with distinct ecological characteristics or just virtual genetic entities with no matching morphological and ecological identities. We find that: (1) in the White Sea, the occurrence of MT is largely concentrated in harbors, in line with observations from other subarctic regions of Europe; (2) mixed populations of ME and MT are always dominated by purebred individuals, animals classified as hybrids constituting only ca. 18%; (3) in terms of shell morphology, 80% of MT bear a distinct uninterrupted dark prismatic strip under the ligament while 97% of ME lack this character; (4) at sites of sympatry MT is more common on algal substrates while ME mostly lives directly on the bottom. This segregation by the substrate may contribute to maintaining reproductive isolation and decreasing competition between taxa. We conclude that while ME and MT are not fully reproductively isolated, they do represent clearly distinguishable biological, ecological and morphological entities in the White Sea. It remains to be documented whether the observed morphological and ecological differences are of a local character, or whether they have simply been overlooked in other contact zones.

Integrating restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) with morphological cladistic analysis clarifies evolutionary relationships among major species groups of bee orchids.

PubMed

Bateman, Richard M; Sramkó, Gábor; Paun, Ovidiu

2018-01-25

Bee orchids (Ophrys) have become the most popular model system for studying reproduction via insect-mediated pseudo-copulation and for exploring the consequent, putatively adaptive, evolutionary radiations. However, despite intensive past research, both the phylogenetic structure and species diversity within the genus remain highly contentious. Here, we integrate next-generation sequencing and morphological cladistic techniques to clarify the phylogeny of the genus. At least two accessions of each of the ten species groups previously circumscribed from large-scale cloned nuclear ribosomal internal transcibed spacer (nrITS) sequencing were subjected to restriction site-associated sequencing (RAD-seq). The resulting matrix of 4159 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for 34 accessions was used to construct an unrooted network and a rooted maximum likelihood phylogeny. A parallel morphological cladistic matrix of 43 characters generated both polymorphic and non-polymorphic sets of parsimony trees before being mapped across the RAD-seq topology. RAD-seq data strongly support the monophyly of nine out of ten groups previously circumscribed using nrITS and resolve three major clades; in contrast, supposed microspecies are barely distinguishable. Strong incongruence separated the RAD-seq trees from both the morphological trees and traditional classifications; mapping of the morphological characters across the RAD-seq topology rendered them far more homoplastic. The comparatively high level of morphological homoplasy reflects extensive convergence, whereas the derived placement of the fusca group is attributed to paedomorphic simplification. The phenotype of the most recent common ancestor of the extant lineages is inferred, but it post-dates the majority of the character-state changes that typify the genus. RAD-seq may represent the high-water mark of the contribution of molecular phylogenetics to understanding evolution within Ophrys; further progress will require large-scale population-level studies that integrate phenotypic and genotypic data in a cogent conceptual framework. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company.

Corallite skeletal morphological variation in Hawaiian Porites lobata

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tisthammer, Kaho H.; Richmond, Robert H.

2018-06-01

Due to their high morphological plasticity and complex evolutionary history, the species boundaries of many reef-building corals are poorly understood. The skeletal structures of corals have traditionally been used for species identification, but these structures can be highly variable, and currently we lack knowledge regarding the extent of morphological variation within species. Porites species are notorious for their taxonomic difficulties, both morphologically and genetically, and currently there are several unresolved species complexes in the Pacific. Despite its ubiquitous presence and broad use in coral research, Porites lobata belongs to one such unresolved species complex. To understand the degree of intraspecific variation in skeletal morphology, 120 corallites from the Hawaiian P. lobata were examined. A subset of samples from two genetically differentiated populations from contrasting high- and low-stress environments in Maunalua Bay, Hawaii, were then quantitatively analyzed using multivariate morphometrics. Our observations revealed high intraspecific variation in corallite morphology, as well as significant morphological differences between the two populations of P. lobata. Additionally, significant correlation was found between the morphological and genetic distances calculated from approximately 18,000 loci generated from restriction site-associated DNA sequencing. The unique morphological characters observed from the genetically differentiated population under environmental stress suggest that these characters may have adaptive values, but how such traits relate to fitness and how much plasticity they can exhibit remain to be determined by future studies. Relatively simple morphometric analyses used in our study can be useful in clarifying the existing ambiguity in skeletal architecture, thus contributing to resolving species issues in corals.

Phylogeny, evolutionary trends and classification of the Spathelia–Ptaeroxylon clade: morphological and molecular insights

PubMed Central

Appelhans, M. S.; Smets, E.; Razafimandimbison, S. G.; Haevermans, T.; van Marle, E. J.; Couloux, A.; Rabarison, H.; Randrianarivelojosia, M.; Keßler, P. J. A.

2011-01-01

Background and Aims The Spathelia–Ptaeroxylon clade is a group of morphologically diverse plants that have been classified together as a result of molecular phylogenetic studies. The clade is currently included in Rutaceae and recognized at a subfamilial level (Spathelioideae) despite the fact that most of its genera have traditionally been associated with other families and that there are no obvious morphological synapomorphies for the clade. The aim of the present study is to construct phylogenetic trees for the Spathelia–Ptaeroxylon clade and to investigate anatomical characters in order to decide whether it should be kept in Rutaceae or recognized at the familial level. Anatomical characters were plotted on a cladogram to help explain character evolution within the group. Moreover, phylogenetic relationships and generic limits within the clade are also addressed. Methods A species-level phylogenetic analysis of the Spathelia–Ptaeroxylon clade based on five plastid DNA regions (rbcL, atpB, trnL–trnF, rps16 and psbA–trnH) was conducted using Bayesian, maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods. Leaf and seed anatomical characters of all genera were (re)investigated by light and scanning electron microscopy. Key Results With the exception of Spathelia, all genera of the Spathelila–Ptaeroxylon clade are monophyletic. The typical leaf and seed anatomical characters of Rutaceae were found. Further, the presence of oil cells in the leaves provides a possible synapomorphy for the clade. Conclusions The Spathelia–Ptaeroxylon clade is well placed in Rutaceae and it is reasonable to unite the genera into one subfamily (Spathelioideae). We propose a new tribal classification of Spathelioideae. A narrow circumscription of Spathelia is established to make the genus monophyletic, and Sohnreyia is resurrected to accommodate the South American species of Spathelia. The most recent common ancestor of Spathelioideae probably had leaves with secretory cavities and oil cells, haplostemonous flowers with appendaged staminal filaments, and a tracheidal tegmen. PMID:21610209

Phylogeny, evolutionary trends and classification of the Spathelia-Ptaeroxylon clade: morphological and molecular insights.

PubMed

Appelhans, M S; Smets, E; Razafimandimbison, S G; Haevermans, T; van Marle, E J; Couloux, A; Rabarison, H; Randrianarivelojosia, M; Kessler, P J A

2011-06-01

The Spathelia-Ptaeroxylon clade is a group of morphologically diverse plants that have been classified together as a result of molecular phylogenetic studies. The clade is currently included in Rutaceae and recognized at a subfamilial level (Spathelioideae) despite the fact that most of its genera have traditionally been associated with other families and that there are no obvious morphological synapomorphies for the clade. The aim of the present study is to construct phylogenetic trees for the Spathelia-Ptaeroxylon clade and to investigate anatomical characters in order to decide whether it should be kept in Rutaceae or recognized at the familial level. Anatomical characters were plotted on a cladogram to help explain character evolution within the group. Moreover, phylogenetic relationships and generic limits within the clade are also addressed. A species-level phylogenetic analysis of the Spathelia-Ptaeroxylon clade based on five plastid DNA regions (rbcL, atpB, trnL-trnF, rps16 and psbA-trnH) was conducted using Bayesian, maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods. Leaf and seed anatomical characters of all genera were (re)investigated by light and scanning electron microscopy. With the exception of Spathelia, all genera of the Spathelila-Ptaeroxylon clade are monophyletic. The typical leaf and seed anatomical characters of Rutaceae were found. Further, the presence of oil cells in the leaves provides a possible synapomorphy for the clade. The Spathelia-Ptaeroxylon clade is well placed in Rutaceae and it is reasonable to unite the genera into one subfamily (Spathelioideae). We propose a new tribal classification of Spathelioideae. A narrow circumscription of Spathelia is established to make the genus monophyletic, and Sohnreyia is resurrected to accommodate the South American species of Spathelia. The most recent common ancestor of Spathelioideae probably had leaves with secretory cavities and oil cells, haplostemonous flowers with appendaged staminal filaments, and a tracheidal tegmen.

What can morphology tell us about ecology of four invasive goby species?

PubMed

Jakubčinová, K; Simonović, P; Števove, B; Čanak Atlagić, J; Kováč, V

2017-05-01

This study presents a detailed comparative analysis of external morphology of four of the most invasive goby species in Europe (round goby Neogobius melanostomus, bighead goby Ponticola kessleri, monkey goby Neogobius fluviatilis and racer goby Ponticola gymnotrachelus) and interprets some ecological requirements of these species based on their morphological attributes. The results are evaluated within an ontogenetic context, and the morphological differences between the species are discussed in terms of the question: can special external shape adaptations help to assess the invasive potential of each species? The morphometric analyses demonstrate important differences between the four invasive gobies. Neogobius melanostomus appears to have the least specialized external morphology that may favour its invasive success: little specialization to habitat or diet means reduced restraints on overall ecological requirements. The other three species were found to possess some morphological specializations (P. kessleri to large prey, N. fluviatilis to sandy habitats and P. gymnotrachelus to macrophytes), but none of these gobies have managed to colonize such large areas or to reach such overall abundances as N. melanostomus. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

The evolutionary history of holometabolous insects inferred from transcriptome-based phylogeny and comprehensive morphological data.

PubMed

Peters, Ralph S; Meusemann, Karen; Petersen, Malte; Mayer, Christoph; Wilbrandt, Jeanne; Ziesmann, Tanja; Donath, Alexander; Kjer, Karl M; Aspöck, Ulrike; Aspöck, Horst; Aberer, Andre; Stamatakis, Alexandros; Friedrich, Frank; Hünefeld, Frank; Niehuis, Oliver; Beutel, Rolf G; Misof, Bernhard

2014-03-20

Despite considerable progress in systematics, a comprehensive scenario of the evolution of phenotypic characters in the mega-diverse Holometabola based on a solid phylogenetic hypothesis was still missing. We addressed this issue by de novo sequencing transcriptome libraries of representatives of all orders of holometabolan insects (13 species in total) and by using a previously published extensive morphological dataset. We tested competing phylogenetic hypotheses by analyzing various specifically designed sets of amino acid sequence data, using maximum likelihood (ML) based tree inference and Four-cluster Likelihood Mapping (FcLM). By maximum parsimony-based mapping of the morphological data on the phylogenetic relationships we traced evolutionary transformations at the phenotypic level and reconstructed the groundplan of Holometabola and of selected subgroups. In our analysis of the amino acid sequence data of 1,343 single-copy orthologous genes, Hymenoptera are placed as sister group to all remaining holometabolan orders, i.e., to a clade Aparaglossata, comprising two monophyletic subunits Mecopterida (Amphiesmenoptera + Antliophora) and Neuropteroidea (Neuropterida + Coleopterida). The monophyly of Coleopterida (Coleoptera and Strepsiptera) remains ambiguous in the analyses of the transcriptome data, but appears likely based on the morphological data. Highly supported relationships within Neuropterida and Antliophora are Raphidioptera + (Neuroptera + monophyletic Megaloptera), and Diptera + (Siphonaptera + Mecoptera). ML tree inference and FcLM yielded largely congruent results. However, FcLM, which was applied here for the first time to large phylogenomic supermatrices, displayed additional signal in the datasets that was not identified in the ML trees. Our phylogenetic results imply that an orthognathous larva belongs to the groundplan of Holometabola, with compound eyes and well-developed thoracic legs, externally feeding on plants or fungi. Ancestral larvae of Aparaglossata were prognathous, equipped with single larval eyes (stemmata), and possibly agile and predacious. Ancestral holometabolan adults likely resembled in their morphology the groundplan of adult neopteran insects. Within Aparaglossata, the adult's flight apparatus and ovipositor underwent strong modifications. We show that the combination of well-resolved phylogenies obtained by phylogenomic analyses and well-documented extensive morphological datasets is an appropriate basis for reconstructing complex morphological transformations and for the inference of evolutionary histories.

Sexual dimorphism of sonic apparatus and extreme intersexual variation of sounds in Ophidion rochei (Ophidiidae): first evidence of a tight relationship between morphology and sound characteristics in Ophidiidae

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Many Ophidiidae are active in dark environments and display complex sonic apparatus morphologies. However, sound recordings are scarce and little is known about acoustic communication in this family. This paper focuses on Ophidion rochei which is known to display an important sexual dimorphism in swimbladder and anterior skeleton. The aims of this study were to compare the sound producing morphology, and the resulting sounds in juveniles, females and males of O. rochei. Results Males, females, and juveniles possessed different morphotypes. Females and juveniles contrasted with males because they possessed dramatic differences in morphology of their sonic muscles, swimbladder, supraoccipital crest, and first vertebrae and associated ribs. Further, they lacked the ‘rocker bone’ typically found in males. Sounds from each morphotype were highly divergent. Males generally produced non harmonic, multiple-pulsed sounds that lasted for several seconds (3.5 ± 1.3 s) with a pulse period of ca. 100 ms. Juvenile and female sounds were recorded for the first time in ophidiids. Female sounds were harmonic, had shorter pulse period (±3.7 ms), and never exceeded a few dozen milliseconds (18 ± 11 ms). Moreover, unlike male sounds, female sounds did not have alternating long and short pulse periods. Juvenile sounds were weaker but appear to be similar to female sounds. Conclusions Although it is not possible to distinguish externally male from female in O. rochei, they show a sonic apparatus and sounds that are dramatically different. This difference is likely due to their nocturnal habits that may have favored the evolution of internal secondary sexual characters that help to distinguish males from females and that could facilitate mate choice by females. Moreover, the comparison of different morphotypes in this study shows that these morphological differences result from a peramorphosis that takes place during the development of the gonads. PMID:23217241

Host-associated differences in morphometric traits of parasitic larvae Hirsutiella zachvatkini (Actinotrichida: Trombiculidae).

PubMed

Moniuszko, Hanna; Zaleśny, Grzegorz; Mąkol, Joanna

2015-09-01

Examination of host-associated variation in the chigger mite Hirsutiella zachvatkini (Schluger) revealed morphological differences among larvae infesting sympatric hosts: Apodemus agrarius, Apodemus flavicollis and Myodes glareolus. The analysis included 61 variables of larvae obtained from their gnathosoma, idiosoma and legs (measurements and counts). Statistically significant differences were observed for metric characters of the legs as opposed to the scutum. In view of the conspecificity of the mites, supported by comparison of COI gene products obtained from larvae and laboratory-reared deutonymphs, the observed variation is attributed to phenotypic plasticity. The knowledge of larval morphology, including intraspecific variation of metric characters, supported by molecular and host range data, places H. zachvatkini among the most comprehensively defined members of Trombiculidae.

Generic model of morphological changes in growing colonies of fungi

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López, Juan M.; Jensen, Henrik J.

2002-02-01

Fungal colonies are able to exhibit different morphologies depending on the environmental conditions. This allows them to cope with and adapt to external changes. When grown in solid or semisolid media the bulk of the colony is compact and several morphological transitions have been reported to occur as the external conditions are varied. Here we show how a unified simple mathematical model, which includes the effect of the accumulation of toxic metabolites, can account for the morphological changes observed. Our numerical results are in excellent agreement with experiments carried out with the fungus Aspergillus oryzae on solid agar.

Evolution of breeding systems and fruits in New World Galium and relatives (Rubiaceae).

PubMed

Soza, Valerie L; Olmstead, Richard G

2010-10-01

Dioecy occurs in only about 6% of angiosperms, yet it has evolved many times from hermaphroditism. Polygamy is an even more uncommon condition within angiosperms, in which both unisexual and bisexual flowers occur within a species. Polygamy, dioecy, and hermaphroditism all occur within a New World clade of Galium (Rubiaceae), in which dioecy is hypothesized to have evolved from hermaphroditism via polygamy. At least five sections of Galium as traditionally defined by fruit morphology occur within this group. We tested the monophyly of sections defined by fruit morphology and sought to determine origins and pathways of breeding systems within this group. • We obtained chloroplast (rpoB-trnC, trnC-psbM, trnL-ndhJ) and nuclear ribosomal (external transcribed spacer) DNA sequences for 89 taxa from the Cruciata-Galium-Valantia (CGV) clade to estimate the phylogeny. Ancestral states for breeding systems, fruit types, and fruit hairs were reconstructed using parsimony and likelihood analyses. • We identified nine well-supported lineages of New World Galium taxa. However, none of the sections traditionally defined by fruit morphology are monophyletic. Dioecy is inferred to have arisen at least three times from hermaphroditism; polygamy is inferred to have arisen at least twice from dioecy and at least six times from hermaphroditism. • Polygamy appears to be a terminal condition in the CGV clade and not a pathway to dioecy. Fruit characters traditionally used in the taxonomy of this group have arisen multiple times within this clade of Galium and are not reliable indicators of shared evolutionary history.

Sine systemate chaos? A versatile tool for earthworm taxonomy: non-destructive imaging of freshly fixed and museum specimens using micro-computed tomography.

PubMed

Fernández, Rosa; Kvist, Sebastian; Lenihan, Jennifer; Giribet, Gonzalo; Ziegler, Alexander

2014-01-01

In spite of the high relevance of lumbricid earthworms ('Oligochaeta': Lumbricidae) for soil structure and functioning, the taxonomy of this group of terrestrial invertebrates remains in a quasi-chaotic state. Earthworm taxonomy traditionally relies on the interpretation of external and internal morphological characters, but the acquisition of these data is often hampered by tedious dissections or restricted access to valuable and rare museum specimens. The present state of affairs, in conjunction with the difficulty of establishing primary homologies for multiple morphological features, has led to an almost unrivaled instability in the taxonomy and systematics of certain earthworm groups, including Lumbricidae. As a potential remedy, we apply for the first time a non-destructive imaging technique to lumbricids and explore the future application of this approach to earthworm taxonomy. High-resolution micro-computed tomography (μCT) scanning of freshly fixed and museum specimens was carried out using two cosmopolitan species, Aporrectodea caliginosa and A. trapezoides. By combining two-dimensional and three-dimensional dataset visualization techniques, we demonstrate that the morphological features commonly used in earthworm taxonomy can now be analyzed without the need for dissection, whether freshly fixed or museum specimens collected more than 60 years ago are studied. Our analyses show that μCT in combination with soft tissue staining can be successfully applied to lumbricid earthworms. An extension of the approach to other families is poised to strengthen earthworm taxonomy by providing a versatile tool to resolve the taxonomic chaos currently present in this ecologically important, but taxonomically neglected group of terrestrial invertebrates.

Systematics of the endangered toad genus Andinophryne (Anura: Bufonidae): phylogenetic position and synonymy under the genus Rhaebo.

PubMed

Ron, Santiago R; Mueses-Cisneros, Jonh Jairo; Gutiérrez-Cárdenas, Paul David Alfonso; Rojas-Rivera, Alejandra; Lynch, Ryan L; Rocha, Carlos F Duarte; Galarza, Gabriela

2015-04-16

Bufonidae is one of the most diverse amphibian families. Its large-scale phylogenetic relationships are relatively well understood with the exception of few Neotropical genera that may have diverged early in the evolution of the family. One of those genera is Andinophryne, a poorly known group of three toad species distributed in the western slopes of the Andes of northern Ecuador and southern Colombia. Their phylogenetic position is unknown due to lack of genetic data. We estimated a new phylogeny (over 200 species) of the family Bufonidae based on DNA sequences of mitochondrial and nuclear genes to assess the phylogenetic position of Andinophryne based on recently collected specimens of A. colomai and A. olallai from Ecuador and Colombia. We also examined external and internal morphology of Andinophryne to explore its congruence with the new phylogeny. The mtDNA and nuclear phylogenies show that Andinophryne is embedded within Rhaebo, a genus that belongs to a large clade characterized by the presence parotoid glands. Morphological characters confirmed the affinity of Andinophryne to Rhaebo and a close relationship between Andinophryne colomai and Andinophryne olallai. Rhaebo was paraphyletic relative to Andinophryne and to solve this problem we synonymize Andinophryne under Rhaebo. We discuss putative morphological synapomorphies for Rhaebo including Andinophryne. We provide species accounts for R. atelopoides new comb., R. colomai new comb. and R. olallai new comb. including assessments of their conservation status. We suggest that the three species are Critically Endangered. Their altitudinal distribution and association with streams are characteristic of endangered Andean amphibians.

Sine Systemate Chaos? A Versatile Tool for Earthworm Taxonomy: Non-Destructive Imaging of Freshly Fixed and Museum Specimens Using Micro-Computed Tomography

PubMed Central

Fernández, Rosa; Kvist, Sebastian; Lenihan, Jennifer; Giribet, Gonzalo; Ziegler, Alexander

2014-01-01

In spite of the high relevance of lumbricid earthworms (‘Oligochaeta’: Lumbricidae) for soil structure and functioning, the taxonomy of this group of terrestrial invertebrates remains in a quasi-chaotic state. Earthworm taxonomy traditionally relies on the interpretation of external and internal morphological characters, but the acquisition of these data is often hampered by tedious dissections or restricted access to valuable and rare museum specimens. The present state of affairs, in conjunction with the difficulty of establishing primary homologies for multiple morphological features, has led to an almost unrivaled instability in the taxonomy and systematics of certain earthworm groups, including Lumbricidae. As a potential remedy, we apply for the first time a non-destructive imaging technique to lumbricids and explore the future application of this approach to earthworm taxonomy. High-resolution micro-computed tomography (μCT) scanning of freshly fixed and museum specimens was carried out using two cosmopolitan species, Aporrectodea caliginosa and A. trapezoides. By combining two-dimensional and three-dimensional dataset visualization techniques, we demonstrate that the morphological features commonly used in earthworm taxonomy can now be analyzed without the need for dissection, whether freshly fixed or museum specimens collected more than 60 years ago are studied. Our analyses show that μCT in combination with soft tissue staining can be successfully applied to lumbricid earthworms. An extension of the approach to other families is poised to strengthen earthworm taxonomy by providing a versatile tool to resolve the taxonomic chaos currently present in this ecologically important, but taxonomically neglected group of terrestrial invertebrates. PMID:24837238

Morphology and protein molecular weight analysis from three variant of oil palm pollen; Dura, Pisifera, and Tenera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priambodo, R.; Witarto, A. B.; Salamah, A.; Setiorini, Triyono, D.; Bowolaksono, A.

2017-07-01

Oil palm is a plant that widely cultivated in Indonesia, with an area of about 11 million hectares in 2014. There are three main variants that most cultivated; Dura, Pisifera, and Tenera. Oil palm pollen was spread through the wind. The very wide area of oil palm plantation and those characteristics of oil palm pollen dispersion makes oil palm pollen may give negative effect to the people around plantation, such as an allergy. The research on the morphology and protein characters of the oil palm pollen from three variants has not done yet. This research aims to observe the morphology and protein character from three variants of oil palm pollen. The study begins with the pollen collection from three variants of oil palm. Oil palm pollen was observed using the light and scanning electron microscope. Oil palm pollen protein was extracted and the molecular weight of these proteins was analyzed. The result of this research was the morphology character from three variants of oil palm pollen have successfully been observed. Those three variant of oil palm have no differences structures; triangular shaped with round edge, tricolpate with connected colpus aperture, psilate exine ornamentation at the front side and peripheral side, while at the back side has microreticulate exine ornamentation. Three variants of oil palm pollen protein show the same characteristics. The molecular weight of the protein was ranged from 10-00 KDa. The information can be useful for the next research to figure out component of proteins inside the oil palm pollen.

Why is population information crucial for taxonomy? A case study involving a hybrid swarm and related varieties

PubMed Central

Marczewski, Tobias; Ma, Yong-Peng; Zhang, Xue-Mei; Sun, Wei-Bang; Marczewski, A. Jane

2016-01-01

Hybridization has become a focal topic in evolutionary biology, and many taxonomists are aware that the process occurs more frequently than previously assumed. Nonetheless many species and varieties are still described without explicitly considering the possibility of hybridization, especially in countries that have relatively short scientific histories, but which often possess the highest species diversities. Furthermore, new taxa are often described based only on herbarium specimens, not taking into account information from wild populations, significantly decreasing the potential to detect morphologies arising from hybridization at this crucial descriptive stage. We used morphological data from a hybrid swarm involving two Rhododendron species to showcase possible character combinations in intermediates. Certain characters used to distinguish taxa were more variable within the same individual than between species, emphasizing the importance of population information for an adequate choice of characters. Most described varieties of the two species fell within the spectrum of hybrid morphology, suggesting that these taxa would be unlikely to have merited formal description if contemporary standards had been employed. In all investigated cases the hybrid nature of described varieties seems to have been detectable with adequate morphological data alone, if populations had been assessed. A post hoc assessment of taxa is often complicated, especially if certain types of information are not provided. To avoid accumulation of such invalid taxa, careful scrutiny should be employed for new descriptions. Hybrids (not hybrid species) described as taxa obscure valuable information about natural processes and impact negatively on further research that depends on taxonomic data. PMID:27758764

Lexical processing of Chinese sub-character components: Semantic activation of phonetic radicals as revealed by the Stroop effect.

PubMed

Yeh, Su-Ling; Chou, Wei-Lun; Ho, Pokuan

2017-11-17

Most Chinese characters are compounds consisting of a semantic radical indicating semantic category and a phonetic radical cuing the pronunciation of the character. Controversy surrounds whether radicals also go through the same lexical processing as characters and, critically, whether phonetic radicals involve semantic activation since they can also be characters when standing alone. Here we examined these issues using the Stroop task whereby participants responded to the ink color of the character. The key finding was that Stroop effects were found when the character itself had a meaning unrelated to color, but contained a color name phonetic radical (e.g., "guess", with the phonetic radical "cyan", on the right) or had a meaning associated with color (e.g., "pity", with the phonetic radical "blood" on the right which has a meaning related to "red"). Such Stroop effects from the phonetic radical within a character unrelated to color support that Chinese character recognition involves decomposition of characters into their constituent radicals; with each of their meanings including phonetic radicals activated independently, even though it would inevitably interfere with that of the whole character. Compared with the morphological decomposition in English whereby the semantics of the morphemes are not necessarily activated, the unavoidable semantic activation of phonetic radicals represents a unique feature in Chinese character processing.

Among-character rate variation distributions in phylogenetic analysis of discrete morphological characters.

PubMed

Harrison, Luke B; Larsson, Hans C E

2015-03-01

Likelihood-based methods are commonplace in phylogenetic systematics. Although much effort has been directed toward likelihood-based models for molecular data, comparatively less work has addressed models for discrete morphological character (DMC) data. Among-character rate variation (ACRV) may confound phylogenetic analysis, but there have been few analyses of the magnitude and distribution of rate heterogeneity among DMCs. Using 76 data sets covering a range of plants, invertebrate, and vertebrate animals, we used a modified version of MrBayes to test equal, gamma-distributed and lognormally distributed models of ACRV, integrating across phylogenetic uncertainty using Bayesian model selection. We found that in approximately 80% of data sets, unequal-rates models outperformed equal-rates models, especially among larger data sets. Moreover, although most data sets were equivocal, more data sets favored the lognormal rate distribution relative to the gamma rate distribution, lending some support for more complex character correlations than in molecular data. Parsimony estimation of the underlying rate distributions in several data sets suggests that the lognormal distribution is preferred when there are many slowly evolving characters and fewer quickly evolving characters. The commonly adopted four rate category discrete approximation used for molecular data was found to be sufficient to approximate a gamma rate distribution with discrete characters. However, among the two data sets tested that favored a lognormal rate distribution, the continuous distribution was better approximated with at least eight discrete rate categories. Although the effect of rate model on the estimation of topology was difficult to assess across all data sets, it appeared relatively minor between the unequal-rates models for the one data set examined carefully. As in molecular analyses, we argue that researchers should test and adopt the most appropriate model of rate variation for the data set in question. As discrete characters are increasingly used in more sophisticated likelihood-based phylogenetic analyses, it is important that these studies be built on the most appropriate and carefully selected underlying models of evolution. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Philosophical Foundations of Zwicky's Morphological Approach in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudnicki, Konrad

Fritz Zwicky as a conscious Goetheanist. Johann Wolfgang Goethe as a natural philosopher and methodologist. Goetheanist theory of knowledge — a theory essentially different from the theory of Kant, from which the contemporary concept of paradigms has originated. Pre-scientific character of theory of knowledge. The principal thought experiment. The role of thinking in Goetheanism. Fundamental phenomena. Morphological approach. The shape (µo ) of a problem. Morphological box. Individual hypothesis versus classes of hypotheses. Theory and reality.

Comprehensive Understanding of Ductility Loss Mechanisms in Various Steels with External and Internal Hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takakuwa, Osamu; Yamabe, Junichiro; Matsunaga, Hisao; Furuya, Yoshiyuki; Matsuoka, Saburo

2017-11-01

Hydrogen-induced ductility loss and related fracture morphologies are comprehensively discussed in consideration of the hydrogen distribution in a specimen with external and internal hydrogen by using 300-series austenitic stainless steels (Types 304, 316, 316L), high-strength austenitic stainless steels (HP160, XM-19), precipitation-hardened iron-based super alloy (A286), low-alloy Cr-Mo steel (JIS-SCM435), and low-carbon steel (JIS-SM490B). External hydrogen is realized by a non-charged specimen tested in high-pressure gaseous hydrogen, and internal hydrogen is realized by a hydrogen-charged specimen tested in air or inert gas. Fracture morphologies obtained by slow-strain-rate tensile tests (SSRT) of the materials with external or internal hydrogen could be comprehensively categorized into five types: hydrogen-induced successive crack growth, ordinary void formation, small-sized void formation related to the void sheet, large-sized void formation, and facet formation. The mechanisms of hydrogen embrittlement are broadly classified into hydrogen-enhanced decohesion (HEDE) and hydrogen-enhanced localized plasticity (HELP). In the HEDE model, hydrogen weakens interatomic bonds, whereas in the HELP model, hydrogen enhances localized slip deformations. Although various fracture morphologies are produced by external or internal hydrogen, these morphologies can be explained by the HELP model rather than by the HEDE model.

Does morphological convergence imply functional similarity? A test using the evolution of quadrupedalism in ornithischian dinosaurs.

PubMed

Maidment, Susannah C R; Barrett, Paul M

2012-09-22

Convergent morphologies are thought to indicate functional similarity, arising because of a limited number of evolutionary or developmental pathways. Extant taxa displaying convergent morphologies are used as analogues to assess function in extinct taxa with similar characteristics. However, functional studies of extant taxa have shown that functional similarity can arise from differing morphologies, calling into question the paradigm that form and function are closely related. We test the hypothesis that convergent skeletal morphology indicates functional similarity in the fossil record using ornithischian dinosaurs. The rare transition from bipedality to quadrupedality occurred at least three times independently in this clade, resulting in a suite of convergent osteological characteristics. We use homology rather than analogy to provide an independent line of evidence about function, reconstructing soft tissues using the extant phylogenetic bracket and applying biomechanical concepts to produce qualitative assessments of muscle leverage. We also optimize character changes to investigate the sequence of character acquisition. Different lineages of quadrupedal ornithischian dinosaur stood and walked differently from each other, falsifying the hypothesis that osteological convergence indicates functional similarity. The acquisition of features correlated with quadrupedalism generally occurs in the same order in each clade, suggesting underlying developmental mechanisms that act as evolutionary constraints.

Morphological and community changes of turf algae in competition with corals

PubMed Central

Cetz-Navarro, Neidy P.; Quan-Young, Lizette I.; Espinoza-Avalos, Julio

2015-01-01

The morphological plasticity and community responses of algae competing with corals have not been assessed. We evaluated eight morphological characters of four species of stoloniferous clonal filamentous turf algae (FTA), including Lophosiphonia cristata (Lc) and Polysiphonia scopulorum var. villum (Psv), and the composition and number of turf algae (TA) in competition for space with the coral Orbicella spp. under experimental and non-manipulated conditions. All FTA exhibited morphological responses, such as increasing the formation of new ramets (except for Psv when competing with O. faveolata). Opposite responses in the space between erect axes were found when Psv competed with O. faveolata and when Lc competed with O. annularis. The characters modified by each FTA species, and the number and composition of TA species growing next to coral tissue differed from that of the TA growing at ≥3 cm. The specific and community responses indicate that some species of TA can actively colonise coral tissue and that fundamental competitive interactions between the two types of organisms occur within the first millimetres of the coral−algal boundary. These findings suggest that the morphological plasticity, high number, and functional redundancy of stoloniferous TA species favour their colonisation of coral tissue and resistance against coral invasion. PMID:26244816

Ongoing Speciation and Gene Flow between Taxonomically Challenging Trochulus Species Complex (Gastropoda: Hygromiidae).

