Sesquiterpene lactones and systematics of the genus Artemisia

The sesquiterpene lactones isolated from species in the genus Artemisia have been reviewed in an attempt to better understand the phylogeny and systematics of the four sections (subgenera), Abrotanum, Absinthium, Dracunculus and Seriphidium, proposed by Besser in 1829. The absence of hair on the receptacle is the only morphological characteristic separating species of Abrotanum from the species of Absinthium. There are no chemical characteristics segregating the species in these two subgenera since both produce eudesmanolides and guaianolides that are identical or biosynthetically similar. This suggests that the two subgenera could be combined into one (Artemisia) as proposed by Poljakov. The subgenus Seriphidium is composed of two geographical groups, one in the Old World and the other in the New World. The Old World species almost exclusively produce sesquiterpene lactones in the eudesmanolide class whereas the New World species (section Tridentatae) produce eudesmanolides and guaianolides, many of the latter being identical or structurally related to the sesquiterpene lactones in New World Abrotanum species. The chemical data in conjunction with geographic distributions suggest that the subgenus Seriphidium is polyphyletic and that the section Tridentatae originated from Abrotanum. Consequently, the Tridentate should be recognized as a subgenus separate and distinct from the Old World Seriphidium. There was insufficient information from the subgenus Dracunculus for interpretation.     

Leaf anatomy and relationships of Dietes (Iridaceae)

The leaf anatomy of Dietes is described, including all 6 species. Characters support the morphological evidence that Dietes is a distinct genus and related to other Iridoideae. Certain features, notably the epidermal structure and sheath vasculature, distinguish it from other Iridaceous genera, although the sheath vasculature indicates a relationship with some New World Iridoideae. The leaf margin type is similar to that of other Old World Iridoideae. Many leaf anatomical characters in Dietes are associated with xeromorphy. Leaf anatomy supports the division of Dietes into 2 subgenera.     

Old World and New World Cupressus pollen: morphological and cytological remarks

The aim of this work was to collect new information about pollen morphology and pollen wall structure comparing Cupressus species from the Old World and New World. Cupressus is a nonmonophyletic genus that includes species that appear to be divided into Old World and New World clades. Observations in this study on cypress pollen indicate that grain size and composition of intine β-glucans are different between the considered Old World and New World species. Different from all the other American cypress species, pollen of C. macrocarpa reacted to dying in a similar manner to Old World species. Rehydrated pollen grains collected from 20 Asian, Afro-Mediterranean and American cypress species were measured under a light microscope. The size of the pollen grains and the percentage of intine in relation to the pollen grain diameter were significantly different between Old World and New World species. Pollen wall composition was tested after addition of different dyes to the hydration solution, and subsequent observations were carried out by light and fluorescence microscopy. Lugol and calcofluor staining showed differences in composition of the middle and inner intine layers between New World and Old World species.     

Phenetic studies of African army ant queens of the genus Dorylus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Multivariate analyses of queens of fourteen species of the Old World army ant genus Dorylus were undertaken to assist in clarifying the status of the six included subgenera. Results were compared with two similar studies based on major workers and males, respectively. Queens are phenetically less divergent than either of the other two phena examined, although similar sub-generic relationships were observed. Taken together, these phenetic studies suggest that the subgenera Rhogmus and Alaopone are deserving of continued individual status, but that species of Anomma and Dorylus (s.s.) form one diverse taxon. A conservative classification would place Dichthadia and Typhlopone species together with the composite Dorylus (s.s.) - Anomma taxon.     

Phenolic chemotaxonomy and phytogeography of Adiantum

The occurrence of flavonoid glycosides and hydroxycinnamic acid esters has been examined in the fronds of 58 species of Adiantum , covering the morphological and geographical range of the genus. The genus may be divided into five sections on the basis of their flavonoid patterns. The correspondence of these patterns with the major existing systems of classification is discussed. The A. capillus-veneris group is the least homogeneous, both morphologically and chemically, and requires further study. However, the flavonoid patterns of extracts of the fronds of thirteen samples of the cosmopolitan species A. capillus-veneris from different geographical areas were found to be qualitatively similar, suggesting this species has probably spread relatively recently. Adiantum species which are restricted to the Old World have a basically different flavonoid pattern from those species which are exclusive to the New World. The phytogeographical and phylogenetic implications of these results are outlined and it is concluded that the Old World species represent more ancient stocks than those in the New World.     

