Multilocus phylogeny and taxonomy of East Asian voles Alexandromys (Rodentia,Arvicolinae)

Phylogenetic relationships, taxonomy and nomenclature issues within East Asian voles Alexandromys were addressed using comprehensive species samples, including all 12 valid species of the genus, and multilocus analysis. We examined the mitochondrial cytochrome b (cytb) gene and three nuclear genes in 36 specimens. Additionally, we examined a data set of 106 specimens using only the cytb gene. Our results did not confirm the aggregation of A. kikuchii, A. montebelli and A. oeconomus into a separate clade, namely the subgenus Pallasiinus. Analysis of incomplete lineage sorting using JML software highlighted both the cases of mitochondrial introgression and incomplete lineage sorting within the genus. Thus, the sister position of A. sachalinensis and A. maximowiczii in mitochondrial trees could be explained by mitochondrial introgression, while the sister position of A. limnophilus and A. fortis in mitochondrial trees could be successfully explained by incomplete lineage sorting. Very short genetic distances, together with an absence of monophyly, of the three species, A. evoronensis, A. mujanensis and A. maximowiczii, is supported by multiple morphological data, which indicates that these three taxa should be one species—A. maximowiczii. Analysis of genetic distances and tree topology revealed that three species of short‐tailed voles—A. middendorffii, A. mongolicus and A. gromovi—are more closely related to each other than to other established species of Alexandromys. The lacustrine vole, A. limnophilus, is closely related to the group of short‐tailed voles. Analysis of the type specimens of limnophilus and flaviventris confirmed that these taxa form one species together with A. l. malygini. Our results suggest that the mountains of western Mongolia are inhabited by a new taxon of short‐tailed voles of the same rank as middendorffii, mongolicus and gromovi—A. m. alpinus ssp. n.     

凡纳滨对虾繁育系统菌群结构及优势菌遗传多样性分析北大核心

【目的】探讨凡纳滨对虾(Litopenaeus vannamei)工厂化繁育系统内发生细菌性玻化症(shrimp postlarva bacterial vitrified syndrome,BVS)时期可培养微生物的菌群特征以及优势病原菌的遗传多样性。【方法】采用细菌体外培养方法结合基因测序技术对不同育苗阶段的亲虾、受精卵、无节幼体、蚤状幼体、糠虾幼体、仔虾,及其育苗池水和饵料内可培养细菌菌群的组成与结构特征进行研究,并通过多位点序列分析(multilocus sequence analysis,MLSA)方法解析病原菌的遗传多样性。【结果】系统内分离纯化的526株具有典型形态差异和群落优势的细菌分属于4门5纲16目24科38属113种。在纲水平上γ-变形菌纲(Gammaproteobacteria)丰度最高,共453株,占总分离株的86.1%;在属水平上弧菌属(Vibrio)丰度最高,共369株,占总分离株的70.2%;在种水平上,溶藻弧菌(Vibrio alginolyticus)为最优势种,共112株,占总分离株的21.3%,并且分布于整个繁育系统,在饵料中具有最高丰度。多元关联分析表明,随着对虾幼体的发育,饵料对幼体体内可培养细菌的菌群结构影响逐渐增加。对112株潜在溶藻弧菌的MLSA分析表明,其中100株菌株进一步确认为溶藻弧菌。进一步利用MLSA构建系统发育树分析其遗传多样性发现,100株溶藻弧菌分为9个簇,分离自同类样品的菌株广泛分布在不同的簇中。【结论】在BVS发生时期,凡纳滨对虾工厂化繁育系统中具有丰富的可培养微生物种类。对虾幼体发育过程中,饵料对幼体体内可培养细菌的菌群结构具有重要影响。溶藻弧菌为凡纳滨对虾工厂化繁育系统中的优势弧菌,分布于整个繁育系统,且具有丰富的遗传多样性。本研究为解析对虾繁育系统可培养微生物演替规律提供了数据支撑,也为对虾苗期病原防控和健康养殖提供了科学依据。     

Evolution,biogeography and systematics of the western Palaearctic Zamenis ratsnakes

