Taxonomy,phylogeny and ecology of cultivable fungi present in seawater gradients across the Northern Antarctica Peninsula

Extremophiles - Thirty-six seawater samples collected at different depths of the Gerlache and Bransfield Straits in the Northern Antarctic Peninsula were analyzed, and the average of the total...     

Taxonomy, phylogeny, biogeography, and ecology of Sabulodinium undulatum (Dinophyceae), including an emended description of the species

Samples of Sabulodinium undulatum Saunders et Dodge, the type species of the monospecific genus, were collected and characterized from Germany, Russia, Japan and Canada. This species has a laterally flattened, oval cell with a truncated apex and a dorsally pointing small episome. The dorsal margin of the hyposome has an undulating shape. A dorsal spine and/or antapical spine are sometimes present. The specimens of this heterotrophic species are 27.5–42.5 μm long and 18.5–36.0 μm wide, and have a theca with the plate arrangement apical pore complex (APC) 5′ 1a 6″ 5c 4s 6′′′ 1′′′′. The shape of the dorsal theca is variable. The species distribution seems to be restricted to northern temperate regions. Sabulodinium undulatum occurred in all sandy eulittoral areas throughout the year and was also present in sandy sublittoral and supralittoral (beach) samples. The species can tolerate a broad range of temperatures and salinities. Sabulodinium occurred from −2.0 to +24.3°C and 4–35 salinity. It is likely that the observed variability in morphology and habitat reflect several varieties. We propose to establish three varieties within the species, namely S. undulatum var. undulatum, S. undulatum var. glabromarginatum, and S. undulatum var. monospinum. The systematic position of Sabulodinium is discussed in the context of comparative morphological and molecular phylogenetic data.     

Taxonomy,morphology, masticatory function and phylogeny of heterodontosaurid dinosaurs

Heterodontosaurids comprise an important early radiation of small-bodied herbivores that persisted for approximately 100 My from Late Triassic to Early Cretaceous time. Review of available fossils unequivocally establishes Echinodon as a very small-bodied, late-surviving northern heterodontosaurid similar to the other northern genera Fruitadens and Tianyulong. Tianyulong from northern China has unusual skeletal proportions, including a relatively large skull, short forelimb, and long manual digit II. The southern African heterodontosaurid genus Lycorhinus is established as valid, and a new taxon from the same formation is named Pegomastax africanusgen. n., sp. n. Tooth replacement and tooth-to-tooth wear is more common than previously thought among heterodontosaurids, and in Heterodontosaurus the angle of tooth-to-tooth shear is shown to increase markedly during maturation. Long-axis rotation of the lower jaw during occlusion is identified here as the most likely functional mechanism underlying marked tooth wear in mature specimens of Heterodontosaurus. Extensive tooth wear and other evidence suggests that all heterodontosaurids were predominantly or exclusively herbivores. Basal genera such as Echinodon, Fruitadens and Tianyulong with primitive, subtriangular crowns currently are known only from northern landmasses. All other genera except the enigmatic Pisanosaurus have deeper crown proportions and currently are known only from southern landmasses.     

Angiosperm phylogeny,floral morphology and pollination ecology

Summary The different aspects of floral evolution—Angiosperm descent, floral morphology and pollination ecology—are discussed on the basis of the anthocorm theory of the angiospermous flower. Opposed ideas are critically compared and rejected mainly on account of several inconsistencies and flaws in old floral concepts. Floral evolution passed from a very early phase of dicliny, anemophily and aphananthy of the anthocorm to a phase of incipient entomophily soon associated with a partial sex reversal within the anthocorm. This second phase culminated in the monoclinous and primarily zoophilous flower types, whereas other floral types, more particularly the primarily anemophilous, diclinous flowers, are the direct descendants of the anthocorms of the initial phase. The second phase (to be differentiated in phase II and phase IIA) gave rise to at least two morphologically different flower types and two separate semophyletic lines of floral evolution (phase III and III A), in each of which the primary zoophily is almost always associated with the development of intrafloral semaphylls (petals) usually (at least in dicotyledonous groups) of androecial derivation. Early flower types were aphananthous and clearly anthocormoid (a condition still approximately represented by the so-called inflorescences of theSaururaceae) and assumed the morphology and other characteristics of a true flower by contractions, condensations, readjustments, oligomerisations, reductions and modifications (semaphylls!) leading to the great variety of adaptive floral patterns.

