Molecular dating and phylogenetic relationships among Teiidae (Squamata) inferred by molecular and morphological data

We present a phylogenetic analysis of teiid lizards based on partitioned and combined analyses of 12S and 16S mitochondrial DNA sequences, and morphological and ultrastructural characters. There were some divergences between 12S and 16S cladograms, but phylogenetic analyses of the combined molecular data corroborated the monophyly of Tupinambinae, Teiinae, and "cnemidophorines", with high support values. The total combined analysis (molecules+morphology) produced similar results, with well-supported Teiinae and "cnemidophorines". We present an evolutionary scenario for the evolution of Teiidae, based on molecular dating of evolutionary events using Bayesian methods, ancestral areas analysis, the fossil record, the geographic distribution of genera, and environmental and geologic changes during the Tertiary. According to this scenario, (1) all current teiid genera, except Aspidoscelis, originated in isolation in South America; (2) most teiid genera originated during the Eocene, a period characterized by savanna expansion in South America; and (3) Cnemidophorus originated in South America, after which some populations dispersed to Central America during the Late Miocene.     

Evolution of chromosome number in grasshoppers (Orthoptera: Caelifera: Acrididae)

Organisms Diversity & Evolution - Orthoptera have some of the largest genomes of all insects. At the same time, the architecture of their genomes remains poorly understood. Comparative...     

Molecular and morphological phylogenetic analysis of Brachiaria and Urochloa (Poaceae)

The taxonomic relationships of Brachiaria and Urochloa have been questioned based on previous morphological studies. In this paper, we reconsider the phylogenetic relationships of these genera using 22 species of Brachiaria and Urochloa and six species of Paniceae as out-groups. The ITS1, 5.8S, and ITS2 region (internal transcribed spacer) of nuclear ribosomal DNA and eight morphological characters of the inflorescence were compiled into a data matrix. The cladistic analyses suggest that Urochloa-Brachiaria as a complex is paraphyletic with Eriochloa and Melinis. Species of all these genera share molecular synapomorphies and belong to the same monophyletic groups. The results confirm the continuous gradation between those genera previously found in several morphological studies. Therefore, the following eight new combinations are made: Urochloa bovonei (Chiov.) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton, Urochloa dura (Stapf) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton, Urochloa dura var. dura (Stapf) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton, Urochloa dura var. pilosa (J.G. Anderson) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton, Urochloa lachnantha (Hochst.) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton, Urochloa leersioides (Hochst.) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton, Urochloa nigropedata (Munro ex Ficalho & Hiern) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton, and Urochloa subulifolia (Mez) A.M. Torres & C.M. Morton.     

Combined molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Orthoptera (Arthropoda,Insecta) and implications for their higher systematics

A phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial and nuclear rDNA sequences from species of all the superfamilies of the insect order Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, and relatives) confirmed that although mitochondrial sequences provided good resolution of the youngest superfamilies, nuclear rDNA sequences were necessary to separate the basal groups. To try to reconcile these data sets into a single, fully resolved orthopteran phylogeny, we adopted consensus and combined data strategies. The consensus analysis produced a partially resolved tree that lacked several well-supported features of the individual analyses. However, this lack of resolution was explained by an examination of resampled data sets, which identified the likely source of error as the relatively short length of the individual mitochondrial data partitions. In a subsequent comparison in which the mitochondrial sequences were initially combined, we observed less conflict. We then used two approaches to examine the validity of combining all of the data in a single analysis: comparative analysis of trees recovered from resampled data sets, and the application of a randomization test. Because the results did not point to significant levels of heterogeneity in phylogenetic signal between the mitochondrial and nuclear data sets, we therefore proceeded with a combined analysis. Reconstructing phylogenies under the minimum evolution and maximum likelihood optimality criteria, we examined monophyly of the major orthopteran groups, using nonparametric and parametric bootstrap analysis and Kishino-Hasegawa tests. Our analysis suggests that phylogeny reconstruction under the maximum likelihood criteria is the most discriminating approach for the combined sequences. The results indicate, moreover, that the caeliferan Pneumoroidea and Pamphagoidea, as previously suggested, are polyphyletic. The Acridoidea is redefined to include all pamphagoid families other than the Pyrgomorphidae, which we propose should be accorded superfamily status.     

