A species tree for the Australo-Papuan Fairy-wrens and allies (Aves: Maluridae)

We explored the efficacy of species tree methods at the family level in birds, using the Australo-Papuan Fairy-wrens (Passeriformes: Maluridae) as a model system. Fairy-wrens of the genus Malurus are known for high intensities of sexual selection, resulting in some cases in rapid speciation. This history suggests that incomplete lineage sorting (ILS) of neutrally evolving loci could be substantial, a situation that could compromise traditional methods of combining loci in phylogenetic analysis. Using 18 molecular markers (5 anonymous loci, 7 exons, 5 introns, and 1 mitochondrial DNA locus), we show that gene tree monophyly across species could be rejected for 16 of 18 loci, suggesting substantial ILS at the family level in these birds. Using the software Concaterpillar, we also detect three statistically distinct clusters of gene trees among the 18 loci. Despite substantial variation in gene trees, species trees constructed using four different species tree estimation methods (BEST, BUCKy, and STAR) were generally well supported and similar to each other and to the concatenation tree, with a few mild discordances at nodes that could be explained by rapid and recent speciation events. By contrast, minimizing deep coalescences produced a species tree that was topologically more divergent from those of the other methods as measured by multidimensional scaling of trees. Additionally, gene and species trees were topologically more similar in the BEST analysis, presumably because of the species tree prior employed in BEST which appropriately assumes that gene trees are correlated with each other and with the species tree. Among the 18 loci, we also discovered 102 independent indel markers, which also proved phylogenetically informative, primarily among genera, and displayed a ～4-fold bias towards deletions. As suggested in earlier work, the grasswrens (Amytornis) are sister to the rest of the family and the emu-wrens (Stipiturus) are sister to fairy-wrens (Malurus, Clytomyias). Our study shows that ILS is common at the family level in birds yet, despite this, species tree methods converge on broadly similar results for this family.     

A revision of the family Ciconiidae (Aves)

Behavioural and morphological characteristics of all members of the stork family are summarized. References are given to other papers where these subjects are discussed in greater detail for each group of storks. Based on the evidence now available, a revised classification is suggested (Table II) which divides the Ciconiidae into three tribes, six genera, and 17 species. The following genera (of Peters, 1931) are synonymized with other existing genera: Ibis, Sphenorhynchus, Dissoura, Euxenura , and Xenorhynchus. It is further suggested that Scopus should be placed in a suborder of its own and that Balaeniceps be placed in a monotypic family adjacent to the Ciconiidae, pending further study.     

A revision of the genus Triplaris (Polygonaceae)

The neotropical genus Triplaris Loefl. ex L. is revised. A total of 73 taxa had previously been described. In the present revision 17 species, 1 subspecies, and 1 variety are recognized. A new combination Triplaris melaenodendron (Bertol.) Standl. & Steyerm. ssp. colombiana (Meisner) Brandbyge is made, and a new variety T. setosa Rusby var. woytkowski Brandbyge is proposed. Keys based on both pistillate and staminate specimens are presented.     

A revision of the genus Sclerosperma (Arecaceae)

Summary  A taxonomic revision of the palm genus Sclerosperma (Arecaceae) is presented. Three species are recognised: S. mannii H. Wendl., which is relatively widespread from Liberia to the Democratic Republic of Congo; S. walkeri A. Chev., which is apparently confined to the interior of Gabon and a band along the Congo River; and S. profiziana, a new species previously considered conspecific to S. mannii that is found in southwest Ghana, Congo, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola. The taxonomic history, morphology, distribution and conservation status of the genus and each species are discussed.     

A revision of the genus Phaeonychium (Brassicaceae)

Phaeonychium consists of six species distributed in Afghanistan, Bhutan, China, India, Kashmir, Nepal, and Tajikistan. The new combinations P. villosum and P. kashgaricum are proposed. Phaeonychium jafrii is described as new. The limits and relationships of Phaeonychium are discussed.     

A revision of the genus Naroma (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)

A key is given to the four species of Naroma now recognised. The species are redescribed and their distribution is listed. The early stages of N.varipes and N.signifera are described by D.G.Sevastopulo.     

