Molecular phylogeny of grapsoid crabs (Decapoda, Brachyura) and allies based on two mitochondrial genes and a proposal for refraining from current superfamily classification

Grapsoid and ocypodoid crabs receive a lot of attention in the literature due to their predominance and important role as primary and secondary consumers in intertidal as well as supratidal marine habitats. They are especially species‐rich in the tropics, where they have been found to repeatedly invade terrestrial and freshwater habitats. However, the systematics of the crabs belonging to these two superfamilies is still not settled, despite recent steps clarifying phylogenetic relationships and introducing new taxa. In this study, a molecular phylogeny of grapsoid crabs primarily based on East African representatives is constructed based on DNA sequences of the mitochondrial small and large ribosomal subunits (12S and 16S rRNA), thus complementing previous molecular taxonomic studies that had been carried out with the American and East Asian fauna. In addition, selected representatives of all ocypodoid families and subfamilies were included. The monophyly of Grapsidae, Ocypodidae (sensu stuctu), Sesarmidae and Varunidae is well confirmed, if the genera Cyclograpsus, Helice are considered Varunidae and Euchirograpsus a Plagusiidae, as previously suggested. The monophyly of the family Gecarcinidae cannot be supported with our data. The family Plagusiidae in its present composition is polyphyletic. Special attention was given to the large family Sesarmidae, which has many endemic genera in the Indo‐West Pacific. According to this study, two of the most speciose genera, Chiromantes and Parasesarma, are not monophyletic and need to be redefined. On the higher taxonomic level, it becomes evident that both superfamilies, Grapsoidea and Ocypodoidea, are not monophyletic in their current composition, as exemplified by a proposed sister group relationship of Varunidae and Macrophthalmidae. These results confirm those from previous molecular studies and we therefore propose to refrain from the traditional use of the Grapsoidea and Ocypodoidea as monophyletic superfamilies and treat the constituent families separately.     

鲎的分布及生活习性

鲎是一种古老的节肢动物,现存的鲎分为二亚科三属四种,本文对鲎在世界上的分布及其生活习性做了概述。     

Phylogeny of the shore crab family Grapsidae (Decapoda: Brachyura: Thoracotremata) based on a multilocus approach

The Grapsidae are a thoracotreme crab family with 40 species in eight genera (in their strict definition), and possess a number of morphological and molecular synapomorphies. Previous phylogenetic studies based on mitochondrial DNA markers established the monophyly of this family, but suggested possible paraphyly or polyphyly of some of the constituent genera. To test the validity of previous hypotheses, the present study reconstructed a molecular phylogeny of the grapsid crabs based on five molecular markers, including mitochondrial DNA markers and the first use of nuclear protein‐coding markers to address this issue. Monophyly of Grapsidae was confirmed, with the exception of the position of the monotypic genus Leptograpsodes. The polyphyly of the genus Pachygrapsus is consistent with previous molecular phylogenies, as members from this genus are dispersed throughout our gene tree. Grapsus and Planes were shown to be paraphyletic, with species of Pachygrapsus nested within them. Our study found incongruences between the currently adopted classification of the family, and hence taxonomic revisions will be needed. We hereby demonstrate the use of nuclear protein‐coding markers for high confidence reconstruction of decapod phylogenies, resolving most of the early splits that mitochondrial DNA markers alone are unable to tackle. © 2015 The Linnean Society of London     

Visual Displays in Brachyuran Crabs: Field and Laboratory Studies

Study of the visual displays of more than 30 species of crabsallows some generalizations on the Brachyrhyncha. The displaysfall into two groups, the Lateral Merus and the Chela Forward.Each group contains three major subtypes of display, which originatedas discrete signals of intensity. Several special ritualizationsof the Lateral Merus have evolved in certain genera. The LateralMerus seems to be the primitive type of display in the Brachyuraand still exists in most crabs. It is speculated that the ChelaForward arose from a specialized courtship display but has beenadopted for general agonistic use in some genera.     

A phylogenetic analysis of the orb-weaving spider family Araneidae (Arachnida, Araneae)