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Zusammenfassung Die drei Aspekte der Evolution der Blüte — die Abstammungsgeschichte der Angiospermen, Blütenmorphologie und Bestäubungsökologie — werden, ausgehend von der Anthokormtheorie der Angiospermenblüte, eingehend besprochen. Entgegengesetzte Meinungen werden kritisch verglichen und hauptsächlich auf Grund mehrerer Strittigkeiten und Fehler der älteren blütenmorphologischen Axiomen abgelehnt. Die Evolution der Blüte fing an mit einer frühen Phase mit Diklinie, Anemophilie und Aphananthie des Anthokorms und schritt allmählich weiter in die Richtung von beginnender Entomophilie, bald mit einer partiellen Geschlechtsinversion innerhalb des Anthokorms zusammengehend. Diese zweite Phase kulminierte in den monoklinen und primär zoophilen Blütentypen, während andere Blütengestalten, besonders die primär anemophilen und diklinen Angiospermenblüten, die unmittelbaren Abkömmlinge der Initialphase des Anthokorms sind. Aus der zweiten Phase (in den Phasen II und II A unterzuteilen) entwickelten sich wenigstens zwei morphologisch differenzierte Blütenformen und auch zwei geschiedene Blütensemophylesen (die Phasen III und III A), in jeder die primäre Zoophilie fast immer verbunden ist mit der Entwicklung von intrafloralen und (wenigstens bei Dikotylen) meistens von Staubblättern angeleiteten Semaphyllen (Kronblätter). Die frühen Blütentypen waren aphanantisch und anfänglich noch deutlich anthokormoid (ein Zustand der heutzutage noch von der sogenannten Infloreszenz der Saururaceen annähernd vertreten wird) und nahmen allmählich die entgültige Gestalt von einer der vielen adaptiven Blütentypen an durch eine Verkürzung der Blütenachse, und durch ein Zusammendrängen, Oligomerisation und (Semaphylle!) Abänderung der Blütenteile.

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Résumé Divers aspects de l'évolution de la fleur — à savoir la descendance des Angiospermes, la morphologie de la fleur, et l'écologie de la pollination — sont discutés à partir de l'hypothèse florale de l'anthocorme. Les opinions opposées, après d'être comparées et critisées, sont rejetées principalement à cause des inconséquences et inconsistances des anciens théorèmes morphologiques concernant l'origine de la fleur. L'évolution de la fleur commençait avec une phase d'antan de diclinie, anémophilie et aphananthie, et s'avançait graduellement dans la direction d'une phase entomophilique initiale, bientôt accompagnée d'un renversement de sexe partiel à l'intérieur de l'anthocorm. La deuxième phase culminait vers les types florals monoclines avec zoophilie primaire pendant que des autres types florals, particulièrement les fleurs diclines avec anémophilie primaire, sont les descendants directs du stade initiale de l'anthocorme. A partir de la phase II (se divisant aux stades II et II A), au moins deux types florals différents et aussi deux sémophylèses florals séparés (les phases III et III A) se développaient. Dans chacun de ses phases III et III A la zoophilie primaire est presque toujours accouplée avec l'origine des sémaphylles intrafloraux (pétales) le plus souvent (du moins chez les dicotylédones) dérivés des étamines. Les anciens types des fleurs ayant été aphanantique et au début encore nettement anthocormoïdes (quelle condition est maintenant toujours représentée par la soi-disante inflorescence des Saururacées), graduellement prenaient la forme d'une des plusieurs types floraux adaptifs par une contraction de l'axe florale et par l'entassement, l'oligomérisation et (sémaphylles!) la modification des pièces de la fleur.

