scholarly journals Disentangling relationships among eastern Mediterranean Cymbalaria including description of a novel species from the southern Peloponnese (Greece)

2021 ◽  
Vol 307 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pau Carnicero ◽  
Núria Garcia-Jacas ◽  
Llorenç Sáez ◽  
Theophanis Constantinidis ◽  
Mercè Galbany-Casals

AbstractThe eastern Mediterranean basin hosts a remarkably high plant diversity. Historical connections between currently isolated areas across the Aegean region and long-distance dispersal events have been invoked to explain current distribution patterns of species. According to most recent treatments, at least two Cymbalaria species occur in this area, Cymbalaria microcalyx and C. longipes. The former comprises several intraspecific taxa, treated at different ranks by different authors based on morphological data, evidencing the need of a taxonomic revision. Additionally, some populations of C. microcalyx show exclusive morphological characters that do not match any described taxon. Here, we aim to shed light on the systematics of eastern Mediterranean Cymbalaria and to propose a classification informed by various sources of evidence. We performed molecular phylogenetic analyses using ITS, 3’ETS, ndhF and rpl32-trnL sequences and estimated the ploidy level of some taxa performing relative genome size measures. Molecular data combined with morphology support the division of traditionally delimited C. microcalyx into C. acutiloba, C. microcalyx and C. minor, corresponding to well-delimited nrDNA lineages. Furthermore, we propose to combine C. microcalyx subsp. paradoxa at the species level. A group of specimens previously thought to belong to Cymbalaria microcalyx constitute a well-defined phylogenetic and morphological entity and are described here as a new species, Cymbalaria spetae. Cymbalaria longipes is non-monophyletic, but characterized by being glabrous and diploid, unlike other eastern species. The nrDNA data suggest at least two dispersals from the mainland to the Aegean Islands, potentially facilitated by marine regressions.

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (2) ◽  
pp. 398-412
Author(s):  
Marcelo R. Pace ◽  
Brenda Hernández-Hernández ◽  
Esteban M. Martínez Salas ◽  
Lúcia G. Lohmann ◽  
N. Ivalu Cacho

Background: Astianthus is a monospecific arborescent genus of Bignoniaceae that occur in the Pacific Coast of central Mexico and northern Central America, where it grows in dense populations along riversides. Its phylogenetic placement has remained controversial since Astianthus has unusual morphological characters such as a four-loculed ovary, and simple, pulvinate, verticillate leaves. Methods: Here we used three plastid markers ndhF, rbcL, and trnL-F, wood, and bark anatomical data to investigate the phylogenetic placement of Astianthus and assign it to one of Bignoniaceae’s main clades. Results: Our molecular phylogenetic analyses indicated that Astianthus belongs in tribe Tecomeae s.s., where other charismatic Neotropical Bignoniaceae genera such as Campsis and Tecoma are currently placed. Wood and bark anatomy support this placement, as Astianthus reunites a unique combination of features only known from members of Tecomeae s.s., such as storied axial parenchyma, the co-occurrence of homo- and heterocellular rays, septate fibers, and scattered phloem fibers in the bark. Conclusions: The placement of Astianthus within Tecomeae s.s. provides further support to previous proposals for the Neotropical origin of this Pantropical tribe.


2015 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-290 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian J. Kitching ◽  
C. Lorna Culverwell ◽  
Ralph E. Harbach

Lutzia Theobald was reduced to a subgenus of Culex in 1932 and was treated as such until it was restored to its original generic status in 2003, based mainly on modifications of the larvae for predation. Previous phylogenetic studies based on morphological and molecular data have provided conflicting support for the generic status of Lutzia: analyses of morphological data support the generic status whereas analyses based on DNA sequences do not. Our previous phylogenetic analyses of Culicini (based on 169 morphological characters and 86 species representing the four genera and 26 subgenera of Culicini, most informal group taxa of subgenus Culex and five outgroup species from other tribes) seemed to indicate a conflict between adult and larval morphological data. Hence, we conducted a series of comparative and data exclusion analyses to determine whether the alternative positions of Lutzia are due to conflicting signal or to a lack of strong signal. We found that separate and combined analyses of adult and larval data support different patterns of relationships between Lutzia and other Culicini. However, the majority of conflicting clades are poorly supported and once these are removed from consideration, most of the topological disparity disappears, along with much of the resolution, suggesting that morphology alone does not have sufficiently strong signal to resolve the position of Lutzia. We critically examine the results of other phylogenetic studies of culicinine relationships and conclude that no morphological or molecular data set analysed in any study conducted to date has adequate signal to place Lutzia unequivocally with regard to other taxa in Culicini. Phylogenetic relationships observed thus far suggest that Lutzia is placed within Culex but further data and extended taxon sampling are required to confirm its position relative to Culex.


