Corresponding Mitochondrial DNA and Niche Divergence for Crested Newt Candidate Species

Genetic divergence of mitochondrial DNA does not necessarily correspond to reproductive isolation. However, if mitochondrial DNA lineages occupy separate segments of environmental space, this supports the notion of their evolutionary independence. We explore niche differentiation among three candidate species of crested newt (characterized by distinct mitochondrial DNA lineages) and interpret the results in the light of differences observed for recognized crested newt species. We quantify niche differences among all crested newt (candidate) species and test hypotheses regarding niche evolution, employing two ordination techniques (PCA-env and ENFA). Niche equivalency is rejected: all (candidate) species are found to occupy significantly different segments of environmental space. Furthermore, niche overlap values for the three candidate species are not significantly higher than those for the recognized species. As the three candidate crested newt species are, not only in terms of mitochondrial DNA genetic divergence, but also ecologically speaking, as diverged as the recognized crested newt species, our findings are in line with the hypothesis that they represent cryptic species. We address potential pitfalls of our methodology.     

DNA Sequence Comparison among Closely Related Drosophila Species in the MULLERI Complex

DNA hybridization was used to establish DNA sequence relationships among seven Drosophila species. Single-copy DNA was isolated from four species within the Drosophila mulleri complex, D. mojavensis, D. arizonensis, D. ritae and D. starmeri. These single-copy DNAs were used as tracers to be hybridized with each other and one additional member of the mulleri complex, D. aldrichi, a member of a closely related complex, D. hydei, and a distantly related species, D. melanogaster. Two methods have been used to determine the relatedness between these species: (1) the extent of duplex formed as measured by binding to hydroxyapatite and (2) the thermal stability of the duplexed DNA. Moderately repetitive DNA was purified from these species and used similarly to determine the divergence of this family of sequences. The rate of nucleotide substitution was estimated to be 0.2 +/-, 0.1% base pair change per million years for both single-copy and middle-repetitive DNAs. The size of the D. arizonensis genome, a representative of the mulleri complex, was calculated to be 2.2 X 10(8) base pairs from its kinetic complexity similar to that of D. hydei. The relative amounts (18%) and average reiteration frequency (100 copies) of the middle-repetitive DNA are similar for all Drosophila species studied. Finally, the data are presented in a phylogenetic tree.     

Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Divergence among Meloidogyne incognita,Romanomermis culicivorax,Ascaris suum,and Caenorhabditis elegans

Mitochondrial DNA sequences were obtained from the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 3 (ND3), large rRNA, and cytochrome b genes from Meloidogyne incognita and Romanomermis culicivorax. Both species show considerable genetic distance within these same genes when compared with Caenorhabditis elegans or Ascaris suum, two species previously analyzed. Caenorhabditis, Ascaris, and Meloidogyne were selected as representatives of three subclasses in the nematode class Secernentea: Rhabditia, Spiruria, and Diplogasteria, respectively. Romanomermis served as a representative out-group of the class Adenophorea. The divergence between the phytoparasitic lineage (represented by Meloidogyne) and the three other species is so great that virtually every variable position in these genes appears to have accumulated multiple mutations, obscuring the phylogenetic information obtainable from these comparisons. The 39 and 42% amino acid similarity between the M. incognita and C. elegans ND3 and cytochrome b coding sequences, respectively, are approximately the same as those of C. elegans-mouse comparisons for the same genes (26 and 44%). This discovery calls into question the feasibility of employing cloned C. elegans probes as reagents to isolate phytoparasitic nematode genes. The genetic distance between the phytoparasitic nematode lineage and C. elegans markedly contrasts with the 79% amino acid similarity between C. elegans and A. suum for the same sequences. The molecular data suggest that Caenorhabditis and Ascaris belong to the same subclass.     