PubMed

Proćków, Małgorzata; Strzała, Tomasz; Kuźnik-Kowalska, Elżbieta; Proćków, Jarosław; Mackiewicz, Paweł

2017-01-01

Geographical isolation, selection and genetic drift can cause the geographical diversification of populations and lead to speciation. Land snail species in the genus Trochulus show overlaps in geographical ranges as well as in morphology, but genetic data do not always support the species-level taxonomy based on morphological characters. Such a group offers an excellent opportunity to explore the processes involved. We have addressed the problem by determining the status of the restricted endemic T. graminicola within the larger context of Trochulus taxonomy. We used an integrated approach based on morphological features, ecological preferences and two molecular markers: mitochondrial COI sequences and microsatellites. Comparison of these results demonstrated: (i) conchological distinction of T. striolatus and T. sericeus; (ii) anatomical, ecological and genetic differentiation of T. graminicola and (iii) concordance between morphological characters and mtDNA markers in T. striolatus. Moreover, our data showed an intricate evolutionary history within the genus Trochulus, which can be best explained by: (i) recent or ongoing gene flow between taxa or (ii) their large ancestral polymorphism. Both of these hypotheses suggest that diversification within this group of snails has occurred relatively recently. The mismatches between species defined on morphology and on molecular genetics indicate the complexity of the processes involved in the diversification of this genus.

Ongoing Speciation and Gene Flow between Taxonomically Challenging Trochulus Species Complex (Gastropoda: Hygromiidae)

PubMed Central

Proćków, Małgorzata; Strzała, Tomasz; Kuźnik-Kowalska, Elżbieta; Proćków, Jarosław; Mackiewicz, Paweł

2017-01-01

Geographical isolation, selection and genetic drift can cause the geographical diversification of populations and lead to speciation. Land snail species in the genus Trochulus show overlaps in geographical ranges as well as in morphology, but genetic data do not always support the species-level taxonomy based on morphological characters. Such a group offers an excellent opportunity to explore the processes involved. We have addressed the problem by determining the status of the restricted endemic T. graminicola within the larger context of Trochulus taxonomy. We used an integrated approach based on morphological features, ecological preferences and two molecular markers: mitochondrial COI sequences and microsatellites. Comparison of these results demonstrated: (i) conchological distinction of T. striolatus and T. sericeus; (ii) anatomical, ecological and genetic differentiation of T. graminicola and (iii) concordance between morphological characters and mtDNA markers in T. striolatus. Moreover, our data showed an intricate evolutionary history within the genus Trochulus, which can be best explained by: (i) recent or ongoing gene flow between taxa or (ii) their large ancestral polymorphism. Both of these hypotheses suggest that diversification within this group of snails has occurred relatively recently. The mismatches between species defined on morphology and on molecular genetics indicate the complexity of the processes involved in the diversification of this genus. PMID:28107432

First instalment in resolution of the Banksia spinulosa complex (Proteaceae): B. neoanglica, a new species supported by phenetic analysis, ecology and geography

PubMed Central

Stimpson, Margaret L.; Weston, Peter H.; Telford, Ian R.H.; Bruhl, Jeremy J.

2012-01-01

Abstract Taxa in the Banksia spinulosa Sm. complex (Proteaceae) have populations with sympatric, parapatric and allopatric distributions and unclear or disputed boundaries. Our hypothesis is that under biological, phenetic and diagnosable species concepts that each of the currently named taxa within the Banksia spinulosa complex is a separate species. Based on specimens collected as part of this study, and data recorded from specimens in six Australian herbaria, complemented by phenetic analysis (semi–strong multidimensional scaling and UPGMA clustering) and a detailed morphological study, we investigated both morphological variation and geographic distribution in the Banksia spinulosa complex. All specimens used for this study are held at the N.C.W. Beadle Herbarium or the National Herbarium of New South Wales. In total 23 morphological characters (11 quantitative, five binary, and seven multistate characters) were analysed phenetically for 89 specimens. Ordination and cluster analysis resulted in individuals grouping strongly allowing recognition of distinct groups consistent with their recognition as separate species. Additional morphological analysis was completed on all specimens using leaf, floral, fruit and stem morphology, providing clear cut diagnosable groups and strong support for the recognition of Banksia spinulosa var. cunninghamii and Banksia spinulosa var. neoanglica as species. PMID:23170073

Molecular and morphological differentiation between two Miocene-divergent lineages of Amazonian shrimps, with the description of a new species (Decapoda, Palaemonidae, Palaemon)

PubMed Central

Carvalho, Fabrício Lopes; Magalhães, Célio; Mantelatto, Fernando Luis

2014-01-01

Abstract Palaemon carteri (Gordon, 1935) and Palaemon ivonicus (Holthuis, 1950) are morphologically similar species of South American freshwater shrimps. Past studies have questioned the taxonomic status of both species, which are supposed to have partially sympatric geographic distributions in the Amazon basin. We analyzed a 550 bp fragment of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene from these Amazonian Palaemon species as well as from 11 palaemonids as the outgroup. Additionally, we checked diagnostic characters of the genus and family as well as other morphological characters that have been little explored before. Palaemon carteri and Palaemon ivonicus are allocated in two sister lineages, with wide genetic divergence and little morphological differentiation. The divergence time between these lineages was estimated as approximately 10 million years ago. Both molecular and morphological data support the taxonomic validity of both Palaemon carteri and Palaemon ivonicus, refuting the hypothesis of synonymy. In addition, a new species, Palaemon yuna sp. n., closely related to Palaemon ivonicus, is described. Our findings indicate that these species can be differentiated using the projection of the anterolateral margin and anterolateral spine of the first antennular segment, shape of the rostrum, and relative size of the appendix masculina. PMID:25561832

Biology and External Morphology of Immature Stages of the Butterfly, Diaethria candrena candrena

PubMed Central

Dias, Fernando M.S.; Carneiro, Eduardo; Casagrande, Mirna M.; Mielke, Olaf H.H.

2012-01-01

The biology and the external morphology of immature stages of Diaethria candrena candrena (Godart) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Biblidinae) are described. Immature D. c. candrena found on Allophylus spp. (Sapindaceae) were collected in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil and reared in the laboratory. Morphological descriptions and illustrations are given, based on observations using electronic, stereoscopic, and optic microscopes, the latter two attached to camera lucida. Results are compared and discussed with immature stages of other species of Biblidinae described to date. PMID:22943597

Rachis morphology cannot accurately predict the mechanical performance of primary feathers in extant (and therefore fossil) feathered flyers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lees, John; Garner, Terence; Cooper, Glen; Nudds, Robert

2017-02-01

It was previously suggested that the flight ability of feathered fossils could be hypothesized from the diameter of their feather rachises. Central to the idea is the unvalidated assumption that the strength of a primary flight feather (i.e. its material and structural properties) may be consistently calculated from the external diameter of the feather rachis, which is the only dimension that is likely to relate to structural properties available from fossils. Here, using three-point bending tests, the relationship between feather structural properties (maximum bending moment, Mmax and Young's modulus, Ebend) and external morphological parameters (primary feather rachis length, diameter and second moment of area at the calamus) in 180 primary feathers from four species of bird of differing flight style was investigated. Intraspecifically, both Ebend and Mmax were strongly correlated with morphology, decreasing and increasing, respectively, with all three morphological measures. Without accounting for species, however, external morphology was a poor predictor of rachis structural properties, meaning that precise determination of aerial performance in extinct, feathered species from external rachis dimensions alone is not possible. Even if it were possible to calculate the second moment of area of the rachis, our data suggest that feather strength could still not be reliably estimated.

Redescription of Thalassodes antithetica Herbulot, 1962, an endemic moth from Inner Seychelles (Lepidoptera: Geometridae: Geometrinae).

PubMed

Bolotov, Ivan N; Matyot, Pat; Bippus, Maik; Spitsyn, Vitaly M; Kolosova, Yulia S; Kondakov, Alexander V

2016-07-19

The Seychelles archipelago is characterized by an exceptionally high level of endemism in certain taxa, including at least 275 endemic species of Lepidoptera (Legrand 1966; Gerlach & Matyot 2006; De Prins & De Prins 2015). Despite the fact that endemics are the main objects of conservation efforts, information regarding endemic Seychelles Lepidoptera is very poor, because the majority of them are known from a single or a few specimens (Legrand 1966; Gerlach and Matyot 2006; Bolotov et al. 2014, 2015). The emerald moth specimens are lacking in extensive samples obtained by earlier collectors (Fletcher 1910; Scott 1910; Fryer 1912). Further, two emerald moth species in the genus Thalassodes Guenée, 1858 have been reported from Seychelles, i.e., the widespread T. quadraria Guenée, 1858 (Legrand 1966; Gerlach & Matyot 2006; De Prins & De Prins 2015) and the endemic T. antithetica Herbulot, 1962. The latter species is known from eight specimens, collected between 1959 and 1963 (Legrand 1966; Gerlach & Matyot 2006). Herbulot (1962) provided a very short description of this species without any illustration. The protologue consists of a description of some external characters, i.e., antennae, palpi and legs, as well as the pattern of markings, but the male and female genitalia are not described. As the main diagnostic features, Herbulot (1962) noted two specific characters in the male morphology, namely the hind tibia with a single pair of spurs and an exceptional development of the lateral processes (octavals) on the posterior margin of the eighth sternite.

Description of a New Phlebotomine Species of the Brazilian Cerrado from Sandstone Caves in Tocantins State, Brazil: Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) elizabethrangelae sp. nov. (Diptera: Psychodidae).

PubMed

Vilela, M L; Azevedo, A C R; Godoy, R E

2015-07-01

The sand fly Lutzomyia (Lutzomyia) elizabethrangelae sp. nov. is described and illustrated based on the morphological characters of male and female specimens captured in sandstone caves in the municipality of Palmeirópolis, in the southern region of Tocantins state. The samples were collected as part of an entomological vector-monitoring project during the construction of the Peixe Angical Hydroelectric Plant. Based on the morphological characters of the new species, we believe this species can be included in the subgenus Lutzomyia. This species is closely related to two others, Lutzomyia forattinii Galati et al. 1985 and Lutzomyia almerioi Galati and Nunes 1999. The new species can be distinguished from Lutzomyia forattinii and Lutzomyia almerioi by the morphological characteristics of the male genitalia and the female cibarium. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

On the Evolutionary and Biogeographic History of Saxifraga sect. Trachyphyllum (Gaud.) Koch (Saxifragaceae Juss.)

PubMed Central

DeChaine, Eric G.; Anderson, Stacy A.; McNew, Jennifer M.; Wendling, Barry M.

2013-01-01

Arctic-alpine plants in the genus Saxifraga L. (Saxifragaceae Juss.) provide an excellent system for investigating the process of diversification in northern regions. Yet, sect. Trachyphyllum (Gaud.) Koch, which is comprised of about 8 to 26 species, has still not been explored by molecular systematists even though taxonomists concur that the section needs to be thoroughly re-examined. Our goals were to use chloroplast trnL-F and nuclear ITS DNA sequence data to circumscribe the section phylogenetically, test models of geographically-based population divergence, and assess the utility of morphological characters in estimating evolutionary relationships. To do so, we sequenced both genetic markers for 19 taxa within the section. The phylogenetic inferences of sect. Trachyphyllum using maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses showed that the section is polyphyletic, with S. aspera L. and S bryoides L. falling outside the main clade. In addition, the analyses supported several taxonomic re-classifications to prior names. We used two approaches to test biogeographic hypotheses: i) a coalescent approach in Mesquite to test the fit of our reconstructed gene trees to geographically-based models of population divergence and ii) a maximum likelihood inference in Lagrange. These tests uncovered strong support for an origin of the clade in the Southern Rocky Mountains of North America followed by dispersal and divergence episodes across refugia. Finally we adopted a stochastic character mapping approach in SIMMAP to investigate the utility of morphological characters in estimating evolutionary relationships among taxa. We found that few morphological characters were phylogenetically informative and many were misleading. Our molecular analyses provide a foundation for the diversity and evolutionary relationships within sect. Trachyphyllum and hypotheses for better understanding the patterns and processes of divergence in this section, other saxifrages, and plants inhabiting the North Pacific Rim. PMID:23922810

Taxonomy of Mechanitis (f.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) from the west Colombian Andes: an integrative approach.

PubMed

Giraldo, C E; Uribe, S I

2012-12-01

Species identification in the butterfly genus Mechanitis (F.) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) becomes difficult when it is based only on wing color patterns, a common practice in butterfly taxonomy. Difficulties in Mechanitis taxonomy are related to the widespread mimicry and polymorphism among species belonging to this genus. Species recognition and inventories of Mechanitis genus in geographic areas as the Andean region of Colombia are of particular interest and the use of more than one character for taxonomic identification is desirable. In this study, we included morphological, ecological, and mitochondrial DNA data to identify the occurring species in this region. Species of Mechanitis were studied from ecological, morphological, and molecular perspectives considering host plant identification, oviposition behavior, and life cycles under laboratory conditions. Immature morphology, patterns of wing color, and genital structures of adults were also studied. The genetic barcoding region of the cytochrome oxidase I mitochondrial gene was sequenced and used to verify the limits between species previously defined by the other characters and to validate its usefulness for species delimitation in this particular genus. The integrative approach combining independent datasets successfully allowed species identification as compared to the approach based on a single dataset. Three well-differentiated species were found in the studied region, Mechanitis menapis (Hewitson), Mechanitis polymnia (Linnaeus), and Mechanitis lysimnia (Fabricius). New valuable characters that could improve taxonomic identification in this genus are considered.

Molecular evidence that the spiny mouse (Acomys) is more closely related to gerbils (Gerbillinae) than to true mice (Murinae).

PubMed Central

Chevret, P; Denys, C; Jaeger, J J; Michaux, J; Catzeflis, F M

1993-01-01

Spiny mice of the genus Acomys traditionally have been classified as members of the Murinae, a subfamily of rodents that also includes rats and mice with which spiny mice share a complex set of morphological characters, including a unique molar pattern. The origin and evolution of this molar pattern, documented by many fossils from Southern Asia, support the hypothesis of the monophyly of Acomys and all other Murinae. This view has been challenged by immunological studies that have suggested that Acomys is as distantly related to mice (Mus) as are other subfamilies (e.g., hamsters: Cricetinae) of the muroid rodents. We present molecular evidence derived from DNA.DNA hybridization data that indicate that the spiny mouse Acomys and two African genera of Murinae, Uranomys and Lophuromys, constitute a monophyletic clade, a view that was recently suggested on the basis of dental characters. However, our DNA.DNA hybridization data also indicate that the spiny mice (Acomys) are more closely related to gerbils (Gerbillinae) than to the true mice and rats (Murinae) with which they have been classified. Because Acomys and the brush-furred mice Uranomys and Lophuromys share no derived morphological characters with the Gerbillinae, their murine morphology must have evolved by convergence, including the molar pattern previously considered to support the monophyly of the Murinae. PMID:8475093

Identification of gender in yellow perch by external morphology: validation in four geographic strains and effects of estradiol

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

External morphological criteria that enable the rapid determination of gender have been developed for yellow perch (Perca flavescens). Criteria are based upon 1) shape of the urogenital papilla (UGP), 2) relative size of the UGP to the anal (AN) opening, and 3) coloration of the UGP. In females, t...

External Insect Morphology: A Negative Factor in Attitudes toward Insects and Likelihood of Incorporation in Future Science Education Settings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagler, Ron; Wagler, Amy

2012-01-01

This study investigated if the external morphology of an insect had a negative effect on United States (US) preservice elementary teacher's attitudes toward insects and beliefs concerning the likelihood of incorporating insects into future science education settings. 270 US kindergarten through sixth grade preservice elementary teachers…

Genetic diversity analysis of Chrysopidae family (Insecta, Neuroptera) via molecular markers.

PubMed

Yari, Kheirollah; Mirmoayedi, Alinaghi; Marami, Marzieh; Kazemi, Elham; Kahrizi, Danial

2014-09-01

In entomology, improvement of molecular methods would be beneficial tools for accurate identification and detecting the genetic diversity of insect species to discover a corroborative evidence for the traditional classification based on morphology. The aim of this study was focused on RAPD-PCR method for distinguishing the genetic diversity between eight species of Chrysopidae family. In current research, many specimens were collected in different locations of Tehran province (Iran), between them 24 specimens were identified. The wing venation, male genitalia and other morphological characters were used for identification and also the sexing of species was recognized with study of external genitalia. Then, the DNA was extracted with CTAB method. The RAPD-PCR method was carried out with twenty random primers. The agarose gel electrophoresis was used for separation of the PCR products. Based on electrophoresis results, 133 bands were amplified and between them, 126 bands were poly-morph and others were mono-morph. Also, among the applied primers, the primers OPA02 with 19 bands and OPA03 with 8 bands were amplified the maximum and minimum of bands, respectively. The results showed that 80.35 and 73.21 % of genetic similarity existed between Chrysopa pallens-Chrysopa dubitans, and between the Chrysoperla kolthoffi and Chrysoperla carnea, respectively. The minimum (45.53 %) of genetic similarity was observed between C. kolthoffi and C. dubitans, and the maximum (0.80 %) was seen between C. pallens and C. dubitans.

Old and sticky—adhesive mechanisms in the living fossil Nautilus pompilius (Mollusca, Cephalopoda)

PubMed Central

von Byern, Janek; Wani, Ryoji; Schwaha, Thomas; Grunwald, Ingo; Cyran, Norbert

2012-01-01

Nautiloidea is the oldest group within the cephalopoda, and modern Nautilus differs much in its outer morphology from all other recent species; its external shell and pinhole camera eye are the most prominent distinguishing characters. A further unique feature of Nautilus within the cephalopods is the lack of suckers or hooks on the tentacles. Instead, the animals use adhesive structures present on the digital tentacles. Earlier studies focused on the general tentacle morphology and put little attention on the adhesive gland system. Our results show that the epithelial parts on the oral adhesive ridge contain three secretory cell types (columnar, goblet, and cell type 1) that differ in shape and granule size. In the non-adhesive aboral epithelium, two glandular cell types (cell types 2 and 3) are present; these were not mentioned in any earlier study and differ from the cells in the adhesive area. The secretory material of all glandular cell types consists mainly of neutral mucopolysaccharide units, whereas one cell type in the non-adhesive epithelium also reacts positive for acidic mucopolysaccharides. The present data indicate that the glue in Nautilus consists mainly of neutral mucopolysaccharides. The glue seems to be a viscous carbohydrate gel, as known from another cephalopod species. De-attachment is apparently effectuated mechanically, i.e., by muscle contraction of the adhesive ridges and tentacle retraction. PMID:22221553

Nervous systems in 3D: a comparison of Caridean, anomuran, and brachyuran zoea-I (Decapoda).

PubMed

Geiselbrecht, Hannes; Melzer, Roland R

2013-12-01

Using serial semi-thin sections and digital 3D-reconstructions we studied the nervous systems of zoea-I larvae in three decapod species, Hippolyte inermis (Leach, 1815), Porcellana platycheles (Pennant, 1777), and Pachygrapsus marmoratus (Fabricius, 1787). These taxa represent three decapod lineages, that is, Caridea, Anomura, and Brachyura, each characterized by specific zoea-I morphology. Special attention was paid to development of ganglia, neuropil composition, and segmental nerves. In all zoeae studied, the overall elements, for example, the segmental ganglia, their neuropils and most of the nerves of the adult decapod nervous system are present. Ongoing differentiation processes are observable as well, most obvious in segments with well-developed limbs the ganglia are in a more advanced stage of differentiation and more voluminous compared to segments with only limb buds or without externally visible limb anlagen. Intra- and interspecific comparisons indicate that neuromere differentiation thus deviates from a simple anterior-posterior gradient as, for example, posterior thoracic neuromeres are less developed than those of the pleon. In addition, the differences in the progress of the development of ganglia between the studied taxa can best be attributed to heterochronic mechanisms. Taxon and stage-specific morphologies indicate that neuronal architecture reflects both, morphogenesis to the adult stage and specific larval adaptions, and provides sets of characters relevant to understanding the corresponding phylogeny. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Phylogeny of Selaginellaceae: There is value in morphology after all!

PubMed

Weststrand, Stina; Korall, Petra

2016-12-01

The cosmopolitan lycophyte family Selaginellaceae, dating back to the Late Devonian-Early Carboniferous, is notorious for its many species with a seemingly undifferentiated gross morphology. This morphological stasis has for a long time hampered our understanding of the evolutionary history of the single genus Selaginella. Here we present a large-scale phylogenetic analysis of Selaginella, and based on the resulting phylogeny, we discuss morphological evolution in the group. We sampled about one-third of the approximately 750 recognized Selaginella species. Evolutionary relationships were inferred from both chloroplast (rbcL) and single-copy nuclear gene data (pgiC and SQD1) using a Bayesian inference approach. The morphology of the group was studied and important features mapped onto the phylogeny. We present an overall well-supported phylogeny of Selaginella, and the phylogenetic positions of some previously problematic taxa (i.e., S. sinensis and allies) are now resolved with strong support. We show that even though the evolution of most morphological characters involves reversals and/or parallelisms, several characters are phylogenetically informative. Seven major clades are identified, which each can be uniquely diagnosed by a suite of morphological features. There is value in morphology after all! Our hypothesis of the evolutionary relationships of Selaginella is well founded based on DNA sequence data, as well as morphology, and is in line with previous findings. It will serve as a firm basis for further studies on Selaginella with respect to, e.g., the poorly known alpha taxonomy, as well as evolutionary questions such as historical biogeographic reconstructions. © 2016 Weststrand and Korall. Published by the Botanical Society of America. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0).

Testing the impact of morphological rate heterogeneity on ancestral state reconstruction of five floral traits in angiosperms.

PubMed

Reyes, Elisabeth; Nadot, Sophie; von Balthazar, Maria; Schönenberger, Jürg; Sauquet, Hervé

2018-06-21

Ancestral state reconstruction is an important tool to study morphological evolution and often involves estimating transition rates among character states. However, various factors, including taxonomic scale and sampling density, may impact transition rate estimation and indirectly also the probability of the state at a given node. Here, we test the influence of rate heterogeneity using maximum likelihood methods on five binary perianth characters, optimized on a phylogenetic tree of angiosperms including 1230 species sampled from all families. We compare the states reconstructed by an equal-rate (Mk1) and a two-rate model (Mk2) fitted either with a single set of rates for the whole tree or as a partitioned model, allowing for different rates on five partitions of the tree. We find strong signal for rate heterogeneity among the five subdivisions for all five characters, but little overall impact of the choice of model on reconstructed ancestral states, which indicates that most of our inferred ancestral states are the same whether heterogeneity is accounted for or not.

Taxonomy and distribution of the genus Muelleria frenguelli

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spaulding, S.A.; Stoermer, E.F.

1997-01-01

Navicula gibbula Cleve and its allies have a number of morphological characters which are visible under the light microscope and distinguish them from taxa included in Navicula Bory sensu stricto. These include proximal raphe ends which are sharply and unilaterally hooked and often extend beyond the central area, as well as two apparently thickened longitudinal ribs which extend the length of the valve on either side of the raphe. With the use of the SEM additional well-defined characters of the N. gibbula complex become apparent. Distal raphe ends are bifurcate and the valve face and mantle possess bipartite walls similar to those in Neidium Pfitzer. Furthermore, the apparently thickened longitudinal ribs are actually hollow canals, a feature reminiscent of the longitudinal canals of Diploneis Ehrenberg. Characters of the group are particularly well-defined and distinct from those of other genera, justifying separation from Navicula. Based on the valve morphology of N. gibbula and all other members of the section Naviculae fistulatae McCall, we separate these taxa from Navicula and resurrect the genus Muelleria Frenguelli to include them.

Studies of Weak, ELF Electromagnetic Fields Effects on the Early Embryonic Development

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-12-29

characters: - General aspect: stage; size of the embryo; size of the head relatively to the trunk. - Head : morphology of the skull; development of...the eyes; size and morphology of the beak; size of the neck . - Trunk: morphology of the vertebral column; development of the tail; closure of thorax and...mishandled, the orientation of the embryo was not taken into account. As indicated in Fig. 7, the head -tail axis orientation of an embryo was North (N

Psorophora (Grabhamia) varinervis (Diptera: Culicidae) morphological description including pupa and fourth-stage larva previously unknown.

PubMed

Rossi, Gustavo C; Stein, Marina; Almirón, Walter R

2008-05-01

Psorophora (Grabhamia) varinervis Edwards (Diptera: Culicidae) is redescribed in the adult stage. Pupa and fourth-stage larva are described and illustrated for the first time. Information about distribution, bionomics, and taxonomy also is included. Adults of Ps. varinervis can be separated from the closely related species Ps. (Gra.) discolor (Coquillett) on the basis of the wing characters, and the larva by the siphon and antenna characters.

Integrative taxonomy allows the identification of synonymous species and the erection of a new genus of Echiniscidae (Tardigrada, Heterotardigrada).

PubMed

Vicente, Filipe; Fontoura, Paulo; Cesari, Michele; Rebecchi, Lorena; Guidetti, Roberto; Serrano, Artur; Bertolani, Roberto

2013-02-14

The taxonomy of tardigrades is challenging as these animals demonstrate a limited number of useful morphological characters, therefore several species descriptions are supported by only minor differences. For example, Echiniscus oihonnae and Echiniscus multispinosus are separated exclusively by the absence or presence of dorsal spines at position Bd. Doubts were raised on the validity of these two species, which were often sampled together. Using an integrative approach, based on genetic and morphological investigations, we studied two new Portuguese populations, and compared these with archived collections. We have determined that the two species must be considered synonymous with Echiniscus oihonnae the senior synonym. Our study showed generally low genetic distances of cox1 gene (with a maximum of 4.1%), with specimens displaying both morphologies sharing the same haplotype, and revealed character Bd to be variable. Addition-ally, a more detailed morphological and phylogenetic study based on the 18S gene uncovered a new evolutionary line within the Echiniscidae, which justified the erection of Diploechiniscus gen. nov. The new genus is in a sister group relationship with Echiniscus and is, for the moment, composed of a single species.

Description of Larval Instars To Fill a Gap in Forensic Entomology: The Larvae of Paralucilia pseudolyrcea (Diptera: Calliphoridae).

PubMed

Da Silva, S M; Vairo, K P; Moura, M O

2018-05-04

A fundamental assumption of forensic entomology for estimating the postmortem interval is that insect species are accurately identified, which depends on diagnostic morphological characters. Larvae of the blow fly Paralucilia pseudolyrcea (Mello, 1969) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) were sampled from four corpses in the state of Paraná, Brazil, but despite the forensic importance of this species, morphological data for the identification of its larval instars are lacking, limiting its usefulness in such cases. Thus, the main goal of this study was to describe the larval instars of P. pseudolyrcea. The material was obtained from a colony established by larvae collected from a corpse of a murder case. Overall, the distribution of spines is a key character for identifying this species in the first, second and third instars. Other characteristics, such as the presence of an accessory oral sclerite, the small cirri, the number of lobes of the anterior spiracle and the morphology of posterior spiracles, separates P. pseudolyrcea from other necrophagous blow flies. The detailed morphological description provided here facilitates the identification of larval instars of P. pseudolyrcea and their differentiation from those of other calliphorid species.

Relevance of chemistry to conservation of isolated populations: the case of volatile leaf components of Dicerandra mints.

PubMed Central

McCormick, K D; Deyrup, M A; Menges, E S; Wallace, S R; Meinwald, J; Eisner, T

1993-01-01

Chemical analysis of the essential oils of four congeneric species of mint plant (Dicerandra spp.) endemic to Florida revealed a pattern of chemical similarity and dissimilarity that would not have been predicted on morphological or geographic criteria. Dicerandra christmanii differs fundamentally from its congeners in that it produces fewer compounds and lacks the acyclic components. Yet D. christmanii is more closely similar to Dicerandra frutescens than to other Dicerandra species in morphological characters and geographic range. We conclude that the potential chemical value of a species should not be prejudged on the basis of nonchemical characters and that designation of surplus plant populations by conservationists should be resisted unless such populations have also been chemically studied. Images Fig. 2 PMID:8356072

Identifying possible sister groups of Cryptocercidae+Isoptera: a combined molecular and morphological phylogeny of Dictyoptera.

PubMed

Djernæs, Marie; Klass, Klaus-Dieter; Eggleton, Paul

2015-03-01

Termites (Isoptera) offer an alternative model for the development of eusociality which is not dependent on a high degree of relatedness as found between sisters in hymenopterans (bees, wasps, ants). Recent phylogenetic studies have established that termites belong within the cockroaches as sister to the subsocial Cryptocercidae. Cryptocercidae shares several important traits with termites, thus we need to understand the phylogenetic position of Cryptocercidae+Isoptera to determine how these traits evolved. However, placement of Cryptocercidae+Isoptera is still uncertain. We used both molecular (12S, 16S, COII, 18S, 28S, H3) and morphological characters to reconstruct the phylogeny of Dictyoptera. We included all previously suggested sister groups of Cryptocercidae+Isoptera as well as taxa which might represent additional major cockroach lineages. We used Bayes factors to test different sister groups for Cryptocercidae+Isoptera and assessed character support for the consensus tree based on morphological characters and COII amino acid data. We used the molecular data and fossil calibration to estimate divergence times. We found the most likely sister groups of Cryptocercidae+Isoptera to be Tryonicidae, Anaplecta or Tryonicidae+Anaplecta. Anaplecta has never previously been suggested as sister group or even close to Cryptocercidae+Isoptera, but was formerly placed in Blaberoidea as sister to the remaining taxa. Topological tests firmly supported our new placement of Anaplecta. We discuss the morphological characters (e.g. retractable genitalic hook) that have contributed to the previous placement of Anaplecta in Blaberoidea as well as the factors that might have contributed to a parallel development of genitalic features in Anaplecta and Blaberoidea. Cryptocercidae+Isoptera is placed in a clade with Tryonicidae, Anaplecta and possibly Lamproblattidae. Based on this, we suggest that wood-feeding, and the resultant need to conserve nitrogen, may have been an important factor in the development of termite eusociality. Nocticolidae was placed as sister group to Latindia+Paralatindia (both Corydiidae), this clade was in turn placed as sister group to the remaining Corydiidae. The Nocticolidae+Corydiidae clade is supported by both morphological and COII amino acid changes. Our divergence time estimates placed the split between Mantodea and Blattodea at 273mya (middle Permian) and the splits between the major blattodean lineages no later than 200mya (end of Triassic). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Morphological variation and host range of two Ganoderma species from Papua New Guinea.

PubMed

Pilotti, Carmel A; Sanderson, Frank R; Aitken, Elizabeth A B; Armstrong, Wendy

2004-08-01

Two species of Ganoderma belonging to different subgenera which cause disease on oil palms in PNG are identified by basidiome morphology and the morphology of their basidiospores. The names G. boninense and G. tornatum have been applied. Significant pleiomorphy was observed in basidiome characters amongst the specimens examined. This variation in most instances did not correlate well with host or host status. Spore morphology appeared uniform within a species and spore indices varied only slightly. G. tornatum was found to have a broad host range whereas G. boninense appears to be restricted to palms in Papua New Guinea.

[Criteria of radical sector resection in mastopathy].

PubMed

Sidorenko, L N; Sokolovskiĭ, R M

1978-02-01

Statistical investigations of morphological structure in 2 groups of patients with localized forms of fibroadenomatosis (93 observations) have been carried out. Histological findings of the morphological picture have been received both within the localized fibroadenomatosis sites and beyond them. The character of the distribution of morphological forms has been shown to remain the same in all the sites of a single and in both mammary glands. Close relationship between the morphological picture in the localized sites and in so called "normal" sites of the mammae has been established. This proves the expedience of radical sectoral resection and the necessity of longlasting conservative treatment.

Phylogenetic relationships and timing of diversification in gonorynchiform fishes inferred using nuclear gene DNA sequences (Teleostei: Ostariophysi).

PubMed

Near, Thomas J; Dornburg, Alex; Friedman, Matt

2014-11-01

The Gonorynchiformes are the sister lineage of the species-rich Otophysi and provide important insights into the diversification of ostariophysan fishes. Phylogenies of gonorynchiforms inferred using morphological characters and mtDNA gene sequences provide differing resolutions with regard to the sister lineage of all other gonorynchiforms (Chanos vs. Gonorynchus) and support for monophyly of the two miniaturized lineages Cromeria and Grasseichthys. In this study the phylogeny and divergence times of gonorynchiforms are investigated with DNA sequences sampled from nine nuclear genes and a published morphological character matrix. Bayesian phylogenetic analyses reveal substantial congruence among individual gene trees with inferences from eight genes placing Gonorynchus as the sister lineage to all other gonorynchiforms. Seven gene trees resolve Cromeria and Grasseichthys as a clade, supporting previous inferences using morphological characters. Phylogenies resulting from either concatenating the nuclear genes, performing a multispecies coalescent species tree analysis, or combining the morphological and nuclear gene DNA sequences resolve Gonorynchus as the living sister lineage of all other gonorynchiforms, strongly support the monophyly of Cromeria and Grasseichthys, and resolve a clade containing Parakneria, Cromeria, and Grasseichthys. The morphological dataset, which includes 13 gonorynchiform fossil taxa that range in age from Early Cretaceous to Eocene, was analyzed in combination with DNA sequences from the nine nuclear genes and a relaxed molecular clock to estimate times of evolutionary divergence. This "tip dating" strategy accommodates uncertainty in the phylogenetic resolution of fossil taxa that provide calibration information in the relaxed molecular clock analysis. The estimated age of the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of living gonorynchiforms is slightly older than estimates from previous node dating efforts, but the molecular tip dating estimated ages of Kneriinae (Kneria, Parakneria, Cromeria, and Grasseichthys) and the two paedomorphic lineages, Cromeria and Grasseichthys, are considerably younger. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Diversity of developmental patterns in achelate lobsters-today and in the Mesozoic.