A composite species-level phylogeny of the 'Insectivora' (Mammalia: Order Lipotyphla Haeckel, 1866)

The first MRP (matrix representation with parsimony) supertree phylogeny of the Lipotyphla is presented, covering all the families that were considered to make up the traditional mammalian order Insectivora. The phylogeny does not examine relationships within the shrew subfamily Crocidurinae, but all other taxa are considered at the species level, drawing upon 41 years of systematic literature and combining information from 47 published sources. The MRP technique is also critically discussed. This study will be of use to comparative biology studies of the Lipotyphla (or of mammals as a whole) and is a rigorous review of past systematic work, as well as clearly demonstrating our current level of knowledge. The supertree clearly details a strong imbalance in phylogenetic understanding across the taxon: a great deal is known about the hedgehogs and gymnures (Erinaceidae), the New World moles (Talpidae), Palaearctic species of Sorex (subgenus Sorex ) and the relationships between genera of red-toothed shrews (Soricinae). The supertree, however, clearly shows areas where our knowledge is conflicting or non-existent, and these gaps do not always correspond to obscure species: nothing is known about the systematics of Old World mole genera. Also very little is known about golden moles (Chrysochloridae) and the shrew-tenrec genus Microgale , some of the most threatened mammals on Earth.     

The evolutionary history of Eryngium (Apiaceae, Saniculoideae): rapid radiations, long distance dispersals, and hybridizations

Eryngium is the largest and arguably the most taxonomically complex genus in the family Apiaceae. Infrageneric relationships within Eryngium were inferred using sequence data from the chloroplast DNA trnQ-trnK 5'-exon and nuclear ribosomal DNA ITS regions to test previous hypotheses of subgeneric relationships, explain distribution patterns, reconstruct ancestral morphological features, and elucidate the evolutionary processes that gave rise to this speciose genus. In total, 157 accessions representing 118 species of Eryngium, 15 species of Sanicula (including the genus Hacquetia that was recently reduced to synonymy) and the monotypic Petagnaea were analyzed using maximum parsimony and Bayesian methods. Both separate and simultaneous analyses of plastid and nuclear data sets were carried out because of the prevalence of polyploids and hybrids within the genus. Eryngium is confirmed as monophyletic and is divided into two redefined subgenera: Eryngium subgenus Eryngium and E. subgenus Monocotyloidea. The first subgenus includes all examined species from the Old World (Africa, Europe, and Asia), except Eryngium tenue, E. viviparum, E. galioides, and E. corniculatum. Eryngium subgenus Monocotyloidea includes all examined species from the New World (North, Central and South America, and Australia; herein called the "New World sensu stricto" clade) plus the aforementioned Old World species that fall at the base of this clade. Most sectional and subgeneric divisions previously erected on the basis of morphology are not monophyletic. Within the "New World sensu stricto" group, six clades are well supported in analyses of plastid and combined plastid and nuclear data sets; the relationships among these clades, however, are unresolved. These clades are designated as "Mexican", "Eastern USA", "South American", "North American monocotyledonous", "South American monocotyledonous", and "Pacific". Members of each clade share similar geographical distributions and/or morphological or ecological traits. Evidence from branch lengths and low sequence divergence estimates suggests a rapid radiation at the base of each of these lineages. Conflict between chloroplast and nuclear data sets is weak, but the disagreements found are suggestive that hybrid speciation in Eryngium might have been a cause, but also a consequence, of the different rapid radiations observed. Dispersal-vicariance analysis indicates that Eryngium and its two subgenera originated from western Mediterranean ancestors and that the present-day distribution of the genus is explained by several dispersal events, including one trans-Atlantic dispersal. In general, these dispersals coincide with the polytomies observed, suggesting that they played key roles in the diversification of the genus. The evolution of Eryngium combines a history of long distance dispersals, rapid radiations, and hybridization, culminating in the taxonomic complexity observed today in the genus.     

The constitutive heterochromatin in chromosomes of Fritillaria Sp., as revealed by Giemsa banding.

The incidence of C-bands (constitutive heterochromatin), as determined by differential Giemsa staining, was studied in the chromosomes of 56 species, varietal forms and subgenera of Fritillaria and 30 of them are illustrated. With the exception of the subgenera Korolkowi, a supposed link between lilies and fritillaries, and chromsome complements of all plants contained bands. There were wide differences in the size and number of these bands among species both within and between groups. In those with the largest and most abundant bands, there was a pronounced tendency for centromeric localization, both in Old and New World species. The Giemsa positive centromeres were masked when this occurred. Heteromorphy in respect of banding occurred in most species. The relation of repetitive DNA sequences with heterochromatin is discussed, as is also the problem of evolution in Fritillaria.     