2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Gebiola ◽  
Antonio P. Garonna ◽  
Umberto Bernardo ◽  
Sergey A. Belokobylskij

Doryctinae (Hymenoptera : Braconidae) is a large and diverse subfamily of parasitic wasps that has received much attention recently, with new species and genera described and phylogenies based on morphological and/or molecular data that have improved higher-level classification and species delimitation. However, the status of several genera is still unresolved, if not controversial. Here we focus on two related groups of such genera, Dendrosoter Wesmael–Caenopachys Foerster and Ecphylus Foerster–Sycosoter Picard & Lichtenstein. We integrated morphological and molecular (COI and 28S–D2 genes) evidence to highlight, by phylogenetic analyses (maximum likelihood and Bayesian) and a posteriori morphological examination, previously overlooked variation, which is here illustrated and discussed. Monophyly of Dendrosoter and Caenopachys and the presence of synapomorphic morphological characters support synonymy of Caenopachys under Dendrosoter. Low genetic differentiation and high variability for putatively diagnostic morphological characters found in both C. hartigii (Ratzeburg) and C. caenopachoides (Ruschka) supports synonymy of D. caenopachoides under D. hartigii, syn. nov. Morphological and molecular evidence together also indicate independent generic status for Sycosoter, stat. rev., which is here resurrected. This work represents a further advancement in the framework of the ongoing effort to improve systematics and classification of the subfamily Doryctinae.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 345 (1) ◽  
pp. 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
BIAO XU ◽  
UWE BRAUN ◽  
SHANHE ZHANG ◽  
HUI YANG ◽  
ZHI CAO ◽  
...  

Bauhinia species are popular ornamental and medicinal plants with a pantropical distribution. In December 2016, powdery mildew symptoms were found on B. blakeana and B. purpurea in Guangdong, China. Based on ITS and 28S rDNA sequences, as well as morphological characters, the powdery mildew was identified as Erysiphe lespedezae. Previous records of powdery mildews on Bauhinia spp. are discussed. Based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses of type material, Pseudoidium caesalpiniacearum is reduced to synonymy with E. lespedezae. To our best knowledge, this is the first report of E. lespedezae causing powdery mildew on B. purpurea in China, and B. blakeana as a new host. A detailed morphological description and molecular data are provided herein.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lei Su ◽  
Hua Zhu ◽  
Yongchun Niu ◽  
Yaxi Guo ◽  
Xiaopeng Du ◽  
...  

Abstract The genera Kernia and Acaulium comprise species commonly isolated from dung, soil, decaying meat and skin of animal. The taxonomy of these fungi has been controversial and relies mainly on morphological criteria. With the aim to clarify the taxonomy and phylogeny of these fungi, we studied all the available ex-type strains of a large set of species by means of morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial internal transcribed spacer region (ITS) and the partial 28S rDNA (LSU) showed that the genera Kernia and Acaulium were found to be separated in two distinct lineages in Microascaceae. Based on morphological characters and multilocus phylogenetic analysis of the ITS, LSU, translation elongation factor 1α and β-tubulin genes, the species in Kernia and Acaulium were well separated and two new combinations are introduced, i.e. Acaulium peruvianum and Acaulium retardatum, a new species of Kernia is described, namely Kernia anthracina. Descriptions of the phenotypic features and molecular phylogeny for identification are discussed for accepted species in two genera in this study.


Neodiversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-94
Author(s):  
Luciano P. Queiroz ◽  
◽  
Ana C.S. Oliveira ◽  
Cristiane Snak

The Galactia clade is one of three major lineages of the papilionoid legume tribe Diocleae. It comprises eight genera and approximately 140 species almost entirely restricted to the Americas. Establishing stable generic boundaries within this clade has been a challenge because of its tortuous taxonomic history and the broad polyphyly of the genera of the so-called Galactia-Camptosema-Collaea complex. Previous molecular phylogenetic studies revealed some well-supported lineages, but did not advance towards any new taxonomic arrangements. We carried out maximum parsimony and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses of a combined dataset including our previously published multilocus molecular data (nrITS and ETS and plastid trnK/matK and trnT-Y regions) and 82 morphological characters. The resulting topologies largely concur with those previously reported based on molecular data only, where Camptosema and Galactia appear as broadly polyphyletic, with species scattered among five (Camptosema) and seven (Galactia) of the twelve lineages that are newly recognized here at genus level. We are therefore proposing the following new taxonomic rearrangements within the Galactia clade: descriptions of the new genera Caetangil, Cerradicola, Mantiqueira, and Nanogalactia; resurrection of Betencourtia; and the subsuming of Neorudolphia into Rhodopis and of Camptosema sect. Macropetalum into Cratylia.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 356 (3) ◽  
pp. 181
Author(s):  
FABIO RENATO BORGES ◽  
ORLANDO NECCHI JR