PubMed

Haug, Joachim T; Audo, Denis; Charbonnier, Sylvain; Haug, Carolin

2013-11-01

Modern achelate lobsters, slipper and spiny lobsters, have a specific post-embryonic developmental pattern with the following phases: phyllosoma, nisto (slipper lobsters) or puerulus (spiny lobsters), juvenile and adult. The phyllosoma is a peculiar larva, which transforms through a metamorphic moult into another larval form, the nisto or puerulus which largely resembles the juvenile. Unlike the nisto and puerulus, the phyllosoma is characterised by numerous morphological differences to the adult, e.g. a thin head shield, elongate appendages, exopods on these appendages and a special claw. Our reinvestigation of the 85 million years old fossil "Eryoneicus sahelalmae" demonstrates that it represents an unusual type of achelatan lobster larva, characterised by a mixture of phyllosoma and post-phyllosoma characters. We ascribe it to its own genus: Polzicaris nov. gen. We study its significance by comparisons with other cases of Mesozoic fossil larvae also characterised by a mixture of characters. Accordingly, all these larvae are interpreted as ontogenetic intermediates between phyllosoma and post-phyllosoma morphology. Remarkably, most of the larvae show a unique mixture of retained larval and already developed post-larval features. Considering the different-and incompatible-mixture of characters of each of these larvae and their wide geographical and temporal distribution, we interpret all these larvae as belonging to distinct species. The particular character combinations in the different larvae make it currently difficult to reconstruct an evolutionary scenario with a stepwise character acquisition. Yet, it can be concluded that a larger diversity of larval forms and developmental patterns occurred in Mesozoic than in modern faunas.

Comparative Skull Morphology of Uropeltid Snakes (Alethinophidia: Uropeltidae) with Special Reference to Disarticulated Elements and Variation

PubMed Central

Olori, Jennifer C.; Bell, Christopher J.

2012-01-01

Uropeltids form a diverse clade of highly derived, fossorial snakes that, because of their phylogenetic position among other alethinophidian lineages, may play a key role in understanding the early evolution of cranial morphology in snakes. We include detailed osteological descriptions of crania and mandibles for eight uropeltid species from three nominal genera (Uropeltis, Rhinophis, and Brachyophidium) and emphasize disarticulated elements and the impact of intraspecific variation on previously proposed morphological characters used for phylogenetic analysis. Preliminary analysis of phylogenetic relationships strongly supports a clade composed exclusively of species of Plectrurus, Uropeltis, and Rhinophis. However, monophyly of each of those genera and Melanophidium is not upheld. There is moderate support that Sri Lankan species (e.g., Rhinophis and Uropeltis melanogaster) are monophyletic with respect to Indian uropeltids. Previously proposed characters that are phylogenetically informative include the shape of the nasals, length of the occipital condyle, level of development of the posteroventral process of the dentary, and participation of the parietal in the optic foramen. Additionally, thirty new features that may be systematically informative are identified and described, but were not verified for their utility. Such verification must await availability of additional disarticulated cranial material from a larger sample of taxa. All characters require further testing through increased focus on sources and patterns of intraspecific variation, inclusion of broader taxonomic samples in comparative studies, and exploration of skeletal development, sexual dimorphism, and biogeographic patterns. Additionally, trends in the relative enlargement of the sensory capsules, reduction in cranial ossification and dentition, fusion of elements, and the appearance of novel morphological conditions, such as the structure and location of the suspensorium, may be related to fossoriality and miniaturization in some uropeltid taxa, and may complicate analysis of relationships within Uropeltidae and among alethinophidian snakes. PMID:22412874

The Species Identity of the Widely Cultivated Ganoderma, ‘G. lucidum’ (Ling-zhi), in China

PubMed Central

Wang, Xin-Cun; Xi, Rui-Jiao; Li, Yi; Wang, Dong-Mei; Yao, Yi-Jian

2012-01-01

Ling-zhi, a widely cultivated fungus in China, has a long history in traditional Chinese medicine. Although the name ‘Ganoderma lucidum’, a species originally described from England, has been applied to the fungus, their identities are not the same. This study aims to clarify the identity of this medicinally and economically important fungus. Specimens of Ling-zhi from China (field collections and cultivated basidiomata of the Chinese ‘G. lucidum’), G. lucidum from UK and other related Ganoderma species, were examined both morphologically and molecularly. High variability of basidioma morphology was found in the cultivated specimens of the Chinese ‘G. lucidum’, while some microscopic characters were more or less consistent, i.e. short clavate cutis elements, Bovista-type ligative hyphae and strongly echinulate basidiospores. These characters were also found in the holotype of G. sichuanense, a species originally described from Sichuan, China, and in recent collections made in the type locality of the species, which matched the diagnostic characters in the prologue. For comparison, specimens of closely related species, G. lucidum, G. multipileum, G. resinaceum, G. tropicum and G. weberianum, were also examined. DNA sequences were obtained from field collections, cultivated basidiomata and living strains of the Chinese ‘G. lucidum’, specimens from the type locality of G. sichuanense, and specimens of the closely related species studied. Three-gene combined analyses (ITS+IGS+rpb2) were performed and the results indicated that the Chinese ‘G. lucidum’ shared almost identical sequences with G. sichuanense. Based on both morphological and molecular data, the identity of the Chinese ‘G. lucidum’ (Ling-zhi) is considered conspecific with G. sichuanense. Detailed morphological descriptions and illustrations are provided in addition to discussion of nomenclature implications. PMID:22911713

When Can Clades Be Potentially Resolved with Morphology?

PubMed Central

Bapst, David W.

2013-01-01

Morphology-based phylogenetic analyses are the only option for reconstructing relationships among extinct lineages, but often find support for conflicting hypotheses of relationships. The resulting lack of phylogenetic resolution is generally explained in terms of data quality and methodological issues, such as character selection. A previous suggestion is that sampling ancestral morphotaxa or sampling multiple taxa descended from a long-lived, unchanging lineage can also yield clades which have no opportunity to share synapomorphies. This lack of character information leads to a lack of ‘intrinsic’ resolution, an issue that cannot be solved with additional morphological data. It is unclear how often we should expect clades to be intrinsically resolvable in realistic circumstances, as intrinsic resolution must increase as taxonomic sampling decreases. Using branching simulations, I quantify intrinsic resolution across several models of morphological differentiation and taxonomic sampling. Intrinsically unresolvable clades are found to be relatively frequent in simulations of both extinct and living taxa under realistic sampling scenarios, implying that intrinsic resolution is an issue for morphology-based analyses of phylogeny. Simulations which vary the rates of sampling and differentiation were tested for their agreement to observed distributions of durations from well-sampled fossil records and also having high intrinsic resolution. This combination only occurs in those datasets when differentiation and sampling rates are both unrealistically high relative to branching and extinction rates. Thus, the poor phylogenetic resolution occasionally observed in morphological phylogenetics may result from a lack of intrinsic resolvability within groups. PMID:23638034

A new basal galeomorph shark (Synechodontiformes, Neoselachii) from the Early Jurassic of Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klug, Stefanie; Kriwet, Jürgen

2008-05-01

Palaeospinacids are a group of basal galeomorph sharks and are placed in the order Synechodontiformes (Chondrichthyes, Neoselachii) ranging from the Permian to the Eocene. Currently, there is a controversy concerning the identity of diagnostic characters for distinguishing palaeospinacid genera because of very similar dental morphologies and the scarcity of articulated skeletal material. The most notable character for distinguishing species within the Palaeospinacidae is, however, the dental morphology. The main dental character uniting all palaeospinacids is the very specialised pseudopolyaulacorhize root vascularisation. A re-examination of articulated neoselachian skeletons from the Lower Jurassic of Lyme Regis (England) and Holzmaden (S Germany), and recently discovered specimens from the Upper Jurassic of the Solnhofen area and Nusplingen (S Germany) has yielded several hitherto unrecognised complete skeletons of the palaeospinacids Synechodus and Paraorthacodus enabling a re-evaluation of characters. These specimens indicate that the number of dorsal fins and the presence or absence of dorsal fin spines represent important features for identifying palaeospinacids. Synechodus bears two dorsal fins without fin spines, whereas Paraorthacodus only has a single dorsal fin lacking a fin spine directly in front of the caudal fin. All palaeospinacids from the Early Jurassic have two spines supporting the dorsal fins and are consequently assigned to a new genus, Palidiplospinax nov. gen. Three species are placed into the new taxon: Synechodus enniskilleni, S. occultidens and S. smithwoodwardi.

Convergent, Parallel and Correlated Evolution of Trophic Morphologies in the Subfamily Schizothoracinae from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

PubMed Central

Qi, Delin; Chao, Yan; Guo, Songchang; Zhao, Lanying; Li, Taiping; Wei, Fulei; Zhao, Xinquan

2012-01-01

Schizothoracine fishes distributed in the water system of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau (QTP) and adjacent areas are characterized by being highly adaptive to the cold and hypoxic environment of the plateau, as well as by a high degree of diversity in trophic morphology due to resource polymorphisms. Although convergent and parallel evolution are prevalent in the organisms of the QTP, it remains unknown whether similar evolutionary patterns have occurred in the schizothoracine fishes. Here, we constructed for the first time a tentative molecular phylogeny of the schizothoracine fishes based on the complete sequences of the cytochrome b gene. We employed this molecular phylogenetic framework to examine the evolution of trophic morphologies. We used Pagel's maximum likelihood method to estimate the evolutionary associations of trophic morphologies and food resource use. Our results showed that the molecular and published morphological phylogenies of Schizothoracinae are partially incongruent with respect to some intergeneric relationships. The phylogenetic results revealed that four character states of five trophic morphologies and of food resource use evolved at least twice during the diversification of the subfamily. State transitions are the result of evolutionary patterns including either convergence or parallelism or both. Furthermore, our analyses indicate that some characters of trophic morphologies in the Schizothoracinae have undergone correlated evolution, which are somewhat correlated with different food resource uses. Collectively, our results reveal new examples of convergent and parallel evolution in the organisms of the QTP. The adaptation to different trophic niches through the modification of trophic morphologies and feeding behaviour as found in the schizothoracine fishes may account for the formation and maintenance of the high degree of diversity and radiations in fish communities endemic to QTP. PMID:22470515

The effects of ecology and evolutionary history on robust capuchin morphological diversity.

PubMed

Wright, Kristin A; Wright, Barth W; Ford, Susan M; Fragaszy, Dorothy; Izar, Patricia; Norconk, Marilyn; Masterson, Thomas; Hobbs, David G; Alfaro, Michael E; Lynch Alfaro, Jessica W

2015-01-01

Recent molecular work has confirmed the long-standing morphological hypothesis that capuchins are comprised of two distinct clades, the gracile (untufted) capuchins (genus Cebus, Erxleben, 1777) and the robust (tufted) capuchins (genus Sapajus Kerr, 1792). In the past, the robust group was treated as a single, undifferentiated and cosmopolitan species, with data from all populations lumped together in morphological and ecological studies, obscuring morphological differences that might exist across this radiation. Genetic evidence suggests that the modern radiation of robust capuchins began diversifying ∼2.5 Ma, with significant subsequent geographic expansion into new habitat types. In this study we use a morphological sample of gracile and robust capuchin craniofacial and postcranial characters to examine how ecology and evolutionary history have contributed to morphological diversity within the robust capuchins. We predicted that if ecology is driving robust capuchin variation, three distinct robust morphotypes would be identified: (1) the Atlantic Forest species (Sapajus xanthosternos, S. robustus, and S. nigritus), (2) the Amazonian rainforest species (S. apella, S. cay and S. macrocephalus), and (3) the Cerrado-Caatinga species (S. libidinosus). Alternatively, if diversification time between species pairs predicts degree of morphological difference, we predicted that the recently diverged S. apella, S. macrocephalus, S. libidinosus, and S. cay would be morphologically comparable, with greater variation among the more ancient lineages of S. nigritus, S. xanthosternos, and S. robustus. Our analyses suggest that S. libidinosus has the most derived craniofacial and postcranial features, indicative of inhabiting a more terrestrial niche that includes a dependence on tool use for the extraction of imbedded foods. We also suggest that the cranial robusticity of S. macrocephalus and S. apella are indicative of recent competition with sympatric gracile capuchin species, resulting in character displacement. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A hybrid swarm population of Pinus densiflora x P. sylvestris hybrids inferred from sequence analysis of chloroplast DNA and morphological characters

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

To confirm a hybrid swarm population of Pinus densiflora × P. sylvestris in Jilin, China and to study whether shoot apex morphology of 4-year old seedlings can be correlated with the sequence of a chloroplast DNA simple sequence repeat marker (cpDNA SSR), needles and seeds from P. densiflora, P. syl...

Systematics, biostratigraphy, and dental evolution of the Palaeothentidae, later Oligocene to early-middle Miocene (Deseadan- Santacrucian) caenolestoid marsupials of South America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bown, T.M.; Fleagle, J.G.

1993-01-01

Fifty-two gnathic and dental characteristics were used to identify the taxonomy and to reconstruct the phylogeny of the Palaeothentidae. Analysis of sequencing of appearances of derived characters documents rampant convergencies at all taxonomic levels and considerable phenotypic plasticity in the organization of the palaeothentid dentition. Certain highly generalized character states survive for the duration of the family in some lineages, whereas others are phenotypically lost for a time and then reappear as a minor percentage of character variability. In general, replacement faunas of palaeothentids were morphologically more generalized than their antecendent forms. Dental character regression indicates that palaeothentids arose prior to the Deseadan from a relatively large-bodied marsupial having generalized tribosphenic molars with more or less bunodont cusps; probably an unknown member of the Didelphidae. -from Authors

[Fenetic analysis of aboriginal and introduced sable (Martes zibellina) populations in Russia].

PubMed

Monakhov, V G

2001-09-01

Using standard and mulivariate statistic methods, an epigenetic character--foramina in fossa condyloidei inferior, FFCI--was studied in sable populations. This character was shown to be most frequent in southeastern populations of the species (Primorye and the Baikal region) while its distribution in the remaining part of the range was polyclinal. The expression of FFCI was directly associated with coat color and longitude, and inversely associated with skull size. This trend was broken by some western populations formed in the 1950s by introduction, which exhibited stable morphological differences with adjacent aboriginal sable populations. Most populations of the species exhibit differences in the manifestation of the character. Frequency of the FFCI manifestation can be used as an additional population characteristic, an associative diagnostic character that shows high discriminating capability in detecting phenogenetic relationships of intraspecific groups.

Word-level recognition of multifont Arabic text using a feature vector matching approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erlandson, Erik J.; Trenkle, John M.; Vogt, Robert C., III

1996-03-01

Many text recognition systems recognize text imagery at the character level and assemble words from the recognized characters. An alternative approach is to recognize text imagery at the word level, without analyzing individual characters. This approach avoids the problem of individual character segmentation, and can overcome local errors in character recognition. A word-level recognition system for machine-printed Arabic text has been implemented. Arabic is a script language, and is therefore difficult to segment at the character level. Character segmentation has been avoided by recognizing text imagery of complete words. The Arabic recognition system computes a vector of image-morphological features on a query word image. This vector is matched against a precomputed database of vectors from a lexicon of Arabic words. Vectors from the database with the highest match score are returned as hypotheses for the unknown image. Several feature vectors may be stored for each word in the database. Database feature vectors generated using multiple fonts and noise models allow the system to be tuned to its input stream. Used in conjunction with database pruning techniques, this Arabic recognition system has obtained promising word recognition rates on low-quality multifont text imagery.

Boletus durhamensis sp. nov. from North Carolina

Treesearch

Beatriz Ortiz-Santana; Alan E. Bessette; Owen L. McConnell

2016-01-01

A new bolete with cinnamon-brown pores, Boletus durhamensis, is described. Collected in northern North Carolina, it is possibly mycorrhizal with Quercus spp. Morphological and molecular characters support this taxon as a new species.

Description of evandromyia spelunca, a new phlebotomine species of the cortelezzii complex, from a cave in Minas Gerais State, Brazil (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae).

PubMed

Carvalho, Gustavo M L; Brazil, Reginaldo P; Sanguinette, Cristiani C; Filho, José D Andrade

2011-08-09

The cave fauna of the Brazil is poorly documented, and among the insects those live or frequent caves and their adjacent environments phlebotomine sand flies call for special attention because several species are vectors of pathogens among vertebrates hosts. A new species of sand fly from Minas Gerais is described based in females and males collected in a cave of the municipality of Lassance. The morphological characters of the new species permit to include in the Evandromyia genus, cortelezzii complex. This complex consists of three species: Evandromyia corumbaensis (Galati, Nunes, Oshiro & Rego, 1989), Evandromyia cortelezzii (Brethes, 1923) and Evandromyia sallesi (Galvao & Coutinho, 1940). The new species can be separate from the others of the cortelezzii complex through morphological characters of the male terminalia and female spermathecae.

A striking new genus and species of cave-dwelling frog (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae: Asterophryinae) from Thailand

PubMed Central

Suwannapoom, Chatmongkon; Tunprasert, Jitthep; Ruangsuwan, Thiti; Pawangkhanant, Parinya; Korost, Dmitriy V.

2018-01-01

We report on a discovery of Siamophryne troglodytes Gen. et sp. nov., a new troglophilous genus and species of microhylid frog from a limestone cave in the tropical forests of western Thailand. To assess its phylogenetic relationships we studied the 12S rRNA–16S rRNA mtDNA fragment with final alignment comprising up to 2,591 bp for 56 microhylid species. Morphological characterization of the new genus is based on examination of external morphology and analysis of osteological characteristics using microCT-scanning. Phylogenetic analyses place the new genus into the mainly Australasian subfamily Asterophryinae as a sister taxon to the genus Gastrophrynoides, the only member of the subfamily known from Sundaland. The new genus markedly differs from all other Asterophryinae members by a number of diagnostic morphological characters and demonstrates significant mtDNA sequence divergence. We provide a preliminary description of a tadpole of the new genus. Thus, it represents the only asterophryine taxon with documented free-living larval stage and troglophilous life style. Our work demonstrates that S. troglodytes Gen. et sp. nov. represents an old lineage of the initial radiation of Asterophryinae which took place in the mainland Southeast Asia. Our results strongly support the “out of Indo-Eurasia” biogeographic scenario for this group of frogs. To date, the new frog is only known from a single limestone cave system in Sai Yok District of Kanchanaburi Province of Thailand; its habitat is affected by illegal bat guano mining and other human activities. As such, S. troglodytes Gen. et sp. nov. is likely to be at high risk of habitat loss. Considering high ecological specialization and a small known range of the new taxon, we propose a IUCN Red List status of endangered for it. PMID:29497587

A striking new genus and species of cave-dwelling frog (Amphibia: Anura: Microhylidae: Asterophryinae) from Thailand.

PubMed

Suwannapoom, Chatmongkon; Sumontha, Montri; Tunprasert, Jitthep; Ruangsuwan, Thiti; Pawangkhanant, Parinya; Korost, Dmitriy V; Poyarkov, Nikolay A

2018-01-01

We report on a discovery of Siamophryne troglodytes Gen. et sp. nov., a new troglophilous genus and species of microhylid frog from a limestone cave in the tropical forests of western Thailand. To assess its phylogenetic relationships we studied the 12S rRNA-16S rRNA mtDNA fragment with final alignment comprising up to 2,591 bp for 56 microhylid species. Morphological characterization of the new genus is based on examination of external morphology and analysis of osteological characteristics using microCT-scanning. Phylogenetic analyses place the new genus into the mainly Australasian subfamily Asterophryinae as a sister taxon to the genus Gastrophrynoides , the only member of the subfamily known from Sundaland. The new genus markedly differs from all other Asterophryinae members by a number of diagnostic morphological characters and demonstrates significant mtDNA sequence divergence. We provide a preliminary description of a tadpole of the new genus. Thus, it represents the only asterophryine taxon with documented free-living larval stage and troglophilous life style. Our work demonstrates that S. troglodytes Gen. et sp. nov. represents an old lineage of the initial radiation of Asterophryinae which took place in the mainland Southeast Asia. Our results strongly support the "out of Indo-Eurasia" biogeographic scenario for this group of frogs. To date, the new frog is only known from a single limestone cave system in Sai Yok District of Kanchanaburi Province of Thailand; its habitat is affected by illegal bat guano mining and other human activities. As such, S. troglodytes Gen. et sp. nov. is likely to be at high risk of habitat loss. Considering high ecological specialization and a small known range of the new taxon, we propose a IUCN Red List status of endangered for it.

Spontaneous formation of nanometer scale tubular vesicles in aqueous mixtures of lipid and block copolymer amphiphiles.

PubMed

Lim, Seng Koon; Wong, Andrew S W; de Hoog, Hans-Peter M; Rangamani, Padmini; Parikh, Atul N; Nallani, Madhavan; Sandin, Sara; Liedberg, Bo

2017-02-08

Many common amphiphiles self-assemble in water to produce heterogeneous populations of discrete and symmetric but polydisperse and multilamellar vesicles isolating the encapsulated aqueous core from the surrounding bulk. But when mixtures of amphiphiles of vastly different elastic properties co-assemble, their non-uniform molecular organization can stabilize lower symmetries and produce novel shapes. Here, using high resolution electron cryomicroscopy and tomography, we identify the spontaneous formation of a membrane morphology consisting of unilamellar tubular vesicles in dilute aqueous solutions of binary mixtures of two different amphiphiles of vastly different origins. Our results show that aqueous phase mixtures of a fluid-phase phospholipid and an amphiphilic block copolymer spontaneously assume a bimodal polymorphic character in a composition dependent manner: over a broad range of compositions (15-85 mol% polymer component), a tubular morphology co-exists with spherical vesicles. Strikingly, in the vicinity of equimolar compositions, an exclusively tubular morphology (L t ; diameter, ∼15 nm; length, >1 μm; core, ∼2.0 nm; wall, ∼5-6 nm) emerges in an apparent steady state. Theory suggests that the spontaneous stabilization of cylindrical vesicles, unaided by extraneous forces, requires a significant spontaneous bilayer curvature, which in turn necessitates a strongly asymmetric membrane composition. We confirm that such dramatic compositional asymmetry is indeed produced spontaneously in aqueous mixtures of a lipid and polymer through two independent biochemical assays - (1) reduction in the quenching of fluorophore-labeled lipids and (2) inhibition in the activity of externally added lipid-hydrolyzing phospholipase A2, resulting in a significant enrichment of the polymer component in the outer leaflet. Taken together, these results illustrate the coupling of the membrane shape with local composition through spontaneous curvature generation under conditions of asymmetric distribution of mixtures of disparate amphiphiles.

Troglobitic invertebrates: improving the knowledge on the Brazilian subterranean biodiversity through an interactive multi-entry key.

PubMed

Parizotto, Daniele R; Pires, Amanda Ciprandi; Mise, Kleber Makoto; Ferreira, Rodrigo Lopes

2017-12-19

Troglobitic species are those organisms restricted to caves that frequently present unique morphological features related to these environments. In order to study its ecology, evolution and biogeography, it is first required to properly recognize them. However, especially in Brazil, the basic knowledge is still incipient, with few taxonomic studies such as identification keys for this group of organisms. In addition, since the troglobitic species belong to different taxonomic groups, the information to properly recognize them is often sparse and difficult to access. Considering this, an interactive multi entry taxonomic key available online is an interesting approach, as it makes identifications easier. This study aims to construct a multi-access interactive identification key to the troglobitic invertebrates of Brazil, using morphological characters obtained from literature and direct observations of specimens. The key was made in Lucid version 3.3, containing figures of most characters. It comprises seventy-eight species of troglobitic invertebrates that occur in Brazil, forming a matrix of 231 morphological characters and more than 200 images to support identification. The key is freely available online on lucid central (http://keys.lucidcentral.org/keys/v3/troglobitic_invertebrates/troglobitic_invertebrates.html). Since Brazilian laws regarding cave conservation has change in 2008, allowing even the destruction of caves, this multi-access identification key is step to reduce the existing taxonomic impediment and also an important tool for identification of troglobites, especially for non-specialists.

Recognition of the genus Thaumatophyllum Schott − formerly Philodendron subg. Meconostigma (Araceae) − based on molecular and morphological evidence

PubMed Central

Sakuragui, Cassia Mônica; Calazans, Luana Silva Braucks; de Oliveira, Leticia Loss; de Morais, Érica Barroso; Benko-Iseppon, Ana Maria; Vasconcelos, Santelmo; Schrago, Carlos Eduardo Guerra; Mayo, Simon Joseph

2018-01-01

Abstract Philodendron subgenus Meconostigma has been a well-circumscribed group since 1829. Members of this group are easily distinguished by diagnostic morphological characters as well as by a distinct ecology and geographical distribution. Based on molecular, morphological and cytological evidence, we propose the recognition of P. subg. Meconostigma as a distinct genus, Thaumatophyllum Schott. We also present the necessary new combinations, an emended key and some nomenclatural and taxonomic corrections regarding 21 names of Thaumatophyllum. PMID:29750071

Computing the Taxonomic, Morphological and Sexual Variations of Bornean Hornbills (family: Bucerotidae)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laman, Charlie J. M.; Kho, Angel

Bornean Hornbills (Family Bucerotidae) are omnivorous creatures, distinguished for their large size and large bill. In our study, only five out of eight species of Bornean hornbills were available. Our aims were to determine the taxonomic, morphological and sexual variations, among the species. Nine morphological features were measured from 83 specimens. Canonical Discriminant and Cluster analyses showed that the data were successfully clustered into 5 species. Logistic regression analyses showed that the diagnostic character differentiation is total length. Further results showed that males tend to be bigger than females.

Morphology and identification of first instars of African blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) commonly of forensic importance.

PubMed

Szpila, Krzysztof; Villet, Martin H

2011-07-01

Scanning electron microscopy images of the first instars of Calliphora croceipalpis Jaennicke, 1876; Chrysomya chloropyga (Wiedemann, 1818); Chrysomya marginalis (Wiedemann, 1830); and Chrysomya putoria (Wiedemann, 1830) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are presented for the first time, and the following morphological structures are documented: pseudocephalon, antenna, maxillary palpus, facial mask, labial lobe, thoracic and abdominal spinulation, spiracular field, posterior spiracles, and anal pads. Light microscopy photographs and line illustrations are provided for the cephaloskeleton in lateral and ventral views, and the "ectostomal sclerite" and "chitinized teeth" of the cephaloskeleton are recognized as integral parts of the mouthhooks. New diagnostic features of the cephaloskeleton and the spinulation of the abdominal segments are described. These results allow refinement, clarification, and correction of earlier descriptions, which are reviewed. The relative taxonomic importance of various morphological characters of the first instars of necrophagous blow flies is discussed, and details of the cephaloskeleton and the spinulation of the abdominal segments are highlighted as the characters most useful for species identification. Finally, a key for identifying first instars of common African carrion blow flies is provided.

A taxonomy review of Oreoderus Burmeister, 1842 from China with a geometric morphometric evaluation (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae, Valgini)

PubMed Central

Li, Sha; Ricchiardi, Enrico; Bai, Ming; Yang, Xingke

2016-01-01

Abstract The species of the genus Oreoderus are morphologically similar, and can be challenging to distinguish without dissecting the male genitalia. In this study, the Oreoderus species from China are reviewed. Three new species of Oreoderus are described: Oreoderus dasystibialis Li & Yang, sp. n., Oreoderus brevitarsus Li & Yang, sp. n. and Oreoderus oblongus Li & Yang, sp. n. A key of the male Oreoderus and a distribution map are provided. Oreoderus coomani Paulian, 1961 was found as a new record in China. The first description of the female of Oreoderus arrowi Ricchiardi, 2001 is provided. Oreoderus humeralis Gestro, 1891, Oreoderus quadricarinatus Arrow, 1944, Oreoderus crassipes Arrow, 1944, and Oreoderus momeitensis Arrow, 1910 are excluded from the Chinese fauna. Furthermore, we utilize geometric morphometric approaches (GM) to analyze the shape variation of four characters (pronotum, elytra, protibia and aedeagus) in Oreoderus. The morphological variations of Oreoderus and the taxonomic value of each character are discussed. The combined analysis of geometric morphometrics and comparative morphology support recognition of the three new species. PMID:26865816

Morphological reassessment and molecular phylogenetic analyses of Amauroderma s.lat. raised new perspectives in the generic classification of the Ganodermataceae family.

PubMed

Costa-Rezende, D H; Robledo, G L; Góes-Neto, A; Reck, M A; Crespo, E; Drechsler-Santos, E R

2017-12-01

Ganodermataceae is a remarkable group of polypore fungi, mainly characterized by particular double-walled basidiospores with a coloured endosporium ornamented with columns or crests, and a hyaline smooth exosporium. In order to establish an integrative morphological and molecular phylogenetic approach to clarify relationship of Neotropical Amauroderma s.lat. within the Ganodermataceae family, morphological analyses, including scanning electron microscopy, as well as a molecular phylogenetic approach based on one (ITS) and four loci (ITS-5.8S, LSU, TEF-1α and RPB1 ), were carried out. Ultrastructural analyses raised up a new character for Ganodermataceae systematics, i.e . , the presence of perforation in the exosporium with holes that are connected with hollow columns of the endosporium. This character is considered as a synapomorphy in Foraminispora , a new genus proposed here to accommodate Porothelium rugosum (≡ Amauroderma sprucei ). Furtadoa is proposed to accommodate species with monomitic context: F. biseptata, F. brasiliensis and F. corneri . Molecular phylogenetic analyses confirm that both genera grouped as strongly supported distinct lineages out of the Amauroderma s.str. clade.

Spatial distribution of filament elasticity determines the migratory behaviors of a cell

PubMed Central

Harn, Hans I-Chen; Hsu, Chao-Kai; Wang, Yang-Kao; Huang, Yi-Wei; Chiu, Wen-Tai; Lin, Hsi-Hui; Cheng, Chao-Min; Tang, Ming-Jer

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Any cellular response leading to morphological changes is highly tuned to balance the force generated from structural reorganization, provided by actin cytoskeleton. Actin filaments serve as the backbone of intracellular force, and transduce external mechanical signal via focal adhesion complex into the cell. During migration, cells not only undergo molecular changes but also rapid mechanical modulation. Here we focus on determining, the role of spatial distribution of mechanical changes of actin filaments in epithelial, mesenchymal, fibrotic and cancer cells with non-migration, directional migration, and non-directional migration behaviors using the atomic force microscopy. We found 1) non-migratory cells only generated one type of filament elasticity, 2) cells generating spatially distributed two types of filament elasticity showed directional migration, and 3) pathologic cells that autonomously generated two types of filament elasticity without spatial distribution were actively migrating non-directionally. The demonstration of spatial regulation of filament elasticity of different cell types at the nano-scale highlights the coupling of cytoskeletal function with physical characters at the sub-cellular level, and provides new research directions for migration related disease. PMID:26919488

The genus Prothrombosternus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Molytinae) rediscovered: a male from Rubeho Mountains, Tanzania.

PubMed

Grebennikov, Vasily V

2016-09-26

A male specimen of the monotypic weevil genus, Prothrombosternus Voss, 1965, so far known on the basis of only five syntypes from Mt. Meru and Mt. Hanang, Tanzania, is reported from the Rubeho Mountains, Tanzania. The lectotype of Prothrombosternus tarsalis Voss, 1965 is designated using a male from Mt. Meru. The Rubeho specimen shares the same external and genital morphological characters with the lectotype (both extensively illustrated) and, therefore, both are considered conspecific. The DNA barcode of the Rubeho specimen is publicly available at dx.doi.org/10.5883/DS-PROTHRO. All six known specimens of Prothrombosternus are flightless and were found by sifting leaf litter at elevations between 1833-2500 m in wet Afromontane forests. The genus is, therefore, thought to be restricted to this highly fragmented habitat threatened by human encroachment. Presence of the genus on both geologically old (Rubeho Mountains; >10Ma) and young (Mt. Meru and Mt. Hanang volcanoes, <2Ma) forested highlands suggests presently unknown means of dispersal. The phylogenetic position of the genus is unknown and its taxonomic placement in Cycloterini cannot be presently tested.

Flightless litter-dwelling Cotasterosoma (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Cossoninae) found outside of Japan, with mtDNA phylogeography of a new species from Southwest China.

PubMed

Grebennikov, Vasily V; Morimoto, Katsura

2016-10-28

The herein reported beetles (Figs 1, 2) were repeatedly sampled by the first author since 2008 by sifting leaf litter in two forested localities in Southwest China: Cang Shan Mountain Range in Yunnan and Mount Emei in Sichuan (Fig. 3). The specimens' characteristic appearance and edaphic way of life were consistent with those of various members of the subfamily Cossoninae (Morimoto 1973, 1993, 1995), although a more precise taxonomic assignment remained elusive. In 2015 the second author saw images of these beetles and suggested their affinities to the genus Cotasterosoma Konishi, 1962. This taxon until present was known from a single specimen collected in 1954 in Shikoku, Japan, and illustrated in Morimoto (1993), although additional congeneric specimens are known to the second author. The purpose of this paper is to document our discovery of the genus in Southwest China by describing a new species, illustrating its external and genital morphological characters, releasing DNA barcode data and providing phylogeographic interpretations of our findings.