The phylogenetic relationships of the extant pelicans inferred from DNA sequence data

The pelicans are a charismatic group of large water birds, whose evolutionary relationships have been long debated. Here we use DNA sequence data from both mitochondrial and nuclear genes to derive a robust phylogeny of all the extant species. Our data rejects the widespread notion that pelicans can be divided into white- and brown-plumaged groups. Instead, we find that, in contrast to all previous evolutionary hypotheses, the species fall into three well-supported clades: an Old World clade of the Dalmatian, Spot-billed, Pink-backed and Australian Pelicans, a New World clade of the American White, Brown and Peruvian Pelicans, and monospecific clade consisting solely of the Great White Pelican, weakly grouped with the Old World clade. We discuss possible evolutionary scenarios giving rise to this diversity.     

Historical evidence for a pre-Columbian presence of Datura in the Old World and implications for a first millennium transfer from the New World

Datura (Solanaceae)is a small genus of plants that,for long, was thought to occur naturally in both the New and Old Worlds. However, recent studies indicate that all species in the genus originated in the Americas. This finding has prompted the conclusion that no species of Datura could have been present in the Old World prior to its introduction there by Europeans in the early 16th century CE. Further, the textual evidence traditionally cited in support of a pre-Columbian Old World presence of Datura species is suggested to be due to the misreading of classical Greek and Arabic sources. As a result, botanists generally accept the opinion that Datura species were transferred into the Old World in the post-Columbian period. While the taxonomic and geographic evidence for a New World origin for all the Datura species appears to be well supported, the assertion that Datura species were not known in the Old World prior to the 16th century is based on a limited examination of the pre-Columbian non-Anglo sources.We draw on old Arabic and Indic texts and southern Indian iconographic representations to show that there is conclusive evidence for the pre-Columbian presence of at least one species of Datura in the Old World. Given the systematic evidence for a New World origin of the genus, the most plausible explanation for this presence is a relatively recent but pre-Columbian (probably first millennium CE) transfer of at least one Datura species, D. metel, into the Old World. Because D. metel is a domesticated species with a disjunct distribution,this might represent an instance of human-mediated transport from the New World to the Old World, as in the case of the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas).     

Bat ticks of the genus Argas (Ixodoidea: Argasidae). 13. Haller's organ roof and anterior pit setae in Carios and Chiropterargas

Adults of 4 of the 6 species constituting the subgenus Carios and of 3 of the 4 species constituting the subgenus Chiropterargas were studied by scanning electron microscopy. All species parasitize Old World cave-dwelling insectivorous bats (Microchiroptera). The anterior pit setae number 10 in Carios and 10 or 11 in Chiropterargas. In most Carios, the setiform seta is replaced by a second serrate seta. In 2 of the 3 studied Chiropterargas species, 1 of the 2 grooved setae is exceptionally long. Porose setae number 3 in Carios and 3 or 4 in Chiropterargas. The Haller's organ roof in both subgenera is solid, lacking perforations; the aperture is narrowly transverse in Carios, irregularly wide or wide and transverse in Chiropterargas; uniquely, 1 or 2 sensilla protrude from the aperture of Chiropterargas species. The protruding sensilla and long grooved seta of Chiropterargas suggest a probably distinctive sensory-behavior pattern common to these ticks. Other morphological characters are discussed and compared to show relationships between these 2 subgenera and the subgenera Argas and Persicargas and distinctive characters present only in adult and/or larval Carios and Chiropterargas.     

Uniformity of colour vision in Old World monkeys

It is often assumed that all Old World monkeys share the same trichromatic colour vision, but the evidence in support of this conclusion is sparse as only a small fraction of all Old World monkey species have been tested. To address this issue, spectral sensitivity functions were measured in animals from eight species of Old World monkey (five cercopithecine species and three colobine species) using a non-invasive electrophysiological technique. Each of the 25 animals examined had spectrally well-separated middle- and long-wavelength cone pigments. Cone pigments maximally sensitive to short wavelengths were also detected, implying the presence of trichromatic colour vision. Direct comparisons of the spectral sensitivity functions of Old World monkeys suggest there are no significant variations in the spectral positions of the cone pigments underlying the trichromatic colour vision of Old World monkeys.     

