Morphological and Molecular Phylogenetic Data Reveal a New Species of Primula (Primulaceae) from Hunan,China

A new species of Primulaceae, Primula undulifolia, is described from the hilly area of Hunan province in south-central China. Its morphology and distributional range suggest that it is allied to P. kwangtungensis, both adapted to subtropical climate, having contiguous distribution and similar habitat, growing on shady and moist cliffs. Petioles, scapes and pedicels of them are densely covered with rusty multicellular hairs, but the new species can be easily distinguished by its smaller flowers and narrowly oblong leaves with undulate margins. Molecular phylogenetic analysis based on four DNA markers (ITS, matK, trnL-F and rps16) confirmed the new species as an independent lineage and constitutes a main clade together with P. kwangtungensis, P. kweichouensis, P. wangii and P. hunanensis of Primula sect. Carolinella.     

Molecular and Morphological Analyses Reveal Phylogenetic Relationships of Stingrays Focusing on the Family Dasyatidae (Myliobatiformes)

Elucidating the phylogenetic relationships of the current but problematic Dasyatidae (Order Myliobatiformes) was the first priority of the current study. Here, we studied three molecular gene markers of 43 species (COI gene), 33 species (ND2 gene) and 34 species (RAG1 gene) of stingrays to draft out the phylogenetic tree of the order. Nine character states were identified and used to confirm the molecularly constructed phylogenetic trees. Eight or more clades (at different hierarchical level) were identified for COI, ND2 and RAG1 genes in the Myliobatiformes including four clades containing members of the present Dasyatidae, thus rendering the latter non-monophyletic. The uncorrected p-distance between these four ‘Dasytidae’ clades when compared to the distance between formally known families confirmed that these four clades should be elevated to four separate families. We suggest a revision of the present classification, retaining the Dasyatidae (Dasyatis and Taeniurops species) but adding three new families namely, Neotrygonidae (Neotrygon and Taeniura species), Himanturidae (Himantura species) and Pastinachidae (Pastinachus species). Our result indicated the need to further review the classification of Dasyatis microps. By resolving the non-monophyletic problem, the suite of nine character states enables the natural classification of the Myliobatiformes into at least thirteen families based on morphology.     

Redescription of Robustodorus megadorus with Molecular Characterization and Analysis of Its Phylogenetic Position within the Family Aphelenchoididae

Based on a new record of the rare species Robustodorus megadorus from Utah, the generic diagnosis was amended to include the following characters: a labial disc surrounded by six pore-like sensilla; the absence of a cephalic disc; a lobed cephalic region devoid of annulation; a hexagonal inner cuticular structure of the pouch surrounding the stylet cone; large stylet knobs, rounded in outline and somewhat flattened on their lateral margins; a large spermatheca with an occluded lumen and lacking sperm; the excretory pore located between the median bulb and nerve ring. The stylet orifice consists of an open, ventral, elongate slit or groove. These characters distinguish the genus from the closely related genus Aphelenchoides. A lectotype and paralectotypes were designated. Results of phylogenetic analyses of the 18S and D2-D3 of 28S rRNA gene sequences revealed that R. megadorus occupies a basal position within one of the two main clades of the subfamily Aphelenchoidinae and shares close relationships with a species group of the genus Aphelenchoides that includes A. blastophthorus, A. fragariae, A. saprophilus, A. xylocopae, and A. subtenuis. Several specimens in our collection of R. megadorus were infected with Pasteuria sp. as were some of the paralectotypes.     

淡水刚毛藻目一新组合种及其系统发育分析

作者于2012-2014年先后在湖北省采集到4株刚毛藻目的丝状绿藻。经鉴定,其形态特征和莫拉瓦刚毛藻Cladophora moravica Gardavsk(1986)非常相似;但相较于刚毛藻属各个种的形态,4株藻体更接近黑孢藻科的分类特征。基于SSU和LSU rDNA序列构建的系统发育树显示,4株刚毛藻目的丝状绿藻均属于黑孢藻科拟湖球藻属(Aegagropilopsis)。据此,作者建议将该种名称作为一个新组合处理,即莫拉瓦拟湖球藻Aegagropilopsis moravica(Dvoˇrák)Zhao et Liu com.nov。拟湖球藻属仅含有3个种:莫拉瓦拟湖球藻、硬枝拟湖球藻和棒状拟湖球藻,其形态特征与湖球藻相近且易混淆,故采用核基因组序列分析方法区分二者是非常有效的。     