The phylogenetic relationships between western Palaearctic Zamenis and Rhinechis ratsnakes have been troubled, with recent estimates based on the supermatrix approach questioning their monophyly and providing contradictory results. In this study, we generated a comprehensive molecular data set for Zamenis and closely related ratsnakes to assess their phylogenetic and systematic relationships and infer their spatial and temporal modes of diversification. We obtained a fully resolved and well‐supported phylogeny, which is consistent across markers, taxon‐sets and phylogenetic methods. The close phylogenetic relationship between Rhinechis and Zamenis is well‐established. However, the early branching pattern within this clade, and the position of R. scalaris and Z. hohenackeri, remains poorly supported. The Persian ratsnake Z. persicus is sister to the Mediterranean species Z. situla, Z. longissimus and Z. lineatus, of which Z. situla is sister to a clade containing the latter two species. These results are consistent with a recent phylogenomic study on ratsnakes based on hundreds of loci. Whereas, topological tests based on our data and evidence from such phylogenomic study strongly rejected previous phylogenetic estimates based on the supermatrix approach and demonstrate that these “mega‐phylogenies”, with hundreds of taxa and high levels of missing data, have recovered inconsistent relationships with spurious nodal support. Biogeographical and molecular dating analyses suggest an origin of the ancestor of Rhinechis and Zamenis in the Aegean region with early cladogenesis during the Late Miocene associated with the Aegean arch formation and support a scenario of east‐to‐west diversification. Finally, while we have little morphological and phylogenetic evidence for the distinctiveness between Rhinechis and Zamenis, a classification of them in a single genus, and the designation of Zamenis scalaris (Schinz, 1822), reflects better their evolutionary relationships.     

Multilocus sequence analysis of putative Vibrio mediterranei strains and description of Vibrio thalassae sp. nov.

A multilocus sequence analysis based on partial gyrB, mreB, rpoD and pyrH genes was undertaken with 61 putative Vibrio mediterranei/V. shilonii strains from different hosts (mussels, oysters, clams, coral, fish and plankton) or habitat (seawater and sediment) and geographical origins (Mediterranean, Atlantic and Pacific). A consistent grouping was obtained with individual and concatenated gene sequences, and the clade, comprising 54 strains, was split into three subclades by all methods: subclade A (40 strains, including AK1, the former type strain of Vibrio shilonii), subclade B (8 strains) corresponding to the species V. mediterranei, and subclade C (six strains) representing a new species, V. thalassae sp. nov., with strain MD16^T (=CECT 8203^T = KCTC 32373^T) as the proposed type strain.     

Wolbachia‐induced feminisation newly found in Eurema hecabe,a sibling species of Eurema mandarina (Lepidoptera: Pieridae)

1. Complete feminisation of genetic males into functional females, a unique case among insects, is known in Eurema mandarina (former Eurema hecabe Y type) that are infected with two strains of Wolbachia, wCI^Em and wFem^Em. 2. Here, we newly found that a proportion of wild‐caught E. hecabe (former E. hecabe B type) produced only female offspring. Cytogenetic observations indicated that individuals of E. hecabe displaying the all‐female trait were genetically male (i.e. feminisation). 3. Multilocus sequence typing analyses demonstrated that the feminised individuals of E. hecabe were infected with two Wolbachia strains, wCI^Eh and wFem^Eh, that were indistinguishable from wCI^Em and wFem^Em, respectively. 4. Even identical strains of Wolbachia can be regulated differently depending on the host genetic background. Therefore, we compared the infection densities and vertical transmission efficiencies of Wolbachia between feminised E. mandarina and E. hecabe, but detected no significant differences in these traits. 5. The possible routes by which the two Wolbachia strains have transferred between E. mandarina and E. hecabe are discussed.     

Memes of Haldane and Jayakar in a theory of sex

The history of mathematical modelling of communities and polymorphisms under intrinsic fluctuating selection is outlined. Authors have usually encountered difficulty in obtaining stability in cases involving host-parasite relations. Stability may in fact be uncommon. On the other handprotection of diversity (non-extinction of rare species or variants) may instead be common and important. Within multilocus systems, mild truncalion selection on a host-parasite system both protects variation and is supportative of sexuality against parthenogenesis even when sex pays a full cost-that is, even if sex has halved the efficiency of reproduction due to production of males. Truncation based on heritable health, which is itself based on polygenic resistance to parasites, provides the most robust and universal model supporting sex yet presented.