Systématique moléculaire des phlebotominae : étude pilote. paraphylie du genre phlebotomus

Phylogenetic relationships among Phlebotominae were inferred through a pilot study using parsimony analysis of the D2 domain of ribosomal DNA sequences: 455 pairs of bases were sequenced in nine species of Phlebotomine sandflies which belong to the genera Lutzomyia, Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia. Two taxa are used as outgroups: Psychoda sp. and Nemapalpus flavus which is the sister group of the Phlebotominae. The South American genus Lutzomyia appears to be monophyletic. The Mediterranean species Sergentomyia dentata is its sister group and is not clustered with the Old World genus Phlebotomus. The latter is a paraphyletic genus with an early individualisation of the branch including the closely related subgenera Phlebotomus and Paraphlebotomus, and a late individualisation of the subgenus Larroussius. These results have some consequences on the biogeography of the leishmaniasis in the Old World.     

Evolution and phylogeny of old world deer

The phylogenetic pattern and timing of the radiation of Old World deer was determined based on the complete mitochondrial cytochrome b gene from 33 Cervinae taxa. Using rooted and unrooted phylogenies derived from distinct theoretical approaches, strong support was achieved for monophyly of the Old World deer with muntjacs as sister group as well as for the divergence of at least three distinct genera: Rucervus, Dama, and Cervus. The latter clade comprises what have previously been regarded as the genera or subgenera Panolia, Rusa, Cervus, Sika, and probably Przewalskium. Our data also consistently confirmed paraphyly of nominate C. elaphus and did not support the monophyly of Axis. We used these molecular phylogenies to assess the homoplastic evolution of morphological, geographical, ecological, and selected behavioural character state differences within the Cervinae. Reliable fossil calibrations, large molecular data sets, and improved dating methods are shaping a molecular time scale for the evolutionary radiation of Old World deer that occurred at the Miocene/Pliocene transition and is largely compatible with existing palaeontological evidence. Using node ages estimated from sequence data, we estimated an average per-lineage diversification rate of 0.51+/-0.1 species per million years (my) over roughly the last 6 mya.     

Relationships among Old and New World Alliums according to ITS DNA sequence analysis

 Phylogenetic analysis of ITS DNA sequences of various Old and New World Alliums suggests the reinclusion of Nectaroscordum and affirms the reestablishment of Caloscordum as subgenera of genus Allium. The results sanction the elimination of the Old World Allium species from subg. Amerallium Traub and endorse Wendelbo’s definition of subg. Molium (excluding sect. Porphyrason). Received: 29 July 1998 / Accepted: 13 August 1998     

Phylogenetics and evolution of the aphid genus Uroleucon based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences

The genus Uroleucon, and the related genus Macrosiphoniella, represent a large Tertiary radiation of aphids, with a total of about 300 species distributed throughout the world, primarily on host plant species in the family Asteraceae. A molecular phylogenetic study was conducted to identify major clades within Uroleucon and to address the cladistic validity of current subgeneric categories, the evolution of host plant associations, the age of origin, and intercontinental movements in this genus. The seventeen study species included members of the three major subgenera of Uroleucon, species from Europe and North America, one member of Macrosiphoniella, and two outgroups. Data consisted of DNA sequences for three mitochondrial regions and the nuclear gene EF1alpha, for a total of 4287 sites. Nodes supported strongly in both parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses suggest that: (1) Nearctic Uromelan are a monophyletic group branching near the base of the genus and not related to European Uromelan, (2) the New World subgenus Lambersius is possibly monophyletic but is not a tightly related group and is not closely related to other North American species, and (3) Nearctic members of subgenus Uroleucon are a closely related monophyletic group not allied with Nearctic Uromelan or Lambersius. Instead they represent a separate colonization by an Old World ancestor, as they are nested within a strongly supported clade containing European members of both subgenera Uroleucon and Uromelan. Neither of these subgenera is monophyletic. Molecular clock calculations, based on calibrations of mitochondrial divergences from other insects, suggest that Uroleucon + Macrosiphoniella is a relatively recent radiation, probably no more than 5–10 million years old. Although largely confined to Asteraceae, this clade did not radiate in parallel with its host plants. Rather, lateral movement between lineages of Asteraceae must have occurred repeatedly.     