We present the first cladistic analysis focused at the tribal and subfamily level of the orb-weaving spider family Araneidae. The data matrix of 82 characters scored for 57 arancid genera of 6 subfamilies and 19 tribes (and 13 genera from 8 outgroup families) resulted in 16 slightly different, most parsimonious trees. Successive weighting corroborated 62 of the 66 informative nodes on these cladograms; one is recommended as the 'working' araneid phylogcny. The sister group of Araneidae is all other Araneoidea. Araneidae comprises two major clades: the subfamily Araneinae, and the 'argiopoid' clade, which includes all other subfamilies and most tribes (((Gasteracanthinae, Caerostreae), (((Micratheninae, Xylcthreae), Eruyosaccus ), (Eurycorminae, Arciinae)), Cyrlarachninae), ((Argiopinae, Cyrtophorinae), Arachnureae)). Cyrtarachneae and Mastophoreae are united in a new subfamily, Cyr-tarachninae. The spiny orb-weavers alone (Gasteracanthinae and Micratheninae) are not monophyletic. The mimetid subfamily Arciinae and the 'tetragnathid' genus Zygiella are araneids, but .Nephila (and other tetragnathids) are not. On the preferred tree, web decorations (stabilimenta) evolved 9 times within 15 genera, and were lost once. The use of silk to subdue prey evolved once in cribellate and four times in ecribillate orb weavers. Sexual size dimorphism evolved once in nephilines, twice in araneids, and reverted to monomorphism five times. Evolution in other genitalic and somatic characters is also assessed; behavioral and spinneret features arc most consistent (male genitalia, leg and prosomal features least consistent) on the phylogeny.     

Site specific distribution of the mud shore crab <Emphasis Type="Italic">Helograpsus haswellianus</Emphasis> in temperate wetlands

An important aspect in determining the ecology of a species is an understanding of its abundance and distribution. The population structure and distribution of Helograpsus haswellianus (Brachyura, Grapsidae) were evaluated over 12 months at four intertidal wetland sites that differed in vegetation and inundation. Surface activity of H. haswellianus varied over time with no consistent seasonal pattern. Sex ratios were always significantly skewed towards males, and crabs of both sexes were distributed evenly across habitats at all sites. Recruitment patterns and size frequency distributions varied significantly between sites, independent of habitats. Crabs were smaller in wetter, more sheltered areas, but size ranges overlapped between habitats. The site-specific difference in population structure and distribution of H. haswellianus indicates that the functional role of this burrowing crab may vary across wetlands.     

Phylogeny of the freshwater crabs of the Western Ghats (Brachyura,Gecarcinucidae)

The Western Ghats mountain range in India is a biodiversity hotspot for a variety of organisms including a large number of endemic freshwater crab species and genera of the family Gecarcinucidae. The phylogenetic relationships of these taxa, however, have remained poorly understood. Here, we present a phylogeny that includes 90% of peninsular Indian genera based on mitochondrial 16S rRNA and nuclear histone H3 gene sequences. The subfamily Gecarcinucinae was found to be paraphyletic with members of two other subfamilies, Liotelphusinae and Parathelphusinae, nesting within. We identify a well‐supported clade consisting of north Indian species and one clade comprising mostly south Indian species that inhabit the southern ‘sky islands’ of the Western Ghats. Relationships of early diverging genera, however, were resolved with low support. This study also includes newly sampled material from an isolated mountain plateau in the northern part of the Western Ghats, representing a new species of Gubernatoriana, which we describe here as Gubernatoriana basalticola sp. n. The new species is immediately distinguished from its congeners and the related genera Ghatiana and Inglethelphusa by its carapace and cheliped morphology, which are unique among Indian freshwater crabs. This study highlights the urgent need for continued faunistic studies to assess the true diversity of gecarcinucid crabs on the Indian subcontinent, to fully understand the basal phylogenetic relationships within the freshwater crab family Gecarcinucidae, and to evaluate the conservation threat status and biogeography of the montane freshwater crabs of the Western Ghats.     

On the fauna of chironomidae (Diptera) of the Hrazdan Basin (Armenia)

A faunistic review of larvae and pupae of chironomid midges (Diptera, Chironomidae) from 15 habitats in the Hrazdan River valley (Armenia) is presented. The revealed fauna includes 40 species from 20 genera and 6 families and tribes. Diploid chromosome numbers are specified for 24 species from 13 genera and 4 subfamilies; 23 species from 14 genera and 4 subfamilies are reported from the region for the first time. Predominant oligotrophic status is confirmed for most of the reservoirs studied.     

四川南充市郊瓢虫物种多样性的初步研究

20 0 3年3月～2 0 0 4年5月,分别在南充市郊的人工林、农田、河漫滩草丛、灌木丛4种生境进行瓢虫种群结构及多样性的抽样调查研究,共采集瓢虫标本1 2 1 6只,经鉴定隶属7亚科,2 2属,3 6种。个体数量以瓢虫亚科最多,食植瓢虫亚科次之。物种数以瓢虫亚科最多,食植亚科次之,小艳瓢虫亚科最少。各生境的多样性指数和物种丰富度排序为灌木丛>河漫滩草丛>人工林>农田。     

Comparative morphology and actuopalaeontology of mysid statoliths (Crustacea,Mysidacea)