Length Variation, Heteroplasmy and Sequence Divergence in the Mitochondrial DNA of Four Species of Sturgeon (Acipenser)

The extent of mtDNA length variation and heteroplasmy as well as DNA sequences of the control region and two tRNA genes were determined for four North American sturgeon species: Acipenser transmontanus, A. medirostris, A. fulvescens and A. oxyrhnychus. Across the Continental Divide, a division in the occurrence of length variation and heteroplasmy was observed that was concordant with species biogeography as well as with phylogenies inferred from restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) of whole mtDNA and pairwise comparisons of unique sequences of the control region. In all species, mtDNA length variation was due to repeated arrays of 78-82-bp sequences each containing a D-loop strand synthesis termination associated sequence (TAS). Individual repeats showed greater sequence conservation within individuals and species rather than between species, which is suggestive of concerted evolution. Differences in the frequencies of multiple copy genomes and heteroplasmy among the four species may be ascribed to differences in the rates of recurrent mutation. A mechanism that may offset the high rate of mutation for increased copy number is suggested on the basis that an increase in the number of functional TAS motifs might reduce the frequency of successfully initiated H-strand replications.     

新疆3种雅罗鱼线粒体DNA细胞色素b序列的差异与系统进化

利用鲤科鱼类线粒体DNA细胞色素b通用引物对分布在新疆的准噶尔雅罗鱼(Leuciscusmerzbacheri)、贝加尔雅罗鱼(L .baicalensis)和高体雅罗鱼(L .idus) 3个鱼种共1 5尾个体的线粒体DNACytb部分核苷酸序列进行了测定,获得1 5条长度为41 3bp的同源基因序列。同源基因序列分析显示,在3种雅罗鱼1 5条mtDNACytb基因片段中,A、T、C、G碱基的平均含量分别是:2 7 4%、2 6 7%、1 7 2 %、2 8 7% ,其中A T含量(5 4 1 % )高于G C含量(4 5 9% ) ;共检测到5 2个突变位点;转换比颠换发生频率高,转换颠换比值(R)是3 5。mtDNACytb的进化速率在3种雅罗鱼间表现出不一致性,贝加尔与高体雅罗鱼、贝加尔与准噶尔雅罗鱼种间遗传距离分别是0 1 2 5 1和0 1 2 61 ,保守性较低;高体与准噶尔雅罗鱼种间的遗传距离是0 0 0 0 7,高度保守。mtDNACytb分子系统树显示,在3种雅罗鱼中贝加尔雅罗鱼独立成一枝,高体雅罗鱼和准噶尔雅罗鱼聚成一类。提示了,在mtDNACytb分子水平上,高体雅罗鱼和准噶尔雅罗鱼的亲缘关系十分相近,贝加尔雅罗鱼与准噶尔雅罗鱼的亲缘关系相距较远。我们对准噶尔、贝加尔和高体雅罗鱼mtDNACytb方面的研究与陈星玉对其骨骼类型的研究结果相吻合。     

Genetic variability among Solanum and Lycopersicon species revealed by amplified fragment restriction polymorphism analysis of chloroplast DNA

A phylogenetic cladogram for 23 species of genera Solanum and Lycopersicon was constructed based on restriction analysis of 10 amplified regions of chloroplast DNA. Three major clusters were detected. All Lycopersicon species and S. lycopersicoides formed the first group. Second cluster was occupied by S. verrucosum, polyploid species of series Longipedicellata, and all dyploid and polyploid species native to South America. Two diploid series Pinnatisecta and Bulbocastana were grouped together in the last claster. Previous morphological and molecular markers strongly support this type of phylogenetic analysis. Based on presented results it is evident that combination of chloroplast DNA region amplification and restriction could be a valuable alternative to a standard-RFLP analysis.     

