Sarcinomyces sideticae, a new black yeast from historical marble monuments in Side (Antalya, Turkey)

A new species of Sarcinomyces , a melanized fungus with meristematic development, is described. On the basis of small subunit and internal transcribed sequence regions of ribosomal DNA sequencing, the new species was accommodated in the anamorph genus Sarcinomyces (Herpotrichiellaceae, Chaetothyriales) close to S. petricola .  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 154 , 373–380.     

Selection for rapid and slow recovery from chill‐ and heat‐coma in Drosophila melanogaster

To assess the trade‐offs associated with cold and heat tolerance, selection experiments were conducted on the rate of recovery from chill‐ and heat‐coma using Drosophila melanogaster. Flies were treated with cold and heat to induce coma, and those that showed rapid or slow recovery from coma were selected. The lines selected for rapid (or slow) recovery from chill‐coma also showed rapid (slow) recovery from heat‐coma, although such a correlation was not observed in the lines selected for the rate of recovery from heat‐coma. On the other hand, survival after cold was enhanced in both lines selected for rapid and slow recovery from chill‐coma, and survival after heat was enhanced in both lines selected for rapid and slow recovery from heat‐coma. It was assumed that cold and heat treatments to induce coma caused some damages to flies and those that were tolerant to cold or heat were unintentionally selected in the present coma‐based selection. Only a weak trade‐off was observed between survival‐based cold and heat tolerance. On the other hand, developmental time was prolonged and desiccation resistance, walking speed, and longevity were reduced in the lines selected for rapid and slow recovery from chill‐ and/or heat‐coma, suggesting that these resistance and life‐history traits are under trade‐offs with cold and/or heat tolerance. © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2008, 95 , 72–80.     

Cytotaxonomy of Begonia rubropunctata and B. purpureofolia (Begoniaceae)

The chromosome numbers of four Chinese Begonia species were counted for the first time as follows: 2 n  = 22 in B. rubropunctata , 2 n  = 18 in B. purpureofolia , 2 n  = 44 in B. pedatifida , and 2 n  = 22 in B. villifolia . The first two species had relatively large chromosomes with early condensed chromatin in the distal and interstitial or proximal regions, whereas the last two had small chromosomes with early condensed chromatin in the proximal regions. Although they have been reduced in the literature to synonyms of B. pedatifida and B. villifolia , respectively, B. rubropunctata and B. purpureofolia should be treated as distinct species because of the differences in chromosome numbers and other chromosome features.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 155 , 513–517.     

A new species of Astragalus L. (Leguminosae) from India based on morphological and molecular markers

A new species, Astragalus himachalensis , is described and illustrated from the Himalaya in India. The species grows occasionally in different parts of the cold desert of Lahul-Spiti (Himachal Pradesh). It resembles A. himalayanus , but differs chiefly in the small size of the plants (length, 5–15 cm), diadelphous stamens, and small pods (length, 5–6 mm) with the stipe length (2–3 mm) more or less equal to the calyx length. The similarities and significant differences between A. himachalensis and A. himalayanus were confirmed by analyses of random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and directed amplification of minisatellite DNA (DAMD) markers. RAPD and DAMD methods clearly distinguished between the two species and were in congruence with morphological markers. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 154 , 27–34.     

Intraspecific variation in segment number in Pachymerium ferrugineum (C. L. Koch, 1835) (Chilopoda: Geophilomorpha) in the south Aegean Archipelago (north-east Mediterranean, Greece)

Geophilomorph centipedes have numerous leg-bearing segments, always an odd number. Previous research has shown the significant role of latitudinal clines and temperature on intraspecific variation, supporting the view that species of geophilomorphs from cold and temperate regions tend to have fewer segments than those from warmer regions. Here, data are presented on segment numbers of Pachymerium ferrugineum (C. L. Koch, 1835) from the south Aegean Archipelago. Within the framework of a study of the centipede fauna of the south Aegean Islands, three adjacent geographical areas with discrete geological histories were studied (Crete, Cyclades, and Dodecanese). There is no evidence to indicate that a latitudinal trend is present across these three main geographical regions. Apart from Crete, there is no demonstration of a cline along the longitudinal axis of the Aegean. However, the insular characteristics of the central and south-east Cyclades could possibly support higher modal segment numbers. In addition, examination of males and females of P. ferrugineum confirmed the existence of latitudinal clines in certain cases among the islands of Crete, Cyclades, and Dodecanese.  © 2006 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2006, 88 , 533–539.     