Molecular phylogeny of Old World monkeys (Cercopithecidae) as inferred from gamma-globin DNA sequences

DNA sequence data of the nuclear-encoded gamma1-gamma2-globin duplication region were used to examine the phylogenetic relationships of 16 cercopithecid (Old World monkey) species representing 12 extant genera. Morphology- and molecular-based hypotheses of Old World monkey branching patterns are generally congruent, except for generic relationships within the subtribe Papionina. The cercopithecids divide into colobines (leaf-eating monkeys) and cercopithecines (cheek-pouched monkeys). The colobines examined by the DNA data divide into an Asian clade (Nasalis, proboscis monkeys; Trachypithecus, langurs) and an African clade (Colobus, colobus monkeys). The cercopithecines divide into tribes Cercopithecini (Erythrocebus, patas monkey; Chlorocebus, green monkeys; Cercopithecus, guenons) and Papionini. Papionins divide into subtribes Macacina (Macaca, macaques) and Papionina (Papio, hamadryas baboons; Mandrillus, drills and mandrills; Theropithecus, gelada baboons; Lophocebus, arboreal mangabeys; Cercocebus, terrestrial mangabeys). In a morphologically based classification, Mandrillus is a subgenus of Papio, whereas Lophocebus is a subgenus of Cercocebus. In contrast, the molecular evidence treats Mandrillus as a subgenus of Cercocebus, and treats both Theropithecus and Lophocebus as subgenera of Papio. Local molecular clock divergence time estimates were used as a yardstick in a "rank equals age" system to propose a reduction in taxonomic rank for most clades within Cercopithecidae.     

楝科（Meliaceae）的地理分布

楝科为泛热带分布科,全世界有５１属,约５５０—６００种,分布于旧世界热带地区有４６属,热带美洲有８属．热带亚洲和热带非洲为楝科两大现代分布中心．中国楝科共１５属,６１种,占世界属总数的２９％,种总数的１０％。中国楝科的分布是在全球楝科分布区的边缘,主要分布于中国西南部及南部诸省,种类由西南向东南递减。中国楝科属的分布区类型可归为５类：１．热带亚洲、非洲和中南美洲间断分布（１属）;２．旧世界热带分布（３属）;３,热带亚洲至热带大洋洲分布（２属）;４．热带亚洲至热带非洲分布（１属）;５．热带亚洲分布（８属）。中国楝科种的分布区类型仅有２类：１．热带亚洲分布（３１种）;２．中国特有分布（３０种）。楝科植物的起源推断在早白垩纪。中国楝科植物由印度—马来西亚成分及特有成分组成。热带亚洲的楝科植物主要是通过中南半岛和中国云南。广西和海南等地发生联系,而菲律宾和台湾之间可有直接的联系。     

Historical evidence for a pre-Columbian presence of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Datura</Emphasis> in the Old World and implications for a first millennium transfer from the New World

Datura (Solanaceae) is a small genus of plants that, for long, was thought to occur naturally in both the New and Old Worlds. However, recent studies indicate that all species in the genus originated in the Americas. This finding has prompted the conclusion that no species of Datura could have been present in the Old World prior to its introduction there by Europeans in the early 16th century CE. Further, the textual evidence traditionally cited in support of a pre-Columbian Old World presence of Datura species is suggested to be due to the misreading of classical Greek and Arabic sources. As a result, botanists generally accept the opinion that Datura species were transferred into the Old World in the post-Columbian period. While the taxonomic and geographic evidence for a New World origin for all the Datura species appears to be well supported, the assertion that Datura species were not known in the Old World prior to the 16th century is based on a limited examination of the pre-Columbian non-Anglo sources. We draw on old Arabic and Indic1 texts and southern Indian iconographic representations to show that there is conclusive evidence for the pre-Columbian presence of at least one species of Datura in the Old World. Given the systematic evidence for a New World origin of the genus, the most plausible explanation for this presence is a relatively recent but pre-Columbian (probably first millennium CE) transfer of at least one Datura species, D. metel, into the Old World. Because D. metel is a domesticated species with a disjunct distribution, this might represent an instance of human-mediated transport from the New World to the Old World, as in the case of the sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas).     

Phylogenetic implications of comparative primate growth rates

Growth data from a number of species of Old and New World primates have been analyzed by calculating instantaneous relative growth rates. Species discussed are the New World species Saimiri sciureus and Saguinus nigricollis, and the Old World species Pan troglodytes and Macaca mulatta. The analysis of the perinatal growth data indicated that differences in relative growth rates are present during early periods of growth. More specifically, it was found that the closer taxonomically a species is to man the greater the deceleration of growth during the first postnatal year. It is suggested that this may be a general primate trend.