Mitochondrial DNA rearrangements in somatic hybrids of Solanum tuberosum and Solanum brevidens

Summary Thirty somatic hybrids between Solanum tuberosum and Solanum brevidens were analysed for mitochondrial and chloroplast genome rearrangements. In all cases, the chloroplast genomes were inherited from one of the parental protoplast populations. No chloroplast DNA alterations were evident but a range of mitochondrial DNA alterations, from zero to extensive intra- and inter-molecular recombinations, were found. Such recombinations involved specific recombination hot spots in the mitochondrial genome. Not all hybrids regenerated from a common callus possessed identical mitochondrial genomes, suggesting that sorting out of mitochondrial populations in the callus may have been incomplete at the plant regeneration stage. Sorting out of organelles in planta was not observed.     

新疆3种雅罗鱼线粒体DNA控制区序列的差异和系统进化关系

对分布在新疆的准噶尔雅罗鱼(Leuciscus merzbacheri)、贝加尔雅罗鱼(Leuciscus leuciscus baicalensis)和高体雅罗鱼(Leuciscus idus)3个鱼种共24尾个体的线粒体DNA D-loop控制区核苷酸序列进行了测定,获得24条长度为667—669bp的同源基因序列。3种雅罗鱼之间的序列差异在6．39％—9．89％之间,贝加尔雅罗鱼与高体雅罗鱼种间序列同源性高,变异程度小;贝加尔雅罗鱼与准噶尔雅罗鱼种间序列同源性最低,变异程度最大。所采集的贝加尔雅罗鱼两个地理群体(赛里木湖和额尔齐斯河)内mtDNA的平均核苷酸碱基序列差异为1．07％和1．08％;两群体间的序列差异为1．07％,显示两个地理群体间无明显分化。DNA序列数据显示,这3种鱼类线粒体DNAD-loop序列变异丰富,24尾个体呈现独自的单倍型。同源基因序列平均含AT碱基64．1％,GC碱基35．9％,显示准噶尔雅罗鱼、贝加尔雅罗鱼、高体雅罗鱼的线粒体DNAD-loop区核苷酸组成的不均一性。分子系统树提示,贝加尔雅罗鱼与高体雅罗鱼亲缘关系较近,准噶尔雅罗鱼是3种雅罗鱼中较古老的鱼种。     

Exploring the Effect of Asymmetric Mitochondrial DNA Introgression on Estimating Niche Divergence in Morphologically Cryptic Species

If potential morphologically cryptic species, identified based on differentiated mitochondrial DNA, express ecological divergence, this increases support for their treatment as distinct species. However, mitochondrial DNA introgression hampers the correct estimation of ecological divergence. We test the hypothesis that estimated niche divergence differs when considering nuclear DNA composition or mitochondrial DNA type as representing the true species range. We use empirical data of two crested newt species (Amphibia: Triturus) which possess introgressed mitochondrial DNA from a third species in part of their ranges. We analyze the data in environmental space by determining Fisher distances in a principal component analysis and in geographical space by determining geographical overlap of species distribution models. We find that under mtDNA guidance in one of the two study cases niche divergence is overestimated, whereas in the other it is underestimated. In the light of our results we discuss the role of estimated niche divergence in species delineation.     

Bacillus anthracis pXO1 Plasmid Sequence Conservation among Closely Related Bacterial Species

The complete sequencing and annotation of the 181.7-kb Bacillus anthracis virulence plasmid pXO1 predicted 143 genes but could only assign putative functions to 45. Hybridization assays, PCR amplification, and DNA sequencing were used to determine whether pXO1 open reading frame (ORF) sequences were present in other bacilli and more distantly related bacterial genera. Eighteen Bacillus species isolates and four other bacterial species were tested for the presence of 106 pXO1 ORFs. Three ORFs were conserved in most of the bacteria tested. Many of the pXO1 ORFs were detected in closely related Bacillus species, and some were detected only in B. anthracis isolates. Three isolates, Bacillus cereus D-17, B. cereus 43881, and Bacillus thuringiensis 33679, contained sequences that were similar to more than one-half of the pXO1 ORF sequences examined. The majority of the DNA fragments that were amplified by PCR from these organisms had DNA sequences between 80 and 98% similar to that of pXO1. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed large potential plasmids present in both B. cereus 43881 (341 kb) and B. thuringiensis ATCC 33679 (327 kb) that hybridized with a DNA probe composed of six pXO1 ORFs.     

