Integrative taxonomy of the Selaginella helvetica group based on morphological, molecular and ecological data

Taxon ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meng‐Hua Zhang ◽  
Ran Wei ◽  
Qiao‐Ping Xiang ◽  
Atsushi Ebihara ◽  
Xian‐Chun Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Integrative Taxonomy ◽  
Ecological Data

Taxonomic changes and description of two new species for the Phyllodactylus lanei complex (Gekkota: Phyllodactylidae) in Mexico

Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4407 (2) ◽  
pp. 151 ◽  
Author(s):  
TONATIUH RAMÍREZ-REYES ◽  
OSCAR FLORES-VILLELA
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Molecular Phylogeny ◽  
Genetic Distance ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Integrative Taxonomy ◽  
Cryptic Diversity ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Temperature And Precipitation ◽  
Two New Species ◽  
Taxonomic Changes

An integrative taxonomy approach was implemented based on analysis of genetic, phylogenetic, morphological and ecological data to identify the cryptic diversity within the Phyllodactylus lanei complex. At least six species can be identified, of which four are currently considered subspecies: Phyllodactylus lanei, Phyllodactylus rupinus, Phyllodactylus isabelae, Phyllodactylus lupitae and two corresponding to undescribed taxa, which are identified and described in this contribution. These differ from other Mexican geckos in several characters: genetic distance (DNAmt), position in molecular phylogeny (concatened data DNAmt+DNAnu), species tree, morphological characters such as snout-vent length, longitudinal scales, tubercles from head to tail, interorbital scales, scales across venter, third labial–snout scales and rows of tubercles across dorsum; there are also differences in their bioclimatic profiles (temperature and precipitation) and geographical distribution. The most recent studies on taxonomy and evolution of Mexican geckos (Phyllodactylus) show that the diversity of this group of reptiles is currently underestimated, suggesting that more research and conservation efforts are should be addressed at these lizards. 

Look closely and listen carefully: unexpected cicada diversity in northern Sardinia, with the description of a new species (Cicadidae: Tibicina)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Hertach
Keyword(s):  
Species Complex ◽  
Sound Production ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
Integrative Taxonomy ◽  
Small Species ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Unknown Species ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Neighbouring Island ◽  
A New Species

Abstract Integrative taxonomy combines different data sources as a way to detect separately evolving metapopulation lineages or species. This method is applied to cicada populations found in northern Sardinia, based on acoustic, morphological and ecological data. Thereby, the genus Tibicina turned out to be more diverse than previously expected. Besides the anticipated Tibicina corsica corsica and T. nigronervosa, both scientifically described from the neighbouring island of Corsica, two poorly or previously unknown species have been discovered. Tibicina longisyllaba sp. nov. is here described as new. Tibicina corsica s.l. forms a small species complex where syllable periods of the song – the movement cycle of the acoustic organs – are specific without overlaps. Some coloration and hair cover characters, as well as the shape of the song apparatus, are not diagnostic on their own, but highly significant between species. Species occur sympatrically, parapatrically or allopatrically and prefer specific habitats from grassland to closed forests. All four Tibicina taxa are endemic to parts of Sardinia or to the Corso-Sardinian archipelago. The new findings are important for biodiversity conservation and public awareness. The loud, strident calling songs dominate the summer sounds of the islands. The group could form a showcase with respect to biogeography, phylogeny, speciation and sound production.

Integrative taxonomy reveals two sympatric species of the genus Eucriotettix Hebard, 1930 (Orthoptera: Tetrigidae)

Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4268 (3) ◽  
pp. 377 ◽  
Author(s):  
MING KAI TAN ◽  
SERGEY YU STOROZHENKO ◽  
WEI SONG HWANG ◽  
RUDOLF MEIER
Keyword(s):  
Cluster Analysis ◽  
Indirect Evidence ◽  
Sympatric Species ◽  
Integrative Taxonomy ◽  
Key To Species ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Mitochondrial Coi ◽  
Clear Cut ◽  
Morphometric Analyses ◽  
Two New Species

Limno-terrestrial pygmy grasshoppers are mostly recognised using morphology but characters used are not always clear-cut for species identification. From a faunistic survey in Singapore, Eucriotettix were collected and two new species are identified and described here: E. guentheri sp. nov. and E. simulans sp. nov. This was done by iteratively incorporating morphological, molecular, morphometric, and ecological data. Mitochondrial COI trees, COI cluster analysis, microhabitat preference, and morphometric analyses provide strong enough indirect evidence that the specimens comprise a pair of species. A key to species of Eucriotettix from Singapore is also provided.