Demodicosis caused by Demodex canis and Demodex cornei in dogs.

PubMed

Sivajothi, S; Sudhakara Reddy, B; Rayulu, V C

2015-12-01

Two mongrel dogs aged between 7 and 9 months in a same house were presented to the clinics with a history of chronic dermatitis associated with pruritus. Clinical examination revealed presence of primary and secondary skin lesions on the face, around the ears, chin, neck, fore limbs and lateral abdomen. Examination of skin scrapings revealed Demodex cornei (majority) and D. canis (minority) in both the dogs. By using hair pluck examination D. canis were detected and by tape impression smears examination large number of adult short-tail Demodex mites were found. D. cornei was identified by based on the morphological characters including short opisthosoma with blind and round terminal end. Mean length of total body, opisthosoma of both types of the mites were differed statistically significant (P < 0.01) but gnathosoma and podosoma did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). Dogs were treated with daily oral ivermectin @ 500 μg/kg/day, external application of amitraz along with supportive therapy. After completion of 45 days of therapy dogs were recovered completely without any side effects.

Description of the final instar of Trichomalopsis peregrina (Hymenoptera, Pteromalidae), with data and comments on the preimaginal stages

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tormos, J.; Asis, J.D.; Frago, E.

The preimaginal stages of T. peregrina are described. The egg displays a sculptured chorion, which is found only on those deposited externally. The immature larvae are characterized by their peculiarities in (a) a setose ring on the thoracic and abdominal segments, (b) an anal notch and (c) size and the sensory structures of the head capsule. The final instar is described and illustrated. Morphological structures of diagnostic value are discussed. The most salient character shown by the mature larva of this species lies in the epistoma, which is complete. (author) [Spanish] Se describen las fases de huevo y larva demore » T. peregrina. El huevo, como es caracteristico en los que se depositan externamente, presenta un corion ornamentado. Las larvas inmaduras exhiben peculiaridades en (a) el anillo setoso de los segmentos toracicos y abdominales, (b) la escotadura anal y (c) el tamano, y estructuras sensoriales, de la capsula cefalica. El estado de caracter mas sobresaliente presentado por la larva madura de esta especie radica en la presencia de un epistoma totalmente diferenciado. (author)« less

Superconductor-insulator transition in quasi-one-dimensional single-crystal Nb₂PdS₅ nanowires.

PubMed

Ning, Wei; Yu, Hongyan; Liu, Yequn; Han, Yuyan; Wang, Ning; Yang, Jiyong; Du, Haifeng; Zhang, Changjin; Mao, Zhiqiang; Liu, Ying; Tian, Mingliang; Zhang, Yuheng

2015-02-11

Superconductor-insulator transition (SIT) in one-dimensional (1D) nanowires attracts great attention in the past decade and remains an open question since contrasting results were reported in nanowires with different morphologies (i.e., granular, polycrystalline, or amorphous) or environments. Nb2PdS5 is a recently discovered low-dimensional superconductor with typical quasi-1D chain structure. By decreasing the wire diameter in the range of 100-300 nm, we observed a clear SIT with a 1D transport character driven by both the cross-sectional area and external magnetic field. We also found that the upper critical magnetic field (Hc2) decreases with the reduction of nanowire cross-sectional area. The temperature dependence of the resistance below Tc can be described by the thermally activated phase slip (TAPS) theory without any signature of quantum phase slips (QPS). These findings demonstrated that the enhanced Coulomb interactions with the shrinkage of the wire diameter competes with the interchain Josephson-like coupling may play a crucial role on the SIT in quasi-1D system.

Rivulus berovidesi, a new killifish species (Teleostei: Rivulidae) from western Cuba.

PubMed

Silva, Rodet Rodriguez

2015-04-24

Rivulus berovidesi, a new killifish species, is described from a small stream in Sierra de Cajalbana, northwestern Cuba. It is readily distinguished from Rivulus cylindraceus Poey by the combination of an exclusive color pattern and meristic characters such as a d-type frontal scalation pattern (versus e-type pattern in Rivulus cylindraceus). The current diagnosis of Rivulus berovidesi based on chromatic, morphological and meristic characters is consistent with a recent molecular analysis of this genus in Cuba.

Temperament and character effects on late adolescents' well-being and emotional-behavioural difficulties.

PubMed

Crescentini, Cristiano; Garzitto, Marco; Paschetto, Andrea; Brambilla, Paolo; Fabbro, Franco

2018-01-01

Research on adults points to personality as a crucial determinant of well-being. The present study investigates the question of personality's relation to well-being and psychosocial adjustment in adolescence. We assessed the role of temperament and character (Temperament and Character Inventory, TCI-125), on psychological well-being (PWB; Psychological Well-Being scales), subjective well-being (SWB; Positive and Negative Affect, PA and NA, respectively), and psychosocial adjustment (emotional-behavioural problems measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for Adolescents, SDQ-A), in 72 Italian late adolescents (aged 17.5 ± 0.75). Multiple regressions were conducted to predict PWB, SWB, and SDQ-A scores using TCI-125 scales as predictors. Character maturity, and in particular Self-Directedness, had a widespread protective effect on well-being and psychosocial adjustment, while different strengths and emotional-behavioural difficulties were associated to specific temperamental and character traits. For example, Harm-Avoidance and Novelty-Seeking positively predicted internalized and externalized problems, respectively. The present results suggest the usefulness of continuing to evaluate temperament and, in particular, character dimensions in investigations focused on adolescents' well-being and psychosocial functioning, especially in the contexts of potential interventions aimed at enhancing development of adolescents' character dimensions at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal levels.

Temperament and character effects on late adolescents’ well-being and emotional-behavioural difficulties

PubMed Central

Garzitto, Marco; Paschetto, Andrea; Brambilla, Paolo; Fabbro, Franco

2018-01-01

Background Research on adults points to personality as a crucial determinant of well-being. The present study investigates the question of personality’s relation to well-being and psychosocial adjustment in adolescence. Methods We assessed the role of temperament and character (Temperament and Character Inventory, TCI-125), on psychological well-being (PWB; Psychological Well-Being scales), subjective well-being (SWB; Positive and Negative Affect, PA and NA, respectively), and psychosocial adjustment (emotional-behavioural problems measured by the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire for Adolescents, SDQ-A), in 72 Italian late adolescents (aged 17.5 ± 0.75). Multiple regressions were conducted to predict PWB, SWB, and SDQ-A scores using TCI-125 scales as predictors. Results Character maturity, and in particular Self-Directedness, had a widespread protective effect on well-being and psychosocial adjustment, while different strengths and emotional-behavioural difficulties were associated to specific temperamental and character traits. For example, Harm-Avoidance and Novelty-Seeking positively predicted internalized and externalized problems, respectively. Discussion The present results suggest the usefulness of continuing to evaluate temperament and, in particular, character dimensions in investigations focused on adolescents’ well-being and psychosocial functioning, especially in the contexts of potential interventions aimed at enhancing development of adolescents’ character dimensions at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal levels. PMID:29607254

Discordance between morphological and molecular species boundaries among Caribbean species of the reef sponge Callyspongia.

PubMed

DeBiasse, Melissa B; Hellberg, Michael E

2015-02-01

Sponges are among the most species-rich and ecologically important taxa on coral reefs, yet documenting their diversity is difficult due to the simplicity and plasticity of their morphological characters. Genetic attempts to identify species are hampered by the slow rate of mitochondrial sequence evolution characteristic of sponges and some other basal metazoans. Here we determine species boundaries of the Caribbean coral reef sponge genus Callyspongia using a multilocus, model-based approach. Based on sequence data from one mitochondrial (COI), one ribosomal (28S), and two single-copy nuclear protein-coding genes, we found evolutionarily distinct lineages were not concordant with current species designations in Callyspongia. While C. fallax,C. tenerrima, and C. plicifera were reciprocally monophyletic, four taxa with different morphologies (C. armigera,C. longissima,C. eschrichtii, and C. vaginalis) formed a monophyletic group and genetic distances among these taxa overlapped distances within them. A model-based method of species delimitation supported collapsing these four into a single evolutionary lineage. Variation in spicule size among these four taxa was partitioned geographically, not by current species designations, indicating that in Callyspongia, these key taxonomic characters are poor indicators of genetic differentiation. Taken together, our results suggest a complex relationship between morphology and species boundaries in sponges.

Discordance between morphological and molecular species boundaries among Caribbean species of the reef sponge Callyspongia

PubMed Central

DeBiasse, Melissa B; Hellberg, Michael E

2015-01-01

Sponges are among the most species-rich and ecologically important taxa on coral reefs, yet documenting their diversity is difficult due to the simplicity and plasticity of their morphological characters. Genetic attempts to identify species are hampered by the slow rate of mitochondrial sequence evolution characteristic of sponges and some other basal metazoans. Here we determine species boundaries of the Caribbean coral reef sponge genus Callyspongia using a multilocus, model-based approach. Based on sequence data from one mitochondrial (COI), one ribosomal (28S), and two single-copy nuclear protein-coding genes, we found evolutionarily distinct lineages were not concordant with current species designations in Callyspongia. While C. fallax,C. tenerrima, and C. plicifera were reciprocally monophyletic, four taxa with different morphologies (C. armigera,C. longissima,C. eschrichtii, and C. vaginalis) formed a monophyletic group and genetic distances among these taxa overlapped distances within them. A model-based method of species delimitation supported collapsing these four into a single evolutionary lineage. Variation in spicule size among these four taxa was partitioned geographically, not by current species designations, indicating that in Callyspongia, these key taxonomic characters are poor indicators of genetic differentiation. Taken together, our results suggest a complex relationship between morphology and species boundaries in sponges. PMID:25691989

Unraveling the evolutionary radiation of the families of the Zingiberales using morphological and molecular evidence.

PubMed

Kress, W J; Prince, L M; Hahn, W J; Zimmer, E A

2001-01-01

The Zingiberales are a tropical group of monocotyledons that includes bananas, gingers, and their relatives. The phylogenetic relationships among the eight families currently recognized are investigated here by using parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses of four character sets: morphological features (1), and sequence data of the (2) chloroplast rbcL gene, (3) chloroplast atpB gene, and (4) nuclear 18S rDNA gene. Outgroups for the analyses include the closely related Commelinaceae + Philydraceae + Haemodoraceae + Pontederiaceae + Hanguanaceae as well as seven more distantly related monocots and paleoherbs. Only slightly different estimates of evolutionary relationships result from the analysis of each character set. The morphological data yield a single fully resolved most-parsimonious tree. None of the molecular datasets alone completely resolves interfamilial relationships. The analyses of the combined molecular dataset provide more resolution than do those of individual genes, and the addition of the morphological data provides a well-supported estimate of phylogenetic relationships: (Musaceae ((Strelitziaceae, Lowiaceae) (Heliconiaceae ((Zingiberaceae, Costaceae) (Cannaceae, Marantaceae))))). Evidence from branch lengths in the parsimony analyses and from the fossil record suggests that the Zingiberales originated in the Early Cretaceous and underwent a rapid radiation in the mid-Cretaceous, by which time most extant family lineages had diverged.

Phylogenetic relationship of asam gelugur (Garcinia atroviridis Griff. ex T. Anders) based on morphological characters in Langkat and Serdang Berdagai, Sumatera Utara

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bayu, E. S.; Lestami, A.; Kardhinata, E. H.; Rosemary

2018-02-01

Garcinia atroviridis plant is a commodity that has the potential to become an export commodity in Sumatera Utara. Characterization is an activity in germplasm to determine the morphological properties that can be utilized in differentiating between accessions and assessing the magnitude of genetic diversity. The magnitude of genetic diversity based on morphological properties can support breeding programs. The research was conducted in several areas of G. atroviridis plant, i.e. Gebang, Bahorok, Padang Tualang, Pegajahan, Sei Rampah, Pantai Cermin, and Perbaungan sub-districts in September 2016 with direct observation method. The aim of this research is to explore and characterization between G. atroviridis plant in Langkat and Serdang Berdagai. Parameters morphology characters were observed based on IPGRI, and observation data were analyzed by using SPSS version 21 to obtain the dendogram. The dendogram results showed that there are four groups of kinship relationships on the scale of the spacing (euclidean distance scale) 17. The lowest unequal value (closest kinship) in accessions G3(Bahorok) and G7(Sei Rampah) is 16.328 while the highest value of inequality (farthest kinship) in G5( Padang Tualang) and G6 (Pegajahan) is equal to 54.187. It needs the conservation of G. atroviridis although must be done next observation.

Is floral specialization an evolutionary dead-end? Pollination system transitions in Ruellia (Acanthaceae).

PubMed

Tripp, Erin A; Manos, Paul S

2008-07-01

Pollination systems frequently reflect adaptations to particular groups of pollinators. Such systems are indicative of evolutionary specialization and have been important in angiosperm diversification. We studied the evolution of pollination systems in the large genus Ruellia. Phylogenetic analyses, morphological ordinations, ancestral state reconstructions, and a character mapping simulation were conducted to reveal key patterns in the direction and lability of floral characters associated with pollination. We found significant floral morphological differences among species that were generally associated with different groups of floral visitors. Floral evolution has been highly labile and also directional. Some specialized systems such as hawkmoth or bat pollination are likely evolutionary dead-ends. In contrast, specialized pollination by hummingbirds is clearly not a dead-end. We found evidence for multiple reverse transitions from presumed ancestral hummingbird pollination to more derived bee or insect pollination. These repeated origins of insect pollination from hummingbird-pollinated ancestors have not evolved without historical baggage. Flowers of insect-pollinated species derived from hummingbird-pollinated ancestors are morphologically more similar to hummingbird flowers than they are to other more distantly related insect-pollinated flowers. Finally, some pollinator switches were concomitant with changes in floral morphology that are associated with those pollinators. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that some transitions have been adaptive in the evolution of Ruellia.

Elucidating the evolutionary relationships of the Aiptasiidae, a widespread cnidarian-dinoflagellate model system (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Actiniaria: Metridioidea).

PubMed

Grajales, Alejandro; Rodríguez, Estefanía

2016-01-01

Sea anemones of the family Aiptasiidae sensu Grajales and Rodríguez (2014) are conspicuous members of shallow-water environments, including several species widely used as model systems for the study of cnidarian-dinoflagellate symbiosis and coral bleaching. Although previously published phylogenetic studies of sea anemones recovered Aiptasiidae as polyphyletic, they only included a sparse sample in terms of its taxonomic diversity and membership of the family had not been yet revised. This study explores the phylogenetic relationships of this family using five molecular markers and including newly collected material from the geographical distribution of most of the currently described genera and species. We find a monophyletic family Aiptasiidae. All the currently proposed genera were recovered as monophyletic units, a finding also supported by diagnostic morphological characters. Our results confirm Bellactis and Laviactis as members of Aiptasiidae, also in agreement with previous morphological studies. The monophyly of the group is congruent with the morphological homogeneity of the members of this family. The obtained results also allow discussing the evolution of morphological characters within the family. Furthermore, we find evidence for and describe a new cryptic species, Exaiptasia brasiliensis sp. nov., based on molecular data, geographical distribution, and the identity of its endosymbiotic dinoflagellate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detecting taxonomic signal in an under-utilised character system: geometric morphometrics of the forcipular coxae of Scutigeromorpha (Chilopoda)

PubMed Central

Gutierrez, Beatriz Lopez; MacLeod, Norman; Edgecombe, Gregory D.

2011-01-01

Abstract To date, the forcipules have played almost no role in determining the systematics of scutigeromorph centipedes though in his 1974 review of taxonomic characters Markus Würmli suggested some potentially informative variation might be found in these structures. Geometric morphometric analyses were used to evaluate Würmli’s suggestion, specifically to determine whether the shape of the forcipular coxa contains information useful for diagnosing species. The geometry of the coxae of eight species from the genera Sphendononema, Scutigera, Dendrothereua, Thereuonema, Thereuopoda, Thereuopodina, Allothereua and Parascutigera was characterised using a combination of landmark- and semi-landmark-based sampling methods to summarize group-specific morphological variation. Canonical variates analysis of shape data characterizing the forcipular coxae indicates that these structures differ significantly between taxa at various systematic levels. Models calculated for the canonical variates space facilitate identification of the main shape differences between genera, including overall length/width, curvature of the external coxal margin, and the extent to which the coxofemoral condyle projects laterally. Jackknifed discriminant function analysis demonstrates that forcipular coxal training-set specimens were assigned to correct species in 61% of cases on average, the most accurate assignments being those of Parascutigera (Parascutigera guttata) and Thereuonema (Thereuonema microstoma). The geographically widespread species Thereuopoda longicornis, Sphendononema guildingii, Scutigera coleoptrata, and Dendrothereua linceci exhibit the least diagnostic coxae in our dataset. Thereuopoda longicornis populations sampled from different parts of East and Southeast Asia were significantly discriminated from each other, suggesting that, in this case, extensive synonymy may be obscuring diagnosable inter-species coxal shape differences. PMID:22303095

Lavellodrilus notosetosus sp. nov. (Annelida, Crassiclitellata, Acanthodrilidae): a new Mexican earthworm with uncommon characters, revealed by a preliminary revision of subfamily Acanthodrilinae.

PubMed

Fragoso, Carlos; Rojas, Patricia

2016-08-19

A new acanthodriline earthworm species, Lavellodrilus notosetosus sp. nov., is described from tropical rain forests of southern Mexico. The new species is placed within the genus Lavellodrilus by the presence of mesial spermathecal pores. It is separated from other species of the genus by the dorsal location of setae cd in most of the body, last hearts in segment 13, first intestinal segment in 20 and genital setae in segment 12. A preliminary morphological revision of all genera and species of Acanthodrilinae was undertaken in order to: i) evaluate if the mesial spermathecal pores justify the status of Lavellodrilus, ii) determine how common (expressed as percentages of species having the character) the diagnostic characters of the new species are in the subfamily, iii) clarify if these characters exhibit a geographical pattern, and iv) contribute towards a comprehensive analysis of the Acanthodrilinae. In this revision, species were separated in nine geographical regions: USA, northern Mexico, southern Mexico, Caribbean Islands (northern hemisphere), and South America, South Africa, Madagascar, Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia and Antarctic Islands (southern hemisphere). As a result of the revision it was found that among the 511 recognized species of Acanthodrilinae only 11 species have a mesial location of the spermathecal pores, in two cases probably representing monophyletic groups (Lavellodrilus and a group of South African Parachilota species). It was also found that the distinguishing characters in L. notosetosus sp. nov., notably the location of last hearts, genital setae and the first intestinal segment, are uncommon characters in the acanthodriline earthworm fauna of southern Mexico and Central America, but more frequent in North America, the Caribbean, and the southern hemisphere. We conclude that the acanthodrilines from the northern hemisphere are morphologically more similar to those from Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia than to those of South Africa and South America.

Natural Genetic Variation and Candidate Genes for Morphological Traits in Drosophila melanogaster

PubMed Central

Carreira, Valeria Paula; Mensch, Julián; Hasson, Esteban; Fanara, Juan José

2016-01-01

Body size is a complex character associated to several fitness related traits that vary within and between species as a consequence of environmental and genetic factors. Latitudinal and altitudinal clines for different morphological traits have been described in several species of Drosophila and previous work identified genomic regions associated with such variation in D. melanogaster. However, the genetic factors that orchestrate morphological variation have been barely studied. Here, our main objective was to investigate genetic variation for different morphological traits associated to the second chromosome in natural populations of D. melanogaster along latitudinal and altitudinal gradients in Argentina. Our results revealed weak clinal signals and a strong population effect on morphological variation. Moreover, most pairwise comparisons between populations were significant. Our study also showed important within-population genetic variation, which must be associated to the second chromosome, as the lines are otherwise genetically identical. Next, we examined the contribution of different candidate genes to natural variation for these traits. We performed quantitative complementation tests using a battery of lines bearing mutated alleles at candidate genes located in the second chromosome and six second chromosome substitution lines derived from natural populations which exhibited divergent phenotypes. Results of complementation tests revealed that natural variation at all candidate genes studied, invected, Fasciclin 3, toucan, Reticulon-like1, jing and CG14478, affects the studied characters, suggesting that they are Quantitative Trait Genes for morphological traits. Finally, the phenotypic patterns observed suggest that different alleles of each gene might contribute to natural variation for morphological traits. However, non-additive effects cannot be ruled out, as wild-derived strains differ at myriads of second chromosome loci that may interact epistatically with mutant alleles. PMID:27459710

Riding across the selection landscape: fitness consequences of annual variation in reproductive characteristics

PubMed Central

Tremblay, Raymond L.; Ackerman, James D.; Pérez, Maria-Eglée

2010-01-01

Evolutionary models estimating phenotypic selection in character size usually assume that the character is invariant across reproductive bouts. We show that variation in the size of reproductive traits may be large over multiple events and can influence fitness in organisms where these traits are produced anew each season. With data from populations of two orchid species, Caladenia valida and Tolumnia variegata, we used Bayesian statistics to investigate the effect on the distribution in fitness of individuals when the fitness landscape is not flat and when characters vary across reproductive bouts. Inconsistency in character size across reproductive periods within an individual increases the uncertainty of mean fitness and, consequently, the uncertainty in individual fitness. The trajectory of selection is likely to be muddled as a consequence of variation in morphology of individuals across reproductive bouts. The frequency and amplitude of such changes will certainly affect the dynamics between selection and genetic drift. PMID:20047875

Bias and sensitivity in the placement of fossil taxa resulting from interpretations of missing data.

PubMed

Sansom, Robert S

2015-03-01

The utility of fossils in evolutionary contexts is dependent on their accurate placement in phylogenetic frameworks, yet intrinsic and widespread missing data make this problematic. The complex taphonomic processes occurring during fossilization can make it difficult to distinguish absence from non-preservation, especially in the case of exceptionally preserved soft-tissue fossils: is a particular morphological character (e.g., appendage, tentacle, or nerve) missing from a fossil because it was never there (phylogenetic absence), or just happened to not be preserved (taphonomic loss)? Missing data have not been tested in the context of interpretation of non-present anatomy nor in the context of directional shifts and biases in affinity. Here, complete taxa, both simulated and empirical, are subjected to data loss through the replacement of present entries (1s) with either missing (?s) or absent (0s) entries. Both cause taxa to drift down trees, from their original position, toward the root. Absolute thresholds at which downshift is significant are extremely low for introduced absences (two entries replaced, 6% of present characters). The opposite threshold in empirical fossil taxa is also found to be low; two absent entries replaced with presences causes fossil taxa to drift up trees. As such, only a few instances of non-preserved characters interpreted as absences will cause fossil organisms to be erroneously interpreted as more primitive than they were in life. This observed sensitivity to coding non-present morphology presents a problem for all evolutionary studies that attempt to use fossils to reconstruct rates of evolution or unlock sequences of morphological change. Stem-ward slippage, whereby fossilization processes cause organisms to appear artificially primitive, appears to be a ubiquitous and problematic phenomenon inherent to missing data, even when no decay biases exist. Absent characters therefore require explicit justification and taphonomic frameworks to support their interpretation. © The Author(s) 2014. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists.

Morphology and sediment dynamics of the northern Catalan continental shelf, northwestern Mediterranean Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durán, Ruth; Canals, Miquel; Sanz, José Luis; Lastras, Galderic; Amblas, David; Micallef, Aaron

2014-01-01

The northern Catalan continental shelf, in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea, extends along 200 km from the Cap de Creus submarine canyon to the Llobregat Delta, in the vicinity of the city of Barcelona. In this paper we present the results of a systematic investigation of this area by means of very high-resolution multibeam bathymetry to fully assess its morphological variability. The causative factors and processes determining such variability are subsequently interpreted. The shelf is divided in three segments by two prominent submarine canyons: the northernmost Roses Shelf is separated from the intermediate La Planassa Shelf by the La Fonera Canyon, while the boundary between the La Planassa Shelf and the southernmost Barcelona Shelf is marked by the Blanes Canyon. These two canyons are deeply incised in the continental margin, with their heads located at only 0.8 and 5 km from the shore, respectively. The seafloor character reflects the influence of external controlling factors on the geomorphology and sediment dynamics of the northern continental shelf of Catalonia. These factors are the geological setting, the volume and nature of sediment input, and the type and characteristics of processes leading to sediment redistribution, such as dense shelf water cascading (DSWC) and eastern storms. The interaction of all these factors determines sediment dynamics and allows subdividing the northern Catalan continental shelf into three segments: the erosional-depositional Roses Shelf to the north, the non-depositional La Planassa Shelf in the middle, and the depositional Barcelona Shelf to the south. Erosional features off the Cap de Creus Peninsula and an along-shelf subdued channel in the outer shelf illustrate prevailing sediment dynamics in the Roses segment, which is dominated by erosional processes, local sediment accumulations and the southward bypass of sediment. The rocky character of the seafloor immediately north of the Blanes Canyon head demonstrates that neither significant sediment inputs from the Tordera River nor from the northern sources reach the southern part of the La Planassa Shelf. Palaeo-shorelines depict a number of paleodeltas with steep delta fronts on the drowned Barcelona Shelf.

Morphological Variation among Betula nana (diploid), B. pubescens (tetraploid) and their Triploid Hybrids in Iceland

PubMed Central

Thórsson, Æ. Th.; Pálsson, S.; Sigurgeirsson, A.; Anamthawat-Jónsson, K.

2007-01-01

Background and Aims Introgressive hybridization between two co-existing Betula species in Iceland, diploid dwarf birch B. nana and tetraploid downy birch B. pubescens, has been well documented. The two species are highly variable morphologically, making taxonomic delineation difficult despite stable ploidy levels. Here an analysis is made of morphological variation within each ploidy group with an aim to establishing a reliable means to distinguish the species. Methods Plant materials were collected from 14 woodlands in Iceland. The plants were identified based on 2n chromosome numbers. Morphological variation in species-specific characters within each ploidy group was analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. The morphological index was based on eight discrete characters, whereas the multivariate analysis was based on nine leaf variables. Key Results Of the 461 plants examined, 9·5 % were found to be triploid hybrids. The three ploidy groups were morphologically distinguishable but their variation overlapped. The diploid, triploid and tetraploid groups had average scores of 1·3, 4·1 and 8·3, respectively, in the morphology index scale from 0 (B. nana) to 13 (B. pubescens). A linear discriminant analysis also revealed significant separation among the three ploidy groups and the model assigned 96 % and 97 % of the B. nana and B. pubescens individuals correctly. The triploid hybrids were difficult to predict since only half of them could be assigned correctly. Leaf length was the most useful variable identifying triploid hybrids. Geographical patterns within the ploidy groups could partly be explained by differences in mean July temperature. Conclusions Hybridization between B. nana and B. pubescens is widespread in Iceland. The species can be distinguished from each other morphologically, and from the triploid hybrids. The overlapping morphological variation indicates bidirectional introgression between the two species via triploid hybrids. Iceland could be considered a birch hybrid zone, harbouring genetic variation which may be advantageous in subarctic regions. PMID:17495985

Species tree phylogeny and character evolution in the genus Centipeda (Asteraceae): evidence from DNA sequences from coding and non-coding loci from the plastid and nuclear genomes.

PubMed

Nylinder, Stephan; Cronholm, Bodil; de Lange, Peter J; Walsh, Neville; Anderberg, Arne A

2013-08-01

A species tree phylogeny of the Australian/New Zealand genus Centipeda (Asteraceae) is estimated based on nucleotide sequence data. We analysed sequences of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ETS, ITS) and three plasmid loci (ndhF, psbA-trnH, and trnL-F) using the multi-species coalescent module in BEAST. A total of 129 individuals from all 10 recognised species of Centipeda were sampled throughout the species distribution ranges, including two subspecies. We conclude that the inferred species tree topology largely conform previous assumptions on species relationships. Centipeda racemosa (Snuffweed) is the sister to remaining species, which is also the only consistently perennial representative in the genus. Centipeda pleiocephala (Tall Sneezeweed) and C. nidiformis (Cotton Sneezeweed) constitute a species pair, as does C. borealis and C. minima (Spreading Sneezeweed), all sharing the symplesiomorphic characters of spherical capitulum and convex receptacle with C. racemosa. Another species group comprising C. thespidioides (Desert Sneezeweed), C. cunninghamii (Old man weed, or Common sneeze-weed), C. crateriformis is well-supported but then include the morphologically aberrant C. aotearoana, all sharing the character of having capitula that mature more slowly relative the subtending shoot. Centipeda elatinoides takes on a weakly supported intermediate position between the two mentioned groups, and is difficult to relate to any of the former groups based on morphological characters. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phylogeny, character evolution, and biogeography of Cuscuta (dodders; Convolvulaceae) inferred from coding plastid and nuclear sequences.

PubMed

García, Miguel A; Costea, Mihai; Kuzmina, Maria; Stefanović, Saša

2014-04-01

The parasitic genus Cuscuta, containing some 200 species circumscribed traditionally in three subgenera, is nearly cosmopolitan, occurring in a wide range of habitats and hosts. Previous molecular studies, on subgenera Grammica and Cuscuta, delimited major clades within these groups. However, the sequences used were unalignable among subgenera, preventing the phylogenetic comparison across the genus. We conducted a broad phylogenetic study using rbcL and nrLSU sequences covering the morphological, physiological, and geographical diversity of Cuscuta. We used parsimony methods to reconstruct ancestral states for taxonomically important characters. Biogeographical inferences were obtained using statistical and Bayesian approaches. Four well-supported major clades are resolved. Two of them correspond to subgenera Monogynella and Grammica. Subgenus Cuscuta is paraphyletic, with section Pachystigma sister to subgenus Grammica. Previously described cases of strongly supported discordance between plastid and nuclear phylogenies, interpreted as reticulation events, are confirmed here and three new cases are detected. Dehiscent fruits and globose stigmas are inferred as ancestral character states, whereas the ancestral style number is ambiguous. Biogeographical reconstructions suggest an Old World origin for the genus and subsequent spread to the Americas as a consequence of one long-distance dispersal. Hybridization may play an important yet underestimated role in the evolution of Cuscuta. Our results disagree with scenarios of evolution (polarity) previously proposed for several taxonomically important morphological characters, and with their usage and significance. While several cases of long-distance dispersal are inferred, vicariance or dispersal to adjacent areas emerges as the dominant biogeographical pattern.

Discrete and morphometric traits reveal contrasting patterns and processes in the macroevolutionary history of a clade of scorpions.

PubMed

Mongiardino Koch, N; Ceccarelli, F S; Ojanguren-Affilastro, A A; Ramírez, M J

2017-04-01

Many palaeontological studies have investigated the evolution of entire body plans, generally relying on discrete character-taxon matrices. In contrast, macroevolutionary studies performed by neontologists have mostly focused on morphometric traits. Although these data types are very different, some studies have suggested that they capture common patterns. Nonetheless, the tests employed to support this claim have not explicitly incorporated a phylogenetic framework and may therefore be susceptible to confounding effects due to the presence of common phylogenetic structure. We address this question using the scorpion genus Brachistosternus Pocock 1893 as case study. We make use of a time-calibrated multilocus molecular phylogeny, and compile discrete and traditional morphometric data sets, both capturing the overall morphology of the organisms. We find that morphospaces derived from these matrices are significantly different, and that the degree of discordance cannot be replicated by simulations of random character evolution. Moreover, we find strong support for contrasting modes of evolution, with discrete characters being congruent with an 'early burst' scenario whereas morphometric traits suggest species-specific adaptations to have driven morphological evolution. The inferred macroevolutionary dynamics are therefore contingent on the choice of character type. Finally, we confirm that metrics of correlation fail to detect these profound differences given common phylogenetic structure in both data sets, and that methods incorporating a phylogenetic framework and accounting for expected covariance should be favoured. © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Crickets in space: morphological, physiological and behavioral alterations induced by space flight and hypergravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Horn, E.; Agricola, H.; Böser, S.; Förster, S.; Kämper, G.; Riewe, P.; Sebastian, C.

"Crickets in Space" was a Neurolab experiment by which the balance between genetic programs and the gravitational environment for the development of a gravity sensitive neuronal system was studied. The model character of crickets was justified by their external gravity receptors, identified position-sensitive interneurons (PSI) and gravity-related compensatory head response, and by the specific relation of this behavior to neuronal arousal systems activated by locomotion. These advantages allowed to study the impact of modified gravity on cellular processes in a complex organism. Eggs, 1st, 4th and 6th stage larvae of Acheta domesticus were used. Post-flight experiments revealed a low susceptibility of the behavior to micro- and hypergravity while the physiology of the PSI was significantly affected. Immunocytological investigations revealed a stage-dependent sensitivity of thoracic GABAergic motoneurons to 3g-conditions concerning their soma sizes but not their topographical arrangement. The morphology of neuromuscular junctions was not affected by 3g-hypergravity. Peptidergic neurons from cerebral sensorimotor centers revealed no significant modifications by microgravity (μg). The contrary physiological and behavioral results indicate a facilitation of 1g-readaptation originating from accessory gravity, proprioceptive and visual sense organs. Absence of anatomical modifications point to an effective time window of μg- or 3g-expo-sure related to the period of neuronal proliferation. The analysis of basic mechanisms of how animals and man adapt to altered gravitational conditions will profit from a continuation of the project "Crickets in Space".