A new genus of African Karniellina (Orthoptera,Tettigoniidae, Conocephalinae,Conocephalini): integrating morphological,molecular and bioacoustical data

Melanoscirtes gen.n. is established within Karniellina. The members of this subtribe are small conocephaline bush crickets, confined to Africa. Melanoscirtes is erected on Phlesirtes kibonotensis, a species restricted to forest clearings and forest edge in the submontane and montane zones of Mt. Kilimanjaro. A subspecies, M. kibonotensis uguenoensis, is described from the North Pare mountains, a mountain range of the Eastern Arc adjacent to Mt. Kilimanjaro. Further species of Melanoscirtes occur on other mountain ranges of the northern branch of the Eastern Arc mountains of northern Tanzania and southern Kenya. The South Pare mountains harbour M. shengenae; the West Usambaras, M. usambarensis, and the Taita Hills, M. taitensis. All species and subspecies of Melanoscirtes exhibit a similar morphology and occupy analogous habitats on the respective mountains. The song patterns for all species found within this genus are very similar, and this, together with evidence from molecular data, suggests that allopatric speciation is the reason for the biogeographic pattern found in this genus. A key for the subspecies and species of Melanoscirtes is provided.     

Similarities and differences in the peering-jump behavior of three grasshopper species (Orthoptera: Caelifera)

The peering-jump behavior was studied for the common field grasshopper Chorthippus brunneus , the meadow grasshopper C. parallelus and the alpine grasshopper Miramella alpina (Orthoptera, Caelifera). It was found that immediately before jumping M. alpina executes primarily unilateral object-related peering movements, with approximately twice the amplitude and velocity of the predominantly bilateral object-related peering movements of the other two species. Whereas M. alpina almost always jumped toward the black stripes in the experimental arena, the other species jumped toward both the black stripes and the white spaces between them. All three species preferred the same pattern of black stripes, which permitted them to view one black stripe frontally, with an additional black stripe to the left and right, in the lateral visual field. The similarities and differences in the peering-jump behavior of the three grasshopper species is discussed with regard to visual perception (parallax cues) and environmental adaptation.     

The Phlesirtes complex (Orthoptera,Tettigoniidae, Conocephalinae,Conocephalini) reviewed: integrating morphological,molecular, chromosomal and bioacoustic data

The tettigoniid genus Phlesirtes Bolivar and its allies are reviewed. Morphological, ecological and molecular data prompt the erection of the new genus Chortoscirtes gen.n. with type species Xiphidion meruense Sjöstedt. The genera Phlesirtes, Chortoscirtes, Karniella and Naskreckiella are characterized by morphological characters supported by molecular, acoustic, ecological and chromosomal data. Four species, Chortoscirtes pseudomeruensis sp.n. , C. masaicus sp.n. , C. puguensis sp.n. and C. serengeti sp.n. , are described from localities in northern and coastal Tanzania and one Karniella, K. crassicerca sp.n. , is described from Uganda. The following comb n. are proposed: Phlesirtes kibonotensis (Sjöstedt) and Phlesirtes kilimandjaricus (Sjöstedt). Subtribal status is proposed for the four investigated African genera. A key to the Chortoscirtes species is provided.     

Determination of phylogenetic position of Pipizini (Diptera: Syrphidae): based on molecular biological and morphological data

Based on the sequence analysis of 5.8S subunit and internal transcribed spacers (ITS ) of ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA), the molecular phylogenetic tree of representative species of Pipizini and three groups of Syrphidae with different feeding habits (seven species belong to six genera) was constructed. Meanwhile, the phylogenetic tree of tribes (including Pipizini and other 17 tribes of Syrphidae) was constructed using morphological characteristics of adults and larvae and the number of chromosomes. Both the results show that the relationship between Pipizini and predatory groups is closer than that between Pipizini and saprophagous groups. So it is suggested that Pipizini be transferred from Milesiinae to Syrphinae.     

Determination of phylogenetic position of Pipizini (Diptera: Syrphidae): based on molecular biological and morphological data

Based on the sequence analysis of 5.8S subunit and internal transcribed spacers (ITS ) of ribosomal RNA gene (rDNA), the molecular phylogenetic tree of representative species of Pipizini and three groups of Syrphidae with different feeding habits (seven species belong to six genera) was constructed. Meanwhile, the phylogenetic tree of tribes (including Pipizini and other 17 tribes of Syrphidae) was constructed using morphological characteristics of adults and larvae and the number of chromosomes. Both the results show that the relationship between Pipizini and predatory groups is closer than that between Pipizini and saprophagous groups. So it is suggested that Pipizini be transferred from Milesiinae to Syrphinae.     

