Phylogeny accurately predicts behaviour in Indian Ocean Clitaetra spiders (Araneae:Nephilidae)

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matjaž Kuntner ◽  
Ingi Agnarsson
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Web Architecture ◽  
Evolutionarily Conserved ◽  
The Family ◽  
Behavioural Biology

Phylogenies are underutilised, powerful predictors of traits in unstudied species. We tested phylogenetic predictions of web-related behaviour in Clitaetra Simon, 1889, an Afro-Indian spider genus of the family Nephilidae. Clitaetra is phylogenetically sister to all other nephilids and thus important for understanding ancestral traits. Behavioural information on Clitaetra has been limited to only C. irenae Kuntner, 2006 from South Africa which constructs ladder webs. A resolved species-level phylogeny unambiguously optimised Clitaetra behavioural biology and predicted web traits in five unstudied species and a uniform intrageneric nephilid web biology. We tested these predictions by studying the ecology and web biology of C. perroti Simon, 1894 on Madagascar and C. episinoides Simon, 1889 on Mayotte. We confirm predicted arboricolous web architecture in these species. The expected ontogenetic allometric transition from orbs in juveniles to elongate ladder webs in adults was statistically significant in C. perroti, whereas marginally not significant in C. episinoides. We demonstrate the persistence of the temporary spiral in finished Clitaetra webs. A morphological and behavioural phylogenetic analysis resulted in unchanged topology and persisting unambiguous behavioural synapomorphies. Our results support the homology of Clitaetra hub reinforcement with the nephilid hub-cup. In Clitaetra, behaviour was highly predictable and remained consistent with new observations. Our results confirm that nephilid web biology is evolutionarily conserved within genera.

scholarly journals Two new Lophoturus species (Diplopoda, Polyxenida, Lophoproctidae) from Queensland, Australia

ZooKeys ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 741 ◽  
pp. 133-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cuong Huynh ◽  
Anneke A. Veenstra
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Dna Analysis ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Tropical Region ◽  
Undescribed Species ◽  
Body Colour ◽  
Body Form ◽  
The Family ◽  
Two New Species

Lophoturus queenslandicus Verhoeff, 1924 was the first penicillate millipede in the family Lophoproctidae collected from Cairns, a tropical region in Queensland, Australia, to be formally described. Specimens collected from this region in a recent study had the morphological characters known to define this genus. However, their body form and length, as well as dorsal colouration proved to be different, suggesting the possibility of more than one Lophoturus species. This assertion was supported by the results of a phylogenetic analysis of DNA extracted and sequenced using 18S and COI regions from L. queenslandicus and two undescribed species from this genus. Specimens preserved in ethanol can prove difficult to confidently identify to species level because their colour gradually fades. Examination of live specimens with their body colour visible, together with morphological characters and DNA analysis is the most reliable way of correctly distinguishing between these three species. Two new species, L. boondallus sp. n. and L. molloyensis sp. n. collected in Queensland, Australia are described.

First record of the family Caliscelidae (Hemiptera: Fulgoroidea) from Madagascar, with description of new taxa from the Afrotropical Region and biogeographical notes

Zootaxa ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 2020 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
VLADIMIR M. GNEZDILOV ◽  
THIERRY BOURGOIN
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
New Taxa ◽  
First Record ◽  
Species Level ◽  
The Family ◽  
Afrotropical Region ◽  
First Time

The family Caliscelidae is revised and listed in the Afrotropical Region and is recorded from Madagascar for the first time. Signoreta victorina gen. et sp. n., Calampocus sphaeroides gen. et sp. n., Patamadaga pauliani gen. et sp. n., Sphenax cuneus gen. et sp. n., Afronaso gryphus sp. n. and A. malagasicus sp. n. are described from Madagascar. Rhinoploeus iwa gen. et sp. n. is described from Zambia and Caliscelis swazi sp. n. from Republic of South Africa and Swaziland. Nubianus gen. n. is erected for Issopulex nasutus Linnavuori, 1973. Issopulex chloe Linnavuori, 1973 is transfered to the genus Savanopulex Dlabola and Caliscelis eximia Stål, 1859 to the genus Chirodisca Emeljanov. Afronaso rhinarius cuneiceps Fennah, 1957 is upgraded to species level. Populonia curculioforma Dlabola, 1987 is placed in synonymy under A. rhinarius cuneiceps, Populonia hammersteini Schmidt, 1932 under Homaloplasis curvata Melichar, 1908, Ugandana fennahi Dlabola, 1987 under Afronaso bayoni Schmidt, 1911, and Caliscelis dreyfus Fernando, 1957 under Caliscelis eximia Stål, 1859. New faunistic records are proposed. The possible Gondwanan origin and monophyly of the Caliscelidae are briefly discussed.