Morphology of the first zoeal stages of five species of the portunid genus Callinectes (Decapoda, Brachyura) hatched at the laboratory.

PubMed

Mantelatto, Fernando L; Reigada, Alvaro L D; Gatti, Aline C R; Cuesta, José A

2014-05-23

The genus Callinectes Stimpson, 1860 currently consists of 16 species, six of which are reported in Brazilian coast. In the present study, the first zoeal stages of Callinectes bocourti, C. danae, C. exasperatus, C. ornatus and C. sapidus from Brazil were obtained from ovigerous females. The morphological and meristic characters of all these larval stages are described and illustrated. Those of C. bocourti, C. danae and C. sapidus are redescribed and compared with the previous descriptions, and differences are listed. Larval characters of these species were examined for interspecific differences, as well as larval features to distinguish the genus Callinectes within Portunidae. In addition, other portunid genera and species with a known first zoeal stage are compared, with special attention to those species present in the same geographical area. Our findings concord with some previous molecular studies, and we discuss the complexity within the group.

Molecular phylogeny of the Drusinae (Trichoptera: Limnephilidae): preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pauls, S.; Lumbsch, T.; Haase, P.

2005-05-01

We examine the phylogenetic relationships within the subfamily of the Drusinae using molecular markers. Sequence data from two mitochondrial loci (mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I, mitochondrial ribosomal large subunit) are used to infer the relationships within and among the genera of the Drusinae. Sequence data were generated for 21 taxa from five genera from the subfamily. The molecular data were analyzed using a Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo and a Maximum Parsimony approach for both single gene and combined data sets. Several hypotheses of relationships previously inferred based on morphological characters were tested. The study revealed a very close relationship between Drusus discolor and D. romanicus suggesting that divergence between these two species occurred recently. The relationships inferred by molecular data suggest that larval morphology may be an important taxonomic character, which has often been neglected. The data also indicate that the genera Ecclisopteryx and Drusus are polyphyletic with respect to one another.

Phylogenetic relationships among species of Lutzomyia, subgenus Lutzomyia (Diptera: Psychodidae).

PubMed

Pinto, Israel S; Filho, José D Andrade; Santos, Claudiney B; Falqueto, Aloísio; Leite, Yuri L R

2010-01-01

Lutzomyia França is the largest and most diverse sand fly genus in the New World and contains all the species involved in the transmission of American visceral leishmaniasis (AVL). Morphological characters were used to test the monophyly and to infer phylogenetic relationships among members of the Lutzomyia subgenus. Fifty-two morphological characters from male and female adult specimens belonging to 18 species of Lu. (Lutzomyia) were scored and analyzed. The resulting phylogeny confirms the monophyly of this subgenus and reveals four main internal clades. These four clades, however, do not support the classification of the subgenus in two series, longipalpis and cavernicola, because neither is necessarily monophyletic. Knowledge on phylogenetic relationships among these relevant vectors of AVL should be used as a tool for monitoring target taxa and a first step for establishing an early warning system for disease control.

Description of evandromyia spelunca, a new phlebotomine species of the cortelezzii complex, from a cave in Minas Gerais State, Brazil (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae)

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The cave fauna of the Brazil is poorly documented, and among the insects those live or frequent caves and their adjacent environments phlebotomine sand flies call for special attention because several species are vectors of pathogens among vertebrates hosts. A new species of sand fly from Minas Gerais is described based in females and males collected in a cave of the municipality of Lassance. Results The morphological characters of the new species permit to include in the Evandromyia genus, cortelezzii complex. This complex consists of three species: Evandromyia corumbaensis (Galati, Nunes, Oshiro & Rego, 1989), Evandromyia cortelezzii (Brethes, 1923) and Evandromyia sallesi (Galvao & Coutinho, 1940). Conclusions The new species can be separate from the others of the cortelezzii complex through morphological characters of the male terminalia and female spermathecae. PMID:21827682

A new species of the Liolaemus alticolor-bibronii group (Iguania: Liolaemidae) from East-central Argentina.

PubMed

Vega, Laura Estela; Quinteros, AndrÉs sebastiÁn; Stellatelli, Oscar anÍbal; Bellagamba, Patricio Juan; Block, Carolina; Madrid, Enrique Alberto

2018-02-15

We describe a new species of Liolaemus of the L. alticolor-bibronii group of the subgenus Liolaemus sensu stricto. We studied meristic, morphometric and qualitative pattern characters. Statistical tests were performed in order to evaluate morphological differences among the candidate species and the most closely geographically distributed species. Molecular analyses of Cyt-b mitochondrial gene were performed in order to estimate the position of the new species in relation to other taxa. We also recorded natural history data such as habitat, behavior, reproductive state, diet, and body temperature. Liolaemus absconditus sp. nov. differs from other species of Liolaemus in presenting a distinct combination of morphological character states of lepidosis and color pattern, being phylogenetically close to Liolaemus tandiliensis, Liolaemus gracilis and Liolaemus saxatilis. The new species is a saxicolous and endemic lizard of the Tandilia Mountain Range System of Buenos Aires Province.

How can we reliably identify a taxon based on humeral morphology? Comparative morphology of desmostylian humeri

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Desmostylia is a clade of marine mammals belonging to either Tethytheria or Perissodactyla. Rich fossil records of Desmostylia were found in the Oligocene to Miocene strata of the Northern Pacific Rim, especially in the northwestern region, which includes the Japanese archipelago. Fossils in many shapes and forms, including whole or partial skeletons, skulls, teeth, and fragmentary bones have been discovered from this region. Despite the prevalent availability of fossil records, detailed taxonomic identification based on fragmentary postcranial materials has been difficult owing to to our limited knowledge of the postcranial diagnostic features of many desmostylian taxa. In this study, I propose the utilization of diagnostic characters found in the humerus to identify desmostylian genus. These characters can be used to identify isolated desmostylian humeri at the genus level, contributing to a better understanding of the stratigraphic and geographic distributions of each genus. PMID:29134151

Phylogeny of the Paracalanidae Giesbrecht, 1888 (Crustacea: Copepoda: Calanoida).

PubMed

Cornils, Astrid; Blanco-Bercial, Leocadio

2013-12-01

The Paracalanidae are ecologically-important marine planktonic copepods that occur in the epipelagic zone in temperate and tropical waters. They are often the dominant taxon - in terms of biomass and abundance - in continental shelf regions. As primary consumers, they form a vital link in the pelagic food web between primary producers and higher trophic levels. Despite the ecological importance of the taxon, evolutionary and systematic relationships within the family remain largely unknown. A multigene phylogeny including 24 species, including representatives for all seven genera, was determined based on two nuclear genes, small-subunit (18S) ribosomal RNA and Histone 3 (H3) and one mitochondrial gene, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI). The molecular phylogeny was well supported by Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analysis; all genera were found to be monophyletic, except for Paracalanus, which was separated into two distinct clades: the Paracalanus aculeatus group and Paracalanus parvus group. The molecular phylogeny also confirmed previous findings that Mecynocera and Calocalanus are genera of the family Paracalanidae. For comparison, a morphological phylogeny was created for 35 paracalanid species based on 54 morphological characters derived from published descriptions. The morphological phylogeny did not resolve all genera as monophyletic and bootstrap support was not strong. Molecular and morphological phylogenies were not congruent in the positioning of Bestiolina and the Paracalanus species groups, possibly due to the lack of sufficient phylogenetically-informative morphological characters. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phylogenetic analyses of mode of larval development.

PubMed

Hart, M

2000-12-01

Phylogenies based on morphological or molecular characters have been used to provide an evolutionary context for analysis of larval evolution. Studies of gastropods, bivalves, tunicates, sea stars, sea urchins, and polychaetes have revealed massive parallel evolution of similar larval forms. Some of these studies were designed to test, and have rejected, the species selection hypothesis for evolutionary trends in the frequency of derived larvae or life history traits. However, the lack of well supported models of larval character evolution leave some doubt about the quality of inferences of larval evolution from phylogenies of living taxa. Better models based on maximum likelihood methods and known prior probabilities of larval character state changes will improve our understanding of the history of larval evolution. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Pharmacognostical evaluation of leaf of Bada Rasna [Nelsonia canescens (Lam.) Spreng.; Acanthaceae].

PubMed

Acharya, Rabinarayan; Padiya, Riddhish H; Patel, Eisha D; Rudrapa, Harisha C; Shukla, Vinaya J; Chauhan, Malati G

2012-04-01

Nelsonia canescens (Lam.) Spreng. (Acanthaceae), a well-known plant in traditional systems of medicine, known as "Bada Rasna" by the traditional practitioners of Odisha, is being used as Rasna for managing pain and inflammation. The detailed macroscopic and microscopic characters of the plant, except its root, are lacking. Hence, it was thought worth to study the leaves of the plant for its detailed morphological and microscopical characters, by following the standard pharmacognostical procedures. The study shows the presence of diacytic stomata in the lower epidermis of lamina, microsphenoidal and prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate in the mesophyll cells, simple and glandular trichomes. The observed major diagnostic characters of the leaf may find useful for its standardization.

Molecular and Morphological Tools to Distinguish Scyphophorus acupunctatus Gyllenhal, 1838 (Curculionidae: Dryophthorinae): A New Weevil Pest of the Endangered Century Plant, Agave eggersiana from St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

Treesearch

M. Lourdes Chamorro; Joshua Persson; Christian W. Torres-Santana; Jeff Keularts; Sonja J. Scheffer; Matthew L. Lewis

2016-01-01

The agave snout weevil (AGW) or sisal weevil, Scyphophorus acupunctatus Gyllenhal is here reported for the first time in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) where it threatens Agave eggersiana Trel., a USVI endemic and endangered century-plant. We provide molecular, morphological, and behavioral characters to successfully distinguish the two known Scyphophorus...

SELF-STERILE AUXOTROPHS AND THEIR RELATION TO HETEROTHALLISM IN SORDARIA FIMICOLA.

PubMed

EL-ANI, A S

1964-09-04

Eighty morphological mutants in the homothallic fungus Sordaria fimicola were tested on liquid minimal medium for nutritional requirements. Five had nutritional requirements, one for adenine, three for arginine, and one for lysine. All five were from among the eighty single gene mutants that were also partially or completely self-sterile. Nutritional requirements and centromere-locus intervals provide better criteria than morphological characters for selecting self-sterile mutants at complex loci governing heterothallism.

DiscML: an R package for estimating evolutionary rates of discrete characters using maximum likelihood.

PubMed

Kim, Tane; Hao, Weilong

2014-09-27

The study of discrete characters is crucial for the understanding of evolutionary processes. Even though great advances have been made in the analysis of nucleotide sequences, computer programs for non-DNA discrete characters are often dedicated to specific analyses and lack flexibility. Discrete characters often have different transition rate matrices, variable rates among sites and sometimes contain unobservable states. To obtain the ability to accurately estimate a variety of discrete characters, programs with sophisticated methodologies and flexible settings are desired. DiscML performs maximum likelihood estimation for evolutionary rates of discrete characters on a provided phylogeny with the options that correct for unobservable data, rate variations, and unknown prior root probabilities from the empirical data. It gives users options to customize the instantaneous transition rate matrices, or to choose pre-determined matrices from models such as birth-and-death (BD), birth-death-and-innovation (BDI), equal rates (ER), symmetric (SYM), general time-reversible (GTR) and all rates different (ARD). Moreover, we show application examples of DiscML on gene family data and on intron presence/absence data. DiscML was developed as a unified R program for estimating evolutionary rates of discrete characters with no restriction on the number of character states, and with flexibility to use different transition models. DiscML is ideal for the analyses of binary (1s/0s) patterns, multi-gene families, and multistate discrete morphological characteristics.

Morphology of the megalopa of the mud crab, Rhithropanopeus harrisii (Gould, 1841) (Decapoda, Brachyura, Panopeidae), identified by DNA barcode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marco-Herrero, Elena; González-Gordillo, J. Ignacio; Cuesta, José A.

2014-06-01

The morphology of the megalopa stage of the panopeid Rhithropanopeus harrisii is redescribed and illustrated in detail from plankton specimens identified by DNA barcode (16S mtDNA) as previous descriptions do not meet the current standard of brachyuran larval description. Several morphological characters vary widely from those of other panopeid species which could cast some doubt on the species' placement in the same family. Besides, some anomalous megalopae of R. harrisii were found among specimens reared at the laboratory from zoeae collected in the plankton. These anomalous morphological features are discussed in terms of problems associated with laboratory rearing conditions.

Evolutionary transitions in symbioses: dramatic reductions in bathymetric and geographic ranges of Zoanthidea coincide with loss of symbioses with invertebrates.

PubMed

Swain, Timothy D

2010-06-01

Two fundamental symbiosis-based trophic types are recognized among Zoanthidea (Cnidaria, Anthozoa): fixed carbon is either obtained directly from zooxanthellae photosymbionts or from environmental sources through feeding with the assistance of host-invertebrate behaviour and structure. Each trophic type is characteristic of the suborders of Zoanthidea and is associated with substantial distributional asymmetries: suborder Macrocnemina are symbionts of invertebrates and have global geographic and bathymetric distributions and suborder Brachycnemina are hosts of endosymbiotic zooxanthellae and are restricted to tropical photic zones. While exposure to solar radiation could explain the bathymetric asymmetry it does not explain the geographic asymmetry, nor is it clear why evolutionary transitions to the zooxanthellae-free state have apparently occurred within Macrocnemina but not within Brachycnemina. To better understand the transitions between symbiosis-based trophic types of Zoanthidea, a concatenated data set of nuclear and mitochondrial nucleotide sequences were used to test hypotheses of monophyly for groups defined by morphology and symbiosis, and to reconstruct the evolutionary transitions of morphological and symbiotic characters. The results indicate that the morphological characters that define Macrocnemina are plesiomorphic and the characters that define its subordinate taxa are homoplasious. Symbioses with invertebrates have ancient and recent transitions with a general pattern of stability in host associations through evolutionary time. The reduction in distribution of Zoanthidea is independent of the evolution of zooxanthellae symbiosis and consistent with hypotheses of the benefits of invertebrate symbioses, indicating that the ability to persist in most habitats may have been lost with the termination of symbioses with invertebrates.

The male bulbospongiosus muscle and its relation to the external anal sphincter.

PubMed

Peikert, Kevin; Platzek, Ivan; Bessède, Thomas; May, Christian Albrecht

2015-04-01

The bulbospongiosus muscle is part of the superficial muscular layer of the perineum and pelvic floor. Its morphology remains controversial in the literature. Therefore, we reinvestigated the fascial arrangement and fiber courses of the bulbospongiosus muscle and its topographical relation to the external anal sphincter. The perineum was dissected in 9 male cadavers (mean ± SD age 78.3 ± 10.7 years). Select samples were obtained for histology and immunohistochemistry. In 43 patients (mean age 60.7 ± 12 years) the topographical relation between the bulbospongiosus muscle and the external anal sphincter was determined by magnetic resonance imaging. The perineum contains several fascial layers consisting of elastic and collagen fibers as well as bundles of smooth muscle cells. The bulbospongiosus muscle was subdivided into a ventral and dorsal portion, which developed in 4 variants. The ventral insertion formed a morphological unity with the ischiocavernous muscle while the dorsal origin had a variable relation to the external anal sphincter (5 variants). A muscle-like or connective tissue-like connection was frequently present between the muscles. However, in some cases the muscles were completely separated. We suggest a concept of variations of bulbospongiosus muscle morphology that unifies the conflicting literature. Its ventral fiber group and the ischiocavernosus muscle form a functional and morphological unity. While the bulbospongiosus muscle and the external anal sphincter remain independent muscles, their frequent connection might have clinical implications for perineal surgery and anogenital disorders. Copyright © 2015 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reinvestigating an enigmatic Late Cretaceous monocot: morphology, taxonomy, and biogeography of Viracarpon

PubMed Central

Manchester, Steven R.; Ramteke, Deepak; Villarraga-Gómez, Herminso

2018-01-01

Angiosperm-dominated floras of the Late Cretaceous are essential for understanding the evolutionary, ecological, and geographic radiation of flowering plants. The Late Cretaceous–early Paleogene Deccan Intertrappean Beds of India contain angiosperm-dominated plant fossil assemblages known from multiple localities in central India. Numerous monocots have been documented from these assemblages, providing a window into an important but poorly understood time in their diversification. One component of the Deccan monocot diversity is the genus Viracarpon, known from anatomically preserved infructescences. Viracarpon was first collected over a century ago and has been the subject of numerous studies. However, resolution of its three-dimensional (3D) morphology and anatomy, as well as its taxonomic affinities, has remained elusive. In this study we investigated the morphology and taxonomy of genus Viracarpon, combining traditional paleobotanical techniques and X-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT). Re-examination of type and figured specimens, 3D reconstructions of fruits, and characterization of structures in multiple planes of section using μCT data allowed us to resolve conflicting interpretations of fruit morphology and identify additional characters useful in refining potential taxonomic affinities. Among the four Viracarpon species previously recognized, we consider two to be valid (Viracarpon hexaspermum and Viracarpon elongatum), and the other two to be synonyms of these. Furthermore, we found that permineralized infructescences of Coahuilocarpon phytolaccoides from the late Campanian of Mexico correspond closely in morphology to V. hexaspermum. We argue that Viracarpon and Coahuilocarpon are congeneric and provide the new combination, Viracarpon phytolaccoides (Cevallos-Ferriz, Estrada-Ruiz & Perez-Hernandez) Matsunaga, S.Y. Smith, & Manchester comb. nov. The significant geographic disjunction between these two occurrences indicates that the genus Viracarpon was widespread and may be present in other Late Cretaceous assemblages. Viracarpon exhibits character combinations not present in any extant taxa and its affinities remain unresolved, possibly representing an extinct member of Alismatales. The character mosaic observed in Viracarpon and the broad distribution of the genus provide new data relevant to understanding early monocot evolution and suggest that the (thus far) largely invisible Late Cretaceous monocot diversification was characterized by enigmatic and/or stem taxa. PMID:29637023

A simple 2D biofilm model yields a variety of morphological features.

PubMed

Hermanowicz, S W

2001-01-01

A two-dimensional biofilm model was developed based on the concept of cellular automata. Three simple, generic processes were included in the model: cell growth, internal and external mass transport and cell detachment (erosion). The model generated a diverse range of biofilm morphologies (from dense layers to open, mushroom-like forms) similar to those observed in real biofilm systems. Bulk nutrient concentration and external mass transfer resistance had a large influence on the biofilm structure.

Effects of vertical rotation on Arabidopsis development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, A. H.; Chapman, D. K.; Dahl, A. O.

1975-01-01

Various gross morphological end points of Arabidopsis development are examined in an attempt to separate the effects of growth on the horizontal clinostat into a component caused by rotation alone and another component caused by the altered position with respect to the direction of the g-vector. In a series of tests which involved comparisons between vertical stationary plants, vertical rotated plants, and plants rotated on clinostats, certain characters were consistently influenced by vertical rotation alone. The characters for which this effect was statistically significant were petiole length and leaf blade width.

Improved document image segmentation algorithm using multiresolution morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bukhari, Syed Saqib; Shafait, Faisal; Breuel, Thomas M.

2011-01-01

Page segmentation into text and non-text elements is an essential preprocessing step before optical character recognition (OCR) operation. In case of poor segmentation, an OCR classification engine produces garbage characters due to the presence of non-text elements. This paper describes modifications to the text/non-text segmentation algorithm presented by Bloomberg,1 which is also available in his open-source Leptonica library.2The modifications result in significant improvements and achieved better segmentation accuracy than the original algorithm for UW-III, UNLV, ICDAR 2009 page segmentation competition test images and circuit diagram datasets.

A new species of Bauhinia L. (Caesalpinioideae, Leguminosae) from Nakhon Phanom Province, Thailand

PubMed Central

Chatan, Wannachai

2013-01-01

Abstract A new liana species of the subfamily Caesalpinioideae (Leguminosae), namely Bauhinia nakhonphanomensis, collected from the Phulangkha National Park, Nakhon Pranom Province, Thailand, is described and illustrated. It is easily recognized by the following combination of characters: tendrilled liana, entire leaves, acuminate or caudate leaf apices, oblong or elliptic floral bud, floral bud 25–35 mm long, raceme or panicle inflorescence, 10–13 mm long hypanthium, anther opening by longitudinal slits. Important comparative morphological characters with some closely related species are discussed. PMID:24194667

Systematics and natural history of Southeast Asian Rock Geckos (genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887) with descriptions of eight new species from Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.

PubMed

Grismer, L Lee; Wood, Perry L; Anuar, Shahrul; Riyanto, Awal; Ahmad, Norhayati; Muin, Mohd A; Sumontha, Montri; Grismer, Jesse L; Onn, Chan Kin; Quah, Evan S H; Pauwels, Olivier S A

2014-10-31

A well-supported and well-resolved phylogeny based on a concatenated data set from one mitochondrial and two nuclear genes, six morphological characters, and nine color pattern characters for 44 of the 50 species of the Southeast Asian Rock Geckos (genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887) is consistent with the previous taxonomy of Cnemaspis based solely on morphology and color pattern. Cnemaspis is partitioned into four major clades that collectively contain six species groups. The monophyly of all clades and species groups is strongly supported and they are parapatrically distributed across well-established, biogeographical regions ranging from southern Vietnam westward through southern Indochina, southward through the Thai-Malay Peninsula, then eastward to Borneo. Eight new species (Cnemaspis omari sp. nov. from the Thai-Malaysian border; C. temiah sp. nov. from Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia; C. stongensis sp. nov. from Gunung Stong, Kelantan, Malaysia; C. hangus sp. nov. from Bukit Hangus, Pahang, Malaysia; C. sundagekko sp. nov. from Pulau Siantan, Indonesia; C. peninsularis sp. nov. from southern Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and C. mumpuniae sp. nov. and C. sundainsula sp. nov. from Pulau Natuna Besar, Indonesia) are described based on morphology and color pattern and all but C. sundagekko sp. nov. are included in the phylogenetic analyses. Cnemaspis kendallii is polyphyletic and a composite of six species. An updated taxonomy consistent with the phylogeny is proposed for all 50 species and is based on 25 morphological and 53 color pattern characters scored across 594 specimens. Cladogenetic events and biogeographical relationships within Cnemaspis were likely influenced by this group's low vagility and the cyclical patterns of geographical and environmental changes in Sundaland over the last 25 million years and especially within the last 2.5 million years. The phylogeny indicates that nocturnality, diurnality, substrate preferences, and the presence of ocelli in the shoulder regions have evolved independently multiple times. 

Evolution under domestication: ongoing artificial selection and divergence of wild and managed Stenocereus pruinosus (Cactaceae) populations in the Tehuacán Valley, Mexico

PubMed Central

Parra, Fabiola; Casas, Alejandro; Peñaloza-Ramírez, Juan Manuel; Cortés-Palomec, Aurea C.; Rocha-Ramírez, Víctor; González-Rodríguez, Antonio

2010-01-01

Background and Aims The Tehuacán Valley in Mexico is a principal area of plant domestication in Mesoamerica. There, artificial selection is currently practised on nearly 120 native plant species with coexisting wild, silvicultural and cultivated populations, providing an excellent setting for studying ongoing mechanisms of evolution under domestication. One of these species is the columnar cactus Stenocereus pruinosus, in which we studied how artificial selection is operating through traditional management and whether it has determined morphological and genetic divergence between wild and managed populations. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 83 households of three villages to investigate motives and mechanisms of artificial selection. Management effects were studied by comparing variation patterns of 14 morphological characters and population genetics (four microsatellite loci) of 264 plants from nine wild, silvicultural and cultivated populations. Key Results Variation in fruit characters was recognized by most people, and was the principal target of artificial selection directed to favour larger and sweeter fruits with thinner or thicker peel, fewer spines and pulp colours others than red. Artificial selection operates in agroforestry systems favouring abundance (through not felling plants and planting branches) of the preferred phenotypes, and acts more intensely in household gardens. Significant morphological divergence between wild and managed populations was observed in fruit characters and plant vigour. On average, genetic diversity in silvicultural populations (HE = 0·743) was higher than in wild (HE = 0·726) and cultivated (HE = 0·700) populations. Most of the genetic variation (90·58 %) occurred within populations. High gene flow (NmFST > 2) was identified among almost all populations studied, but was slightly limited by mountains among wild populations, and by artificial selection among wild and managed populations. Conclusions Traditional management of S. pruinosus involves artificial selection, which, despite the high levels of gene flow, has promoted morphological divergence and moderate genetic structure between wild and managed populations, while conserving genetic diversity. PMID:20729372

Evolution under domestication: ongoing artificial selection and divergence of wild and managed Stenocereus pruinosus (Cactaceae) populations in the Tehuacan Valley, Mexico.

PubMed

Parra, Fabiola; Casas, Alejandro; Peñaloza-Ramírez, Juan Manuel; Cortés-Palomec, Aurea C; Rocha-Ramírez, Víctor; González-Rodríguez, Antonio

2010-09-01

The Tehuacán Valley in Mexico is a principal area of plant domestication in Mesoamerica. There, artificial selection is currently practised on nearly 120 native plant species with coexisting wild, silvicultural and cultivated populations, providing an excellent setting for studying ongoing mechanisms of evolution under domestication. One of these species is the columnar cactus Stenocereus pruinosus, in which we studied how artificial selection is operating through traditional management and whether it has determined morphological and genetic divergence between wild and managed populations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 83 households of three villages to investigate motives and mechanisms of artificial selection. Management effects were studied by comparing variation patterns of 14 morphological characters and population genetics (four microsatellite loci) of 264 plants from nine wild, silvicultural and cultivated populations. Variation in fruit characters was recognized by most people, and was the principal target of artificial selection directed to favour larger and sweeter fruits with thinner or thicker peel, fewer spines and pulp colours other than red. Artificial selection operates in agroforestry systems favouring abundance (through not felling plants and planting branches) of the preferred phenotypes, and acts more intensely in household gardens. Significant morphological divergence between wild and managed populations was observed in fruit characters and plant vigour. On average, genetic diversity in silvicultural populations (H(E) = 0.743) was higher than in wild (H(E) = 0.726) and cultivated (H(E) = 0.700) populations. Most of the genetic variation (90.58 %) occurred within populations. High gene flow (Nm(FST) > 2) was identified among almost all populations studied, but was slightly limited by mountains among wild populations, and by artificial selection among wild and managed populations. Traditional management of S. pruinosus involves artificial selection, which, despite the high levels of gene flow, has promoted morphological divergence and moderate genetic structure between wild and managed populations, while conserving genetic diversity.

Bayesian Morphological Clock Methods Resurrect Placoderm Monophyly and Reveal Rapid Early Evolution in Jawed Vertebrates.

PubMed

King, Benedict; Qiao, Tuo; Lee, Michael S Y; Zhu, Min; Long, John A

2017-07-01

The phylogeny of early gnathostomes provides an important framework for understanding one of the most significant evolutionary events, the origin and diversification of jawed vertebrates. A series of recent cladistic analyses have suggested that the placoderms, an extinct group of armoured fish, form a paraphyletic group basal to all other jawed vertebrates. We revised and expanded this morphological data set, most notably by sampling autapomorphies in a similar way to parsimony-informative traits, thus ensuring this data (unlike most existing morphological data sets) satisfied an important assumption of Bayesian tip-dated morphological clock approaches. We also found problems with characters supporting placoderm paraphyly, including character correlation and incorrect codings. Analysis of this data set reveals that paraphyly and monophyly of core placoderms (excluding maxillate forms) are essentially equally parsimonious. The two alternative topologies have different root positions for the jawed vertebrates but are otherwise similar. However, analysis using tip-dated clock methods reveals strong support for placoderm monophyly, due to this analysis favoring trees with more balanced rates of evolution. Furthermore, enforcing placoderm paraphyly results in higher levels and unusual patterns of rate heterogeneity among branches, similar to that generated from simulated trees reconstructed with incorrect root positions. These simulations also show that Bayesian tip-dated clock methods outperform parsimony when the outgroup is largely uninformative (e.g., due to inapplicable characters), as might be the case here. The analysis also reveals that gnathostomes underwent a rapid burst of evolution during the Silurian period which declined during the Early Devonian. This rapid evolution during a period with few articulated fossils might partly explain the difficulty in ascertaining the root position of jawed vertebrates. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of the Society of Systematic Biologists. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Shape-shifting corals: Molecular markers show morphology is evolutionarily plastic in Porites

PubMed Central

Forsman, Zac H; Barshis, Daniel J; Hunter, Cynthia L; Toonen, Robert J

2009-01-01

Background Corals are notoriously difficult to identify at the species-level due to few diagnostic characters and variable skeletal morphology. This 'coral species problem' is an impediment to understanding the evolution and biodiversity of this important and threatened group of organisms. We examined the evolution of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and mitochondrial markers (COI, putative control region) in Porites, one of the most taxonomically challenging and ecologically important genera of reef-building corals. Results Nuclear and mitochondrial markers were congruent, clearly resolving many traditionally recognized species; however, branching and mounding varieties were genetically indistinguishable within at least two clades, and specimens matching the description of 'Porites lutea' sorted into three genetically divergent groups. Corallite-level features were generally concordant with genetic groups, although hyper-variability in one group (Clade I) overlapped and obscured several others, and Synarea (previously thought to be a separate subgenus) was closely related to congeners despite its unique morphology. Scanning electron microscopy revealed subtle differences between genetic groups that may have been overlooked previously as taxonomic characters. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the coral skeleton can be remarkably evolutionarily plastic, which may explain some taxonomic difficulties, and obscure underlying patterns of endemism and diversity. PMID:19239678

Taxonomic status of Pseudopaludicola riopiedadensis Mercadal de Barrio and Barrio, 1994 (Anura, Leptodactylidae, Leiuperinae).

PubMed

Cardozo, Darío; Toledo, Luís Felipe

2013-11-08

Pseudopaludicola riopiedadensis was described by Mercadal de Barrio and Barrio (1994) based on two adult females collected by Luiz Dino Vizotto in 1963 from Rio Piedade, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil. This taxon was differentiated from P. ternetzi based on a series of qualitative and morphometric characters. Nevertheless, the original description and the type material of P. ternetzi were not considered by Mercadal de Barrio and Barrio, and the morphological variation of P. ternetzi was not documented. This work reviews the sample collected by Vizotto in P. riopiedadensis type locality, evaluates the advertisement calls obtained from such population, the two vouchers assigned to P. riopiedadensis, and a large data set, including type specimens of P. ternetzi to document the morphological variation along its known distribution. Results indicate that P. riopiedadensis was described on the basis of highly variable characters applied to a small sample and share the unique P. ternetzi autapomorphy, a robust body structure with immaculate belly. The lack of differentiation in both advertisement call and morphology rejects the status of P. riopiedadensis as distinct species, and we therefore suggest to formally consider P. riopiedadensis as junior synonym of P. ternetzi.

What is not a bird of paradise? Molecular and morphological evidence places Macgregoria in the Meliphagidae and the Cnemophilinae near the base of the corvoid tree.

PubMed Central

Cracraft, J; Feinstein, J

2000-01-01

The cnemophiline 'birds of paradise' (Cnemophilinae) and Macgregor's 'bird of paradise' (Macgregoria) have traditionally been included in the Paradisaeidae although their relationships within the group have been enigmatic and subject to repeated discussion in the literature. Here we use sequences from two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase I, along with a suite of morphological characters, to investigate their relationships to paradisaeids and other members of the passerine Parvorder Corvida. The combined data strongly support the removal of both groups from the birds of paradise: the cnemophilines are basal members of the Corvoidea and Macgregoria is a member of the Meliphagoidea and embedded in the honeyeaters (Meliphagidae) close to the genus Melipotes. The amount of sequence divergence among basal passeriforms and members of the Corvida, as well as available fossil evidence for Australian corvidans, suggest that cnemophilines represent an ancient lineage within the corvoid radiation. Because cnemophilines and Macgregoria have been placed at the base of the paradisaeid tree, hypotheses of morphological, behavioural and ecological character-state transformations within the family will require reanalysis. PMID:10714877

Effects of prolonged acceleration with or without clinostat rotation on seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, A. H.; Dahl, A. O.; Loercher, L.

1974-01-01

Three 21-day tests of the effects of chronic centrifugation were carried out on populations of Arabidopsis thaliana. In addition to 1 g the resultant g-forces tested were: 2,4,6,8,16, and 20 g. Observed end points included gross morphological characters such as size of plant organs and, at the other extreme, features of sub-cellular structure and ultrastructure. Plants were grown on banks of clinostats. The acceleration vector was directed either parallel with the plants' axes or transverse to the axes. Plant responses to chronic axial acceleration and to transverse acceleration with clinostated plants were determined. From the data obtained it was possible in some cases: (1) to determine the g-functions of specific plant developmental characters; (2) to extrapolate those functions to the hypothetical value at zero g in order to predict (tentatively) the morphology of a plant grown in space, (3) to describe morphological effects of clinostat rotation, (4) to determine which of those effects was influenced by the prevailing g-force, and (5) to put to direct test the assumption that clinostat rotation nullifies or compensates for the influence of gravity.