形目12种鸟类线粒体细胞色素b基因序列差异及其系统发育关系

采用PCR直接测序方法首次对形目 (Charadriiformes) 12种鸟类 :蒙古沙 (Charadriusmongolus)、环颈(Charadriusalexandrinus)、大杓鹬 (Numeniusmadagascariensis)、白腰杓鹬 (Numeniusarquata)、中杓鹬 (Numeniusphaeo pus)、红脚鹬 (Tringatotanus)、林鹬 (Tringaglareola)、翘嘴鹬 (Xenuscineres)、翻石鹬 (Arenariainterpres)、大滨鹬 (Calidristenuirostris)、反嘴鹬 (Recurvirostraavosetts)和砺鹬 (Haematopusostralensis)线粒体cytb基因全序列进行测定 ,并以白鹳(Ciconiaciconia)的同源序列作为外群构建系统发生树。经比对 ,形目 12种鸟类线粒体cytb基因全序列均包括1143bp ,序列间未见有插入和缺失 ,共有 381个变异位点 ,种间序列差异值为 5 16 %～ 16 0 1%。重建的系统树将形目 12种鸟类分为 2个支系 :第 1支系包括红脚鹬、林鹬、翻石鹬、大滨鹬、翘嘴鹬、中杓鹬、大杓鹬和白腰杓鹬 ,其中红脚鹬、林鹬、翻石鹬、大滨鹬、翘嘴鹬聚为一支 ,中杓鹬、大杓鹬和白腰杓鹬聚为另一支 ;第 2支系包括蒙古沙、环颈、反嘴鹬和砺鹬 ,其中反嘴鹬与砺鹬互为姐妹群 ,然后再与属的两个种蒙古沙和环颈组成的姐妹群构成并系群。分子证据提示 :第 1支系中各属间及种间的系统关系与形态学研     

(行鸟)形目12种鸟类线粒体细胞色素b基因序列差异及其系统发育关系

采用PCR直接测序方法首次对Hang形目(Charadriiformes)12种鸟类：蒙古沙Hang(Charadrius mongolus)、环颈Hang(Charadrius alexandrinus)、大杓鹬(Numenius madagascariensis)、白腰杓鹬(Numenius arquata)、中杓鹬（Numenius phaeo-pus）、红脚鹬（Trina totanus）、林鹬（Trina alareola）、翘嘴鹬（Xenus cineres）、翻石鹬（Arenaria interpres）、大滨鹬（Calidris teruarostris)、反嘴鹬（Recurvirostra avosetts)和砺鹬（Haematopus ostralensis)线粒体cyt b基因全序列进行测定,并以白鹳（Ciconia ciconia)的同序列作为外群杓建系统发生树。经比对,Hang形目12种鸟类线粒体cyt b基因全序列均包括1143bp,序列间未见有插入和缺失,共有381个变异位点,种间序列差异值为5．16％—16．01％。重建的系统树将Hang形目12种鸟类分为2个支系：第1支系包括红脚鹬、林鹬、翻石鹬、大滨鹬、翘嘴鹬、中杓鹬、大杓鹬和白腰杓鹬,其中红脚鹬、林鹬、翻石鹬、大滨鹬、翘嘴鹬聚为一支,中杓鹬、大杓鹬和白腰杓鹬聚为另一支;第2支系包括蒙古沙Hang、环颈Hang、反嘴鹬和硕鹬,其中反嘴鹬与砺鹬互为姐妹群,然后再与Hang属的两个种蒙古沙Jamg和环Hang组成的姐妹群构成并系群。分子证据提示：第1支系中各属问及种间的系统关系与形态学研究结果相吻合;第2支系中的反嘴鹬与Hang鹬之间的亲缘关系较近,两者聚为姐妹群,提示将这两个类群合并为一个亚科——反嘴葫亚科更为合理,与码亚科共同组成Hang科,与核型研究结果和Sibley在新分类体系中将码科分为反嘴鹬亚科和Hang亚科、反嘴鹬族和砺鹬族属于反嘴鹬亚科的观点相一致。     

