Phylogeny and classification of Muscini (Diptera, Muscidae)

Worldwide in distribution, the tribe Muscini comprises 21 accepted genera and about 350 species. In the present study, a cladistic analysis based upon adult morphological characters is carried out in order to discuss the monophyly of the tribe and its genera, the intergeneric relationships and, in some cases, also the intrageneric relationships. As a result, Muscini is supported as a monophyletic tribe sister-group of Stomoxyini. Except for Morellia Robineau-Desvoidy, Curranosia Paterson, and Eudasyphora Townsend, all the remaining genera are monophyletic. The results are dubious for Polietes Rondani, which was then provisionally kept unchanged. Morellia was broadened to include the Neotropical endemic genera Parapyrellia Townsend, Trichomorellia Stein, and Xenomorellia Malloch. Therefore, a new classification is proposed for Morellia in which it is divided into four subgenera: Morellia s.s. , Parapyrellia , Trichomorellia , and Xenomorellia . Furthermore, the previously proposed subgenus Dasysterna Zimin is given new status as a genus; however, as it is preoccupied by Dasysterna Dejean, the new replacement name Ziminellia nom. nov. is proposed herewith. Eudasyphora was found to be a paraphyletic group relative to Dasyphora Robineau-Desvoidy; both genera are hence synonymized, and Dasyphora is classified in three subgenera: Dasyphora s.s. , Eudasyphora , and Rypellia Malloch. The analysis demonstrated that the traditional classification of Musca Linnaeus into subgenera is artificial and, moreover, that the use of characters from male genitalia could be strongly informative for classifying the genus in phylogeny-supported species groups. Finally, the new classification proposal for Muscini recognizes 18 genera and, furthermore, two undescribed genus-ranked taxa are indicated.  © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society , 2007, 149 , 493–532.     

Systematics and biogeography of Polietina Schnabl & Dziedzicki (Diptera, Muscidae): Neotropical area relationships and Amazonia as a composite area

Abstract.  The genus Polietina Schnabl & Dziedzicki, 1911 (Diptera, Muscidae) groups 15 species distributed throughout the Neotropical region. Here, generic and specific diagnoses and a species identification key are provided, with cladistic and biogeographical analyses performed and results discussed. In the cladistic analysis, the application of equal, successive and implied character weighting schemes resulted in the single cladogram (( P. flavidicincta ( P. rubella ( P. concinna ( P. orbitalis , P. wulpi )))) ( P. steini (( P. flavithorax , P. major ) ( P. nigra , P. prima ) ( P. bicolor , P. minor , P. univittata )))). In the biogeographical analysis, the Brooks parsimony analysis was performed by experimenting several combinations of areas of endemism proposed previously in the literature, and one area cladogram ((Caribbean, north-west Amazonia) (south-east Amazonia (Chacoan, Paraná))) favours a previously proposed hypothesis of a composite history for Amazonia.     

Differential Effect of Phosphate Starvation on the Rates of Cell Division and Plastid Replication in Euglena*

SYNOPSIS. The effects of phosphate starvation on the synthetic and division rates of Euglena gracilis strain Z are described. Phosphate starvation inhibits rates of the following processes, in the order: RNA synthesis > DNA synthesis > cell division > chlorophyll synthesis and plastid replication. As a consequence of the differential effect of phosphate starvation on the synthetic and division rates the average gross chemical composition of the cells is subject to continuous change.     

Chloroplast DNA‐based studies in molecular ecology may be compromised by nuclear‐encoded plastid sequence

Ongoing genetic transfer from mitochondria and plastids into the nucleus is a well‐documented fact. While in metazoan molecular ecology the need for surveillance against pseudogene‐mediated artefacts when analysing mtDNA sequences is commonly accepted, no comparable measurements have been established for plastid‐based studies. We highlight the impact and management of nuclear mitochondrial insertions, argue that nuclear plastid sequences represent an underestimated but major factor in plant molecular ecology, and discuss potential avenues of remedy in chloroplast studies.     

13C Solid-State Cross Polarization/Magic-Angle-Spinning Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectra of Natural and Synthetic Melanins

The availability of NMR spectrometers operating in cross polarization/magic angle spinning (CP-MAS) has provided a powerful tool for the structural elucidation of insoluble materials. In this ¹³C NMR study of eumelanins we report the first direct evidence of the presence of different chemical functionalities in synthetic and natural eumelanins. These spectra contain useful information for the characterization of melanins from different sources.