Egg maturation strategy and survival trade-offs in holometabolous insects: a comparative approach

One of the key predictions of general life-history theory is that reproduction incurs a survival cost. Although there is a convincing body of evidence to support this prediction at the intraspecific level in insects, evidence at the interspecific level is relatively scarce, as is the case for other animals. By employing two methods of phylogenetically controlled analysis, we demonstrate the existence of a negative correlation between life-span and early life investment in reproduction, across a wide diversity of Lepidoptera. The measure of initial reproductive effort used was the 'ovigeny index', defined as the proportion of the lifetime potential egg complement that is mature (ready to lay) upon female emergence. We present a graphical model for holometabolous insects, illustrating the trade-offs that are hypothesized to occur among capital resources (soma vs non-soma and initial eggs vs storage) in relation to variation in ovigeny index. These trade-offs, for which there is some empirical support, are postulated to underlie the life-span/ovigeny index relationship observed in the Lepidoptera and also in other insect orders.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 90 , 293–302.     

Song diversification and complexity in canaries and seedeaters (Serinus spp.)

Bird song is a composite trait that shows great variation in syntax and phonology between taxa, which hampers the precise quantification of complexity. This should be more feasible for closely-related species that share aspects of song organization. We conducted a comparative study of song and syllable characteristics in the largest fringillid genus, Serinus (canaries and seedeaters), with two objectives: (1) to describe and quantify song complexity in the genus and (2) to assess evolutionary dynamics of song, in particular whether interspecific song diversification evolved along intraspecific lines of covariation between syllable characteristics. We document a pattern of intense, very labile evolution of song in the genus. Well-known vocal constraints such as the relationship between frequency and body size did not appear to limit this evolution, and intraspecific trade-offs between different aspects of syllable complexity did not constrain interspecific diversification. Factor analysis returned an axis of variation that comprehensively expresses song complexity in the genus, and is defined by song speed, repertoire size, and also various aspects of syllable phonology. The species body size is not related to this axis of complexity, but to a minor axis that may indicate better respiratory capacity of larger birds. We discuss the pattern of song evolution in Serinus spp. in the context of the evolutionary dynamics of sexually selected traits.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 92 , 183–194.     

Resistance to temperature extremes in sub-Antarctic weevils: interspecific variation, population differentiation and acclimation

Much of the work on the responses of terrestrial arthropods to high and low temperatures has been done on model organisms such as Drosophila . However, considerable variation in thermotolerance is partitioned at the family level and above, raising questions about the broader applicability of this work to other taxa. Here we investigate resistance to high and low temperatures, following different temperature treatments, in ten species and 31 populations of weevils found on sub-Antarctic Heard Island and Marion Island, which have substantially different climates. In these weevils there is considerable interspecific and among-population variation in critical thermal minimum (CTmin) and critical thermal maximum (CTmax), but most of this variation in critical limits can be ascribed to phenotypic plasticity. We find no relationship between CTmin and CTmax at the species level, and this is true also of populations and of responses to the temperature treatments. In general, plastic (acclimation) changes in CTmin are larger than those in CTmax. Our data therefore provide support for the idea that resistance to heat and to cold are decoupled in terrestrial arthropods. Furthermore, our results suggest that investigations of physiological limits to species borders should incorporate the effects of phenotypic plasticity on physiological capabilities.  © 2003 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2003, 78, 401–414.     

Population history and genetic structure of a circumpolar species: the arctic fox

The circumpolar arctic fox Alopex lagopus thrives in cold climates and has a high migration rate involving long-distance movements. Thus, it differs from many temperate taxa that were subjected to cyclical restriction in glacial refugia during the Ice Ages. We investigated population history and genetic structure through mitochondrial control region variation in 191 arctic foxes from throughout the arctic. Several haplotypes had a Holarctic distribution and no phylogeographical structure was found. Furthermore, there was no difference in haplotype diversity between populations inhabiting previously glaciated and unglaciated regions. This suggests current gene flow among the studied populations, with the exception of those in Iceland, which is surrounded by year-round open water. Arctic foxes have often been separated into two ecotypes: 'lemming' and 'coastal'. An analysis of molecular variance suggested particularly high gene flow among populations of the 'lemming' ecotype. This could be explained by their higher migration rate and reduced fitness in migrants between ecotypes. A mismatch analysis indicated a sudden expansion in population size around 118 000 BP, which coincides with the last interglacial. We propose that glacial cycles affected the arctic fox in a way opposite to their effect on temperate species, with interglacials leading to short-term isolation in northern refugia.  © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2005, 84 , 79–89.     