芒苞草科———单子叶植物一个新科的确认兼论其系统位置

报道了芒苞草属（ＡｃａｎｔｈｏｃｈａｌｍｙｓＰ．Ｃ．Ｋａｏ）的综合研究结果。从多学科的研究材料表明,芒苞草属（ＡｃａｎｔｈｏｃｈｌａｍｙｓＰ．Ｃ．Ｋａｏ）在解剖、胚胎、细胞、孢粉等方面,都具有许多独特的性状和特征,即有原始的,也有进化的,同时还有一些过渡性的类型和特征。在营养器官和生殖器官方面,保留有与双子叶植物毛茛目（Ｒａｎｕｎｃｕｌａｌｅｓ）相联系的特征。芒苞草科所具有这些性状和特征,在我国种     

国产耳草属长节耳草及其相似种的分类研究

我国耳草属中具有茎四棱和头状花序特征的植物常常被鉴定为长节耳草(Hedyotis uncinella),并且这一名称还包括了基于不同模式的3个分类学异名。由于这一类植物在叶片形态、叶柄长短、花序着生式样以及花梗长度等形态特征方面存在着明显的不同,因此将这一类植物笼统地鉴定为长节耳草并不合理。为清晰区分这类植物,通过模式比对、居群形态特征变异式样的野外观察以及分子系统学分析等方法进行研究,结果表明,以前被鉴定为“长节耳草”的植物实际上包括了6个分类实体,即被归并的丰花耳草(H. borrerioides)、垦丁耳草(H. kuraruensis)和新组合种——团花耳草(H. cephalophora)均应独立成种,而长节耳草本种、被忽略的线叶耳草(H. linearifolia)和我国新记录种——球花耳草(H. multiglomerulata)各自也应得到承认。同时,为了便于进行分类鉴定,也提供了这些种类的分种检索表。     

Copy Number of Ribosomal Operons in Prokaryotes and Its Effect on Phylogenetic Analyses

Different aspects of the presence of multiple copies of ribosomal operons in prokaryotic genomes are reviewed. The structure of prokaryotic ribosomal operons is briefly described. The available data are summarized regarding the copy number of ribosomal genes in various prokaryotic genomes, the degree of polymorphism of their individual copies, and physiological and evolutional aspects of the presence of the multiple copies of ribosomal genes. The review also considers the influence of the presence of multiple copies of ribosomal genes on the results of identification of prokaryotic isolates and of the studies of prokaryotic diversity in environmental samples based on phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences.     

Phylogenetic Relationships Between the Orders Artiodactyla and Cetacea: A Combined Assessment of Morphological and Molecular Evidence

A character analysis of selected conservative morphological traits from extant and fossil artiodactyls and cetaceans was combined with a similar analysis of conservative nucleotide positions from the complete mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences of available extant artiodactyls, cetaceans, sirenians, perissodactyls, and other mammals. This combined analysis focuses on the evidence that supports conflicting hypotheses of artiodactyl monophyly, including the affinities of hippopotamids and the monophyly or paraphyly of odontocete cetaceans. Highly conserved morphological traits of the astragalus and deciduous dentition provide strong corroboration of artiodactyl monophyly, including extant and fossil hippopotamids. In contrast, cytochrome b gene sequences are incapable of confirming this monophyly, due to excessive homoplasy of nucleotide and amino acid traits within extant Eutheria. In like manner, highly conserved and uniquely derived morphological features of the skull and auditory regions provide robust corroboration of Odontoceti monophyly, including extant and fossil physeteroids. Several nucleotide similarities do exist between physeteroids and mysticetes; however, most are either silent third-position transversions or occur also in two or more odontocete families. We suggest that increased taxon sampling, combined with functional considerations of amino acids and their secondary structure in protein-coding genes, are essential requirements for the phylogenetic interpretations of molecules at higher taxonomic levels, especially when they conflict with well-supported hypotheses of mammalian phylogeny, corroborated by uniquely derived morphological traits from extant and fossil taxa.     