Sequence Evolution of Drosophila Mitochondrial DNA

We have compared nucleotide sequences of corresponding segments of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) molecules of Drosophila yakuba and Drosophila melanogaster, which contain the genes for six proteins and seven tRNAs. The overall frequency of substitution between the nucleotide sequences of these protein genes is 7.2%. As was found for mtDNAs from closely related mammals, most substitutions (86%) in Drosophila mitochondrial protein genes do not result in an amino acid replacement. However, the frequencies of transitions and transversions are approximately equal in Drosophila mtDNAs, which is in contrast to the vast excess of transitions over transversions in mammalian mtDNAs. In Drosophila mtDNAs the frequency of C----T substitutions per codon in the third position is 2.5 times greater among codons of two-codon families than among codons of four-codon families; this is contrary to the hypothesis that third position silent substitutions are neutral in regard to selection. In the third position of codons of four-codon families transversions are 4.6 times more frequent than transitions and A----T substitutions account for 86% of all transversions. Ninety-four percent of all codons in the Drosophila mtDNA segments analyzed end in A or T. However, as this alone cannot account for the observed high frequency of A----T substitutions there must be either a disproportionately high rate of A----T mutation in Drosophila mtDNA or selection bias for the products of A----T mutation. --Consideration of the frequencies of interchange of AGA and AGT codons in the corresponding D. yakuba and D. melanogaster mitochondrial protein genes provides strong support for the view that AGA specifies serine in the Drosophila mitochondrial genetic code.     

蜂猴线粒体细胞色素b基因变异特点及系统发育分析

测定了蜂猴属（Nycticebus)1个蜂猴（N.coucang)和2个矮蜂猴（N,pygmaseus)个体的线粒体细胞色素b(cyt-b)基因全序列,比较现有的司猴科其他种序列,分析了核苷酸序列差异和碱基替换特点,以指猴为外群重建了系统发育树,结果表明,在所研究的个体中,2个蜂猴物种碱基组成具有哺乳动物的共同特点,它们之间转换比（特别是密码子第3位）是颠换比的6倍多,大于其他种间比较;低的Ka/Ks值（＜0．1）,说明懒猴科cyt-b基因的异义突位点受到强的选择压力作用。由cyt-b基因构建的系统发育树符合懒猴科化石记录和形态学分类观点,根据化石记录和与分化时间有一定线性关系的第3位颠换和同义突变速率,估算蜂猴与倭蜂猴种间,蜂猴与蜂属间可能的分化时间分别为300和600万年。     

Identifications of Captive and Wild Tilapia Species Existing in Hawaii by Mitochondrial DNA Control Region Sequence

Background

The tilapia family of the Cichlidae includes many fish species, which live in freshwater and saltwater environments. Several species, such as O. niloticus, O. aureus, and O. mossambicus, are excellent for aquaculture because these fish are easily reproduced and readily adapt to diverse environments. Historically, tilapia species, including O. mossambicus, S. melanotheron, and O. aureus, were introduced to Hawaii many decades ago, and the state of Hawaii uses the import permit policy to prevent O. niloticus from coming into the islands. However, hybrids produced from O. niloticus may already be present in the freshwater and marine environments of the islands. The purpose of this study was to identify tilapia species that exist in Hawaii using mitochondrial DNA analysis.