Patterns of molecular and morphological differentiation in Fagus (Fagaceae): phylogenetic implications

To study phylogenetic relationships among species of Fagus, the internal transcribed spacer regions ITS1 and ITS2 of the nuclear ribosomal DNA and morphological data were analyzed. Both molecular and morphologically based phylogenies suggest that Eurasian species of Fagus subgenus Fagus are basal to the North American Fagus grandifolia. The subgenus Fagus is a paraphyletic group basal to three East Asian species forming the subgenus Engleriana. Due to a considerably large amount of DNA polymorphism, relationships among basal species of Fagus could not be entirely resolved when analyzing ITS sequences with standard methods. Morphological trees helped to resolve more clearly relationships within the subgenus Fagus. The East Asian F. hayatae is suggested to be basal to the rest of the genus. This hypothesis is further supported by distinctive patterns of nucleotide variability found for ITS regions, allowing for basic and derived types to be distinguished. The high degree of ITS polymorphism within Fagus can be explained by (1) the complex evolutionary behavior of this marker, (2) the stenoecious ecological characteristic of Fagus with respect to its continuous geographic range throughout much of the Cenozoic, and (3) the absence of major radiations into further habitats as occurred in other Fagaceae.     

Molecular systematics and morphological character evolution of the Condamineeae (Rubiaceae)

? Premise of the study: The Condamineeae have in previous molecular studies been shown to be part of an early-divergent clade within the subfamily Ixoroideae, together with the tribes Calycophylleae, and Hippotideae, and genera of the former Cinchoneae and Rondeletieae. Generic relationships within this clade have, however, remained largely unresolved. ? Methods: In this study, the systematics of the Condamineeae was further examined by phylogenetic reconstruction of six cpDNA regions and one nrDNA region using parsimony and Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo inference. Morphological character evolution within the tribe was assessed by ancestral state reconstruction using likelihood optimization of characters onto Bayesian trees. ? Key results: Calycophylleae appears polyphyletic. "Hippotideae" is monophyletic but nested within the Condamineeae. The phylogenetic hypotheses presented support a resurrection of the genera Holtonia, Schizocalyx, and Semaphyllanthe. Furthermore, Bathysa is found to be polyphyletic, Tresanthera is found nested within Rustia, and the taxonomically disputed genus Dialypetalanthus is here shown to be sister to a Bothriospora-Wittmackanthus clade. Morphological ancestral state reconstructions indicate that protogyny have evolved at least two times within the tribe and that indehiscent fruits, loculicidal fruit dehiscence, and intrapetiolar stipules have evolved independently several times. The occurrence of calycophylls (leaf-like calyx lobes), poricidal anthers, and winged seeds also appear homoplastic within the tribe. ? Conclusions: A diagnosis and delimitation of the tribe Condamineeae is presented, with taxonomic proposals to synonymize Tresanthera and to transfer several species of Bathysa as well as Phitopis to a resurrected Schizocalyx.     

A New Synonym and New Records of South-American Eumastacidae (Caelifera: Orthoptera: Eumastacoidea)

Temnomastax spielmanni Olivier, 2014 n. syn. is proposed as new synonym of Eumastacops nemorivaga Rehn & Rehn, 1942. New distribution records in Peru and Colombia are provided for the following four species: Eumastax nigrovittata Descamps, 1979; Paramastax nigra (Scudder, 1875); Pseudomastax nigroplagiata Descamps, 1970; and Pseudomastax personata (Bolívar, 1881). New information on the distribution of Paramastax flavovittata Descamps, 1973 and E. nemorivaga is added, resulting in the expansion of the geographic distribution. Photographs of all studied species are provided.     

A molecular phylogenetic analysis of strombid gastropod morphological diversity

The shells of strombid gastropods show a wide variety of forms, ranging from small and fusiform to large and elaborately ornamented with a strongly flared outer lip. Here, we present the first species-level molecular phylogeny for strombids and use the resulting phylogenetic framework to explore relationships between species richness and morphological diversity. We use portions of one nuclear (325 bp of histone H3) and one mitochondrial (640 bp of cytochrome oxidase I, COI) gene to infer relationships within the two most species-rich genera in the Strombidae: Strombus and Lambis. We include 32 species of Strombus, representing 10 of 11 extant subgenera, and 3 of the 9 species of Lambis, representing 2 of 3 extant subgenera. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses of COI and of H3 and COI combined suggest Lambis is nested within a paraphyletic Strombus. Eastern Pacific and western Atlantic species of Strombus form a relatively recent monophyletic radiation within an older, paraphyletic Indo-West Pacific grade. Morphological diversity of subclades scales positively with species richness but does not show evidence of strong phylogenetic constraints.     

