Origin and hidden diversity within the poorly known Galápagos snake radiation (Serpentes: Dipsadidae)

Galápagos snakes are among the least studied terrestrial vertebrates of the Archipelago. Here, we provide a phylogenetic analysis and a time calibrated tree for the group, based on a sampling of the major populations known to occur in the Archipelago. Our study revealed the presence of two previously unknown species from Santiago and Rábida Islands, and one from Tortuga, Isabela, and Fernandina. We also recognize six additional species of Pseudalsophis in the Galápagos Archipelago (Pseudalsophis biserialis from San Cristobal, Floreana and adjacent islets; Pseudalsophis hoodensis from Española and adjacent islets; Pseudalsophis dorsalis from Santa Cruz, Baltra, Santa Fé, and adjacent islets; Pseudalsophis occidentalis from Fernandina, Isabela, and Tortuga; Pseudalsophis slevini from Pinzon, and Pseudalsophis steindachneri from Baltra, Santa Cruz and adjacent islets). Our time calibrated tree suggests that the genus Pseudalsophis colonized the Galápagos Archipelago through a single event of oceanic dispersion from the coast of South America that occurred at approximately between 6.9?Ma and 4.4?Ma, near the Miocene/Pliocene boundary.www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2679FD19-01E5-48FE-A0DA-A88FF145DE56     

Molecular phylogenies and divergence times of sea urchin species of Strongylocentrotidae,Echinoida

Sea urchins of the family Strongylocentrotidae have been important model systems in many fields of basic biology, yet knowledge of their evolutionary identities such as the phylogenetic relationships and divergence times remains limited. Here, I inferred molecular phylogenies of seven Strongylocentrotid species (Strongylocentrotus franciscanus, S. nudus, S. purpuratus, S. intermedius, S. droebachiensis, S. pallidus, and Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus) from the analyses of mitochondrial DNA sequences of 12SrDNA (349 nt), 12SrDNA-tRNA(gln) region (862 nt), and a combined sequence of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI, 1080 nt) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit I (NDI, 742 nt). The rate of sequence evolution and divergence times for each species were then estimated from the trees with reference to the time of separation between Strongylocentrotidae and Parechinidae, 35 to 50 MYA. The three trees agree well with each other, and the phylogeny is summarized by ((S. franciscanus, S. nudus), (H. pulcherrimus (S. purpuratus, S. intermedius (S. droebachiensis, S. pallidus)))). It is notable that the genus Strongylocentrotus consists of two distinct clades and that H. pulcherrimus branches off within Strongylocentrotus, implying assignment of a separate, monospecific genus to this species inappropriate. The rate of sequence evolution is calibrated to be 0.24%-0.34%/Myr in 12SrDNA, 0.25%-0.36%/Myr in 12SrDNA-tRNA(gln), and 0.65%-0.93%/Myr in COI-NDI combined sequences. S. purpuratus, in particular, shows the significantly higher rate of evolution in the 12SrDNA and 12SrDNA-tRNA(gln) regions compared to other species, suggesting careful use of its sequences in comparative studies. The two clades of Strongylocentrotidae seem to have split 13-19 MYA, and H. pulcherrimus branched off 7.2-14 MYA. In the former clade, S. franciscanus and S. nudus separated 5.7-8.1 MYA. In the latter clade, S. purpuratus, S. intermedius, and the clade of S. droebachiensis and S. pallidus diverged approximately 4.6-12 MYA, and the last two closest species separated 2.1-3.1 MYA.     

Diversification in a fluctuating island setting: rapid radiation of Ohomopterus ground beetles in the Japanese Islands

The Japanese Islands have been largely isolated from the East Asian mainland since the Early Pleistocene, allowing the diversification of endemic lineages. Here, we explore speciation rates and historical biogeography of the ground beetles of the subgenus Ohomopterus (genus Carabus) based on nuclear and mitochondrial gene sequences. Ohomopterus diverged into 15 species during the Pleistocene. The speciation rate was 1.92 Ma(-1) and was particularly fast (2.37 Ma(-1)) in a group with highly divergent genitalia. Speciation occurred almost solely within Honshu, the largest island with complex geography. Species diversity is highest in central Honshu, where closely related species occur parapatrically and different-sized species co-occur. Range expansion of some species in the past has resulted in such species assemblages. Introgressive hybridization, at least for mitochondrial DNA, has occurred repeatedly between species in contact, but has not greatly disturbed species distinctness. Small-island populations of some species were separated from main-island populations only after the last glacial (or the last interglacial) period, indicating that island isolation had little role in speciation. Thus, the speciation and formation of the Ohomopterus assemblage occurred despite frequent opportunities for secondary contact and hybridization and the lack of persistent isolation. This radiation was achieved without substantial ecological differentiation, but with marked differentiation in mechanical agents of reproductive isolation (body size and genital morphology).     