Methodology/Principal Findings

In this study, we analyzed 382 samples collected from 13 farm (captive) and wild tilapia populations in Oahu and the Hawaii Islands. Comparison of intraspecies variation between the mitochondrial DNA control region (mtDNA CR) and cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) gene from five populations indicated that mtDNA CR had higher nucleotide diversity than COI. A phylogenetic tree of all sampled tilapia was generated using mtDNA CR sequences. The neighbor-joining tree analysis identified seven distinctive tilapia species: O. aureus, O. mossambicus, O. niloticus, S. melanotheron, O. urolepies, T. redalli, and a hybrid of O. massambicus and O. niloticus. Of all the populations examined, 10 populations consisting of O. aureus, O. mossambicus, O. urolepis, and O. niloticus from the farmed sites were relatively pure, whereas three wild populations showed some degree of introgression and hybridization.

Conclusions/Significance

This DNA-based tilapia species identification is the first report that confirmed tilapia species identities in the wild and captive populations in Hawaii. The DNA sequence comparisons of mtDNA CR appear to be a valid method for tilapia species identification. The suspected tilapia hybrids that consist of O. niloticus are present in captive and wild populations in Hawaii.     

Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Variation in a Sea Star (Leptasteriasspp.) Species Complex

A 551-bp region of a PCR product containing the putative mitochondrial control region and flanking sequences was analyzed for sequence variation among 19 sea stars representing 10 previously described PCR–RFLP haplotypes within a cryptic species complex (Leptasteriasspp.). Most (97%) of the sequence variation was interhaplotypic rather than intrahaplotypic, which greatly reduced the utility of sequence polymorphisms in this mtDNA region as markers of intrahaplotypic population structure and gene flow. The estimated number of transition and transversion substitutions per nucleotide site, corrected for multiple hits, was 0.0364 and 0.0158, respectively. Most of the sequence variation occurred in the first half of the putative control region. Phylogenetic analysis (both maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood) revealed three well-supported clades, but the position of two PCR-RFLP haplotypes was not completely resolved. Low intraspecific mtDNA sequence divergence over large geographic distances may be a general pattern for echinoderm species.     

Polynucleotide Sequence Divergence Among Strains of Escherichia coli and Closely Related Organisms

Polynucleotide sequence similarity tests were carried out to determine the extent of divergence present in a number of Escherichia coli strains, obtained from diverse human, animal, and laboratory sources, and closely related strains of Shigella, Salmonella, and the Alkalescens-Dispar group. At 60 C, relative reassociation of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from the various strains with E. coli K-12 DNA ranged from 100 to 36%, with the highest level of reassociation found for three strains derived from K-12, and the lowest levels for two “atypical” E. coli strains and S. typhimurium. The change in thermal elution midpoint, which indicates the stability of DNA duplexes, ranged from 0.1 to 14.5 C, with thermal stability closely following the reassociation data. Reassociation experiments performed at 75 C, at which temperature only the more closely related DNA species form stable duplexes, gave similar indications of relatedness. At both temperatures, Alkalescens-Dispar strains showed close relatedness to E. coli, supporting the idea that they should be included in the genus Escherichia. Reciprocal binding experiments with E. coli BB, 02A, and K-12 yielded different reassociation values, suggesting that the genomes of these strains are of different size. The BB genome was calculated to be 9% larger than that of K-12, and that of 02A 9% larger than that of BB. Calculation of genome size for a series of E. coli strains yielded values ranging from 2.29 × 10⁹ to 2.97 × 10⁹ daltons. E. coli strains and closely related organisms were compared by Adansonian analysis for their relatedness to a hypothetical median strain. E. coli 0128a was the most closely related to this median organism. In general, these data compared well with the data from reassociation experiments among E. coli strains. However, anomalous results were obtained in the cases of Shigella flexneri, S. typhimurium, and “atypical” E. coli strains.     