Summary A comprehensive and comparative study of the external statolith morphology of the family Mysidae is presented. The study covers 48 species from major systematic groups occupying a large number of habitats in different biogeographical zones of the globe. Statoliths generally show high morphological diversity. The traditional classification scheme of subtaxa and the correlation of statolith characters with segmentation patterns of body appendages suggest that the organic composition and the nearly spherical structure of the statoliths of Boreomysinae and Rhopalophthalminae are plesiomorphic compared with the more complex mineralized statoliths found in all other subfamilies. During ontogenetic development the number of sensorial setae and associated pores and pore groups on the statolith increase with body size and statolith diameter. Although patterns of caudal pores are highly specific for some genera, the high intraspecific variance of pore numbers strongly reduces the diagnostic value of this feature in most species. Statolith characters can be successfully used for identification of subfamilies, tribes, and especially genera. For future palaeontological applications a proper diagnosis of fossil mysid statoliths is essential. Therefore, we provide a key to subfamilies and tribes based exclusively on statolith characters.     

Phylogeny of Tubificidae (Annelida, Clitellata) based on mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data

The tubificid clitellates are a common component in the freshwater bottom fauna and are also the most abundant oligochaete group in marine habitats. There are over 800 described species classified in six subfamilies; Tubificinae, Limnodriloidinae, Rhyacodrilinae, Telmatodrilinae, Phallodrilinae, and Naidinae. In this study we examine the phylogenetic relationships in Tubificidae using a combination of mitochondrial 16S rDNA and nuclear 18S rDNA sequence data. Sequences were obtained from five outgroup and 56 ingroup taxa, including five of the six subfamilies of Tubificidae. The data were analysed by maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference. The resulting tree topologies are virtually without conflict. Several associations traditionally recognized within the family Tubificidae are supported, in the Bayesian analysis including a sister group relationship between Tubificinae and Limnodriloidinae. The results also indicate that Rhyacodrilinae is polyphyletic--some of its members (Heterodrilus spp.) fall into a clade with Phallodrilinae, all other groups with Naidinae. Naidinae is also polyphyletic with two rhyacodriline genera, Monopylephorus and Ainudrilus, nested within. Most of the tubificid genera included in the study are supported as monophyletic; however, Tubifex and Limnodriloides are refuted, and Tubificoides is unresolved from other tubificine taxa.     

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

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.     

金缕梅科的种子形态学及其系统学评价

本文利用光学显微镜及扫描电镜在属级水平上观察了金缕梅科全部6亚科中的21属41种1变种植物的种子特征,结果表明：该科的种子形状、颜色、大小及种脐特征在各亚科中有差异(除了双花木亚科与金缕梅亚科的大多数属是一致的)可作为区分亚科的特征之一。根据种皮的特征,可划分为5类：(1)种皮平滑或仅在边缘部分具条纹状纹饰(双花木亚科及金缕梅亚科中大部分属);(2)种皮具条纹状纹饰,条纹有波浪加厚或升高(马蹄荷亚科);(3)种皮具瘤状纹饰或具条纹和瘤状相间排列的纹饰(红花荷亚科);(4)种皮具条一网状纹饰(壳菜果亚科);(5)种皮具网状纹饰(枫香亚科)。种皮纹饰对亚科的划分具有一定意义。此外,还详细观察了该科的种皮结构,确认金缕梅科的种皮由外种皮及内种皮构成,而外种皮又进一步划分为外层、中层和内层,种皮各层的细胞层数对该科的分类价值不大。研究结果还表明：枫香亚科的种子特征明显不同于该科的其它成员。关于枫香亚科的系统位置还需深入研究。     

Intraspecific trait cospecialization of constitutive and inducible morphological defences in a marine snail from habitats with different predation risk

1.?Studies examining the integration of constitutive and inducible aspects of multivariate defensive phenotypes are rare. 2.?I asked whether marine snails (Nucella lamellosa) from habitats with and without abundant predatory crabs differed in constitutive and inducible aspects of defensive shell morphology. 3.?I examined multivariate shell shape development of snails from each habitat in the presence and absence of waterborne cues from feeding crabs (Cancer productus). I also examined the influence of constitutive and inducible shell morphology on resistance to crushing. 4.?Regardless of the presence of crabs, snails from high-risk (HR) habitats developed rotund, short-spired shells, while snails from low-risk habitats developed elongate shells, tall-spired shells, indicating among-habitat divergence in constitutive shell shape. Moreover, allometry analyses indicated that constitutive developmental patterns underlying this variation also differed between habitats. However, snails from HR habitats showed greater plasticity for apertural lip thickness and apertural area in the presence of crab cues, indicating among-habitat variation in defence inducibility. 5.?Both shell shape and apertural lip thickness contributed to shell strength suggesting that constitutive shell shape development and inducible lip thickening have evolved jointly to form an effective defence in habitats where predation risk is high.     

