Tooth replacement rates in early chondrichthyans: a qualitative approach

The continuous replacement of teeth throughout their lifetime is a common characteristic of most chondrichthyans. This process was already present in the earliest representatives of the group. It has been well established that different species of extant sharks show rapid tooth replacement rates; however, some authors have suggested that in early chondrichthyans this rate might have been much slower. Here we present a qualitative approach to analyse tooth replacement rates in the Early Devonian shark Leonodus carlsi , the earliest tooth-bearing shark known to date. For this, we have examined 1,103 isolated teeth from Celtiberia, Spain. Our study provides strong evidences of an extremely slow dental replacement in this primitive chondrichthyan based on three independents analyses: (1) statistical analysis of the wear degree, demonstrating that teeth remain functional for a long period of time; (2) analysis of both the histological and the morphological features of the teeth cusps suggests that this chondrichthyan used a maturation process that optimizes its function, thus worn teeth show an efficient working shape that implies their teeth remained functional for a long time after being modelled by use; and (3) estimations of size increments between teeth (Δs) of the same dental family for some recent sharks whose rates of replacement were known prove that Δs is inversely proportional to the rate of replacement ( R ² = 0.8327). The estimated values of tooth replacement rates obtained from Δs for L. carlsi and for some Late Devonian cladoselachian sharks are significatively slower than those observed in current sharks.     

Mitochondrial DNA variation and the evolutionary history of the Mediterranean species of Cicada L. (Hemiptera,Cicadoidea)

Cicadas are widely distributed in the Mediterranean area and are mainly distinguished by male acoustic signals, which act as specific mate recognition systems. Within the genus Cicada L. several species have diverged in their calling songs without showing external morphological differences, so acoustic recordings and genetic studies are particularly useful for systematic, biogeography and evolutionary studies. This study assesses sequence variation in closely related species of Cicada from the Mediterranean area, using domain III of the 12S rRNA mitochondrial gene in order to determine the phylogenetic relationships and the evolutionary history of this group, as well as the population structure of the two most common species, C. orni and C. barbara. Five distinct haplogroups were identified, C. orni, C. barbara, C. mordoganensis, C. cretensis and C. lodosi, each corresponding to a distinct evolutionary group. C. barbara was the most divergent species within this group, while C. orni and C. mordoganensis were the most similar. The population structure and demographic parameters of the species were not completely resolved. However, there is evidence for the separation of the C. orni Greek populations from the rest of Europe and also for demographic expansions probably related to Pleistocene climate changes. © 2009 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2009, 155 , 266–288.     

Ozone‐induced reductions in below‐ground biomass: an anatomical approach in potato

Potato plants were grown in open‐top chambers under three ozone concentrations during two complete cropping seasons (93 and 77 d in 2004 and 2005, respectively). The effects of chronic exposure to ozone on leaf anatomy, cell ultrastructure and crop yield were studied. Severe cell damage was found, even at ambient ozone levels, mainly affecting the spongy parenchyma and areas near the stomata. Damage to the cell wall caused loss of cell contact, and loss of turgor pressure due to tonoplast disintegration, contributed to cell collapse. Phloem sieve plates were obstructed by callose accumulation, and damaged mesophyll cells increased their starch stores. Tuber yield fell sharply (24–44%), due to the biggest tubers becoming smaller, which affected commercial yield. These anatomical findings show the mechanisms of ozone effect on assimilate partitioning, and thus crop yield decrease, in potato. Further implications of ozone causing reductions in below‐ground biomass are also discussed.     

The use of geostatistics and GIS for evolutionary history studies: the case of the nose‐horned viper (Vipera ammodytes) in the Balkan Peninsula