A revision of the genus Sarcococca (Buxaceae)

SEALY, J. R., 1985. A revision of the genus Sarcococca (Buxaceae). The genus Sarcococca is idely distributed in SE Asia from Afghanistan through the Himalaya to SE Tibet, Assam, Upper Burma and China, southwards in peninsula India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Indochina, to Java and Sumatra, Taiwan and Luzon. The genus is accepted as comprising 11 species, one with three varieties, two with two varieties each, and another of two forms. These are described in detail. Sarcococca walhchii f. membranacea from Manipur, is a new form and V. zevlanica var. brevifolia is a new combination.     

A revision of the genus Mouretia (Eubiaceae)

Four species are recognised in Mouretia, a genus previously thought to be monospecific. Two new species M. vietnamensis and M. larsenii are described, and M. tonkinensis var_: inequalis is elevated to the rank of species. All species are illustrated. The chromosome number far M. larsenii is given. The character states for the genus are presented. A comparison between Mouretia and Mycetia show them to share most of their character states. It is suggested that the two genera form a monophyletic group, that should be included in the tribe Hedyotideae.     

A revision of the genus Dopatrium (Scrophulariaceae-Gratioloideae)

The genus Dopatrium is revised and 14 species are recognized. The distribution and ecology of each species is described and illustrations and distribution maps are provided. The new combination Dopatrium tenerum is proposed.     

A revision of the genus Microula (Boraginaceae)

1. Having analyzed the external morphology of the genus Microula, the author has proposed a series of criteria as bases for the construction of a classification scheme of this genus. The most important ones are as follows: 1) The normally developed stem is primitive, and the strongly abbreviated stem more advanced. 2) The small inconspicuous bracts are more primitive than the large suborbicular densely arranged ones, which almost entirely cover the flowers and the fruits. 3) Nutlets with small dorsal pit are more primitive than those with larger pit on one hand or those without it on the other. 4) The dorsal pit with simple margin precedes that with double margins. 5) Nutlets with subbasal areola precede those with lateral or apical areola. 6) Nutlets without glochids precede those with glochids. 2. Basing upon these criteria the genus Microula may be divided into six sections. The section Schistocaryum may be the primitive one, and the others may be evolved from it respectively. The possible affinities between them are demonstrated in figure no. two. 3. The genus Microula, containing 30 species, is mainly distributed in the Chinghai-Tibetan plateau and the majority of its species concentrates in the eastern border of the plateau, and of the 30 species 26—that is 90 percent—are endemic to China, and the remaining 4 are distributed elsewhere in China, too, and extending southward and westward to Bhutan, Sikkim, Nepal and Kashmir respectively. In the region between Heishui, Province Szechuan, and Chinghai Lake there are 9 species, which, curiously, represent all the six sections of Microula, hence this region seems to be the center of maximum variation of this genus. M. ovalifolia whose nutlets have small dorsal pit and subbasal areola may be considered the most primitive species. Thus the author is of the opinion that the western part of province Szechuan, to which M. ovalifolia is endemic, may probably be the center of origin of the genusMicroula.     

A revision of the genus Annesorhiza (Apiaceae)

The genus Annesorhiza is revised and twelve species are recognized, of which two are newly described: A. altiscapa, A. burttii, A. flbrosa, A. flagellifolia, A. grandiflora, A. lateriflora, A. latifolia, A. macrocarpa, A. nuda, A. schlechteri, A. thunbergii and A. wilmsii. A. marlothii is reduced to synonymy under A. lateriflora , a species hitherto poorly known as Peucedanum lateriflorum. A. thunbergii is only known from the type specimen. A. elata, A. hirsuta and A. villosa are sunk under A. grandiflora. A. fúicaulis has recently been excluded from Annesorhiza on the basis of fruit structure. A key to the species is provided, an update on the nomenclature, typification of names and distribution maps are provided for all the species.     

A revision of genus Atalophlebioides (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae)

Abstract

Atalophlebioides Phillips is redescribed as a monotypic genus endemic to New Zealand. All life stages of A. cromwelli (Phillips) are described, and a lectotype is designated. The relationships of the genus and the ecology of A. cromwelli are discussed.