     

Taxonomy and phylogeny of the tribePlucheeae (Asteraceae)

The tribePlucheeae (Benth.)A. Anderb., has been analysed cladistically by means of a computerized parsimony program (Hennig 86), using theArctotideae as outgroup. The results of the analysis are presented in a consensus tree and one cladogram. Four major monophyletic subgroups can be recognized: TheColeocoma group (3 genera), thePterocaulon group (3 genera), theLaggera group (6 genera), and thePluchea group (12 genera). All recognized genera are described and most genera are supplied with taxonomical notes including comments on their taxonomic status. Genera such asBlumea, Pluchea, andEpaltes are demonstrated to be unnatural assemblages.Monarrhenus andTessaria are both closely related to thePluchea complex. The old generic nameLitogyne Harv. has been taken up for one species ofEpaltes, the genusRhodogeron is reduced to a synonym ofSachsia, and the following new combinations are made;Litogyne gariepina (DC.)A. Anderb., andSachsia coronopifolia (Griseb.)A. Anderb.     

On the role,ecology, phylogeny,and structure of dual-family immunophilins

The novel class of dual-family immunophilins (henceforth abbreviated as DFI) represents naturally occurring chimera of classical FK506-binding protein (FKBP) and cyclophilin (CYN), connected by a flexible linker that may include a three-unit tetratricopeptide (TPR) repeat. Here, I report a comprehensive analysis of all current DFI sequences and their host organisms. DFIs are of two kinds: CFBP (cyclosporin- and FK506-binding protein) and FCBP (FK506- and cyclosporin-binding protein), found in eukaryotes. The CFBP type occurs in select bacteria that are mostly extremophiles, such as psychrophilic, thermophilic, halophilic, and sulfur-reducing. Essentially all DFI organisms are unicellular. I suggest that DFIs are specialized bifunctional chaperones that use their flexible interdomain linker to associate with large polypeptides or multisubunit megacomplexes to promote simultaneous folding or renaturation of two clients in proximity, essential in stressful and denaturing environments. Analysis of sequence homology and predicted 3D structures of the FKBP and CYN domains as well as the TPR linkers upheld the modular nature of the DFIs and revealed the uniqueness of their TPR domain. The CFBP and FCBP genes appear to have evolved in parallel pathways with no obvious single common ancestor. The occurrence of both types of DFI in multiple unrelated phylogenetic clades supported their selection in metabolic and environmental niche roles rather than a traditional taxonomic relationship. Nonetheless, organisms with these rare immunophilins may define an operational taxonomic unit (OTU) bound by the commonality of chaperone function.     

中国东北地区壳囊孢属真菌分类和系统发育研究

对采自中国东北地区不同寄主植物上的壳囊孢属真菌标本进行了形态学观察,依据其子实体顶盘、腔室、分生孢子以及子囊壳、子囊、子囊孢子的形态特征,并结合其培养性状等划分为5个形态学类群;利用ITS序列分析构建了系统发育树,结果显示这5个类群的划分均得到了分子证据的支持。腔室特征、孔口数量、中柱以及黑色基线的有无、分生孢子大小等可作为壳囊孢属分类的主要依据。     

Taxonomy, phylogeny and biogeography of Kickxia and Nanorrhinum (Scrophulariaceae)

Phylogenetic studies in Kickxia sensu lato, using morphological characters, show that two groups of species appear as distinct clades, one corresponding to sect. Kickxia and the other corresponding to sect. Valvatae. The differences between the two sections are of the same magnitude as those used to separate other closely related genera in the tribe. Therefore, the treatment of sect. Valvatae as a separate genus, Nanorrhinum , is proposed. Results from a dispersal-vicariance analysis indicate that the area of origin for Nanorrhinum is Arabia, whereas for Kickxia sensu stricto it is either Macaronesia, the Mediterranean Region or both these areas combined. The taxonomy of Nanorrhinum is revised in detail, whereas for Kickxia a synoptical treatment is given, mainly based on previous literature. The results indicate that the plasticity of the species of Nanorrhinum , as well as the variation within populations in the field, is often much greater than previously thought, and that, therefore, far too many species have been described. In the present study ten species are recognized in Nanorrhinum. New combinations are N. azraqensis, N. stenanthum, N. hastatum, N. elegans, N. kuriensis, N. asparagoides, N. heterophyllum and N. woodii. Three lectotypes are selected. Keys to all taxa are given, and new information on chromosome numbers and sexual systems are provided for several species.     