Geostatistics and geographical information system (GIS) procedures are novel techniques helpful for the identification of environmental correlates sustaining contact zones among subspecies or closely related species. In this paper, we tried to infer evolutionary scenarios for Vipera ammodytes across the European part of its distribution area using geostatistics and ecological niche‐based models, hence trying to solve several biogeographical questions that remained unclear after the application of classical morphological tools and genetic analyses. Eleven morphological traits from 871 vipers were analysed with geostatistics and ecological niche‐based modelling. Interpolation by kriging was used to generate surfaces of morphological variation, which were combined with spatial principal components analysis (SPCA). SPCA maps were used to test putative morphological differentiated groups with discriminant function analysis (DFA). Maximum entropy modelling and seven environmental variables were used to identify factors limiting the distribution of groups and areas for the potential occurrence of such groups. Three patterns of morphological variation were observed: a north‐west/south‐west cline, transition zones with steep clines of variation in a west–east arc, and particular character traits that disturbed the general cline. SPCA identified between three and nine putative population groups, of which three were supported by DFA. Areas of potential occurrence of these groups were coherent with the range of the three subspecies of V. ammodytes currently recognized. The distribution of all subspecies was mostly related to precipitation in the driest month. Areas of probable sympatry between subspecies are generally small and restricted. The main patterns of geographic variation of morphological characters for V. ammodytes were similar to the patterns obtained for Vipera latastei and Vipera monticola; the same environmental factors limit the distribution of differentiated groups of vipers in the Balkans and the Iberian Peninsula. The influence of humidity on the variation of morphological traits in spatially separated viper taxa from the two European peninsulas coincides with their phylogenetic relatedness. Geostatistics and GIS procedures were successful in the identification of environmental correlates sustaining contact zones among V. ammodytes subspecies in the Balkans. The same techniques should be applied for studying other parapatric forms and refugia regions. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 101 , 651–666.     

Morphological and molecular taxonomy of a new Daptonema (Nematoda,Xyalidae) with comments on the systematics of some related taxa

A new species of Daptonema is described based upon morphological characters and 18S rRNA sequence. Daptonema matrona sp. nov. was collected in Pina Basin (north‐eastern Brazil). It differs from all other species of the genus by the presence of reduced cephalic setae and straight spicules. These features require an adaptation of the generic diagnosis. Moreover, the females are characterized by intra‐uterine development of the offspring, considered herein as their major autapomorphic feature. Molecular systematic analyses supported Daptonema matrona sp. nov. as a distinct genetic and evolutionary lineage. The data also indicate hypotheses of taxonomic synonymies amongst some related taxa from Xyalidae as well as the paraphyly of Daptonema. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 158 , 1–15.     

Phylogenetic relationships within Maldanidae (Capitellida,Annelida), based on morphological characters

The Maldanidae annelid worms are reviewed and the phylogenetic relationships of their subgroups provided, based on Hennigian principles and maximum parsimony. Characters were coded as binary and multistate (transformation series). We used 33 terminal taxa (species), and 50 characters. Characters were treated as unordered and of equal weight, and analysis was run in TNT. Three equally most-parsimonious trees were obtained with heuristic searches, with lengths of 64 steps; CI = 0.95, and RI = 0.98. The monophyly of Maldanidae was supported with 100% of bootstrap and jackknife values. As a result of our analysis, Arenicolidae remains the sister-group of Maldanidae, and both should be referred to Maldanomorpha. Maldanidae was supported by the following synapomorphies: dorsal prostomium; prostomium keel-shaped and fused to peristomium; torus globose behind median chaetigers; median chaetigers greatly elongated; number of pre-anal segments reduced. The subfamily Bogueinae was not monophyletic; Boguea and Boguella were included within Rhodininae. Clymenura, previously included in the Clymenurinae, was included within Euclymeninae. The taxa Notoproctinae, Maldaninae, Nicomachinae and Euclymeninae were grouped in the Maldanoplaca, a new taxon. Eight further new clades have been found, but were not named.     

Differential survival and reproduction in colour forms of Philaenus spumarius give new insights to the study of its balanced polymorphism

1. Colour polymorphisms are common across animals and are often the result of complex selection regimes. Philaenus spumarius (Linnaeus) (Hemiptera, Aphrophoridae) shows a widely studied dorsal colour polymorphism with several described phenotypes whose variation in their occurrence and frequency, as well as their maintenance across time, have been reported. Several selective influences have been suggested to play a role, but the mechanisms underlying the maintenance of this polymorphism are still poorly understood. 2. To explore the adaptive significance of the colour polymorphism of P. spumarius, an experiment was conducted in captivity under semi‐natural conditions to measure survival, reproductive success, and duration of egg maturation. 3. It was found that there was higher longevity, a higher number of oviposition events, and a higher number of eggs laid by trilineatus phenotype females than by typicus and marginellus, supporting previous reports of an increase in trilineatus frequency during the season. The duration of egg maturation did not differ among phenotypes. 4. The higher longevity and fertility of the trilineatus phenotype may compensate, for example, the higher rate of attack by parasitoids and/or higher solar radiation reflectance in this phenotype, which have already been reported in previous studies, constituting a possible mechanism for the maintenance of this polymorphism.