The importance of applying Standardised Integrative Taxonomy when describing marine benthic organisms and collecting ecological data

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 794 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cristina Gioia Di Camillo ◽  
Cinzia Gravili ◽  
Doris De Vito ◽  
Daniela Pica ◽  
Stefano Piraino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Characteristics ◽  
Integrative Taxonomy ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Benthic Organisms ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Molecular Approaches ◽  
Present Trend ◽  
Morphological Approach ◽  
Integrated Taxonomy ◽  
Marine Benthic Organisms

The decline of morphologically based taxonomy is mainly linked to increasing species redundancy, which probably contributed to a worldwide disinterest in taxonomy, and to a reduction of funding for systematic biology and for expertise training. The present trend in the study of biodiversity is integrated taxonomy, which merges morphological and molecular approaches. At the same time, in many cases new molecular techniques have eclipsed the morphological approach. The application of Standardised Integrative Taxonomy, i.e. a rigorous, common method of description based on the integration between ecological and morphological characteristics, may increase the precision, accessibility, exploitability and longevity of the collected data, and favour the renaissance of taxonomy by new investments in biodiversity exploration.

scholarly journals Bats Out of Africa: Disentangling the Systematic Position and Biogeography of Bats in Cabo Verde

Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 877
Author(s):  
Ianna Borloti ◽  
Herculano Dinis ◽  
Raquel Vasconcelos
Keyword(s):  
Taxonomic Status ◽  
Integrative Taxonomy ◽  
Systematic Position ◽  
North African ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Cabo Verde ◽  
Conservation Actions ◽  
Museum Samples ◽  
Colonization Patterns ◽  
Acoustic Identification

Cabo Verde Archipelago presents one of the largest knowledge gaps in the distribution and taxonomy of bats in the world. Old works indicated that there are five species classified as European taxa. We have conducted an integrative taxonomy to revise the systematic position and distribution of Cabo Verdean bats with molecular, morphological, and ecological data, to test their native or exotic origin, and infer possible colonization patterns based on fieldwork and museum samples. Results showed that Cabo Verde Hypsugo is closely related to those from the Canary Islands, in which the taxonomic status is under debate, presenting unique mitochondrial and nuclear haplotypes. We also expanded the distribution of Taphozous nudiventris for Fogo Island through pellets and acoustic identification, showed unique haplotypes for this species, and that Miniopterus schreibersii shared a haplotype with European, North African, and Western Asian specimens. The morphological and acoustic identification of Cabo Verdean specimens was challenging because of the lack of modern morphological descriptions and similarity of echolocation calls within the same genus. More studies are definitely needed to access the systematic of bat species in the archipelago, but this work is the first step for the establishment of conservation actions of the probable only native Cabo Verdean mammals.

scholarly journals A fine line between species and ecotype: a case study of Anoplistes halodendri and A. kozlovi (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) occurring sympatrically in Mongolia

2021 ◽  
Vol 79 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Lech Karpiński ◽  
Patrick Gorring ◽  
Lech Kruszelnicki ◽  
Denis G. Kasatkin ◽  
Wojciech T. Szczepański
Keyword(s):  
Arid Zone ◽  
Integrative Taxonomy ◽  
Gobi Desert ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Morphological Examination ◽  
Separate Species ◽  
Mitochondrial Coi ◽  
Interspecific Differences ◽  
The Family