Karyological studies on the Sino-Himalayan endemic Soroseris and two related genera of tribe Lactuceae (Asteraceae)

Karyological studies were carried out on ten populations comprising six species of Soroseris in the tribe Lactuceae (Asteraceae), all endemic to the alpine Sino-Himalayan region and poorly known cytogenetically. The single species of Stebbinsia (one population) and two species of Syncalathium (three populations) were also examined for the first time. The basic chromosome number for the three genera is x  = 8. Stebbinsia and most species of Soroseris are diploids with 2 n  = 2 x  = 16 = 14m + 2sm and have a karyotype asymmetry type 1A. Three species of Soroseris are tetraploid (2 n  = 4 x  = 32 = 28m + 4sm). A karyotype of 2 n  = 2 x  = 16 = 14m(2SAT) + 2sm with type 1A asymmetry was found in Syncalathium kawaguchii , and of 2 n  = 2 x  = 16 = 6m + 10sm with type 2A asymmetry for two populations of Syncalathium souliei . The relationships between Soroseris and the other two genera are discussed. Our cytological results suggest that polyploidy plays a minor role in the chromosome evolution of plants from the Himalayan mountains and adjacent regions.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 154 , 79–87.     

Multivariate analysis of morphological variation in Cineraria deltoidea (Asteraceae, Senecioneae)

Cluster analysis and principal coordinates analysis were used to investigate phenetic variation in Cineraria deltoidea , a species that ranges from near sea level in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to 4300 m a.s.l. on the mountains of East Africa and Ethiopia. Earlier taxonomic revisions reduced nine previously recognized species to synonyms of C. deltoidea . Two closely related species, C. decipiens and C. atriplicifolia , were also included in the analyses. Thirty-six morphological characters were examined on 111 specimens. Phenograms and scattergrams show partial clusters of specimens of C. deltoidea from individual mountains or geographical regions, but no groups are sufficiently distinct to warrant formal recognition at any rank. The East African specimens from 3000 m a.s.l. and higher tend to cluster together. Growth at high altitude in East Africa is correlated with fewer, larger capitula on longer peduncles, and an absence of a cobwebby indumentum comprising long, narrow-based trichomes. Cineraria deltoidea is thus a highly variable species with geographical and clinal variation evident throughout its range. Cineraria atriplicifolia and C. decipiens are maintained as distinct species, distinguished from C. deltoidea by their growth form, life span and auricle shape.  © 2007 University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. Journal compilation © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 154 , 497–521.     

The fitness cost of generalization: present limitations and future possible solutions

One of the longest and liveliest debates in the evolutionary and ecological literature has centred on the existence and magnitude of constraints that can also be described by a proverb 'jack-of-all-trades is a master of none'. Often assumed, rarely tested, this proverb/assumption states that evolution of generalization necessarily entails a cost. The cost is expressed in terms of fitness loss elsewhere along an environmental gradient that leads to a genetic fitness trade-off between a generalist and a specialist. Although there is a well-developed body of knowledge that documents the cost of adaptation in general, the genetic fitness cost of generalization remains unclear. An empirical test of such cost is not a trivial task because it requires knowledge of a genotype's fundamental ecological niche breadth to document the process of generalization. The estimation of genetic fitness correlation between environments, a commonly used method in the literature, has a limited explanatory power regarding the cost of generalization, and new approaches are needed to further clarify the existence as well as the nature/pattern of constraints in evolution of generalization and specialization. A new approach is proposed to examine experimentally the genetic fitness cost of generalization, which is based on statistical analysis of tolerance curve properties. The approach can be used to study natural populations of both unicellular and multicellular organisms.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 90 , 583–590.     

The genus Pholcus (Araneae, Pholcidae) in the Canary Islands

This paper offers a detailed taxonomic revision of all Canarian Pholcus species described before 2003, all of which are newly described and newly illustrated. Pholcus guadarfia sp. nov. is described, while a neotype for Pholcus malpaisensis Wunderlich, 1992 is also provided. In addition, we propose Pholcus gomerae Wunderlich, 1980 as a senior synonym for Pholcus gomeroides Wunderlich, 1987. More importantly, cladistic analysis based on the morphological characters of the Macaronesian Pholcus species was conducted for the first time. Parsimony analyses of 73 morphological characters revealed the close relationships between those species from the Canary Islands, Madeira and the Macaronesian enclave in Africa (between Agadir and Nouadhibou).  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 151 , 59–114.     