North American matsutake: names clarified and a new species described.

PubMed

Trudell, Steven A; Xu, Jianping; Saar, Irja; Justo, Alfredo; Cifuentes, Joaquin

2017-01-01

Tricholoma matsutake, known widely as "matsutake," has great commercial and cultural significance in Japan. Because Japanese production is insufficient to meet the high domestic demand, morphologically similar mushrooms, thought by many to belong to T. magnivelare, are imported from western North America. However, molecular data produced since the early 2000s have indicated that more than one species of matsutake occur in North America and this raises the question of correct naming for the different species. To address this question, we assessed the phylogenetic diversity within North American matsutake based on nuc rDNA ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 (internal transcribed spacer [ITS] barcode) sequences, including newly obtained sequences from the type collections for Agaricus ponderosus and Armillaria arenicola, and morphological characters. Our results agree with earlier indications that three matsutake species occur in North America and allow us to clarify the correct application of names-T. magnivelare from the eastern USA and Canada, T. murrillianum from the western USA and Canada, and T. mesoamericanum from Mexico, newly described here. The existence of the three North American species is further supported by the results of evolutionary divergence analysis, geographical distributions, and morphological characters.

Beyond native block copolymer morphologies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Doerk, Gregory S.; Yager, Kevin G.

Block copolymers self-assemble into a range of canonical morphologies. Here, we review a broad range of techniques for inducing these materials to form structures beyond the ‘native’ morphologies seen in the bulk equilibrium phase diagram. Methods that exploit intrinsic encoding (molecular design) and external enforcement (directed assembly) are compared.

Beyond native block copolymer morphologies

DOE PAGES

Doerk, Gregory S.; Yager, Kevin G.

2017-09-20

Block copolymers self-assemble into a range of canonical morphologies. Here, we review a broad range of techniques for inducing these materials to form structures beyond the ‘native’ morphologies seen in the bulk equilibrium phase diagram. Methods that exploit intrinsic encoding (molecular design) and external enforcement (directed assembly) are compared.

Variation in bark characters and wood specific gravity of sugar maple

Treesearch

Robert L. Sajdak

1968-01-01

The external appearance of the bark of sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) has been described as "deeply furrowed," "fissured with long irregular thick plates or ridges," "somewhat scaly," "sometimes curling," and "highly variable." Adjacent trees in natural stands often have strikingly different...

Description of two new species of the genus Atlanticus from Southern China and their songs  (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae; Tettigoniinae).

PubMed

Cheng, Kun; Wang, Xue-Song; Liu, Chun-Xiang; Wu, Chao

2016-04-15

Two new species Atlanticus (Sinpacificus) jiangyei sp. n. and Atlanticus (Sinpacificus) helleri sp. n. are described, based on morphology and male calling songs. Based on the morphological characters, the closest relative of Atlanticus (Sinpacificus) jiangyei sp. n. and that of Atlanticus (Sinpacificus) helleri sp. n. are separately assumed to be Atlanticus (Sinpacificus) hangfui Liu, and Atlanticus (Sinpacificus) kiangsui Tinkham. Discussion about characteristics of Atlanticus species is also provided.

Morphological and molecular data reveal a new genus of the tribe Issini from Southern China (Hemiptera, Fulgoromorpha, Issidae).

PubMed

Wang, Menglin; Shi, Aimin; Bourgoin, Thierry

2018-01-01

A new genus Sinonissus gen. n. of the tribe Issini (Issidae, Issinae) with a new species Sinonissus brunetus sp. n. from Chongqing municipality and Sichuan Province, China are described. Barcode of the species is provided. A molecular analysis combined with morphological characters confirms its placement into the Issini. Distribution of this new genus in the Oriental realm is briefly discussed in regard of other Issinae taxa in China.

First case of Trichodectes pinguis (Phthiraptera: Ischnocera: Trichodectidae) on a Bear (Ursus arctos) in Turkey.

PubMed

Dik, Bilal; Orunç Kılınç, Özlem

2015-12-01

This study was conducted to provide morphological characters of Trichodectes pinguis Burmeister, 1838 that was found on a European brown bear (Ursus arctos Linnaeus) that was found injured in the Van province, eastern Turkey. Three lice specimens were collected from the bear, and they were identified as T. pinguis. The morphological characteristics of this species were provided in this study. T. pinguis was reported for the first time in Turkey.

Genetic and morphological differences among populations of the Bonin Islands White-eye in Japan.

PubMed

Kawakami, Kazuto; Harada, Sachiko; Suzuki, Tadashi; Higuchi, Hiroyoshi

2008-09-01

The Bonin Islands White-eye, Apalopteron familiare , is the sole endemic avian species surviving on the Bonin Islands. The current distribution of this species is limited to only three islands of the Hahajima Island group: Hahajima, Imotojima, and Mukohjima. Imotojima and Mukohjima, which are small satellite islands of Hahajima, are about 3.6 km and 5.5 km, respectively, from the larger island. To investigate genetic and morphological differences among A. familiare populations on these islands, we assayed 634 bp of mitochondrial control region sequence for 132 birds from five locations among the three islands. We detected five haplotypes: two endemic haplotypes each on Hahajima and Imotojima and one on Mukohjima. Principal component analysis based on eight morphological characters of 162 birds from the three island populations revealed that birds from the small satellite islands had significantly different beak morphological characters. Our findings indicate that over-sea dispersal is rare in A. familiare , even when islands are separated by only a few kilometers, and suggest that little movement occurs on Hahajima. Thus, each population on each island should be conserved as an evolutionarily significant unit. The low dispersal ability of this species suggests that it is vulnerable to habitat fragmentation. Although the populations are currently stable and do not require rapid countermeasures, they should be monitored, especially those on the smaller islands.

The mushroom family Psathyrellaceae: evidence for large-scale polyphyly of the genus Psathyrella.

PubMed

Padamsee, Mahajabeen; Matheny, P Brandon; Dentinger, Bryn T M; McLaughlin, David J

2008-02-01

Psathyrella is the archetypal little brown mushroom genus with few easily discernable characters causing it to be considered a "clean-up" genus for other small brown-spored saprotrophic species found worldwide. While molecular studies have demonstrated that mushroom genera based on homoplastic morphological characters are artificial, the degree of phylogenetic heterogeneity contained within Psathyrella and Psathyrellaceae has never been appropriately addressed. For this study, 132 ribosomal sequences from approximately one-tenth of the known Psathyrella species worldwide, including representatives of most subgeneric subdivisions, and three closely related coprinoid genera (Parasola, Coprinopsis, Coprinellus) were evaluated using multiple phylogenetic methods, including likelihood, with Agaricaceae as the outgroup. Our results indicated that Psathyrella was polyphyletic. Conservatively, the genus can be separated into 11 clades of which five can be raised to generic status. Most species of Psathyrella, including its type species P. gracilis, formed a large clade with Coprinellus, which appeared to be derived from within Psathyrella. Generic limits of Parasola, Lacrymaria, and Coprinopsis should be reevaluated. Several taxa previously synonymized based on morphological features were phylogenetically distinct. Morphological features traditionally used to subdivide Psathyrella appeared to be mostly convergent (homoplasious) when traced upon the resulting phylogenies, although several had high RI values. These results were interpreted in light of the two major taxonomic treatments of Psathyrella and revealed substantial inconsistencies between the molecular- and morphology-derived inferences of relationships.

Identification of Sand flies of the Subgenus Larroussius based on Molecular and Morphological Characters in North Western Iran

PubMed Central

Absavaran, A; Rassi, Y; Parvizi, P; Oshaghi, MA; Abaie, MR; Rafizadeh, S; Mohebali, M; Zarea, Z; Javadian, E

2009-01-01

Background: The adult female sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) of the subgenus Larroussius are important vectors of Leishmania infantum (Kinetoplastida: Tripanosomatidae) in Meshkinshahr district, Northwest of Iran. Four Phlebotomus (Larroussius) species are present in this area, i.e. Phlebotomus (Larroussius) kandelakii, P. (La.) major, P. (La.) perfiliewi and P. (La.) tobbi. The objective of the present study was to identify and distinguish the females of P. perfiliewi, P. major and P. tobbi, in this district. Methods: Adult sand flies were collected with sticky papers, CDC light traps, and aspirator in 2006. Individual sand flies of this four species from thirty different locations were characterized morphologically and by comparative DNA sequences analyses of a fragment of mitochondrial gene Cytochrome b (Cyt b) and nuclear gene Elongation Factor 1-alpha (EF-1α). PCR amplification was carried out for all three species P. major, P. perfiliewi and P. tobbi in the subgenus Larroussius. Results: Phylogenetic analyses of P. major populations in this study displayed two different populations and genetic diversity. Spermathecal segment number, pharyngeal armature and other morphological characters of these three species were examined and found to present consistent interspecific differences. Conclusion: According to our findings, the phylogeny of Cyt b and EF-1α haplotypes confirms the relationships between P. major, P. tobbi and P. perfiliewi as already defined by their morphological similarities. PMID:22808379

Phylogenetic relationships in Cortinarius, section Calochroi, inferred from nuclear DNA sequences

PubMed Central

Garnica, Sigisfredo; Weiß, Michael; Oertel, Bernhard; Ammirati, Joseph; Oberwinkler, Franz

2009-01-01

Background Section Calochroi is one of the most species-rich lineages in the genus Cortinarius (Agaricales, Basidiomycota) and is widely distributed across boreo-nemoral areas, with some extensions into meridional zones. Previous phylogenetic studies of Calochroi (incl. section Fulvi) have been geographically restricted; therefore, phylogenetic and biogeographic relationships within this lineage at a global scale have been largely unknown. In this study, we obtained DNA sequences from a nearly complete taxon sampling of known species from Europe, Central America and North America. We inferred intra- and interspecific phylogenetic relationships as well as major morphological evolutionary trends within section Calochroi based on 576 ITS sequences, 230 ITS + 5.8S + D1/D2 sequences, and a combined dataset of ITS + 5.8S + D1/D2 and RPB1 sequences of a representative subsampling of 58 species. Results More than 100 species were identified by integrating DNA sequences with morphological, macrochemical and ecological data. Cortinarius section Calochroi was consistently resolved with high branch support into at least seven major lineages: Calochroi, Caroviolacei, Dibaphi, Elegantiores, Napi, Pseudoglaucopodes and Splendentes; whereas Rufoolivacei and Sulfurini appeared polyphyletic. A close relationship between Dibaphi, Elegantiores, Napi and Splendentes was consistently supported. Combinations of specific morphological, pigmentation and molecular characters appear useful in circumscribing clades. Conclusion Our analyses demonstrate that Calochroi is an exclusively northern hemispheric lineage, where species follow their host trees throughout their natural ranges within and across continents. Results of this study contribute substantially to defining European species in this group and will help to either identify or to name new species occurring across the northern hemisphere. Major groupings are in partial agreement with earlier morphology-based and molecular phylogenetic hypotheses, but some relationships were unexpected, based on external morphology. In such cases, their true affinities appear to have been obscured by the repeated appearance of similar features among distantly related species. Therefore, further taxonomic studies are needed to evaluate the consistency of species concepts and interpretations of morphological features in a more global context. Reconstruction of ancestral states yielded two major evolutionary trends within section Calochroi: (1) the development of bright pigments evolved independently multiple times, and (2) the evolution of abruptly marginate to flattened stipe bulbs represents an autapomorphy of the Calochroi clade. PMID:19121213

Systematics of Cladophora spp. (Chlorophyta) from North Carolina, USA, based upon morphology and DNA sequence data with a description of Cladophora subtilissima sp. nov.

PubMed

Taylor, Robin L; Bailey, Jeffrey Craig; Freshwater, David Wilson

2017-06-01

Identification of Cladophora species is challenging due to conservation of gross morphology, few discrete autapomorphies, and environmental influences on morphology. Twelve species of marine Cladophora were reported from North Carolina waters. Cladophora specimens were collected from inshore and offshore marine waters for DNA sequence and morphological analyses. The nuclear-encoded rRNA internal transcribed spacer regions (ITS) were sequenced for 105 specimens and used in molecular assisted identification. The ITS1 and ITS2 region was highly variable, and sequences were sorted into ITS Sets of Alignable Sequences (SASs). Sequencing of short hyper-variable ITS1 sections from Cladophora type specimens was used to positively identify species represented by SASs when the types were made available. Secondary structures for the ITS1 locus were also predicted for each specimen and compared to predicted structures from Cladophora sequences available in GenBank. Nine ITS SASs were identified and representative specimens chosen for phylogenetic analyses of 18S and 28S rRNA gene sequences to reveal relationships with other Cladophora species. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that marine Cladophorales were polyphyletic and separated into two clades, the Cladophora clade and the "Siphonocladales" clade. Morphological analyses were performed to assess the consistency of character states within species, and complement the DNA sequence analyses. These analyses revealed intra- and interspecific character state variation, and that combined molecular and morphological analyses were required for the identification of species. One new report, Cladophora dotyana, and one new species Cladophora subtilissima sp. nov., were revealed, and increased the biodiversity of North Carolina marine Cladophora to 14 species. © 2017 Phycological Society of America.

Pinus ponderosa : A checkered past obscured four species

Treesearch

Ann Willyard; David S. Gernandt; Kevin Potter; Valerie Hipkins; Paula E. Marquardt; Mary Frances Mahalovich; Stephen K. Langer; Frank W. Telewski; Blake Cooper; Connor Douglas; Kristen Finch; Hassani H. Karemera; Julia Lefler; Payton Lea; Austin Wofford

2016-01-01

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Molecular genetic evidence can help delineate taxa in species complexes that lack diagnostic morphological characters. Pinus ponderosa (Pinaceae; subsection Ponderosae ) is recognized as a problematic taxon: plastid phylogenies of exemplars were paraphyletic, and mitochondrial phylogeography suggested at...

Anuran radiations and the evolution of tadpole morphospace

PubMed Central

Roelants, Kim; Haas, Alexander; Bossuyt, Franky

2011-01-01

Anurans (frogs and toads) are unique among land vertebrates in possessing a free-living larval stage that, parallel to adult frogs, diversified into an impressive range of ecomorphs. The tempo and mode at which tadpole morphology evolved through anuran history as well as its relationship to lineage diversification remain elusive. We used a molecular phylogenetic framework to examine patterns of morphological evolution in tadpoles in light of observed episodes of accelerated lineage diversification. Our reconstructions show that the expansion of tadpole morphospace during the basal anuran radiation in the Triassic/Early Jurassic was unparalleled by the basal neobatrachian radiation in the Late Jurassic/Early Cretaceous or any subsequent radiation in the Late Cretaceous/Early Tertiary. Comparative analyses of radiation episodes indicate that the slowdown of morphospace expansion was caused not only by a drop in evolutionary rate after the basal anuran radiation but also by an overall increase in homoplasy in the characters that did evolve during later radiations. The overlapping sets of evolving characters among more recent radiations may have enhanced tadpole diversity by creating unique combinations of homoplastic traits, but the lack of innovative character changes prevented the exploration of fundamental regions in morphospace. These complex patterns transcend the four traditionally recognized tadpole morphotypes and apply to most tissue types and body parts. PMID:21555583

Penis morphology in a Burmese amber harvestman

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunlop, Jason A.; Selden, Paul A.; Giribet, Gonzalo

2016-02-01

A unique specimen of the fossil harvestman Halitherses grimaldii Giribet and Dunlop, 2005 (Arachnida: Opiliones) from the Cretaceous (ca. 99 Ma) Burmese amber of Myanmar reveals a fully extended penis. This is the first record of a male copulatory organ of this nature preserved in amber and is of special importance due to the age of the deposit. The penis has a slender, distally flattened truncus, a spatulate heart-shaped glans and a short distal stylus, twisted at the tip. In living harvestmen, the penis yields crucial characters for their systematics. Male genital morphology in H. grimaldii appears to be unique among the wider Dyspnoi clade to which this fossil belongs. The large eyes in the fossil differ markedly from other members of the subfamily Ortholasmatinae to which H. grimaldii was originally referred. Based on recent data, it has been argued that large eyes may be plesiomorphic for Palpatores (i.e. the suborders Eupnoi and Dyspnoi), potentially rendering this character plesiomorphic for the fossil too. Thus, the unique structure of the penis seen here, and the probable lack of diaphanous teeth, present in all other extant non-acropsopilionid Dyspnoi, suggest that H. grimaldii represents a new, extinct family of large-eyed dyspnoid harvestmen, Halithersidae fam. nov.; a higher taxon in amber diagnosed here on both somatic and genital characters.

Integral Phylogenomic Approach over Ilex L. Species from Southern South America

PubMed Central

Cascales, Jimena; Bracco, Mariana; Garberoglio, Mariana J.; Poggio, Lidia; Gottlieb, Alexandra M.

2017-01-01

The use of molecular markers with inadequate variation levels has resulted in poorly resolved phylogenetic relationships within Ilex. Focusing on southern South American and Asian species, we aimed at contributing informative plastid markers. Also, we intended to gain insights into the nature of morphological and physiological characters used to identify species. We obtained the chloroplast genomes of I. paraguariensis and I. dumosa, and combined these with all the congeneric plastomes currently available to accomplish interspecific comparisons and multilocus analyses. We selected seven introns and nine IGSs as variable non-coding markers that were used in phylogenomic analyses. Eight extra IGSs were proposed as candidate markers. Southern South American species formed one lineage, except for I. paraguariensis, I. dumosa and I. argentina, which occupied intermediate positions among sampled taxa; Euroasiatic species formed two lineages. Some concordant relationships were retrieved from nuclear sequence data. We also conducted integral analyses, involving a supernetwork of molecular data, and a simultaneous analysis of quantitative and qualitative morphological and phytochemical characters, together with molecular data. The total evidence tree was used to study the evolution of non-molecular data, evidencing fifteen non-ambiguous synapomorphic character states and consolidating the relationships among southern South American species. More South American representatives should be incorporated to elucidate their origin. PMID:29165335

Morphological observation and length-weight relationship of critically endangered riverine catfish Rita rita (Hamilton).

PubMed

Amin, M R; Mollah, M F A; Taslima, K; Muhammadullah

2014-01-15

The experiment was conducted to investigate the morphological status of the critically endangered riverine catfish Rita rita using morphometric and meristic traits. About 158 species of Rita were collected from the old Brahmaputra river in Mymensingh district and were studied in the laboratory of the Fisheries Biology and Genetics Department, Bangladesh Agricultural University. Measurement of length and weight of Rita were recorded by using measuring scale and electric balance respectively. Significant curvilinear relationship existed between total length and other morphometric characters and between head length and other characters of the head. Relationships between total length and various body measurements of the fish were highly significant (p < 0.01) except the relationship between total length and pelvic fin length of male fish (p < 0.05). In case of meristic characters-dorsal fin rays, pelvic fin rays, pectoral fin rays, anal fin rays, caudal fin rays, number of vertebrae and branchiostegal rays were found to be more or less similar except slight differences. The values of condition factors (k) in the total length body-weight relationships for female and male were found to be 0.41 and 0.38, respectively. The mean values of relative condition factors (kn) were 1.0 and 1.005 for female and male, respectively.

Penis morphology in a Burmese amber harvestman.

PubMed

Dunlop, Jason A; Selden, Paul A; Giribet, Gonzalo

2016-02-01

A unique specimen of the fossil harvestman Halitherses grimaldii Giribet and Dunlop, 2005 (Arachnida: Opiliones) from the Cretaceous (ca. 99 Ma) Burmese amber of Myanmar reveals a fully extended penis. This is the first record of a male copulatory organ of this nature preserved in amber and is of special importance due to the age of the deposit. The penis has a slender, distally flattened truncus, a spatulate heart-shaped glans and a short distal stylus, twisted at the tip. In living harvestmen, the penis yields crucial characters for their systematics. Male genital morphology in H. grimaldii appears to be unique among the wider Dyspnoi clade to which this fossil belongs. The large eyes in the fossil differ markedly from other members of the subfamily Ortholasmatinae to which H. grimaldii was originally referred. Based on recent data, it has been argued that large eyes may be plesiomorphic for Palpatores (i.e. the suborders Eupnoi and Dyspnoi), potentially rendering this character plesiomorphic for the fossil too. Thus, the unique structure of the penis seen here, and the probable lack of diaphanous teeth, present in all other extant non-acropsopilionid Dyspnoi, suggest that H. grimaldii represents a new, extinct family of large-eyed dyspnoid harvestmen, Halithersidae fam. nov.; a higher taxon in amber diagnosed here on both somatic and genital characters.

Biology and external morphology of the immature stages of the butterfly Callicore pygas eucale , with comments on the taxonomy of the genus Callicore (Nymphalidae: Biblidinae)

PubMed Central

Dias, Fernando Maia Silva; Casagrande, Mirna Martins; Mielke, Olaf Hermann Hendrik

2014-01-01

Abstract The biology and the external morphology of the immature stages of Callicore pygas eucale (Fruhstorfer, 1916) (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae: Biblidinae) are described. Immatures were collected on Allophylus edulis (Radlkofer) (Sapindales: Sapindaceae) in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil, and reared in the laboratory. Morphological descriptions and illustrations are given based on observations through electronic, stereoscopic, and optic microscopes, the latter two attached to a camera lucida. Results are compared and discussed with the immature stages of other species of the subtribe Callicorina. Immature stages data provide further evidence that Callicore is paraphyletic and that generic limits within the Callicorina need revision. PMID:25368047

Pseudosmittia aizaiensis, a new species of orthocladiinae (Diptera, Chironomidae) from human province of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shida

1990-09-01

Male and female adult midges of Pseudosmittia aizaiensis sp.n. are described and illustrated with figures of morphological characters. The inferior volsella of gonocoxite with large lobes, the long but equal width gonostylus, and the small projection in basal part of outer margin are the characters that may separate this species from others. One larva of this genus is purely aquatic in habitat and is associated with Cricotopus bicinctus, Cardiocladius capucinus and Polypedilum sp. in the same algae debris (Spirogyra sp.) of the Dunghe River. Further, the larva's very short SI and SII bifids, its 5 pairs of lateral teeth on mentum and its absence of premandible brush are the characters that may also separate this species from any known species of this genus.

Identifying species of moths (Lepidoptera) from Baihua Mountain, Beijing, China, using DNA barcodes

PubMed Central

Liu, Xiao F; Yang, Cong H; Han, Hui L; Ward, Robert D; Zhang, Ai-bing

2014-01-01

DNA barcoding has become a promising means for the identification of organisms of all life-history stages. Currently, distance-based and tree-based methods are most widely used to define species boundaries and uncover cryptic species. However, there is no universal threshold of genetic distance values that can be used to distinguish taxonomic groups. Alternatively, DNA barcoding can deploy a “character-based” method, whereby species are identified through the discrete nucleotide substitutions. Our research focuses on the delimitation of moth species using DNA-barcoding methods. We analyzed 393 Lepidopteran specimens belonging to 80 morphologically recognized species with a standard cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequencing approach, and deployed tree-based, distance-based, and diagnostic character-based methods to identify the taxa. The tree-based method divided the 393 specimens into 79 taxa (species), and the distance-based method divided them into 84 taxa (species). Although the diagnostic character-based method found only 39 so-identifiable species in the 80 species, with a reduction in sample size the accuracy rate substantially improved. For example, in the Arctiidae subset, all 12 species had diagnostics characteristics. Compared with traditional morphological method, molecular taxonomy performed well. All three methods enable the rapid delimitation of species, although they have different characteristics and different strengths. The tree-based and distance-based methods can be used for accurate species identification and biodiversity studies in large data sets, while the character-based method performs well in small data sets and can also be used as the foundation of species-specific biochips. PMID:25360280

Nematode taxonomy: from morphology to metabarcoding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, M.; Sapp, M.; Prior, T.; Karssen, G.; Back, M.

2015-11-01

Nematodes represent a species rich and morphologically diverse group of metazoans inhabiting both aquatic and terrestrial environments. Their role as biological indicators and as key players in nutrient cycling has been well documented. Some groups of nematodes are also known to cause significant losses to crop production. In spite of this, knowledge of their diversity is still limited due to the difficulty in achieving species identification using morphological characters. Molecular methodology has provided very useful means of circumventing the numerous limitations associated with classical morphology based identification. We discuss herein the history and the progress made within the field of nematode systematics, the limitations of classical taxonomy and how the advent of high throughput sequencing is facilitating advanced ecological and molecular studies.

A New Species of Dichelacera (Dichelacera) Macquart (Diptera, Tabanidae) from the Brazilian Savannah.

PubMed

Lima, H I L; Krolow, T K; Henriques, A L

2018-06-01

A new species of Dichelacera (Tabanidae, Diptera) is described, based on females from Arraias, state of Tocantins, Brazil. Diagnosis, discussion, and illustrations of external and internal characters are provided. In addition, we provide unpublished photographs of Dichelacera callosa Lutz for comparison.

Root Character Evolution and Systematics in Cranichidinae, Prescottiinae and Spiranthinae (Orchidaceae, Cranichideae)

PubMed Central

Figueroa, Coyolxauhqui; Salazar, Gerardo A.; Zavaleta, H. Araceli; Engleman, E. Mark

2008-01-01

Background and Aims Previous studies have suggested that velamen characteristics are useful as taxonomic markers in Orchidaceae. Members of tribe Cranichideae have been assigned to two velamen types constructed based on combinations of characters such as the presence of secondary cell-wall thickenings and pores. However, such characters have not been analysed on an individual basis in explicit cladistic analyses. Methods The micromorphology of roots of 26 species of Cranichideae was examined through scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy, scoring the variation and distribution of four characters: number of velamen cell layers, velamen cell-wall thickenings, presence and type of tilosomes, and supraendodermal spaces. The last three characters were analysed cladistically in combination with DNA sequence data of plastid trnK/matK and nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions and optimized on the resulting phylogenetic tree. Key Results Thickenings of velamen cell walls group Prescottiinae with Spiranthinae, whereas tilosomes, documented here for the first time in Cranichideae, provide an unambiguous synapomorphy for subtribe Spiranthinae. Supraendodermal spaces occur mostly in species dwelling in seasonally dry habitats and appear to have evolved three times. Conclusions Three of the four structural characters assessed are phylogenetically informative, marking monophyletic groups recovered in the combined molecular–morphological analysis. This study highlights the need for conducting character-based structural studies to overcome analytical shortcomings of the typological approach. PMID:18263628

Anatomy of the crus and pes of neotropical iguanian lizards in relation to habitat use and digitally based grasping capabilities.

PubMed

Abdala, Virginia; Tulli, María José; Russell, Anthony P; Powell, George L; Cruz, Félix B

2014-03-01

Ecomorphological studies of lizards have explored the role of various morphological traits and how these may be associated with, among other things, habitat use. We present an analysis of selected traits of internal morphology of the hind limbs of Neotropical iguanian lizards and their relationship to habitat use. Considering that one of the most widely-held hypotheses relating to the origin of grasping is associated with the exploitation of the narrow-branch arboreal habitat, we include subdivisions of this designation as two of our ecologically defined categories of habitat exploitation for analysis, and compare lizards assigned to these categories to the features displayed by terrestrial lizards. The influence of phylogeny in shaping the morphology of lizards was assessed by using the comparative method. K values were significant for several osteological traits. Most of the K values for the variables based upon muscle and tendon morphometric characters (13 out 21), by contrast, had values <1, suggesting that their variation cannot be explained by phylogeny alone. Results of our phylogenetic and conventional ANCOVA analyses reveal that the characters highlighted through the application of the comparative method are not absolutely related to habitat in terms of the categories considered here. It appears that the bauplan of the lizard pes incorporates a morphological configuration that is sufficiently versatile to enable exploitation of almost all of the available habitats. As unexpected as conservation of internal gross morphology appears, it represents a means of accommodating to environmental challenges by apparently permitting adequacy for all situations examined. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Geographic distribution and taxonomic circumscription of populations within Coryphantha section Robustispina (Cactaceae).

PubMed

Baker, Marc A; Butterworth, Charles A

2013-05-01

Taxonomic circumscription of subspecific taxa within Coryphantha robustispina was evaluated with morphological data and microsatellites. This study was the first to compare adequately sampled morphological and DNA analyses at the population level in the Cactaceae. This comparison was important to test reliability of both methods and to gain a better understanding of phytogeography, evolution, and systematics of the species, knowledge that could prove useful for other taxa as well. Populations of C. robustispina subsp. robustispina are listed as endangered by the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Our primary goal was to explore correlations among geographical distribution, morphology, and genetics of selected populations throughout the range of the species and the outgroup, C. poselgeriana. • Stem characters were measured for 638 individuals among 16 populations. Flower characters were measured for 180 individuals among 12 populations. Ten microsatellite DNA loci were isolated and characterized for 204 individuals among 13 populations. Data were analyzed using various multivariate analyses. • Our results indicated that, within Coryphantha robustispina, there were three morphologically, genetically, and geographically coherent groups represented by the names C. robustispina subsp. robustispina, C. robustispina subsp. uncinata, and C. robustispina subsp. scheeri. For most analyses, distinctions among the three groups were primarily not as great as those between any one of them and the outgroup. • Results suggested that the three subspecific taxa within Coryphantha robustispina are good subspecies but should not be elevated to species rank. The closely aligned results between morphology and microsatellite data support the design and utility of both methods.

Ontogeny of Feeding Mechanics in Smoothhound Sharks: Morphology and Cartilage Stiffness.

PubMed

Wilga, Cheryl A D; Diniz, Stephanye E; Steele, Preston R; Sudario-Cook, Jordan; Dumont, Elizabeth R; Ferry, Lara A

2016-09-01

The diet of dusky smoothhound sharks, Mustelus canis, shifts over ontogeny from soft foods to a diet dominated by crabs. This may be accompanied by changes in the skeletal system that facilitates the capture and processing of large and bulky prey. The hyoid arch, for example, braces the jaws against the cranium, and generates suction for prey capture and intraoral transport. In this study, ontogenetic changes in the hyoid arch were investigated by quantifying size, mineralization, and stiffness to determine whether increasingly stiffer cartilages are associated with the dietary switch. Total length and length of the hyomandibula and ceratohyal cartilages over ontogeny were the proxy for body size. Cross-sectional area, percent mineralization, and second moment of area were quantified in 28 individuals spanning most of the natural size range. Mechanical compression tests were conducted to compare flexural stiffness to size. Our results show that the morphological characters tested for the hyomandibular and ceratohyal cartilages scales isometrically with length. While stiffness of the hyomandibular and ceratohyal cartilages scales isometrically with length when assessed on morphological characters alone (second moment of area), this relationship becomes allometric when mechanical properties are included (flexural stiffness). Thus, while the hyoid arch elements grow isometrically, the mechanical properties dictate a scaling relationship that dwarfs morphological characteristics. The various combinations of morphologies and ontogenetic trajectories of chondrichthyan species illustrate the tremendous flexibility that they possess in the functional organization of the feeding apparatus. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Morphological variation, phylogenetic relationships, and geographic distribution of the Baenidae (Testudines), based on new specimens from the Uinta Formation (Uinta Basin), Utah (USA)

PubMed Central

Hutchison, J. Howard; Townsend, K. E. Beth; Adrian, Brent; Jager, Daniel

2017-01-01

We described newly discovered baenid specimens from the Uintan North American Land Mammal Age (NALMA), in the Uinta Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah. These specimens include a partial skull and several previously undescribed postcranial elements of Baena arenosa, and numerous well-preserved shells of B. arenosa and Chisternon undatum. Baenids from the Uintan NALMA (46.5–40 Ma) are critical in that they provide valuable insight into the morphology and evolution of the diverse and speciose baenid family near the end of its extensive radiation, just prior to the disappearance of this clade from the fossil record. These Uintan specimens greatly increase the known variation in these late-surviving taxa and indicate that several characters thought to define these species should be reassessed. The partial cranium of B. arenosa, including portions of the basicranium, neurocranium, face, and lower jaw, was recently recovered from Uinta B sediments. While its morphology is consistent with known specimens of B. arenosa, we observed several distinct differences: a crescent-shaped condylus occipitalis that is concave dorsally, tuberculum basioccipitale that flare out laterally, and a distinct frontal-nasal suture. The current sample of plastral and carapacial morphology considerably expands the documented variation in the hypodigms of B. arenosa and C. undatum. Novel shell characters observed include sigmoidal extragular-humeral sulci, and small, subtriangular gular scutes. Subadult specimens reveal ontogenetic processes in both taxa, and demonstrate that diagnostic morphological differences between them were present from an early developmental age. PMID:28686718

Morphological variation, phylogenetic relationships, and geographic distribution of the Baenidae (Testudines), based on new specimens from the Uinta Formation (Uinta Basin), Utah (USA).