This paper discusses ecological adaptation based on a case study of Anoplistes halodendri and Anoplistes kozlovi (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) that occur in the arid zone of Mongolia. By applying an integrative taxonomy approach, we revealed one of the first documented cases of sympatrically occurring ecotypes in Polyphaga and the second case of ecotypes in the family Cerambycidae. The results of the analysis of the ecological data, molecular analysis of mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (ArgK and CAD) genes, as well as a detailed morphological examination, which consisted of a study on the male genitalia including the endophallic structures, supported the hypothesis that these two entities, which are commonly considered separate species, represent only ecologically adapted forms that are associated with rocky hills and sandy/gravelly plains, respectively. Therefore, a synonym is restored: Anoplistes halodendri minutus Hammarström, 1892 = Asias kozlovi Semenov and Znojko, 1934, syn. res. The differences in the elytral pattern and shade appear to be adapted to the different substrates in these distinct habitats. A probable scenario assumes that these two forms arose in parapatry, independently in multiple populations, under parallel speciation during the intensification of the aridification across the region in the period during which the Gobi Desert was formed (~ 24 to 2.6 Ma) and they may evolve into separate species in the future. The phylogenetic relationships of some taxa representing the most closely related genera of the tribe Trachyderini were analysed and the questioned species status of Anoplistes jacobsoni was confirmed. Low interspecific differences in the endophallic structures in the genus Anoplistes and between some species of the genus Amarysius indicate that they are evolutionarily relatively young groups. The practical differences between ecotype and subspecies are also discussed.

Current distribution of Nilgiri grass yellow Eurema nilgiriensis Yata (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), with an updated taxonomic key to Eurema of Western Ghats, India

ENTOMON ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. C. Sujitha ◽  
G. Prasad ◽  
R. Nitin ◽  
Dipendra Nath Basu ◽  
Krushnamegh Kunte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Current Distribution ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Original Description ◽  
High Elevation ◽  
Type Locality ◽  
Ecological Data ◽  
Field Identification ◽  
Wing Patterns ◽  
Southern Western Ghats ◽  
The Nilgiris

Eurema nilgiriensis Yata, 1990, the Nilgiri grass yellow, was described from Nilgiris in southern India. There are not many published records of this species since its original description, and it was presumed to be a high-elevation endemic species restricted to its type locality. Based on the external morphology (wing patterns) as well as the male genitalia, the first confirmed records of the species from Agasthyamalais and Kodagu in the southern Western Ghats, is provided here. This report is a significant range extension for the species outside the Nilgiris, its type locality. Ecological data pertaining to this species as well as the field identification key to all known Eurema of Western Ghats are also presented.

scholarly journals Molecular Species Delimitation of Larks (Aves: Alaudidae), and Integrative Taxonomy of the Genus Calandrella, with the Description of a Range-Restricted African Relic Taxon

Diversity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 428
Author(s):  
Martin Stervander ◽  
Bengt Hansson ◽  
Urban Olsson ◽  
Mark F. Hulme ◽  
Ulf Ottosson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
Molecular Species ◽  
Species Delimitation ◽  
Integrative Taxonomy ◽  
West African ◽  
Northwest Africa ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Plateau State ◽  
Avian Family ◽  
Relic Population

Larks constitute an avian family of exceptional cryptic diversity and striking examples of convergent evolution. Therefore, traditional morphology-based taxonomy has recurrently failed to reflect evolutionary relationships. While taxonomy ideally should integrate morphology, vocalizations, behaviour, ecology, and genetics, this can be challenging for groups that span several continents including areas that are difficult to access. Here, we combine morphometrics and mitochondrial DNA to evaluate the taxonomy of Calandrella larks, with particular focus on the African C. cinerea and the Asian C. acutirostris complexes. We describe a new range-restricted West African taxon, Calandrella cinerea rufipecta ssp. nov. (type locality: Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria), with an isolated relic population 3000 km from its closest relative in the Rift Valley. We performed molecular species delimitation, employing coalescence-based multi-rate Poisson Tree Processes (mPTP) on cytochrome b sequences across 52 currently recognized lark species, including multiple taxa currently treated as subspecies. Three species-level splits were inferred within the genus Calandrella and another 13 across other genera, primarily among fragmented sub-Saharan taxa and taxa distributed from Northwest Africa to Arabia or East Africa. Previously unknown divergences date back as far as to the Miocene, indicating the presence of currently unrecognized species. However, we stress that taxonomic decisions should not be based on single datasets, such as mitochondrial DNA, although analyses of mitochondrial DNA can be a good indicator of taxa in need of further integrative taxonomic assessment.

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