Evolution of a Neotropical marine fish lineage (Subfamily Chaenopsinae, Suborder Blennioidei) based on phylogenetic analysis of combined molecular and morphological data

Phylogenetic relationships within tube blennies (Chaenopsinae) were reconstructed using Bayesian, maximum parsimony and likelihood analyses of multiple molecular markers (mitochondrial DNA: COI; nuclear DNA: TMO-4C4, RAG1, Rhodopsin, and Histone H3) and 148 morphological characters. This total-evidence based topology is well-resolved and congruent across analytical methods with strong support for the monophyly of the Chaenopsinae, all included genera and several internal nodes. A rapid radiation in the early evolution of chaenopsins is inferred from the relatively poor support values for relationships among basal lineages and their divergence into different habitats (rocky reefs, coral reefs and the reef/sand interface). Rates of molecular evolution in chaenopsins, as inferred by divergence among four putative transisthmian geminate species pairs, are rapid compared to other fishes. Conflicts among genetic markers and morphology are especially evident within the genus Coralliozetus, with different species relationships supported by morphology, TMO-4C4, and RAG1 plus Rhodopsin. This study hypothesizes a novel sistergroup relationship between Ekemblemaria and Hemiemblemaria, consistent with morphological, molecular and habitat use data. Our total evidence phylogenetic hypothesis indicates that previously hypothesized morphological characters supporting a close relationship between Hemiemblemaria and Chaenopsis plus Lucayablennius resulted from convergent evolution in these relatively free-swimming blennies.     

Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Microphalloidea Ward, 1901 (Trematoda: Digenea)

Phylogenetic interrelationships of 32 species belonging to 18 genera and four families of the superfamily Microphalloidea were studied using partial sequences of nuclear lsrDNA analysed by Bayesian inference and maximum parsimony. The resulting trees were well resolved at most nodes and demonstrated that the Microphalloidea, as represented by the present data-set, consists of three main clades corresponding to the families Lecithodendriidae, Microphallidae and Pleurogenidae + Prosthogonimidae. Interrelationships of taxa within each clade are considered; as a result of analysis of molecular and morphological data, Floridatrema Kinsella & Deblock, 1994 is synonymised with Maritrema Nicoll, 1907, Candidotrema Dollfus, 1951 with Pleurogenes Looss, 1896, and Schistogonimus Lühe, 1909 with Prosthogonimus Lühe, 1899. The taxonomic value of some morphological features, used traditionally for the differentiation of genera within the Lecithodendriidae and Prosthogonimidae, is reconsidered. Previous systematic schemes are discussed from the viewpoint of present results, and perspectives of future studies are outlined.     

A phylogenetic analysis of cordyliformes (Reptilia: Squamata): comparison of molecular and karyological data

A karyological study and the analysis of two mitochondrial genes were conducted in several species of cordyliformes from Madagascar. Both studies confirmed the monophyly of cordyliformes. The karyological conservatism and small genetic distance among mitochondrial genes observed in these species are in line with the hypothesis that all cordyliformes should be included in a single family. The two studies yielded contrasting results with regard to the relationships between the Malagasy species and the Cordylidae and Gerrhosauridae. Nonetheless, the consistency between the data from mitochondrial gene analysis and those of taxonomic studies based on morphological characters is more in favor of an affinity between Malagasy Zonosaurinae and Gerrhosauridae and suggests that the karyological similarities between the former and the Cordylidae may be due to plesiomorphy. Interesting, though not conclusive, data were also obtained on interspecific relationships among Zono-     

The phylogenetic relationships of lampridiform fishes (Teleostei: acanthomorpha), based on a total-evidence analysis of morphological and molecular data

We investigated the phylogenetic relationships among five species of lampridiform fishes, three basal outgroup species (two aulopiforms and one myctophiform), and two species of non-lampridiform acanthomorphs (Polymixia and Percopsis) using a combined parsimony analysis of morphological and molecular data. Morphological characters included 28 transformation series obtained from the literature. Molecular characters included 223 informative transformation series from an aligned 854-base pair fragment of 12S mtDNA and 139 informative transformation series from an aligned 561-base pair fragment of 16S mtDNA. A total-evidence analysis using the aulopiforms Synodus and Aulopus and the myctophiform Hygophum as outgroups corroborates the monophyly of Lampridiformes and unites Polymixia with Percopsis. Among the lampridiform fishes we examined, Metavelifer is basal, followed in ascending order by Lampris, Lophotus, Regalecus, and Trachipterus. This hypothesis is congruent with the most recent morphological analysis of the Lampridiformes and rejects a diphyletic origin of elongate body form within the clade. Analysis of a combined matrix of 12S and 16S mtDNA data yielded a phylogenetic hypothesis isomorphic with the total-evidence phylogeny. Analyses of partitioned DNA data sets reveals that single gene regions are poor predictors of the total-evidence phylogeny while combined analyses of both DNA data sets are good predictors of the total-evidence phylogeny.