Phylogeographical structure and temporal complexity in American sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua; Altingiaceae)

Eastern North American plant biogeography has traditionally focused on two primary issues: (i) the location of temperate Pleistocene refugia and their proximity to the southern margin of the ice sheet during the last glacial maximum, and (ii) the origin of the temperate element of northern Latin America. While numerous population genetic and phylogeographical studies have focused on the first issue, few (if any) have considered the second. We addressed these issues by surveying 117 individuals from 24 populations of Liquidambar styraciflua (American sweetgum; Altingiaceae) across the southeastern USA, eastern Mexico, and Guatemala, using more than 2200 bp of chloroplast DNA sequence data. To specifically address the issue of timing, we estimated intraspecific divergence times on the basis of multiple fossil-based calibration points, using taxa from Altingiaceae ( Liquidambar and Altingia ) and Hammamelidaceae ( Hamamelis ) as outgroups. More than half of the sampled localities exhibited multiple haplotypes. Remarkably, the greatest variation was observed within the USA, with Mexico and Guatemala sharing widespread haplotypes with Texas, Mississippi, Kentucky, Ohio, and northern Virginia. This lack of differentiation suggests shared ancestral polymorphisms, and that the genetic signal we observed is older than the disjunction itself. Our data provide support for previously proposed hypotheses of Pleistocene refugia in peninsular Florida and along the eastern Atlantic, but also for deeper divergences (~8 million years ago) within the USA. These patterns reflect a dynamic biogeographical history for eastern North American trees, and emphasize the importance of the inclusion of a temporal component in any phylogeographical study.     

A 'living fossil' eel (Anguilliformes: Protanguillidae, fam. nov.) from an undersea cave in Palau

We report the discovery of an enigmatic, small eel-like fish from a 35 m-deep fringing-reef cave in the western Pacific Ocean Republic of Palau that exhibits an unusual suite of morphological characters. Many of these uniquely characterize the Recent members of the 19 families comprising the elopomorph order Anguilliformes, the true eels. Others are found among anguilliforms only in the Cretaceous fossils, and still others are primitive with respect to both Recent and fossil eels. Thus, morphological evidence explicitly places it as the most basal lineage (i.e. the sister group of extant anguilliforms). Phylogenetic analysis and divergence time estimation based on whole mitogenome sequences from various actinopterygians, including representatives of all eel families, demonstrate that this fish represents one of the most basal, independent lineages of the true eels, with a long evolutionary history comparable to that of the entire Anguilliformes (approx. 200 Myr). Such a long, independent evolutionary history dating back to the early Mesozoic and a retention of primitive morphological features (e.g. the presence of a premaxilla, metapterygoid, free symplectic, gill rakers, pseudobranch and distinct caudal fin rays) warrant recognition of this species as a 'living fossil' of the true eels, herein described as Protanguilla palau genus et species nov. in the new family Protanguillidae.     

新疆裂腹鱼类的系统发生关系及物种分化时间

文章采用线粒体COI、ND4、16S rRNA基因联合数据分析了新疆分布的裂腹鱼类4属10个种或亚种的分子系统发育,并通过鲤亚科的分化时间、黄河上游和青海湖隔离的地质时间来校正分子钟,进而探讨了裂腹鱼类分化时间与塔里木盆地周边地区主要地质事件和气候变化的关系。结果发现,扁吻鱼属未能形成独立的分支,与塔里木裂腹鱼、厚唇裂腹鱼聚在一起。进一步基于COI基因序列,利用Kimura双参数模型计算遗传距离,发现扁吻鱼属和裂腹鱼属间的遗传距离未达到属间区别,扁吻鱼可能是裂腹鱼属内特化的物种;聚类分析结果不同于裂腹鱼属的形态学分类方法,不支持裂腹鱼属鱼类的亚属划分;原始等级裂腹鱼类(包括裂腹鱼属和扁吻鱼属)两个族群的分化时间(8.18 Ma)与新疆裸重唇鱼和斑重唇鱼的分化时间(7.67 Ma)均发生于晚中新世,这可能与8Ma左右青藏高原北缘和北天山抬升、塔里木盆地气候干旱化等重大地质事件和气候转型导致青藏高原北缘(昆仑山)和北天山水系间出现分离相关。而塔里木盆地裂腹鱼属鱼类现今的分布格局可能与第四纪喜马拉雅运动使盆地形成西高东低的地势、罗布泊成为塔里木盆地周边高山发源河流的汇水中心相关。     