A new species of Ceratozamia (Zamiaceae) from the Sierra Madre of Chiapas, Mexico, with comments on species relationships

The new species Ceratozamia vovidesii from a Pleistocene floristic refuge in southern Mexico is described and illustrated. It show an affinity with C. matudae Lundell and C. mirandae Vovides, Pérez-Farrera & Iglesias from Chiapas, but it differs from them in leaf, male and female cones, and trunk morphology.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 153 , 393–400.     

Amana kuocangshanica (Liliaceae), a new species from south-east China

Amana kuocangshanica D. Y. Tan & D. Y. Hong is described as a new species from Mt. Kuocang, Zhejiang Province, south-east China. Morphological observations and a statistical analysis of the new species and its relatives show that it is most closely related to A. anhuiensis and A. erythronioides , but differs in having the lower leaf oblanceolate, the widest at two-thirds length from the base, tunics glabrous inside, and fruit beaks 5–7.5 mm long. The morphologies of the pollen, seeds, and epidermal cells of the leaves of this new species are described.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 154 , 435–442.     

Relationships in Patagonian species of Berberis (Berberidaceae) based on the characterization of rDNA internal transcribed spacer sequences

Sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of the 18S(ITS1)-5.8S-26S(ITS2) rDNA region was performed in order to analyse the phylogenetic relationships between 13 Patagonian species of the genus Berberis (Berberidaceae). The divergence values between the pairwise sequence in the studied Patagonian species were in the range 2.9–22.9%. The lengths of the ITS1 and ITS2 sequences were in the range 227–231 bp and 220–224 bp, respectively, and the 5.8S sequence was 159 bp throughout all species . B. microphylla sensu Landrum does not appear to be monophyletic based on current sampling. Indeed, we suggest that B. microphylla should be distinguished from B. buxifolia , B. parodii , and B. heterophylla . ITS sequences, together with data obtained from morphological, biochemical, amplified fragment length polymorphism, and cytological characterizations, support the existence of diploid and polyploid hybrid speciation in the genus.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 153 , 321–328.     

Leaf teeth in certain Salicaceae and 'Flacourtiaceae'

The leaf teeth glands in four taxa from Salicaceae and six from 'Flacourtiaceae' were examined using both light and scanning electron microscopes. There appears to be a progression from glands of simple structure in the flacourtiaceous taxa and a tendency to a more complicated development in morphology and anatomy of the salicaceous species.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 155 , 241–256.     

Electrophoretic characterization of Amaranthus L. seed proteins and its systematic implications

The seed protein profiles of 11 Amaranthus taxa (Amaranthaceae) from Spain were studied. These profiles were evaluated as a chemical character to clarify the taxonomic complexity in the genus. Tricine-sodium dodecylsulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) profiles of the Amaranthus seed proteins studied showed a range of peptides varying from 64 to 12 kDa, with a larger number of protein bands observed between 25.1 and 12 kDa. For the taxonomic study, 14 bands, some of them subdivided into several isoforms, were considered. The similarity analysis based on the SDS-PAGE profile is a useful character for the discrimination of species in Amaranthus , except for A. cruentus and A. hypochondriacus , for which a hybrid population was found. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 155 , 57–63.     

A taxonomic revision of the genus Flagenium Baill. (Rubiaceae–Octotropideae)

A taxonomic revision of the genus Flagenium Baill. is presented. Flagenium is endemic to Madagascar and comprises six species; three new species are described here ( F. farafanganensis , F. petrikensis , and F. pedunculatum ) and one species ( F. arboreum ) is transferred into synonymy. Each species is fully described, and summaries of distribution, habitat and ecology, and phenology are given; conservation assessments are provided for each species. Flagenium is characterized by having ovaries with at least two erect and two pendulous ovules per locule, which, depending on the species, can display an additional two to four horizontal ovules per locule arranged between the uppermost and lowermost ovules. In addition, Flagenium has a longitudinally ten-ribbed fruit. These features are potentially unique within the Octotropideae.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 155 , 557–570.