贵州省两栖动物新纪录——宜章臭蛙及其系统发育分析

2015年5月至7月在贵州省梵净山国家级自然保护区采集到6号臭蛙标本,经鉴定为宜章臭蛙(Odorrana yizhangensis)(两栖纲,无尾目,蛙科),属贵州省两栖动物新纪录。本文给出了这6号标本的22项外形特征量度,并描述了其生境特征。基于12S r RNA和16S r RNA基因片段构建的最大似然系统发育树表明,这些标本与宜章臭蛙模式产地标本聚在一起,且他们之间的遗传距离远远小于臭蛙属物种之间的距离。宜章臭蛙在贵州的新记录将促进该物种的分类与谱系地理学研究。     

中国特有属牛筋条属的花粉形态与其系统位置

从发育的角度研究了中国特有单种属DichotomanthesKurz及与其系统学研究有关的外类群Prinsepiautilis的花粉形态 ,扫描电镜观察显示Dichotomanthes花粉粒自脱离四分体胼胝质膜开始至成熟二核花粉粒不同发育时期 ,花粉形态和外壁纹饰未见变化 ,仅花粉体积随成熟度增加而有所增大。而Prinsepiautilis ,其花粉粒刚脱离四分体时形状和成熟花粉明显不同 ,成熟花粉极面观为三裂圆形 ,赤道面观为圆形 ,外壁具清晰的平行条纹 ,但幼嫩花粉粒的形状很特别 ,极面观为深三裂圆形 ,赤道面观亦见花粉在两条沟之间下陷而沟部外突 ,明显为角萌发孔花粉 ,且花粉体积较成熟者小 ,而外壁纹饰同成熟者相比无根本性差异。前述两种植物花粉在不同成熟期体积有明显差异 ,而外壁纹饰在不同成熟期不存在质的变化并相对稳定 ,说明花粉外壁纹饰这一性状在蔷薇科中具有较为重要的分类学意义。DichotomanthesKurz具典型Rosaceae花粉的三孔沟结构 ,外壁具条纹 -穴状纹饰。将其孢粉学特征同Rosaceae 4个亚科有关类群的同类资料相比较 ,并结合其它形态解剖与细胞学等研究结果 ,支持将Dichotoman thes置入Maloideae下而不赞同将其另立亚科或置于Prunoideae之下。此外 ,由于Prinsepiautilis的花粉在其发育初期具角萌发孔花粉 ,与Cunoniacea     

Phylogenetic Reappraisal of the Genus Monomorphina (Euglenophyceae) Based on Molecular and Morphological Data

A morphological and molecular examination of the genus Monomorphina was conducted on 46 strains isolated mainly from Korea. The strains were divided into two types based on morphological data: Monomorphina aenigmatica and M. pyrum ‐ like species. Phylogenetic analysis based on a combined data set of nuclear SSU and LSU and plastid SSU and LSU rDNA showed that the strains could be divided into eight clades: Clade A of M. aenigmatica, Clade B of the isolates (M. pyropsis) from Michigan, USA, Clade C of M. pseudopyrum, Clade D of the isolates (M. pyroria) from Bremen, Germany, Clade E of M. soropyrum, Clade F of M. pyriformis, Clade G of M. parapyrum, and Clade H of M. pyrum. Six of these clades came from strains that would be considered M. pyrum sensu Kosmala et Zakry?, one of which could be recognized as a traditional species (M. pyrum) and five were designated as new species; each species had unique molecular signatures at nr SSU rDNA helix 17 and 17′ and spacer E23_14′‐E23_15. The species of Monomorphina had a wide range of genetic diversity with interspecies sequence similarity of 85.6%–97.1% and intraspecies similarity of 96.4%–99.9%. Our results suggested that genetic diversity found in the M. pyrum complex justifies the recognition of a minimum of eight species within this genus, based on specific molecular signatures and gene divergence of the nr SSU rDNA sequences.     

A Remarkable New Family of Jurassic Insects (Neuroptera) with Primitive Wing Venation and Its Phylogenetic Position in Neuropterida

Background

Lacewings (insect order Neuroptera), known in the fossil record since the Early Permian, were most diverse in the Mesozoic. A dramatic variety of forms ranged in that time from large butterfly-like Kalligrammatidae to minute two-winged Dipteromantispidae.