PubMed

Smith, Heather F; Hutchison, J Howard; Townsend, K E Beth; Adrian, Brent; Jager, Daniel

2017-01-01

We described newly discovered baenid specimens from the Uintan North American Land Mammal Age (NALMA), in the Uinta Formation, Uinta Basin, Utah. These specimens include a partial skull and several previously undescribed postcranial elements of Baena arenosa, and numerous well-preserved shells of B. arenosa and Chisternon undatum. Baenids from the Uintan NALMA (46.5-40 Ma) are critical in that they provide valuable insight into the morphology and evolution of the diverse and speciose baenid family near the end of its extensive radiation, just prior to the disappearance of this clade from the fossil record. These Uintan specimens greatly increase the known variation in these late-surviving taxa and indicate that several characters thought to define these species should be reassessed. The partial cranium of B. arenosa, including portions of the basicranium, neurocranium, face, and lower jaw, was recently recovered from Uinta B sediments. While its morphology is consistent with known specimens of B. arenosa, we observed several distinct differences: a crescent-shaped condylus occipitalis that is concave dorsally, tuberculum basioccipitale that flare out laterally, and a distinct frontal-nasal suture. The current sample of plastral and carapacial morphology considerably expands the documented variation in the hypodigms of B. arenosa and C. undatum. Novel shell characters observed include sigmoidal extragular-humeral sulci, and small, subtriangular gular scutes. Subadult specimens reveal ontogenetic processes in both taxa, and demonstrate that diagnostic morphological differences between them were present from an early developmental age.

From kissing to belly stridulation: comparative analysis reveals surprising diversity, rapid evolution, and much homoplasy in the mating behaviour of 27 species of sepsid flies (Diptera: Sepsidae).

PubMed

Puniamoorthy, N; Ismail, M R B; Tan, D S H; Meier, R

2009-11-01

Our understanding of how fast mating behaviour evolves in insects is rather poor due to a lack of comparative studies among insect groups for which phylogenetic relationships are known. Here, we present a detailed study of the mating behaviour of 27 species of Sepsidae (Diptera) for which a well-resolved and supported phylogeny is available. We demonstrate that mating behaviour is extremely diverse in sepsids with each species having its own mating profile. We define 32 behavioural characters and document them with video clips. Based on sister species comparisons, we provide several examples where mating behaviour evolves faster than all sexually dimorphic morphological traits. Mapping the behaviours onto the molecular tree reveals much homoplasy, comparable to that observed for third positions of mitochondrial protein-encoding genes. A partitioned Bremer support (PBS) analysis reveals conflict between the molecular and behavioural data, but behavioural characters have higher PBS values per parsimony-informative character than DNA sequence characters.

Different effects of variation in Xanthium strumarium L. (Compositae) on two insect seed predators.

PubMed

Hare, J Daniel; Futuyma, Douglas J

1978-01-01

To determine the relative importance of variation in several plant characters on susceptibility to herbivores, we examined patterns of seed predation by two monophagous insect species and patterns of variation in ten populations of the cocklebur, Xanthium strumarium. Multiple regression analysis disclosed that one seed predator was most influenced by plant chemical variation, the other was significantly influenced by both chemical and morphological variation, but variation in yet another character, general burr size, was most important in conferring resistance to both insects simultaneously. The plant populations differed most in this character. Although many of the plant characters were correlated with each other, those important in determining susceptibility to each insect species were uncorrelated and independent of those conferring resistance to both insects simultaneously.These results imply that ecological similar herbivores may be influenced by different aspects of plant variation, and that predictions of evolutionary responses of local plant populations to herbivory may require knowledge of the structure of local herbivore communities and the dynamics of their establishment.

Stone loaches of Choman River system, Kurdistan, Iran (Teleostei: Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae).

PubMed

Kamangar, Barzan Bahrami; Prokofiev, Artem M; Ghaderi, Edris; Nalbant, Theodore T

2014-01-20

For the first time, we present data on species composition and distributions of nemacheilid loaches in the Choman River basin of Kurdistan province, Iran. Two genera and four species are recorded from the area, of which three species are new for science: Oxynoemacheilus kurdistanicus, O. zagrosensis, O. chomanicus spp. nov., and Turcinoemacheilus kosswigi Băn. et Nalb. Detailed and illustrated morphological descriptions and univariate and multivariate analysis of morphometric and meristic features are for each of these species. Forty morphometric and eleven meristic characters were used in multivariate analysis to select characters that could discriminate between the four loach species. Discriminant Function Analysis revealed that sixteen morphometric measures and five meristic characters have the most variability between the loach species. The dendrograms based on cluster analysis of Mahalanobis distances of morphometrics and a combination of both characters confirmed two distinct groups: Oxynoemacheilus spp. and T. kosswigi. Within Oxynoemacheilus, O. zagrosensis and O. chomanicus are more similar to one other rather to either is to O. kurdistanicus.

Entomopathogen ID: A multi-locus sequence alignment resource for entomopathogenic fungi

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The ability to correctly identify entomopathogenic fungi is an important step in developing biopesticides and effectively communicating research results. Over the years, identifying entomopathogenic fungi has evolved from a system based on diagnostic morphological and physiological characters to mol...

Pseudomacrochenus wusuae sp. n., a new species from Sichuan, China (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae)

PubMed Central

He, Li; Liu, Bin; Wang, Cheng-Bin

2017-01-01

Abstract Pseudomacrochenus wusuae sp. n. (Coleoptera, Cerambycidae, Lamiinae, Lamiini) is described from Sichuan, China. Relevant morphological characters are illustrated by colour plates and a differential diagnosis of the new species from its relatives is provided. PMID:28331404

One new species of the genus Nigrimacula Shi, Bian & Zhou, 2016 (Orthoptera: Meconematinae) from Sichuan, China.

PubMed

Wang, Hai-Jian; Shi, Fu-Ming

2016-07-01

The paper describels one new species, i.e. Nigrimacula sichuanensis Wang & Shi, sp. nov. from Sichuan, China, and provides photographs of morphological characters. The type material is deposited in the Museum of Hebei University.

External hyphal production of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in pasture and tallgrass prairie communities.

PubMed

Miller, R M; Jastrow, J D; Reinhardt, D R

1995-07-01

External hyphae of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi were quantified over a growing season in a reconstructed tallgrass prairie and an ungrazed cool-season pasture. In both sites, hyphal lengths increased throughout the growing season. Peak external hyphal lengths were 111 m cm -3 of soil in the prairie and 81 m cm -3 of soil in the pasture. These hyphal lengths calculate to external hyphal dry weights of 457 μg cm -3 and 339 μg cm -3 of soil for prairie and pasture communities, respectively. The relationships among external hyphal length, root characteristics, soil P and soil moisture were also determined. Measures of gross root morphology [e.g., specific root length (SRL) and root mass] have a strong association with external hyphal length. Over the course of the study, both grassland communities experienced a major drought event in late spring. During this period a reduction in SRL occurred in both the pasture and prairie without a measured reduction in external hyphal length. Recovery for both the pasture and prairie occurred not by increasing SRL, but rather by increasing external hyphal length. This study suggests that growth is coordinated between VAM hyphae and root morphology, which in turn, are constrained by plant community composition and soil nutrient and moisture conditions.

Quantitative complete tooth variation among east Asians and Native Americans: developmental biology as a tool for the assessment of human divergence.

PubMed

Shields, E D

1996-01-01

The quantification of total tooth structure derived from X-rays of Vietnamese, Southern Chinese, Mongolians, Western Eskimos, and Peruvian pre-Inca (Huari Empire) populations was used to examine dental divergence and the morphogenetics of change. Multivariate derived distances between the samples helped identify a quasicontinuous web of ethnic groups with two binary clusters ensconced within the web. One cluster was composed of Mongolians, Western Eskimos, and pre-Inca, and the other group consisted of the Southern Chinese and Vietnamese. Mongolians entered the quasicontinuum from a divergent angle (externally influenced) from that of the Southeast Asians. The Chinese and pre-Inca formed the polar samples of the distance superstructure. The pre-Inca sample was the most isolated, its closest neighbor being the Western Eskimos. Univariate and multivariate analyses suggested that the pre-Inca, whose ancestors arrived in America perhaps approximately 30,000 years ago, was the least derived sample. Clearly, microevolutionary change occurred among the samples, but the dental phenotype was resistant to environmental developmental perturbations. An assessment of dental divergence and developmental biology suggested that the overall dental phenotype is a complex multigenic morphological character, and that the observed variation evolved through total genomic drift. The quantified dental phenotype is greater than its highly multigenic algorithm and its development homeostasis is tightly controlled, or canalized, by the deterministic organization of a complex nonlinear epigenetic milieu. The overall dental phenotype quantified here was selectively neutral and a good character to help reconstruct the sequence of human evolution, but if the outlying homeostatic threshold was or will be exceeded in antecedents and descendants, respectively, evolutionary saltation occurs.

Morphology of the European species of the aphid genus Eulachnus (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Lachninae) - A SEM comparative and integrative study.

PubMed

Kanturski, Mariusz; Karcz, Jagna; Wieczorek, Karina

2015-09-01

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods were used for the first time to elucidate the external morphology of the European species of the genus Eulachnus (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Lachninae), a representative genus of the conifer-feeding aphids tribe Eulachnini. We examined and compared the external morphology of apterous and alate viviparous females from the parthenogenetic generation as well as oviparous females and alate males belonging to the sexual generation. FE-SEM images based on HMDS and cryo-SEM preparation techniques revealed better image quality than the CPD technique in regard to surface tension and morphological signs of cell deteriorations (i.e., existence of depressions, drying artifacts and membrane blebs). Three morphologically different species groups "agilis", "brevipilosus" and "cembrae" were proposed due to the differences in head, antennae, legs and dorsal chaetotaxy as well as dorsal sclerotization. The most characteristic features and differences of representatives of these groups are presented and discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Illustrated Key to the Female Anopheles of Southwestern Asia and Egypt (Diptera: Culicidae)

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-07-01

Ano.) hyrcanus (Pallas) based on the appar- ent absence of evidence for its hybridization with An. hyrcanus in any part of its distribu- tion, and...Morphological characters used here are based predominantly on previous usage in published literature. Harbach and Knight (1980) are followed for morphological...and basal band more narrow (Fig. 13); palpomere 4 (MPlp4) pale at base and apex (Fig. 13); femora (Fe) and tibiae (Ti) with spots of pale scales (Fig

[Morphological fibroblastic changes in cytomegalovirus infection].

PubMed

Parkhomenko, Iu V; Solnyshkova, T G; Tishkivich, O A; Shakhgil'dian, V I; Nikonova, E A

2006-01-01

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is widely spread among population. While immunocompetent patients suffer rarely from this virus, it can lead to a lethal outcome in immunocompromised patients. An electron microscopic study has detected fibroblastic morphological changes of a definite cytodestructive character. The nuclei of some fibroblasts have chromatine condensation. A clear zone arising due to vacuolization near this inclusion may reflect nuclear rearrangement leading to further CMV metamorphosis of the cell. This metamorphosis is characteristic of the changes developing in the cells of different parenchymatous organs.

Two new species of Chaco Tullgren from the Atlantic coast of Uruguay (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Nemesiidae).

PubMed

de Oca, Laura Montes; Pérez-Miles, Fernando

2013-01-01

We describe two new species of the nemesiid spider genus Chaco from Rocha Province, Uruguay. These new species are diagnosed based on genital morphology, male tibial apophysis spination, and burrow entrance. We test cospecificity of one species, Chaco costai,via laboratory mating experiments. The new species are diagnosed and illustrated and habitat characteristics, and capture behavior are described. We conduct a cladistic analysis based on a previously published morphological character matrix that now includes the newly described species.

A new dwarf crayfish (Decapoda: Cambaridae) from floodplain swamps in central Alabama.

PubMed

Schuster, Guenter A; Kendrick, Michael R

2017-03-05

Cambarellus (Pandicambarus) rotatus, new species, is a dwarf crayfish from floodplain swamps in the Tombigbee and Black Warrior river drainages of Greene, Hale, and Marengo counties, Alabama. The new species is morphologically most similar to Cambarellus (Pandicambarus) lesliei. They differ in a several morphological characters. Cambarellus rotatus, new species, has gonopods that are rotated mesially so that the terminal elements oppose each other, and they have a short C-shaped sperm groove. These are unique features among known species of Cambarellus.

The thorax morphology of Epiophlebia (Insecta: Odonata) nymphs--including remarks on ontogenesis and evolution.

PubMed

Büsse, Sebastian; Helmker, Benjamin; Hörnschemeyer, Thomas

2015-08-06

The species of Epiophlebia are unique among the recent Odonata in showing a mixture of morphological characters of dragonflies (Anisoptera) and damselflies (Zygoptera). The status of the four described extant species of Epiophlebia is disputable from a genetic as well as from a morphological point of view. Here we present an analysis of the thoracic musculature of different nymphal instars of Epiophlebia laidlawi and Epiophlebia superstes to elucidate their morphology and ontogenetic development. In total, 75 muscles have been identified in the thorax of Epiophlebia. This represents the highest number of thoracic muscles ever found in any odonate. It includes six muscles that are reported for the first time for Odonata, and three of these are even new for Pterygota. In total, our results indicate that Epiophlebia has the most ancestral thoracic morphology among Odonata.

Family matters: The first molecular phylogeny of the Onchidorididae Gray, 1827 (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Nudibranchia).

PubMed

Hallas, Joshua M; Gosliner, Terrence M

2015-07-01

Recent investigations into the evolution of the Onchidorididae using morphological based methods have resulted in low support for relationships among genera. This study aims to determine if molecular data corroborates recent morphological interpretations of the evolution of Onchidorididae. Five genetic markers: 16S, 18S, 28S, cytochrome c oxidase 1 (COI) and histone 3 (H3), were sequenced from 32 species comprising Onchidorididae and five other families, three from Phanerobranchia and two from Cryptobranchia. Phylogenies were estimated using maximum likelihood, and Bayesian inference analyses; with both yielding similar topologies. Molecular analyses resulted in high support for the monophyly of the suctorian clade and the placement of the genera within Onchidorididae. However, the Onchidorididae forms a paraphyletic grouping due to the recovery of the Goniodorididae and the Akiodorididae nested within family. In addition, the placement of Corambe as the most derived member of Onchidorididae is contradicted by the present study. Rather it is sister to a large clade that includes Acanthodoris and the species traditionally placed in Onchidoris and Adalaria, now defined as Onchidorididae. We have chosen to maintain Corambidae as a distinct taxon (including Corambe and Loy), sister to Onchidorididae. We also maintain Goniodorididae, Akiodorididae and Calycidoridae (including Calycidoris and Diaphorodoris), which along with the Onchidorididae and Corambidae comprise the suctorian superfamily Onchidoridoidea. Ancestral character reconstruction also suggests that the formation of a gill pocket, a character that currently defines the Cryptobranchia, may have evolved multiple times from an ancestor that lacked the ability to retract its gills into a fully formed gill pocket. The diversity of gill morphology displayed by the Onchidoridoidea will help give new insight into the evolution of this complex character within the Nudibranchia. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A New Morphological Phylogeny of the Ophiuroidea (Echinodermata) Accords with Molecular Evidence and Renders Microfossils Accessible for Cladistics

PubMed Central

Thuy, Ben; Stöhr, Sabine

2016-01-01

Ophiuroid systematics is currently in a state of upheaval, with recent molecular estimates fundamentally clashing with traditional, morphology-based classifications. Here, we attempt a long overdue recast of a morphological phylogeny estimate of the Ophiuroidea taking into account latest insights on microstructural features of the arm skeleton. Our final estimate is based on a total of 45 ingroup taxa, including 41 recent species covering the full range of extant ophiuroid higher taxon diversity and 4 fossil species known from exceptionally preserved material, and the Lower Carboniferous Aganaster gregarius as the outgroup. A total of 130 characters were scored directly on specimens. The tree resulting from the Bayesian inference analysis of the full data matrix is reasonably well resolved and well supported, and refutes all previous classifications, with most traditional families discredited as poly- or paraphyletic. In contrast, our tree agrees remarkably well with the latest molecular estimate, thus paving the way towards an integrated new classification of the Ophiuroidea. Among the characters which were qualitatively found to accord best with our tree topology, we selected a list of potential synapomorphies for future formal clade definitions. Furthermore, an analysis with 13 of the ingroup taxa reduced to the lateral arm plate characters produced a tree which was essentially similar to the full dataset tree. This suggests that dissociated lateral arm plates can be analysed in combination with fully known taxa and thus effectively unlocks the extensive record of fossil lateral arm plates for phylogenetic estimates. Finally, the age and position within our tree implies that the ophiuroid crown-group had started to diversify by the Early Triassic. PMID:27227685

Phylogeny, classification, and fruit evolution of the species-rich Neotropical bellflowers (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae).

PubMed

Lagomarsino, Laura P; Antonelli, Alexandre; Muchhala, Nathan; Timmermann, Allan; Mathews, Sarah; Davis, Charles C

2014-12-01

• The species-rich Neotropical genera Centropogon, Burmeistera, and Siphocampylus represent more than half of the ∼1200 species in the subfamily Lobelioideae (Campanulaceae). They exhibit remarkable morphological variation in floral morphology and habit. Limited taxon sampling and phylogenetic resolution, however, obscures our understanding of relationships between and within these genera and underscores our uncertainty of the systematic value of fruit type as a major diagnostic character.• We inferred a phylogeny from five plastid DNA regions (rpl32-trnL, ndhF-rpl32, rps16-trnK, trnG-trnG-trns, rbcL) using maximum-likelihood and Bayesian inference. Ancestral character reconstructions were applied to infer patterns of fruit evolution.• Our results demonstrate that the majority of species in the genera Centropogon, Burmeistera, and Siphocampylus together form a primarily mainland Neotropical clade, collectively termed the "centropogonids." Caribbean Siphocampylus, however, group with other Caribbean lobelioid species. We find high support for the monophyly of Burmeistera and the polyphyly of Centropogon and mainland Siphocampylus. The ancestral fruit type of the centropogonids is a capsule; berries have evolved independently multiple times.• Our plastid phylogeny greatly improves the phylogenetic resolution within Neotropical Lobelioideae and highlights the need for taxonomic revisions in the subfamily. Inference of ancestral character states identifies a dynamic pattern of fruit evolution within the centropogonids, emphasizing the difficulty of diagnosing broad taxonomic groups on the basis of fruit type. Finally, we identify that the centropogonids, Lysipomia, and Lobelia section Tupa form a Pan-Andean radiation with broad habitat diversity. This clade is a prime candidate for investigations of Neotropical biogeography and morphological evolution. © 2014 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

The systematics of Echinorhynchus Zoega in Müller, 1776 (Acanthocephala, Echinorhynchidae) elucidated by nuclear and mitochondrial sequence data from eight European taxa.

PubMed

Wayland, Matthew T; Vainio, Jouni K; Gibson, David I; Herniou, Elisabeth A; Littlewood, D Timothy J; Väinölä, Risto

2015-01-01

The acanthocephalan genus Echinorhynchus Zoega in Müller, 1776 (sensuYamaguti 1963) is a large and widespread group of parasites of teleost fish and malacostracan crustaceans, distributed from the Arctic to the Antarctic in habitats ranging from freshwaters to the deep-sea. A total of 52 species are currently recognised based on the conventional morphological species concept; however, the true diversity in the genus is masked by cryptic speciation. The considerable diversity within Echinorhynchus is an argument for subdividing the genus if monophyletic groups with supporting morphological characters can be identified. With this objective in mind, partial sequences of two genes with different rates of evolution and patterns of inheritance (nuclear 28S rRNA and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I) were used to infer the phylogenetic relationships among eight taxa of Echinorhynchus. These included representatives of each of three genus group taxa proposed in a controversial revision of the genus based on cement gland pattern, namely Echinorhynchus (sensu stricto), Metechinorhynchus Petrochenko, 1956 and Pseudoechinorhynchus Petrochenko, 1956. These groupings have previously been rejected by some authorities, because the diagnostic character is poorly defined; this study shows that Echinorhynchus (sensu stricto) and Metechinorhynchus are not natural, monophyletic groups. A revision of Echinorhynchus will require tandem molecular phylogenetic and morphological analyses of a larger sample of taxa, but this study has identified two morhological characters that might potentially be used to define new genera. The estimated phylogeny also provides insight into the zoogeographical history of Echinorhynchus spp. We postulate that the ancestral Echinorhynchus had a freshwater origin and the genus subsequently invaded the sea, probably several times. The freshwater taxa of the Echinorhynchusbothniensis Zdzitowiecki & Valtonen, 1987 clade may represent a reinvasion of freshwater by one or more ancestral marine species.

The Role of Information in the Strategic Management Process.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hayward, Tim; Broady, Judith E.

1995-01-01

Presents research on the use of external information in the strategic management of retail banks in the United Kingdom. Explores the organizational role of the environmental analysis department, the character of business environment analysis, and the nature of information used in strategic management and its perceived importance. (Author/AEF)

Buckling of paramagnetic chains in soft gels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Shilin; Pessot, Giorgio; Cremer, Peet; Weeber, Rudolf; Holm, Christian; Nowak, Johannes; Odenbach, Stefan; Menzel, Andreas M.; Auernhammer, Günter K.

We study the magneto-elastic coupling behavior of paramagnetic chains in soft polymer gels exposed to external magnetic fields. To this end, a laser scanning confocal microscope is used to observe the morphology of the paramagnetic chains together with the deformation field of the surrounding gel network. The paramagnetic chains in soft polymer gels show rich morphological shape changes under oblique magnetic fields, in particular a pronounced buckling deformation. The details of the resulting morphological shapes depend on the length of the chain, the strength of the external magnetic field, and the modulus of the gel. Based on the observation that the magnetic chains are strongly coupled to the surrounding polymer network, a simplified model is developed to describe their buckling behavior. A coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulation model featuring an increased matrix stiffness on the surfaces of the particles leads to morphologies in agreement with the experimentally observed buckling effects.

A new species of Rana from the Dabie Mountains in eastern China (Anura, Ranidae)

PubMed Central

Wang, Chencheng; Qian, Lifu; Zhang, Chenling; Guo, Weibo; Pan, Tao; Wu, Jun; Wang, Hui; Zhang, Baowei

2017-01-01

Abstract A new species Rana dabieshanensis sp. n. is described from the Dabie Mountains in Anhui Province, China, based on morphological character differences and molecular analyses. The new species can be distinguished from its congeners by a combination of diagnostic characters. The results of phylogenetic analyses (based on 12s rRNA, 16s rRNA, ND2, Cyt b, RAG1, BDNF and Tyr) and genetic distances (based on Cyt b) indicate that the new species belongs to the Rana longicrus group, and is placed as the sister taxon to R. hanluica. PMID:29362536

Three routes to crypsis: Stasis, convergence, and parallelism in the Mastigias species complex (Scyphozoa, Rhizostomeae).

PubMed

Swift, H F; Gómez Daglio, L; Dawson, M N

2016-06-01

Evolutionary inference can be complicated by morphological crypsis, particularly in open marine systems that may rapidly dissipate signals of evolutionary processes. These complications may be alleviated by studying systems with simpler histories and clearer boundaries, such as marine lakes-small bodies of seawater entirely surrounded by land. As an example, we consider the jellyfish Mastigias spp. which occurs in two ecotypes, one in marine lakes and one in coastal oceanic habitats, throughout the Indo-West Pacific (IWP). We tested three evolutionary hypotheses to explain the current distribution of the ecotypes: (H1) the ecotypes originated from an ancient divergence; (H2) the lake ecotype was derived recently from the ocean ecotype during a single divergence event; and (H3) the lake ecotype was derived from multiple, recent, independent, divergences. We collected specimens from 21 locations throughout the IWP, reconstructed multilocus phylogenetic and intraspecific relationships, and measured variation in up to 40 morphological characters. The species tree reveals three reciprocally monophyletic regional clades, two of which contain ocean and lake ecotypes, suggesting repeated, independent evolution of coastal ancestors into marine lake ecotypes, consistent with H3; hypothesis testing and an intraspecific haplotype network analysis of samples from Palau reaffirms this result. Phylogenetic character mapping strongly correlates morphology to environment rather than lineage (r=0.7512, p<0.00001). Considering also the deeper relationships among regional clades, morphological similarity in Mastigias spp. clearly results from three separate patterns of evolution: morphological stasis in ocean medusae, convergence of lake morphology across distinct species and parallelism between lake morphologies within species. That three evolutionary routes each result in crypsis illustrates the challenges of interpreting evolutionary processes from patterns of biogeography and diversity in the seas. Identifying cryptic species is only the first step in understanding these processes; an equally important second step is exploring and understanding the processes and patterns that create crypsis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The identity of Pethia punctata, a senior synonym of P. muvattupuzhaensis (Teleostei: Cyprinidae).

PubMed

Katwate, Unmesh; Baby, Fibin; Raghavan, Rajeev; Dahanukar, Neelesh

2014-11-14

Francis Day described Pethia punctata from Cochin, on the Malabar (south western) coast of India. Although, the species is now recovered from its synonymy with P. ticto, an accurate diagnosis and description have been lacking. A redescription of P. punctata based on external morphology, osteology and genetics is provided, which revealed that P. muvattupuzhaensis, described from Muvattupuzha River, Ernakulam District, Kerala, India, is its junior synonym. Pethia punctata can be diagnosed from other known species in the genus by a combination of characters including lateral line complete, with 23-25 pored scales; 8 predorsal scales; ½4/1/3½ scales in transverse line; dorsal fin originating almost opposite to, or slightly before pelvic-fin origin; gill rakers 7 on first ceratobranchial; 4+26 total vertebrae; a small black humeral spot covering anterior half of the fourth scale of the row below the lateral-line row; two minute dark spots below the humeral spot; a prominent spot on the caudal peduncle, surrounded by a golden hoop covering scales 19-21 of the lateral-line row; and dorsal fin with 2-3 longitudinal rows of black spots, third row occupying only anterior portion of the fin. 

Ontogenetic changes in the internal and external morphology of the ilium in modern humans

PubMed Central

Abel, Richard; Macho, Gabriele A

2011-01-01

Trabecular architecture forms an important structural component of bone and, depending on the loading conditions encountered during life, is organised in a systematic, bone- and species-specific manner. However, recent studies suggested that gross trabecular arrangement (e.g. density distribution), like overall bone shape, is predetermined and/or affected by factors other than loading and perhaps less plastic than commonly assumed. To explore this issue further, the present cross-sectional ontogenetic study investigated morphological changes in external bone shape in relation to changes in trabecular bundle orientation and anisotropy. Radiographs of 73 modern human ilia were assessed using radiographic and Geometric Morphometric techniques. The study confirmed the apparently strong predetermination of trabecular bundle development, i.e. prior to external loading, although loading clearly also had an effect on overall morphology. For example, the sacro-pubic bundle, which follows the path of load transmission from the auricular surface to the acetabulum, is well defined and shows relatively high levels of anisotropy from early stages of development; the situation for the ischio-iliac strut is similar. However, while the sacro-pubic strut retains a constant relationship with the external landmarks defining the joint surfaces, the ischio-iliac bundle changes its relationship with the external landmarks and becomes aligned with the iliac tubercle only during late adolescence/early adulthood. It is tentatively proposed that the rearrangement of the ischio-iliac strut may reflect a change in locomotor pattern and/or a shift in positional behavior with increasing mass after growth of external bone dimensions has slowed/ceased. PMID:21323915

Building a Twig Phylogeny

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flinn, Kathryn M.

2015-01-01

In this classroom activity, students build a phylogeny for woody plant species based on the morphology of their twigs. Using any available twigs, students can practice the process of cladistics to test evolutionary hypotheses for real organisms. They identify homologous characters, determine polarity through outgroup comparison, and construct a…

Linezolid-resistant mucoid Staphylococcus haemolyticus from a tertiary-care centre in Delhi.

PubMed

Matlani, M; Shende, T; Bhandari, V; Dawar, R; Sardana, R; Gaind, R

2016-05-01

We report an unusual morphological mucoid variant of Staphylococcus haemolyticus associated with linezolid resistance from a patient with sepsis. Linezolid resistance and mucoid character together made this pathogen difficult to treat. To our knowledge this is the first such report.

Systematics of Thysanoptera, pear thrips and other economic species

Treesearch

Sueo Nakahara

1991-01-01

The systematics of the Thysanoptera, and several economic species in the United States and Canada (North America) are discussed briefly. Morphological characters to distinguish the six families in North America and the following economic species, pear thrips (Taeniothrips inconsequens (Uzel)), basswood thrips (Thrips calcaratus...

Taxonomic changes and description of two new species for the Phyllodactylus lanei complex (Gekkota: Phyllodactylidae) in Mexico.

PubMed

RamÍrez-Reyes, Tonatiuh; Flores-Villela, Oscar

2018-04-10

An integrative taxonomy approach was implemented based on analysis of genetic, phylogenetic, morphological and ecological data to identify the cryptic diversity within the Phyllodactylus lanei complex. At least six species can be identified, of which four are currently considered subspecies: Phyllodactylus lanei, Phyllodactylus rupinus, Phyllodactylus isabelae, Phyllodactylus lupitae and two corresponding to undescribed taxa, which are identified and described in this contribution. These differ from other Mexican geckos in several characters: genetic distance (DNAmt), position in molecular phylogeny (concatened data DNAmt+DNAnu), species tree, morphological characters such as snout-vent length, longitudinal scales, tubercles from head to tail, interorbital scales, scales across venter, third labial-snout scales and rows of tubercles across dorsum; there are also differences in their bioclimatic profiles (temperature and precipitation) and geographical distribution. The most recent studies on taxonomy and evolution of Mexican geckos (Phyllodactylus) show that the diversity of this group of reptiles is currently underestimated, suggesting that more research and conservation efforts are should be addressed at these lizards.

Two new Lophoturus species (Diplopoda, Polyxenida, Lophoproctidae) from Queensland, Australia

PubMed Central

Huynh, Cuong; Veenstra, Anneke A.

2018-01-01

Abstract Lophoturus queenslandicus Verhoeff, 1924 was the first penicillate millipede in the family Lophoproctidae collected from Cairns, a tropical region in Queensland, Australia, to be formally described. Specimens collected from this region in a recent study had the morphological characters known to define this genus. However, their body form and length, as well as dorsal colouration proved to be different, suggesting the possibility of more than one Lophoturus species. This assertion was supported by the results of a phylogenetic analysis of DNA extracted and sequenced using 18S and COI regions from L. queenslandicus and two undescribed species from this genus. Specimens preserved in ethanol can prove difficult to confidently identify to species level because their colour gradually fades. Examination of live specimens with their body colour visible, together with morphological characters and DNA analysis is the most reliable way of correctly distinguishing between these three species. Two new species, L. boondallus sp. n. and L. molloyensis sp. n. collected in Queensland, Australia are described. PMID:29706774

Species delimitation of the Hyphydrus ovatus complex in western Palaearctic with an update of species distributions (Coleoptera, Dytiscidae)

PubMed Central

Bergsten, Johannes; Weingartner, Elisabeth; Hájek, Jiří

2017-01-01

Abstract The species status of Hyphydrus anatolicus Guignot, 1957 and H. sanctus Sharp, 1882, previously often confused with the widespread H. ovatus (Linnaeus, 1760), are tested with molecular and morphological characters. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) was sequenced for 32 specimens of all three species. Gene-trees were inferred with parsimony, time-free bayesian and strict clock bayesian analyses. The GMYC model was used to estimate species limits. All three species were reciprocally monophyletic with CO1 and highly supported. The GMYC species delimitation analysis unequivocally delimited the three species with no other than the three species solution included in the confidence interval. A likelihood ratio test rejected the one-species null model. Important morphological characters distinguishing the species are provided and illustrated. New distributional data are given for the following species: Hyphydrus anatolicus from Slovakia and Ukraine, and H. aubei Ganglbauer, 1891, and H. sanctus from Turkey. PMID:28769697

Culture observation and molecular phylogenetic analysis on the blooming green alga Chaetomorpha valida (Cladophorales, Chlorophyta) from China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Yunyan; Tang, Xiaorong; Zhan, Zifeng; Teng, Linhong; Ding, Lanping; Huang, Bingxin

2013-05-01

The marine green alga Chaetomorpha valida fouls aquaculture ponds along the coastal cities of Dalian and Rongcheng, China. Unialgal cultures were observed under a microscope to determine the developmental morphological characters of C. valida. Results reveal that gametophytic filaments often produce lateral branches under laboratory culture conditions, suggesting an atypical heteromorphic life cycle of C. valida between unbranched sporophytes and branched gametophytes, which differs from typical isomorphic alternation of Chaetomorpha species. The shape of the basal attachment cell, an important taxonomic character within the genus, was found variable depending on environmental conditions. The 18S rDNA and 28S rDNA regions were used to explore the phylogenetic affinity of the taxa. Inferred trees from 18S rDNA sequences revealed a close relationship between C. valida and Chaetomorpha moniligera. These results would enrich information in general biology and morphological plasticity of C. valida and provided a basis for future identification of green tide forming algae.

Does the "kamaroma"-plastron pattern morph occur in both Philippine subspecies of the turtle Cuora amboinensis?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Ernst, C.H.; Laemmerzahl, A.F.; Lovich, J.E.

