Ultraconserved elements show utility in phylogenetic inference of Adephaga (Coleoptera) and suggest paraphyly of ‘Hydradephaga’

The beetle suborder Adephaga has been the subject of many phylogenetic reconstructions utilizing a variety of data sources and inference methods. However, no strong consensus has yet emerged on the relationships among major adephagan lineages. Ultraconserved elements (UCEs) have proved useful for inferring difficult or unresolved phylogenies at varying timescales in vertebrates, arachnids and Hymenoptera. Recently, a UCE bait set was developed for Coleoptera using polyphagan genomes and a member of the order Strepsiptera as an outgroup. Here, we examine the utility of UCEs for reconstructing the phylogeny of adephagan families, in the first in vitro application a UCE bait set in Coleoptera. Our final dataset included 305 UCE loci for 18 representatives of all adephagan families except Aspidytidae, and two polyphagan outgroups, with a total concatenated length of 83 547 bp. We inferred trees using maximum likelihood analyses of the concatenated UCE alignment and coalescent species tree methods (astral ii , ASTRID, svdquartets ). Although the coalescent species tree methods had poor resolution and weak support, concatenated analyses produced well‐resolved, highly supported trees. Hydradephaga was recovered as paraphyletic, with Gyrinidae sister to Geadephaga and all other adephagans. Haliplidae was recovered as sister to Dytiscoidea, with Hygrobiidae and Amphizoidae successive sisters to Dytiscidae. Finally, Noteridae was recovered as monophyletic and sister to Meruidae. Given the success of UCE data for resolving phylogenetic relationships within Adephaga, we suggest the potential for further resolution of relationships within Adephaga using UCEs with improved taxon sampling, and by developing Adephaga‐specific probes.     

An updated phylogeny of Anisoptera including formal convergence analysis of morphological characters

Family interrelationships among Anisoptera (dragonflies) are unresolved. Molecular markers applied thus far have not been particularly useful for resolving relationships at the family level. Previous morphological studies have depended heavily on characters of wing venation and articulation which are believed to display considerable degrees of homoplasy due to adaptations to different flight modes. Here, we present a comprehensive anatomical dataset of the head morphology of Anisoptera focusing on muscle organization and endoskeletal features covering nearly all families. The characters are illustrated in detail and incorporated into an updated morphological character matrix covering all parts of the dragonfly body. Phylogenetic analysis recovers all families as monophyletic clades except Corduliidae, Gomphidae as sister group to all remaining Anisoptera, and Austropetaliidae as sister group to Aeshnidae (=Aeshnoidea). The position of Petaluridae and Aeshnoidea to each other could not be resolved. Libelluloidea is monophyletic with Neopetalia and Cordulegastridae as first splits. Chlorogomphidae is sister to monophyletic [Synthemistidae + (‘Corduliidae’ + Libellulidae)]. In addition, we applied a recently published formal approach to detect concerted convergence in morphological data matrices and uncover possible homoplasies. Analyses show that especially head and thorax characters may harbour homoplasies. After exclusion of possible homoplastic characters, Gomphidae is corroborated as sister group to all remaining Anisoptera.     

A cladistic analysis of the subfamily Philanthinae (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

Abstract. The Philanthinae, as treated here, contains the eight valid genera Aphilanthops Patton, Cerceris Latreille, Clypeadon Patton, Eucerceris Cresson, Philanthinus Beaumont, Philanthus Fabricius, Pseudoscolia Radoszkowski and Trachypus Klug. Listropygia Bohart is synonymized with Clypeadon , syn.n. The genera Eremiasphecium Kohl and Odontosphex Arnold are removed from the Philanthinae and regarded as genera incertae sedis within Sphecidae. Analysis of the genera of this redefined subfamily Philanthinae finds two major clades whose monophyly is strongly supported: ( Philanthinus + ( Philanthus + Trachypus )) [= Tribe Philanthini] and ( Pseudoscolia + ( Cerceris + Eucerceris )) [= Tribe Cercerini]. There is some evidence for the monophyly of Clypeadon + Aphilanthops [= Tribe Aphilanthopini]. Cerceris and Philanthus are inferred to be paraphyletic with respect to Eucerceris and Trachypus , respectively. Philanthinus is removed from the tribe Aphilanthopini and placed in the tribe Philanthini, and the monotypic tribe Pseudoscoliini is synonymized with Cercerini.     