The genus Nitella is the most species-rich within the Charales. Brazilian studies on the genus are relatively scarce and consist of floristic surveys, lacking modern and more precise information. This investigation applied scanning electron microscopy to analyze the oospore wall and molecular data associated with traditional morphological characters to analyze forty-two populations of Nitella from the midwest and southeast regions of Brazil. Forty-two new sequences of rbcL, twelve of ITS1 and twenty-three of ITS2 were generated for the five species recognized in this study: Nitella acuminata A. Braun ex Wallman, Nitella axillaris A. Braun, Nitella elegans B. P. Pal, Nitella flagellifera J. Groves & G. O. Allen and Nitella microcarpa A. Braun.. Phylogenetic analyses of sequences of these three markers were congruent in that they grouped our species with others from different countries to form five clades. Our results on ultrastrucure of the oospore wall were consistent with previous studies for the same species from other regions of the world. The data reinforced the conclusion that the use of ornamentation of oospore wall may be extremely useful for the construction of a natural system for Characeae at section level. Molecular evidence, reinforced by morphological data, for the Brazilian material analyzed suggests that Nitella subglomerata A. Braun and Nitella gollmeriana A. Braun could be synonymys of Nitella acuminata; and Nitella axilliformis K. Imahori appears to be the same as Nitella axillaris. However, no formal proposition was made considering that type specimens were not analyzed and these observations were based on a relatively small number of samples strictly from Brazil. We showed that even among geographically distant populations, such as from other continents, of some Nitella species, the degree of identity among DNA sequences was high.


2020 ◽  
Vol 190 (2) ◽  
pp. 483-507
Author(s):  
Andrzej Falniowski ◽  
Joseph Heller ◽  
Robert A D Cameron ◽  
Beata M Pokryszko ◽  
Artur Osikowski ◽  
...  

Abstract Melanopsidae were collected from 23 localities in central and south-eastern Europe, the Aegean Islands and Israel. This study considered Melanopsis from the Aegean Islands, the Peloponnese and Israel, and Esperiana esperi, Holandriana holandrii and Microcolpia from continental Europe. Shells and radulae were described and illustrated, showing continuous variation of shell characters and differences in radulae among genera. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted on single-locus datasets (COI, 18S, 28S, ITS2 and H3) and on a concatenated dataset. Molecular data showed a differentiation not paralleled in morphology, reflecting morphostatic evolution. In all species with ribbed shell-forms, the ribbed and unribbed forms did not differ genetically. Within Melanopsis, four clades representing five species were distinguished. Melanopsis buccinoidea is found in Khios and Lesbos Islands, M. astropaliae in Naxos, Samos and Tinos Islands, M. wagneri in Rhodes Island and the Peloponnese, and M. costata and M. saulcyi in Israel. Molecular results and the ICZN rule of priority restrict the range of M. buccinoidea to the North Aegean Islands. ‘Melanopsis’ parreyssi belongs to the genus Microcolpia. Esperiana esperi belongs to a clade separate from Microcolpia.


Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4551 (5) ◽  
pp. 556 ◽  
Author(s):  
TATIANA KORSHUNOVA ◽  
RAHUL MEHROTRA ◽  
SPENCER ARNOLD ◽  
KENNET LUNDIN ◽  
BERNARD PICTON ◽  
...  

An integrative molecular and morphological study is presented for the family Unidentiidae. Molecular phylogenetic analyses were conducted with the inclusion of all previous and newly obtained molecular data for the family Unidentiidae Millen & Hermosillo 2012. A new species of the genus Unidentia Millen & Hermosillo 2012, U. aliciae sp. nov., is described from Thailand as part of an inventory of sea slugs at Koh Tao. All up-to-date available morphological data for the species of the genus Unidentia is for the first time summarized. Morphological differences among the different species of Unidentia are clarified showing that every species has its own distinguishable morphological traits. According to the new molecular and morphological data, the family Unidentiidae is re-confirmed as a well-supported taxon of the aeolidacean nudibranchs. The taxonomy and phylogeny of the Aeolidacea in the light of the family Unidentiidae is briefly discussed and necessity of a fine-scale and narrowly-defined taxa approach instead of a ‘‘superlumping’’ one is highlighted. 


2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heidi M. Meudt

The snow hebes, formerly comprising the genus Chionohebe, are here included within Veronica (Plantaginaceae). The five species (including two subspecies) of snow hebes recognised here are cushions or subshrubs that occur exclusively in high-elevation habitats of Australia and the South Island of New Zealand. Species delimitation among the cushion snow hebes is very difficult because of the reduced pulvinate habit, solitary flowers and few gross-morphological characters useful for identification. To address species limits, investigate intraspecific patterns and revise the taxonomy of the snow hebes, morphological analyses were conducted and the results compared with previously published molecular phylogenetic data. Ordination and clustering analyses of morphological data showed some taxonomic structuring; however, species clusters were not widely separated from one another. Morphological and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) data show that the cushion species are clearly distinguished from the subshrub species, V. densifolia (F.Muell.) F.Muell. Among the four cushion species (V. chionohebe Garn.-Jones, V. ciliolata (Hook.f.) Cheeseman, V. pulvinaris (Hook.f.) Cheeseman, V. thomsonii (Buchanan) Cheeseman), the distribution of leaf trichomes is important for species identification, particularly when used in conjunction with ovary vestiture, capsule size, and/or seed size. One new combination V. ciliolata subsp. fiordensis (Ashwin) Meudt is proposed, and V. uniflora Kirk is treated as a naturally occurring hybrid V. × uniflora (V. densifolia × V. thomsonii). Complete synonymies, descriptions, illustrations and range maps are provided for each species, as well as a key to all species and a discussion of putative hybrids.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document