Species-specific DNA sequences for identification of somatic hybrids between Lycopersicon esculentum and Solanum acaule

Summary Species-specific highly repeated DNA sequences can be used to screen the progeny of protoplast fusions combining different species. Such probes are easy to clone and can be detected by fast methods, e.g., hybridization to total genomic DNA. Furthermore, due to their high copy number, hybridization signals are strong and represent more than one locus, unlike isozymes or resistance markers. After cloning and screening for species-specific DNA sequences we characterized the highly repeated DNA sequences of the solanaceous species Solanum acaule and Lycopersicon esculentum var. gilva. DNA sequencing and hy ridization revealed a prominent, tandemly arranged satellite DNA repeat of 162 bp in Lycopersicon esculentum and a different satellite repeat of 183 bp, also tandemly organized, in Solanum acaule. Each repeat is absent in the respective other species. Therefore, we have used these DNA repeats as markers to distinguish regenerated interspecific somatic hybrids from the respective fusion partners. These hybrids were clearly identified by Southern hybridization and dot-blot assays to the respective ³²P-labelled satellite DNA.     

Phylogeographic Pattern and Extensive Mitochondrial DNA Divergence Disclose a Species Complex within the Chagas Disease Vector Triatoma dimidiata

Background

Triatoma dimidiata is among the main vectors of Chagas disease in Latin America. However, and despite important advances, there is no consensus about the taxonomic status of phenotypically divergent T. dimidiata populations, which in most recent papers are regarded as subspecies.

Methodology and Findings

A total of 126 cyt b sequences (621 bp long) were produced for specimens from across the species range. Forty-seven selected specimens representing the main cyt b clades observed (after a preliminary phylogenetic analysis) were also sequenced for an ND4 fragment (554 bp long) and concatenated with their respective cyt b sequences to produce a combined data set totalling 1175 bp/individual. Bayesian and Maximum-Likelihood phylogenetic analyses of both data sets (cyt b, and cyt b+ND4) disclosed four strongly divergent (all pairwise Kimura 2-parameter distances >0.08), monophyletic groups: Group I occurs from Southern Mexico through Central America into Colombia, with Ecuadorian specimens resembling Nicaraguan material; Group II includes samples from Western-Southwestern Mexico; Group III comprises specimens from the Yucatán peninsula; and Group IV consists of sylvatic samples from Belize. The closely-related, yet formally recognized species T. hegneri from the island of Cozumel falls within the divergence range of the T. dimidiata populations studied.

Conclusions

We propose that Groups I–IV, as well as T. hegneri, should be regarded as separate species. In the Petén of Guatemala, representatives of Groups I, II, and III occur in sympatry; the absence of haplotypes with intermediate genetic distances, as shown by multimodal mismatch distribution plots, clearly indicates that reproductive barriers actively promote within-group cohesion. Some sylvatic specimens from Belize belong to a different species – likely the basal lineage of the T. dimidiata complex, originated ∼8.25 Mya. The evidence presented here strongly supports the proposition that T. dimidiata is a complex of five cryptic species (Groups I–IV plus T. hegneri) that play different roles as vectors of Chagas disease in the region.     

红麻及其近缘种的RAPD分析

利用随机扩增多态性DNA（RAPD）技术分析了木槿属（Hibiscus)Furcaria组中纤维作物红麻（H.cannabinus)及其6个近缘种植物的25份材料,用筛选出的16个引物扩增出192个RAPD条带,它们表现出丰富的多态性。根据得到的RAPD指纹图谱,计算其Nei氏相似系数和遗传距离。并构建了它们的系统树。结果表明,25份材料可划分为7个组。H.penduriformis和H.calyphyllus两个种为一组;红麻种分为两个组,一组为栽培品种,另1组为野生型材料;其余4个种各成为1组。玫瑰麻（H.sabdariffa)和金线吊芙蓉（H.radiatus)的关系较近,而且两者与红麻的亲缘关系也较近,而其它四个种与红麻的关系较远。H.trionum与其它六个种的关系较远。