Principal Findings

We describe the intriguing new neuropteran family Parakseneuridae fam. nov. with three new genera and 15 new species from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou (Inner Mongolia, China) and the Early/Middle Jurassic of Sai-Sagul (Kyrgyzstan): Parakseneura undula gen. et sp. nov., P. albomacula gen. et sp. nov., P. curvivenis gen. et sp. nov., P. nigromacula gen. et sp. nov., P. nigrolinea gen. et sp. nov., P. albadelta gen. et sp. nov., P. cavomaculata gen. et sp. nov., P. inflata gen. et sp. nov., P. metallica gen. et sp. nov., P. emarginata gen. et sp. nov., P. directa gen. et sp. nov., Pseudorapisma jurassicum gen. et sp. nov., P. angustipenne gen. et sp. nov., P. maculatum gen. et sp. nov. (Daohugou); Shuraboneura ovata gen. et sp. nov. (Sai-Sagul). The family comprises large neuropterans with most primitive wing venation in the order indicated by the presence of ScA and AA1+2, and the dichotomous branching of MP, CuA, CuP, AA3+4, AP1+2. The phylogenetic position of Parakseneuridae was investigated using a phylogenetic analysis of morphological scoring for 33 families of extinct and extant Neuropterida combined with DNA sequence data for representatives of all extant families. Parakseneuridae were recovered in a clade with Osmylopsychopidae, Prohemerobiidae, and Ithonidae.

Conclusions/Significance

The presence of the presumed AA1+2 in wings of Parakseneuridae is a unique plesiomorphic condition hitherto unknown in Neuropterida, the clade comprising Neuroptera, Megaloptera, Raphidioptera. The relative uncertainty of phylogenetic position of Parakseneuridae and the majority of other families of Neuroptera reflects deficient paleontological data, especially from critical important periods for the order, earliest Triassic and latest Triassic/earliest Jurassic.     

A Reexamination of the Phylogenetic Position of Callimico (Primates) Incorporating New Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Data

The New World monkeys are divided into two main groups, Callitrichidae and Cebidae. Callimico goeldii shares traits with both the Cebidae and the Callitrichidae. Recent morphological phyletic studies generally place Callimico as the most basal member of the Callitrichidae. In contrast, genetic studies (immunological, restriction fragment, and sequence data) have consistently placed Callimico somewhere within the Callitrichidae, not basal to this clade. A DNA sequence data set from the terminal 236 codons of the mitochondrial ND4 gene and the tRNA^His, tRNA^Ser, and tRNA^Leu genes was generated to clarify the position of Callimico. The sequences of 887 base pairs were analyzed by maximum-parsimony, neighbor-joining, and maximum-likelihood methods. The results of these various methods are generally congruent and place Callimico within the Callitrichidae between the marmosets (Callithrix and Cebuella) and the tamarins (Saguinus and Leontopithecus). Combined analyses of all suitable nuclear and mitochondrial gene sequences confirm the position of Callimico between the marmosets and the tamarins. As available molecular evidence indicates that Callimico is more closely related to the marmosets than to the tamarins, a reconsideration of the morphological evidence in light of the consensus tree from DNA sequence analyses is warranted. The marmosets and tamarins share four morphological characters (loss of the third molar, loss of the hypocone, reduced body size, reproductive twinning). Dwarfism may have evolved repeatedly among the Callitrichidae. It is well-known that the loss of a character can occur many times independently. The reproduction of marmosets and tamarins is extremely specialized and it is difficult to imagine that this complex and unique twinning system evolved separately in marmosets and tamarins. However, it is possible that a secondary reversal to single offspring took place in Callimico. Received: 20 March 1997 / Accepted: 17 December 1997     

Morphological and Molecular Data Reveal the Presence of the Invasive Artemia franciscana in Margherita di Savoia Salterns (Italy)