2011-01-01

Two subspecies of the turtle Cuora amboinensis have been reported from the Philippine Islands, C. a. amboinensis and C. a. kamaroma, distinguished primarily by their carapace morphology, and secondarily by their plastron patterns. We assessed the utility of using shell and postorbital-stripe morphology instead of plastron patterns to distinguish these putative taxa. Adult C. amboinensis from the Philippines were examined to determine the extent of occurrence of C. a. kamaroma on the islands. Several morphological carapace characters and one based on the postorbital stripe were found to differ significantly between the subspecies C. a. amboinensis and C. a. kamaroma, and were used to assign turtles to subspecies. Use of these characters often resulted in conflicting subspecific identifications for those previously assigned by their plastron patterns to C. a. kamaroma. This poses important questions. Using the carapace and postorbital-stripe characters, 95.2% of the turtles in the mainland chain of islands were identified as C. a. amboinensis, and only 4.8% as C. a. kamaroma. Surprisingly, most of those assigned to C. a. kamaroma were from the northern islands of Babuyan and Luzon, not from the southern main chain island populations closest to the likely geographic area of invasion by that subspecies. This may be due to the common practice of importation of C. a. kamaroma into these northern islands, especially Luzon, for food. Turtles with kamaroma-like or C. a. amboinensis ?? C. a. kamaroma plastron patterns have been reported from the Sulu Archipelago and Busuanga/Palawan chain, and those specimens we examined from those islands confirmed this. The questions of whether or not C. a. kamaroma actually occurs in the Philippines and, if so, what is its island distribution, cannot be answered at this time. All specimens previously identified as C. a. kamaroma by their plastron-patterns should be re-evaluated, using the significant carapace and postorbital-stripe characters identified by Rummler & Fritz (1991) and in this paper. Philippine Cuora amboinensis cannot be identified to subspecies by their plastron patterns alone. ?? Biological Society of Washington.

Physical heterogeneity and aquatic community function in river networks: A case study from the Kanawha River Basin, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thoms, M. C.; Delong, M. D.; Flotemersch, J. E.; Collins, S. E.

2017-08-01

The geomorphological character of a river network provides the template upon which evolution acts to create unique biological communities. Deciphering commonly observed patterns and processes within riverine landscapes resulting from the interplay between physical and biological components is a central tenet for the interdisciplinary field of river science. Relationships between the physical heterogeneity and food web character of functional process zones (FPZs) - large tracts of river with a similar geomorphic character -in the Kanawha River (West Virginia, USA) are examined in this study. Food web character was measured as food chain length (FCL), which reflects ecological community structure and ecosystem function. Our results show that the same basal resources were present throughout the Kanawha River but that their assimilation into the aquatic food web by primary consumers differed between FPZs. Differences in the trophic position of higher consumers (fish) were also recorded between FPZs. Overall, the morphological heterogeneity and heterogeneity of the river bed sediment of FPZs were significantly correlated with FCL. Specifically, FCL increases with greater FPZ physical heterogeneity. The result of this study does not support the current paradigm that ecosystem size is the primary determinant of food web character in river ecosystems.

The dependence of crowding on flanker complexity and target-flanker similarity

PubMed Central

Bernard, Jean-Baptiste; Chung, Susana T.L.

2013-01-01

We examined the effects of the spatial complexity of flankers and target-flanker similarity on the performance of identifying crowded letters. On each trial, observers identified the middle character of random strings of three characters (“trigrams”) briefly presented at 10° below fixation. We tested the 26 lowercase letters of the Times-Roman and Courier fonts, a set of 79 characters (letters and non-letters) of the Times-Roman font, and the uppercase letters of two highly complex ornamental fonts, Edwardian and Aristocrat. Spatial complexity of characters was quantified by the length of the morphological skeleton of each character, and target-flanker similarity was defined based on a psychometric similarity matrix. Our results showed that (1) letter identification error rate increases with flanker complexity up to a certain value, beyond which error rate becomes independent of flanker complexity; (2) the increase of error rate is slower for high-complexity target letters; (3) error rate increases with target-flanker similarity; and (4) mislocation error rate increases with target-flanker similarity. These findings, combined with the current understanding of the faulty feature integration account of crowding, provide some constraints of how the feature integration process could cause perceptual errors. PMID:21730225

The Genetic Architecture of Interspecific Variation in Mimulus

PubMed Central

Macnair, M. R.; Cumbes, Q. J.

1989-01-01

The genetic architecture of various floral and morphological differences between Mimulus cupriphilus and Mimulus guttatus is investigated. M. cupriphilus is believed to have speciated from M. guttatus in the recent past. The two parent species, the F(1) and F(2), and two backcrosses were grown and scored for 23 different characters. The analysis of means revealed significant epistasis for a number of the floral characters, particularly those involving the length of parts. Dominance was generally toward M. guttatus, except for the characters related to flowering time. Analysis of the genetic correlations between characters revealed that there were at least four different polygenic genetic systems, governing flowering time, size of flower, number of spots on the corolla, and general size. An analysis of minimum gene number suggested that there were at least 3-7 genes controlling floral size, and a different three controlling floral spot number. Two other characters, corolla lobe shape and stem color, were produced by independent major gene differences. Annuality was also shown to be heritable. The two species appear to utilize the same gene for copper tolerance. The results are discussed in the light of current theories of speciation. PMID:17246497

Morphological anomalies in two Lutzomyia (Psathyromyia) shannoni (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) specimens collected from Fort Rucker, Alabama, and Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

PubMed

Florin, David A; Lawyer, Phillip; Rowton, Edgar; Schultz, George; Wilkerson, Richard; Davies, Stephen J; Lipnick, Robert; Keep, Lisa

2010-09-01

This report describes two male specimens of the sand fly species Lutzomyia shannoni (Dyar) (Diptera: Psychodidae: Phlebotominae) collected at Fort Rucker, AL, and Fort Campbell, KY, in dry ice-baited light traps during September 2005. The specimens were observed to have anomalies to the number of spines on the gonostyli. The taxonomic keys of Young and Perkins (Mosq. News 44: 263-285; 1984) use the number of spines on the gonostylus in the first couplet to differentiate two major groupings of North American sand flies. The two anomalous specimens were identified as L. shannoni based on the following criteria: (1) both specimens possess antennal ascoids with long, distinct proximal spurs (a near diagnostic character of L. shannoni in North America), (2) the sequences of the partial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene from both specimens indicated L. shannoni, and (3) the sequences of the internal transcribed spacer 2 molecular marker from both specimens indicated L. shannoni. The anomalous features are fundamentally different from each other as the Fort Rucker specimen possesses a fifth spine (basally located) on just one gonostylus, whereas the Fort Campbell specimen possesses five spines (extra spines subterminally located) on both gonostyli. Because the gonostyli are part of the external male genitalia, anomalies in the number of spines on the gonostyli may have serious biological consequences, such as reduced reproductive success, for the possessors. These anomalies are of taxonomic interest as the specimens could easily have been misidentified using available morphological keys.

A new species of Bruchidius (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) from Albizia in Northern Thailand and a review of Bruchidius group 5.

PubMed

Tuda, Midori

2008-04-01

A new species, Bruchidius paicus (Insecta, Coleoptera) reared from the seeds of a leguminous tree, Albizia lebbeck (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae: Ingeae), is described from Northern Thailand. Inspection of genital and external morphological traits of B. paicus revealed that the new species belongs to Bruchidius Group 5 (sensu ). The definition of Group 5 is reviewed based on both external and genital morphology. Further comparison of the group to molecular Clade I of Bruchidius (sensu ) indicates the two groups correspond to each other.

Species delimitation in frogs from South American temperate forests: The case of Eupsophus, a taxonomically complex genus with high phenotypic variation

PubMed Central

Correa, Claudio; Vásquez, Dayana; Castro-Carrasco, Camila; Zúñiga-Reinoso, Álvaro; Ortiz, Juan Carlos; Palma, R. Eduardo

2017-01-01

One of the most characteristic and abundant amphibian taxa of South American temperate forests is Eupsophus. The ten currently recognized species of the genus have been divided in two species groups, roseus and vertebralis, but most of them, eight, belong to the roseus group. Recent phylogeographic and phylogenetic studies have suggested that species diversity of the roseus group could be underestimated. An examination of the literature shows that species of the roseus group exhibit high levels of variation in their external characteristics, particularly those used as diagnostic characters, which compromises their taxonomy and hinders their field recognition. High levels of variation were also observed in several new populations of the roseus group discovered in southern Chile (36°-40°S), which could not be identified to the species level by their external characteristics. On the other hand, the literature reveals a scarse karyotype differentiation and a high bioacoustic uniformity among the species of the roseus group. We performed a Bayesian phylogenetic analysis using mitochondrial and nuclear genes to reevaluate the species diversity of the roseus group, including all the nominal species of Eupsophus and new populations. This analysis was complemented with three species delimitation approaches, General Mixed Yule Coalescent, multi-rate Poisson Tree Process and Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery. We favored a conservative delimitation of only four species for the roseus group, a result more consistent with the distribution of pairwise genetic distances, and the available chromosome and bioacoustic evidence. The four recognized lineages, which have nearly completely allopatric distributions, are named after the earliest nominal species that they include, but because high levels of phenotypic variation, they are not diagnosable by consistent differences in external morphology. We discuss the implications of this new proposal for the taxonomy and conservation of the genus, and the possible causes of the difficulty to estimate its species diversity. PMID:28809924

Parametric and non-parametric species delimitation methods result in the recognition of two new Neotropical woody bamboo species.

PubMed

Ruiz-Sanchez, Eduardo

2015-12-01

The Neotropical woody bamboo genus Otatea is one of five genera in the subtribe Guaduinae. Of the eight described Otatea species, seven are endemic to Mexico and one is also distributed in Central and South America. Otatea acuminata has the widest geographical distribution of the eight species, and two of its recently collected populations do not match the known species morphologically. Parametric and non-parametric methods were used to delimit the species in Otatea using five chloroplast markers, one nuclear marker, and morphological characters. The parametric coalescent method and the non-parametric analysis supported the recognition of two distinct evolutionary lineages. Molecular clock estimates were used to estimate divergence times in Otatea. The results for divergence time in Otatea estimated the origin of the speciation events from the Late Miocene to Late Pleistocene. The species delimitation analyses (parametric and non-parametric) identified that the two populations of O. acuminata from Chiapas and Hidalgo are from two separate evolutionary lineages and these new species have morphological characters that separate them from O. acuminata s.s. The geological activity of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec may have isolated populations and limited the gene flow between Otatea species, driving speciation. Based on the results found here, I describe Otatea rzedowskiorum and Otatea victoriae as two new species, morphologically different from O. acuminata. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Soft and broadband infrared metamaterial absorber based on gold nanorod/liquid crystal hybrid with tunable total absorption

PubMed Central

Su, Zhaoxian; Yin, Jianbo; Zhao, Xiaopeng

2015-01-01

We design a soft infrared metamaterial absorber based on gold nanorods dispersed in liquid crystal (LC) placed on a gold film and theoretically investigate its total absorption character. Because the nanorods align with the LC molecule, the gold nanorods/LC hybrid exhibits different permittivity as a function of tilt angle of LC. At a certain tilt angle, the absorber shows an omnidirectional total absorption effect. By changing the tilt angle of LC by an external electric field, the total absorption character can be adjusted. The total absorption character also depends on the concentration, geometric dimension of nanorods, and defect of nanorod arrangement in LC. When the LC contains different size of gold nanorods, a broadband absorption can be easily realized. The characteristics including flexibility, omnidirectional, broadband and tunablility make the infrared metamaterial absorber possess potential use in smart metamaterial devices. PMID:26576660

Interspecific and intraspecific variation in Picea engelmannii and its congeneric cohorts: biosystematics, genecology, and climate change

Treesearch

Gerald E. Rehfeldt

2004-01-01

A series of common garden studies of 336 populations representing Picea engelmannii, P. pungens, P. glauca, P. mexicana, and P. chihuahuana provided as many as 13 growth and morphologic characters pertinent to biosystematics and genecology. Canonical discriminant analyses...

Description of the immature stages and life history of Euselasia (Lepidoptera: Riodinidae) on Miconia (Melastomataceae) in Costa Rica

Treesearch

K. Nishida

2010-01-01

The immature stages and life histories of Euselasia chrysippe (Bates, 1866) and E. bettina (Hewitson, 1869) are described, providing the first detailed morphological characters for the subfamily Euselasiinae. The larvae of Euselasia chrysippe and E. bettina ...

Differential gene expression in Alternaria gaisen exposed to dark and light

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Character states observed during sporulation have been the basis for segregation and description of many of the small-spored species of Alternaria. Phylogenetic analyses of ITS and housekeeping genes from small-spored Alternaria spp. do not support most of the currently defined morphological specie...

Increased deficit of visual attention span with development in Chinese children with developmental dyslexia.

PubMed

Zhao, Jing; Liu, Menglian; Liu, Hanlong; Huang, Chen

2018-02-16

It has been suggested that orthographic transparency and age changes may affect the relationship between visual attention span (VAS) deficit and reading difficulty. The present study explored the developmental trend of VAS in children with developmental dyslexia (DD) in Chinese, a logographic language with a deep orthography. Fifty-seven Chinese children with DD and fifty-four age-matched normal readers participated. The visual 1-back task was adopted to examine VAS. Phonological and morphological awareness tests, and reading tests in single-character and sentence levels were used for reading skill measurements. Results showed that only high graders with dyslexia exhibited lower accuracy than the controls in the VAS task, revealing an increased VAS deficit with development in the dyslexics. Moreover, the developmental trajectory analyses demonstrated that the dyslexics seemed to exhibit an atypical but not delayed pattern in their VAS development as compared to the controls. A correlation analysis indicated that VAS was only associated with morphological awareness for dyslexic readers in high grades. Further regression analysis showed that VAS skills and morphological awareness made separate and significant contributions to single-character reading for high grader with dyslexia. These findings suggested a developmental increasing trend in the relationship between VAS skills and reading (dis)ability in Chinese.

Geographic distribution of an extinct equid (Equus hydruntinus: Mammalia, Equidae) revealed by morphological and genetical analyses of fossils.

PubMed

Orlando, Ludovic; Mashkour, Marjan; Burke, Ariane; Douady, Christophe J; Eisenmann, Véra; Hänni, Catherine

2006-07-01

Equus hydruntinus inhabited Europe and the Middle East for more than 300 000 years. For a long time, palaeontological data failed to place E. hydruntinus into the equid phylogenetic tree, confronted with the fact that it shares primitive Equus characters with both zebras and asses, and derived characters with asses and hemiones. However, the study of a recently discovered skull points to a relationship with hemiones. Extraction of DNA from ancient samples from Crimea (E. hydruntinus) and Iran (E. cf. hydruntinus) yielded 134-288 bp of the mtDNA control region and 143 bp of the cytochrome b gene. This DNA analysis supports the proximity of E. hydruntinus and Equus hemionus suggested by skull and limb bone analyses, and rejects proximity to either Equus burchelli or the asses suggested by tooth morphology. Dental morphology may thus be of poor taxonomical value if used alone for establishing equid phylogenetic relationships. Furthermore, the small genetic distance between E. cf. hydruntinus of Iran and the classical E. hydruntinus of Crimea suggests that both samples belong to the same species. Accordingly, the geographic range of E. hydruntinus -- until now believed to be restricted to Europe, Israel, and Turkey -- can be extended towards East as far as Iran.

Morphological characters and DNA barcoding of Syngnathus schlegeli in the coastal waters of China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Zhi; Zhang, Yan; Han, Zhiqiang; Song, Na; Gao, Tianxiang

2018-03-01

A Syngnathus species widely distributed in Chinese seas was permanently identified as Syngnathus acus by native ichthyologists, but the taxonomic description about this species was inadequate and lacking conclusively molecular evidence. To identify this species, 357 individuals of this species from the coastal waters of Dandong, Yantai, Qingdao and Zhoushan were collected and measured. Morphological results showed that these slender specimens were mainly brownish, usually mottled with pale. Standard length ranged from 117 mm to 213 mm with an average length of 180.3 mm. The above characters were consistent with S. schlegeli distributed in Japan but colored differently from and much smaller than typical S. acus reported in Europe. Thus, morphological studies revealed that this species was previously misidentified as S. acus and might be S. schlegeli in reality. In addition, a fragment of cytochrome oxidase subunit I ( COI) gene of mitochondrial DNA was also sequenced for species identification, and 15 COI sequences belonging to different Syngnathus species were also used for the molecular identification. COI sequences of our specimens had the minimum genetic distance from recognized S. schlegeli from Japan and clustered with it firstly. The phylogenetic analysis similarly suggested that the species previously identified as S. acus in the coastal waters of China was S. schlegeli actually.

Morphological Characters and Transcriptome Profiles Associated with Black Skin and Red Skin in Crimson Snapper (Lutjanus erythropterus)

PubMed Central

Zhang, Yan-Ping; Wang, Zhong-Duo; Guo, Yu-Song; Liu, Li; Yu, Juan; Zhang, Shun; Liu, Shao-Jun; Liu, Chu-Wu

2015-01-01

In this study, morphology observation and illumina sequencing were performed on two different coloration skins of crimson snapper (Lutjanus erythropterus), the black zone and the red zone. Three types of chromatophores, melanophores, iridophores and xanthophores, were organized in the skins. The main differences between the two colorations were in the amount and distribution of the three chromatophores. After comparing the two transcriptomes, 9200 unigenes with significantly different expressions (ratio change ≥ 2 and q-value ≤ 0.05) were found, of which 5972 were up-regulated in black skin and 3228 were up-regulated in red skin. Through the function annotation, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of the differentially transcribed genes, we excavated a number of uncharacterized candidate pigment genes as well as found the conserved genes affecting pigmentation in crimson snapper. The patterns of expression of 14 pigment genes were confirmed by the Quantitative real-time PCR analysis between the two color skins. Overall, this study shows a global survey of the morphological characters and transcriptome analysis of the different coloration skins in crimson snapper, and provides valuable cellular and genetic information to uncover the mechanism of the formation of pigment patterns in snappers. PMID:26569232

Morphological Characters and Transcriptome Profiles Associated with Black Skin and Red Skin in Crimson Snapper (Lutjanus erythropterus).

PubMed

Zhang, Yan-Ping; Wang, Zhong-Duo; Guo, Yu-Song; Liu, Li; Yu, Juan; Zhang, Shun; Liu, Shao-Jun; Liu, Chu-Wu

2015-11-12

In this study, morphology observation and illumina sequencing were performed on two different coloration skins of crimson snapper (Lutjanus erythropterus), the black zone and the red zone. Three types of chromatophores, melanophores, iridophores and xanthophores, were organized in the skins. The main differences between the two colorations were in the amount and distribution of the three chromatophores. After comparing the two transcriptomes, 9200 unigenes with significantly different expressions (ratio change ≥ 2 and q-value ≤ 0.05) were found, of which 5972 were up-regulated in black skin and 3228 were up-regulated in red skin. Through the function annotation, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of the differentially transcribed genes, we excavated a number of uncharacterized candidate pigment genes as well as found the conserved genes affecting pigmentation in crimson snapper. The patterns of expression of 14 pigment genes were confirmed by the Quantitative real-time PCR analysis between the two color skins. Overall, this study shows a global survey of the morphological characters and transcriptome analysis of the different coloration skins in crimson snapper, and provides valuable cellular and genetic information to uncover the mechanism of the formation of pigment patterns in snappers.

Morphological and Phytochemical Diversity among Hypericum Species of the Mediterranean Basin

PubMed Central

Nürk, Nicolai M.; Crockett, Sara L.

2012-01-01

The genus Hypericum L. (St. John’s wort, Hypericaceae) includes more than 450 species that occur in temperature or tropical mountain regions of the world. Monographic work on the genus has resulted in the recognition and description of 36 taxonomic sections, delineated by specific combinations of morphological characteristics and biogeographic distribution. The Mediterranean Basin has been recognized as a hot spot of diversity for the genus Hypericum, and as such is a region in which many endemic species occur. Species belonging to sections distributed in this area of the world display considerable morphological and phytochemical diversity. Results of a cladistic analysis, based on 89 morphological characters that were considered phylogenetically informative, are given here. In addition, a brief overview of morphological characteristics and the distribution of pharmaceutically relevant secondary metabolites for species native to this region of the world are presented. PMID:22662020

Are Phenacoccus solani Ferris and P. defectus Ferris (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) distinct species?

PubMed

Chatzidimitriou, Evangelia; Simonato, Mauro; Watson, Gillian W; Martinez-Sañudo, Isabel; Tanaka, Hirotaka; Zhao, Jing; Pellizzari, Giuseppina

2016-03-24

Among the Nearctic species of Phenacoccus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), Phenacoccus solani Ferris and P. defectus Ferris are morphologically similar and it can be difficult to separate them on the basis of microscopic morphological characters of the adult female alone. In order to resolve their identity, a canonical variates morphological analysis of 199 specimens from different geographical origins and host plants and a molecular analysis of the COI and 28S genes were performed. The morphological analysis supported synonymy of the two species, as although the type specimens of the "species" are widely separated from each other in the canonical variates plot, they are all part of a continuous range of variation. The molecular analysis showed that P. solani and P. defectus are grouped in the same clade. On the basis of the morphological and molecular analyses, P. defectus is synonymized under the senior name P. solani, syn. n.

Morphological divergence in a continental adaptive radiation: South American ovenbirds of the genus Cinclodes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rader, Jonathan A.; Dillon, Michael E.; Chesser, R. Terry; Sabat, Pablo; Martinez del Rio, Carlos

2015-01-01

Cinclodes is an ecologically diverse genus of South American passerine birds and represents a case of continental adaptive radiation along multiple axes. We investigated morphological diversification in Cinclodes using a comprehensive set of morphometric measurements of study skins. Principal component analysis identified 2 primary axes of morphological variation: one describing body size and a second capturing differences in wing-tip shape and toe length. Phylogenetic analyses of the first principal component suggest an early divergence ofCinclodes into 2 main clades characterized by large and small body sizes. We suggest that 2 morphological outliers within these main clades (C. antarcticus and C. palliatus) may be cases of island gigantism and that a third (C. patagonicus) may reflect ecological character displacement. Despite its ecological and physiological diversity, the genus Cinclodes does not appear to show morphological diversity beyond what is typical of other avian genera.

The thorax morphology of Epiophlebia (Insecta: Odonata) nymphs – including remarks on ontogenesis and evolution

PubMed Central

Büsse, Sebastian; Helmker, Benjamin; Hörnschemeyer, Thomas

2015-01-01

The species of Epiophlebia are unique among the recent Odonata in showing a mixture of morphological characters of dragonflies (Anisoptera) and damselflies (Zygoptera). The status of the four described extant species of Epiophlebia is disputable from a genetic as well as from a morphological point of view. Here we present an analysis of the thoracic musculature of different nymphal instars of Epiophlebia laidlawi and Epiophlebia superstes to elucidate their morphology and ontogenetic development. In total, 75 muscles have been identified in the thorax of Epiophlebia. This represents the highest number of thoracic muscles ever found in any odonate. It includes six muscles that are reported for the first time for Odonata, and three of these are even new for Pterygota. In total, our results indicate that Epiophlebia has the most ancestral thoracic morphology among Odonata. PMID:26246088

Floral evolution of Philodendron subgenus Meconostigma (Araceae).

PubMed

de Oliveira, Letícia Loss; Calazans, Luana Silva Braucks; de Morais, Érica Barroso; Mayo, Simon Joseph; Schrago, Carlos Guerra; Sakuragui, Cassia Mônica

2014-01-01

Elucidating the evolutionary patterns of flower and inflorescence structure is pivotal to understanding the phylogenetic relationships of Angiosperms as a whole. The inflorescence morphology and anatomy of Philodendron subgenus Meconostigma, belonging to the monocot family Araceae, has been widely studied but the evolutionary relationships of subgenus Meconostigma and the evolution of its flower characters have hitherto remained unclear. This study examines gynoecium evolution in subgenus Meconostigma in the context of an estimated molecular phylogeny for all extant species of subgenus Meconostigma and analysis of ancestral character reconstructions of some gynoecial structures. The phylogenetic reconstructions of all extant Meconostigma species were conducted under a maximum likelihood approach based on the sequences of two chloroplast (trnk and matK) and two nuclear (ETS and 18S) markers. This topology was used to reconstruct the ancestral states of seven floral characters and to elucidate their evolutionary pattern in the Meconostigma lineage. Our phylogeny shows that Meconostigma is composed of two major clades, one comprising two Amazonian species and the other all the species from the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes with one Amazonian species. The common ancestor of the species of subgenus Meconostigma probably possessed short stylar lobes, long stylar canals, a stylar body, a vascular plexus in the gynoecium and druses in the stylar parenchyma but it is uncertain whether raphide inclusions were present in the parenchyma. The ancestral lineage also probably possessed up to 10 ovary locules. The evolution of these characters seems to have occurred independently in some lineages. We propose that the morphological and anatomical diversity observed in the gynoecial structures of subgenus Meconostigma is the result of an ongoing process of fusion of floral structures leading to a reduction of energy wastage and increase in stigmatic surface.

How many taxa can be recognized within the complex Tillandsia capillaris (Bromeliaceae, Tillandsioideae)? Analysis of the available classifications using a multivariate approach.

PubMed

Castello, Lucía V; Galetto, Leonardo

2013-01-01

Tillandsia capillaris Ruiz & Pav., which belongs to the subgenus Diaphoranthema is distributed in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, northern and central Argentina, and Chile, and includes forms that are difficult to circumscribe, thus considered to form a complex. The entities of this complex are predominantly small-sized epiphytes, adapted to xeric environments. The most widely used classification defines 5 forms for this complex based on few morphological reproductive traits: Tillandsia capillaris Ruiz & Pav. f. capillaris, Tillandsia capillaris f. incana (Mez) L.B. Sm., Tillandsia capillaris f. cordobensis (Hieron.) L.B. Sm., Tillandsia capillaris f. hieronymi (Mez) L.B. Sm. and Tillandsia capillaris f. virescens (Ruiz & Pav.) L.B. Sm. In this study, 35 floral and vegetative characters were analyzed with a multivariate approach in order to assess and discuss different proposals for classification of the Tillandsia capillaris complex, which presents morphotypes that co-occur in central and northern Argentina. To accomplish this, data of quantitative and categorical morphological characters of flowers and leaves were collected from herbarium specimens and field collections and were analyzed with statistical multivariate techniques. The results suggest that the last classification for the complex seems more comprehensive and three taxa were delimited: Tillandsia capillaris (=Tillandsia capillaris f. incana-hieronymi), Tillandsia virescens s. str. (=Tillandsia capillaris f. cordobensis) and Tillandsia virescens s. l. (=Tillandsia capillaris f. virescens). While Tillandsia capillaris and Tillandsia virescens s. str. co-occur, Tillandsia virescens s. l. is restricted to altitudes above 2000 m in Argentina. Characters previously used for taxa delimitation showed continuous variation and therefore were not useful. New diagnostic characters are proposed and a key is provided for delimiting these three taxa within the complex.

How many taxa can be recognized within the complex Tillandsia capillaris (Bromeliaceae, Tillandsioideae)? Analysis of the available classifications using a multivariate approach

PubMed Central

Castello, Lucía V.; Galetto, Leonardo

2013-01-01

Abstract Tillandsia capillaris Ruiz & Pav., which belongs to the subgenus Diaphoranthema is distributed in Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, northern and central Argentina, and Chile, and includes forms that are difficult to circumscribe, thus considered to form a complex. The entities of this complex are predominantly small-sized epiphytes, adapted to xeric environments. The most widely used classification defines 5 forms for this complex based on few morphological reproductive traits: Tillandsia capillaris Ruiz & Pav. f. capillaris, Tillandsia capillaris f. incana (Mez) L.B. Sm., Tillandsia capillaris f. cordobensis (Hieron.) L.B. Sm., Tillandsia capillaris f. hieronymi (Mez) L.B. Sm. and Tillandsia capillaris f. virescens (Ruiz & Pav.) L.B. Sm. In this study, 35 floral and vegetative characters were analyzed with a multivariate approach in order to assess and discuss different proposals for classification of the Tillandsia capillaris complex, which presents morphotypes that co-occur in central and northern Argentina. To accomplish this, data of quantitative and categorical morphological characters of flowers and leaves were collected from herbarium specimens and field collections and were analyzed with statistical multivariate techniques. The results suggest that the last classification for the complex seems more comprehensive and three taxa were delimited: Tillandsia capillaris (=Tillandsia capillaris f. incana-hieronymi), Tillandsia virescens s. str. (=Tillandsia capillaris f. cordobensis) and Tillandsia virescens s. l. (=Tillandsia capillaris f. virescens). While Tillandsia capillaris and Tillandsia virescens s. str. co-occur, Tillandsia virescens s. l. is restricted to altitudes above 2000 m in Argentina. Characters previously used for taxa delimitation showed continuous variation and therefore were not useful. New diagnostic characters are proposed and a key is provided for delimiting these three taxa within the complex. PMID:23805053

Do male secondary sexual characters signal ejaculate quality? A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Mautz, Brian S; Møller, Anders P; Jennions, Michael D

2013-08-01

There are two reasons why researchers are interested in the phenotypic relationship between the expression of male secondary sexual characters (SSCs) and 'ejaculate quality' (defined as sperm/ejaculate traits that are widely assumed to increase female fertility and/or sperm competitiveness). First, if the relationship is positive then females could gain a direct benefit by choosing more attractive males for fertility assurance reasons ('the phenotype-linked fertility' hypothesis). Second, there is much interest in the direction of the correlation between traits favoured by pre-copulatory sexual selection (i.e. affecting mating success) and those favoured by post-copulatory sexual selection (i.e. increasing sperm competitiveness). If the relationship is negative this could lead to the two forms of selection counteracting each other. Theory predicts that the direction of the relationship could be either positive or negative depending on the underlying genetic variance and covariance in each trait, the extent of variation among males in condition (resources available to allocate to reproductive traits), and variation among males in the cost or rate of mating. We conducted a meta-analysis to determine the average relationship between the expression of behavioural and morphological male secondary sexual characters and four assays of ejaculate quality (sperm number, viability, swimming speed and size). Regardless of how the data were partitioned the mean relationship was consistently positive, but always statistically non-significant. The only exception was that secondary sexual character expression was weakly but significantly positively correlated with sperm viability (r = 0.07, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the strength or direction of the relationship between behavioural and morphological SSCs, nor among relationships using the four ejaculate quality assays. The implications of our findings are discussed. © 2013 The Authors. Biological Reviews © 2013 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Relationships of Cetacea (Artiodactyla) among mammals: increased taxon sampling alters interpretations of key fossils and character evolution.

PubMed

Spaulding, Michelle; O'Leary, Maureen A; Gatesy, John

2009-09-23

Integration of diverse data (molecules, fossils) provides the most robust test of the phylogeny of cetaceans. Positioning key fossils is critical for reconstructing the character change from life on land to life in the water. We reexamine relationships of critical extinct taxa that impact our understanding of the origin of Cetacea. We do this in the context of the largest total evidence analysis of morphological and molecular information for Artiodactyla (661 phenotypic characters and 46,587 molecular characters, coded for 33 extant and 48 extinct taxa). We score morphological data for Carnivoramorpha, Creodonta, Lipotyphla, and the raoellid artiodactylan Indohyus and concentrate on determining which fossils are positioned along stem lineages to major artiodactylan crown clades. Shortest trees place Cetacea within Artiodactyla and close to Indohyus, with Mesonychia outside of Artiodactyla. The relationships of Mesonychia and Indohyus are highly unstable, however--in trees only two steps longer than minimum length, Mesonychia falls inside Artiodactyla and displaces Indohyus from a position close to Cetacea. Trees based only on data that fossilize continue to show the classic arrangement of relationships within Artiodactyla with Cetacea grouping outside the clade, a signal incongruent with the molecular data that dominate the total evidence result. Integration of new fossil material of Indohyus impacts placement of another extinct clade Mesonychia, pushing it much farther down the tree. The phylogenetic position of Indohyus suggests that the cetacean stem lineage included herbivorous and carnivorous aquatic species. We also conclude that extinct members of Cetancodonta (whales+hippopotamids) shared a derived ability to hear underwater sounds, even though several cetancodontans lack a pachyostotic auditory bulla. We revise the taxonomy of living and extinct artiodactylans and propose explicit node and stem-based definitions for the ingroup.

Phylogenetic studies in Psathyrella focusing on sections Pennatae and Spadiceae--new evidence for the paraphyly of the genus.

PubMed

Vasutová, Martina; Antonín, Vladimír; Urban, Alexander

2008-10-01

The sections Pennatae and Spadiceae were chosen to test the agreement of current infrageneric classifications of Psathyrella (Psathyrellaceae, Agaricales) with molecular phylogenetic data and to evaluate the systematic significance of relevant morphological characters. The ITS and partial LSU regions of nu-rDNA from 53 specimens representing 34 species of Psathyrella were sequenced and analysed with parsimony-based and model-based phylogenetic methods. According to our analyses, the sections Pennatae and Spadiceae are polyphyletic and distributed across the family Psathyrellaceae, which is divided into at least five major groups. The first one comprises most of the included Psathyrella species and, probably, the whole genus Coprinellus. The second group is made up of Psathyrella gossypina and P. delineata. The third clade consists of the genus Coprinopsis and includes Psathyrella aff. huronensis and P. marcescibilis. The fourth clade is composed of two sister groups, the subgenus Homophron and the genus Lacrymaria, and the fifth group represents the genus Parasola including Psathyrella conopilus. These results are in agreement with neither the current circumscription of the two subgenera, Psathyra and Psathyrella, nor with the pre-sent disposition of the Psathyrellaceae. Taxonomically important morphological characters in the genus Psathyrella show a high degree of homoplasy. Although these characters are useful for species delimitation, and in some cases for the circumscription of sections, they appear insufficient for a phylogenetically correct generic concept.