Changes in the timing of spring and autumn migration in North American migrant passerines during a period of global warming

Butler (2003) used first arrival dates (FADs) of 103 migrant birds in northeastern USA and found that both long-distance migrants (LDMs; wintering south of the USA) and short-distance migrants (SDMs; wintering in the southern USA) arrived earlier in the second half of the 20th century than they had in the first, consistent with scenarios of global warming; the trend was stronger in SDMs. Using FADs to characterize migration systems can be problematic because they are data from one tail of a distribution, they comprise a mostly male population and they may not correlate well with the balance of the migration period. FADs also provide no information about autumn migration. This paper uses a banding dataset from Long Point Bird Observatory, Ontario, for 14 passerines for a period of global warming (1975–2000), taking these issues into account. The data were filtered to minimize effects of unequal netting effort (147 491 resulting records), and the passage dates then calculated in each season of each year for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quartiles for regression analysis. Only two of 13 species analysed in the spring showed significantly earlier passage times, although the overall trend was towards earlier spring migration, especially among SDMs. Autumn responses were more prevalent, however, and in some cases more dramatic with six of 13 species showing delayed migration (four SDMs, two LDMs). Two LDMs exhibited earlier autumn migration. Where earlier spring migration occurred, both sexes appeared to contribute to the change. Where delayed migration occurred in autumn, both sexes and both adults and hatch-year birds appeared to contribute in at least some cases. The spring FAD results are consistent with those of Butler, but when the whole migration is considered, change is far from universal in spring and is in fact more substantial and complex in autumn.     

A conservation paradox for the 21st century: the European wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus,an invasive alien and an endangered native species

• 1 This review highlights the status of the European wild rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus, which is threatened within its native range and yet is a highly successful colonizer across its worldwide, introduced range.
• 2 The European wild rabbit is a keystone species in Iberia, and the survival of a range of threatened predator species, including the Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus and Spanish imperial eagle Aquila aldabertii, is dependent upon the restoration of rabbit populations. Although not native to the UK, the rabbit also performs significant ecosystem services for nationally rare UK species, by maintaining short sward heights in heathland and grassland ecosystems, and serving as a prey item for populations of predators.
• 3 We identify the European wild rabbit as an excellent model to demonstrate the wide range of complex effects that an introduced mammalian species may exert on ecosystems to which it has been introduced. These effects include habitat degradation following overgrazing, competition with native mammals and facilitating meso‐predator release and hyperpredation.
• 4 We also show that rabbit eradication from some sites may generate more problems than are solved because of the impacts of trophic cascades stemming from dependence on rabbits by native predator assemblages.

     

Evolution of novel jaw joints promote trophic diversity in coral reef fishes

We investigated the functional morphology and ecology of biting among the squamipinnes, an assemblage of nine successful and distinctive reef fish families. We demonstrate that an intramandibular joint (IMJ) may have evolved at least three and possibly five times in this assemblage and discuss the impact of this recurring innovation in facilitating prey-capture by biting. Using character mapping on a supertree for the squamipinnes, we reveal up to seven gains or losses of intramandibular flexion, all associated with trophic transitions between free-living and attached prey utilization. IMJs are basal in six of the studied families whereas the origin of intramandibular flexion in the Chaetodontidae (butterflyfishes) coincides with a transition from ram-suction feeding to benthic coral feeding, with flexion magnitude reaching its peak (49 ± 2.7°) in the coral scraping subgenus Citharoedus . Although IMJs generally function to augment vertical gape expansion during biting behaviours to remove small invertebrates, algae or coral from the reef, the functional ecology of IMJs in the Pomacanthidae (angelfishes) stands in contrast. Pomacanthid IMJs exhibit over 35° of flexion, permitting gape closure when the jaws are fully protruded. We demonstrate the widespread IMJ occurrence among extant biters to result from a complex convergent evolutionary history, indicating that the IMJ is a major functional innovation that enhances biting strategies in several prominent reef fish groups.  © 2008 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2008, 93 , 545–555.