Taxonomy and molecular phylogeny of the Asian Paraleucophenga Hendel (Diptera,Drosophilidae)

This paper reports on nine Asian species of the genus Paraleucophenga, of which four are new to science: Paraleucophenga brevipenis sp. nov. , Paraleucophenga hirtipenis sp. nov. , Paraleucophenga longiseta sp. nov. , and Paraleucophenga tanydactylia sp. nov. We also report on a new synonym, Paraleucophenga shanyinensis Chen & Toda, 1994 syn. nov. A key to all of the species examined, based on morphological data, is provided, together with a ‘molecular’ key to seven Paraleudophenga species based on DNA sequence data of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) gene. The phylogenetic relationships among seven Paraleucophenga species are reconstructed based on DNA sequences of the mitochondrial ND2 gene, using two Leucophenga species as outgroups. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 155 , 615–629.     

Carnivore olfactory bulb size: allometry, phylogeny and ecology

Olfactory bulb size was measured in 146 species of Carnivora in order to examine whether recently observed functional patterns for overall brain size were similar for component parts of the brain. Comparative measures were analysed in relation to various allometric characters (body, brain and skull size), phylogeny, behaviour and ecology. Olfactory bulbs are significantly and positively correlated with all allometric variables, but indices of skull size correlate slightly more closely than other variables. This probably relates to functional aspects of skull size, facial proportions, and anterior elements of the brain. Phylogenetic associations were examined by two comparative methods: the method of independent contrasts and phylogenetic autoregression. Both revealed similar phylogenetic correlation at generic and familial levels. Using calculated values from either method, relative olfactory bulb size only correlates with zonation among seven behavioural and ecological variables; aquatic otters have smaller bulb sizes than carnivores of other zonal types. This agrees with discussion about the diminution of olfactory communication in aquatic environments. Also, olfactory bulb size correlates with home range size, which is consistent with a recent model on the use of olfaction for foraging in designated home ranges. Generally, comparative differences in olfactory bulb size in carnivores do not associate with functional variables found in other comparative studies. Nevertheless, future analyses of specific brain components in mammals may be more useful than overall brain size for testing evolutionary hypotheses of mammalian brain size.     

Snake phylogeny based on osteology,soft anatomy and ecology

Relationships between the major lineages of snakes are assessed based on a phylogenetic analysis of the most extensive phenotypic data set to date (212 osteological, 48 soft anatomical, and three ecological characters). The marine, limbed Cretaceous snakes Pachyrhachis and Haasiophis emerge as the most primitive snakes: characters proposed to unite them with advanced snakes (macrostomatans) are based on unlikely interpretations of contentious elements or are highly variable within snakes. Other basal snakes include madtsoiids and Dinilysia--both large, presumably non-burrowing forms. The inferred relationships within extant snakes are broadly similar to currently accepted views, with scolecophidians (blindsnakes) being the most basal living forms, followed by anilioids (pipesnakes), booids and booid-like groups, acrochordids (filesnakes), and finally colubroids. Important new conclusions include strong support for the monophyly of large constricting snakes (erycines, boines. pythonines), and moderate support for the non-monophyly of the trophidophiids' (dwarf boas). These phylogenetic results are obtained whether varanoid lizards, or amphisbaenians and dibamids, are assumed to be the nearest relatives (outgroups) of snakes, and whether multistate characters are treated as ordered or unordered. Identification of large marine forms, and large surface-active terrestrial forms, as the most primitive snakes contradicts with the widespread view that snakes arose via minute, burrowing ancestors. Furthermore, these basal fossil snakes all have long flexible jaw elements adapted for ingesting large prey ('macrostomy'), suggesting that large gape was primitive for snakes and secondarily reduced in the most basal living foms (scolecophidians and anilioids) in connection with burrowing. This challenges the widespread view that snake evolution has involved progressive, directional elaboration of the jaw apparatus to feed on larger prey.