Introduced populations of the American invasive Artemia franciscana have been reported in Mediterranean countries except for Italy. A recent sampling at Margherita di Savoia revealed the presence of mating pairs in a saltwork known to host only parthenogens. An integrated approach, based on scanning electron microscopy of four morphological traits, discriminant analysis of 13 morphometric characters and 16S rRNA PCR‐RFLP profiles of eight endonucleases was implemented for the identification of the invader. Patterns of variability in all assayed markers provided congruent and solid evidence that the allochthonous species is A. franciscana. Native parthenogens are still predominant (∼98.4%) in this Italian site but they can be rapidly outcompeted by A. franciscana, as it occurred in similar cases throughout Europe and elsewhere. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Phylogeny and Systematic Position of Zosterodasys (Ciliophora, Synhymeniida): A Combined Analysis of Ciliate Relationships Using Morphological and Molecular Data

ABSTRACT. The Synhymeniida is characterized both by a band of somatic dikinetids, the synhymenium, extending across the surface of the cell and by a ventral cell mouth lacking specialized feeding cilia but subtended by a well-developed cyrtos. The synhymeniids have been hypothesized to be members of the class Nassophorea but our previous ultrastructural study of the synhymeniid genus Zosterodasys did not show any clear synapomorphies that would permit definitive placement in the Nassophorea or as a sister taxon to any of the other ciliate groups possessing a cyrtos. In the present study, simultaneous analysis of morphological and small subunit rDNA molecular data indicates that the Synhymeniida are sister to the class Phyllopharyngea and that this clade is, in turn, sister to the remaining Nassophorea, although this result is sensitive to dataset inclusion and alignment parameters. While this suggests that taxa with a ventral cyrtos might be united into a named taxon (e.g. resurrecting the Hypostomata), additional data are needed to reach a definitive conclusion.     

Diversity of Halimeda (Bryopsidales,Chlorophyta) in New Caledonia: a Combined Morphological and Molecular Study

Halimeda is a genus of calcified and segmented green macroalgae in the order Bryopsidales. In New Caledonia, the genus is abundant and represents an important part of the reef flora. Previous studies recorded 19 species that were identified using morphological criteria. The aim of this work was to reassess the diversity of the genus in New Caledonia using morpho‐anatomical examinations and molecular analyses of the plastid tufA and rbcL genes. Our results suggest the occurrence of 22 species. Three of these are reported for the first time from New Caledonia: Halimeda kanaloana, H. xishaensis, and an entity resembling H. stuposa. DNA analyses revealed that the species H. fragilis exhibits cryptic or pseudocryptic diversity in New Caledonia. We also show less conclusive evidence for cryptic species within H. taenicola     

Phylogenetic and Structural Relationships of the PR5 Gene Family Reveal an Ancient Multigene Family Conserved in Plants and Select Animal Taxa

Pathogenesis-related group 5 (PR5) plant proteins include thaumatin, osmotin, and related proteins, many of which have antimicrobial activity. The recent discovery of PR5-like (PR5-L) sequences in nematodes and insects raises questions about their evolutionary relationships. Using complete plant genome data and discovery of multiple insect PR5-L sequences, phylogenetic comparisons among plants and animals were performed. All PR5/PR5-L protein sequences were mined from genome data of a member of each of two main angiosperm groups—the eudicots (Arabidoposis thaliana) and the monocots (Oryza sativa)—and from the Caenorhabditis nematode (C. elegans and C. briggsase). Insect PR5-L sequences were mined from EST databases and GenBank submissions from four insect orders: Coleoptera (Diaprepes abbreviatus and Biphyllus lunatus), Orthoptera (Schistocerca gregaria), Hymenoptera (Lysiphlebus testaceipes), and Hemiptera (Toxoptera citricida). Parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses showed that the PR5 family is paraphyletic in plants, likely arising from 10 genes in a common ancestor to monocots and eudicots. After evolutionary divergence of monocots and eudicots, PR5 genes increased asymmetrically among the 10 clades. Insects and nematodes contain multiple sequences (seven PR5-Ls in nematodes and at least three in some insects) all related to the same plant clade, with nematode and insect sequences separating as two clades. Protein structural homology modeling showed strong similarity among animal and plant PR5/PR5-Ls, with divergence only in surface-exposed loops. Sequence and structural conservation among PR5/PR5-Ls suggests an important and conserved role throughout the evolutionary divergence of the diverse organisms from which they reside. [Reviewing Editor: Dr. Rafael Zardoya]