物种分化因素影响下的巴尔通体差异转录组分析

为揭示不同种和不同宿主来源的巴尔通体(Bartonella spp.)转录水平差异及其对进化关系的影响;本研究以来自4种巴尔通体种(汉赛巴尔通体、科勒巴尔通体、克氏巴尔通体和五日热巴尔通体)和3种宿主(家猫、猕猴和人)的共27株巴尔通体菌株为研究对象;利用Illumina高通量测序技术进行转录组测序;分析不同种和不同宿主来源菌株间的基因表达差异;并比较转录组与基因组水平的系统发育分析结果的异同。结果表明;不同种和不同宿主来源的巴尔通体菌株间的基因转录水平存在明显差异;并筛选到12个可能与宿主特异性识别相关的基因(virB10、bepC和virB4等);此外;转录组核心基因(core genes)的核苷酸多态性(single nucleotide polymorphism, SNPs)位点序列的系统发育树显示菌株呈明显的物种聚集性。通过进一步分析发现;宿主因素对巴尔通体遗传分化具有一定的作用;而地理因素对巴尔通体遗传分化的作用相对较小;与基因组核心基因SNPs位点序列的系统发育分析结果一致。本研究通过差异转录组分析揭示了巴尔通体物种间的遗传分化和系统发育关系;发现不同种和不同宿主来源的菌株间存在规律性差异。这些差异与传统基因组分析结果一致;表明转录组数据可有效用于物种间的遗传分化研究。     

SEARCHING FOR EVOLUTIONARY PATTERNS IN THE SHAPE OF A PHYLOGENETIC TREE

If all species in a clade are equally likely to speciate or become extinct, then highly symmetric and highly asymmetric phylogenetic trees are unlikely to result. Variation between species in speciation and extinction rates can cause excessive asymmetry. We developed six non-parametric statistical tests that test for nonrandom patterns of branching in any bifurcating tree. The tests are demonstrated by applying them to two published phylogenies for genera of beetles. Comparison of the power of the six statistics under a simple model of biased speciation suggests which of them may be most useful for detecting nonrandom tree shapes.     

物种分化因素影响下的巴尔通体差异转录组分析

为揭示不同种和不同宿主来源的巴尔通体(Bartonella spp.)转录水平差异及其对进化关系的影响;本研究以来自4种巴尔通体种(汉赛巴尔通体、科勒巴尔通体、克氏巴尔通体和五日热巴尔通体)和3种宿主(家猫、猕猴和人)的共27株巴尔通体菌株为研究对象;利用Illumina高通量测序技术进行转录组测序;分析不同种和不同宿主来源菌株间的基因表达差异;并比较转录组与基因组水平的系统发育分析结果的异同。结果表明;不同种和不同宿主来源的巴尔通体菌株间的基因转录水平存在明显差异;并筛选到12个可能与宿主特异性识别相关的基因(virB10、bepC和virB4等);此外;转录组核心基因(core genes)的核苷酸多态性(single nucleotide polymorphism, SNPs)位点序列的系统发育树显示菌株呈明显的物种聚集性。通过进一步分析发现;宿主因素对巴尔通体遗传分化具有一定的作用;而地理因素对巴尔通体遗传分化的作用相对较小;与基因组核心基因SNPs位点序列的系统发育分析结果一致。本研究通过差异转录组分析揭示了巴尔通体物种间的遗传分化和系统发育关系;发现不同种和不同宿主来源的菌株间存在规律性差异。这些差异与传统基因组分析结果一致;表明转录组数据可有效用于物种间的遗传分化研究。