河南周口地区蚂蚁多样性调查

蚂蚁是地球上最常见的昆虫,也是周口地区土壤动物的优势类群,其种类繁多,种群数量庞大,分布较广,对生态环境的影响十分显著。调查结果显示,在周口地区分布的蚂蚁目前有5亚科18属33种,优势种是铺道蚁Tetramorium caespitum(L.),日本弓背蚁Camponotus japonicus Mayr、上海举腹蚁Crematogaster zoceensis Santschi。不同生境、不同区域分布的蚂蚁有所不同。     

A brief review of the fossil history of the family Rosaceae with a focus on the Eocene Okanogan Highlands of eastern Washington State, USA, and British Columbia, Canada

Many of the oldest definitive members of the Rosaceae are present in the Eocene upland floras of the Okanogan Highlands of northeastern Washington State and British Columbia, Canada. Over a dozen rosaceous taxa representing extant and extinct genera of all four traditionally recognized subfamilies are known from flowers, fruits, wood, pollen, and especially leaves. The complexity seen in Eocene Rosaceae suggests that hybridization and polyploidy may have played a pivotal role in the early evolution of the family. Increased species diversity and the first appearance of additional modern taxa occur during the Late Paleogene in North America and Europe. The Rosaceae become increasingly important components of fossil floras during the Neogene, with taxa adapted to many habitats.     

Post-settlement effects of habitat type and predator size on cannibalism of glaucothoe and juveniles of red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus

Postlarval (glaucothoe) and juvenile (first crab stage, C1) red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus actively select structurally complex substrata for settlement. Such habitats may provide them with shelter from predation during critical early stages. We tested this hypothesis by placing glaucothoe and juvenile crab in aquaria with or without natural or artificial habitats, and with or without predators (1-3-year-old red king crab) of two different sizes. Predators caused increased mortality of glaucothoe, but predator size, habitat presence and habitat type had no effect on survival. Predators caused significant mortality of C1 crabs in the absence of habitat, and mortality was inversely related to predator size. Density of glaucothoe on habitats was similar with or without predators, but density of C1 crab on habitats was higher than that of glaucothoe, and increased in the presence of large predators. Active selection for complex substrata by settling glaucothoe does not reduce cannibalism, but may pre-position them for improved survival after metamorphosis. In contrast, juvenile crabs modify their behavior to achieve higher densities in refuge habitats, which tends to dampen the effect of predation. These survival strategies may have evolved to compensate for the greater risk of predation in open habitats.     

A PHYLOGENETIC STUDY OF THE CORALLINALES (RHODOPHYTA) BASED ON NUCLEAR SMALL-SUBUNIT rRNA GENE SEQUENCES

Conflicting classifications for the Corallinales were tested by analyzing partial sequences for the nuclear small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU) gene of 35 species of coralline algae. Parsimony and likelihood analyses of these data yielded congruent hypotheses that are inconsistent with classifications for the group that include as many as eight subfamilies. Four major clades are resolved within the order, including the early-diverging Sporolithaceae as well as the Melobesioideae and Corallinoideae. The fourth clade, which is supported robustly, includes both nongeniculate and geniculate species classified in the subfamilies Mastophoroideae, Metagoniolithoideae, Lithophylloideae, and Amphiroideae. Molecular and morphological data support the proposal that the latter two subfamilies are sister taxa. Although relationships among some genera are not resolved clearly, the order of branching of taxa among and within the four principal lineages is concordant with paleontological evidence for the group. Relationships inferred among genera within each of the clades is discussed. Seven morphological characters delimiting higher taxonomic groups within the order were combined with the sequence data, analyzed, and optimized onto the resulting tree(s). Except for the presence or absence of genicula, all other characters were found to be phylogenetically informative. Genicula are nonhomologous structures that evolved independently in the Amphiroideae, Corallinoideae, and Metagoniolithoideae. The phenetic practice of separating coralline algae into two categories solely on the basis of the presence or absence of genicula does not accurately reflect the evolutionary history of the group.     

The Grapsidae and Ocypodidae (Decapoda: Brachyura) of Tanzania

Twenty-nine species of the Grapsidae and 15 species of the Ocypodidae were collected from the littoral zone in the area around Dar es Salaam. Nine species of Grapsidae and three of Ocypodidae were new records for the East African area, bringing the total of recorded species for the region to 35 and 26 respectively. The distribution of these crabs indicates a very limited endemism in the western Indian Ocean, with the majority of species forming an attenuated extension of the abundant Indo/West Pacific brachyuran fauna.
The habitat preference of each species is described. Within each subfamily there is a relative uniformity in general habitat preference, mode of life and manner of feeding. The species of each subfamily are then separated by substrate choice and preferred level on the shore. The greatest numbers of species occur in the most diverse habitats—the creek mangrove, the coastal mangrove and the reef flat.