Species-level phylogenetic analysis of pterocephaliids (Trilobita, Cambrian) from the Great Basin, western USA

2011 ◽  
Vol 85 (6) ◽  
pp. 1128-1153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melanie J. Hopkins
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Great Basin ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Character State ◽  
State Transformation ◽  
Late Cambrian ◽  
The Family ◽  
Composite Section ◽  
Tree Topologies ◽  
Direct Ancestor

Considerable systematic work devoted to late Cambrian trilobites includes very little species-level phylogenetic analysis. This paper presents the phylogenetic analysis of 36 species representing eight genera assigned to the Family Pterocephaliidae that occur in the Great Basin of the western United States during the Steptoean stage (Furongian). Continuous characters are treated in four different ways: discretization using finite mixture coding, discretization using gap-weighting, “as such” using ranges of values as implemented in the phylogeny program TNT, and exclusion altogether. Results indicate that even the inclusion of only a few continuous characters dramatically increases the resolution of nodes. Despite the different treatments of continuous characters, major features of the trees are shared across all results. The subfamily Pterocephaliinae is restricted to genera which possess a concave anterior border. Relative stratigraphic placement was estimated using a composite section built in CONOP and used to scale the tree topologies and to assess stratigraphic consistency. Although previously hypothesized multispecies evolutionary series are not supported by the results, tree topology, stratigraphic distribution, and optimized character state transformation support the interpretation of several sister taxa as direct ancestor-descendent pairs.

Phylogeny, taxonomy and distribution of the Neotropical lizard genus Echinosaura (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae), with the recognition of two new genera in Cercosaurinae

2019 ◽  
Vol 189 (1) ◽  
pp. 287-314
Author(s):  
Juan D Vásquez-Restrepo ◽  
Roberto Ibáñez ◽  
Santiago J Sánchez-Pacheco ◽  
Juan M Daza
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Central America ◽  
Species Level ◽  
New Genera ◽  
The Family ◽  
Taxonomic Changes ◽  
Molecular Dataset ◽  
Northern South America ◽  
Taxonomic Studies ◽  
First Time

Abstract The family Gymnophthalmidae is a highly diverse Neotropical lizard clade. Although multiple phylogenetic and taxonomic studies have reshaped our understanding of gymnophthalmid systematics and diversity, many groups remain understudied. This is the case for the cercosaurine genus Echinosaura, which includes eight species of small riparian lizards distributed across lower Central America and northern South America. Here, we present a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Echinosaura, including DNA data for all species of the genus for the first time. To rigorously test the relationships of all Echinosaura, we have assembled the largest molecular dataset of cercosaurine lizards to date. Our analysis refutes the monophyly of Echinosaura, with E. apodema and E. sulcarostrum not closely related to the remaining species. To remedy the polyphyly of Echinosaura, we describe two new genera for E. apodema and E. sulcarostrum. Morphological distinctiveness and biogeography further support these taxonomic changes. In light of our phylogenetic results, we review the species-level taxonomy of the redefined Echinosaura based on morphological and genetic variation. We resurrect E. centralis and designate a neotype given the absence of type and topotypic material. In addition, we provide taxonomic accounts for each species and analyse their patterns of geographic distribution.

The Family in Modern South Africa: Insights from Recent Research

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 309-321 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Sooryamoorthy ◽  
Mzwandile Makhoba
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
The Family

scholarly journals Circulation pattern controls of wet days and dry days in Free State, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chibuike Chiedozie Ibebuchi
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Indian Ocean ◽  
Atmospheric Circulation ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Austral Summer ◽  
Free State ◽  
Austral Spring ◽  
Study Region ◽  
Southwest Indian Ocean ◽  
South Indian

AbstractAtmospheric circulation is a vital process in the transport of heat, moisture, and pollutants around the globe. The variability of rainfall depends to some extent on the atmospheric circulation. This paper investigates synoptic situations in southern Africa that can be associated with wet days and dry days in Free State, South Africa, in addition to the underlying dynamics. Principal component analysis was applied to the T-mode matrix (variable is time series and observation is grid points at which the field was observed) of daily mean sea level pressure field from 1979 to 2018 in classifying the circulation patterns in southern Africa. 18 circulation types (CTs) were classified in the study region. From the linkage of the CTs to the observed rainfall data, from 11 stations in Free State, it was found that dominant austral winter and late austral autumn CTs have a higher probability of being associated with dry days in Free State. Dominant austral summer and late austral spring CTs were found to have a higher probability of being associated with wet days in Free State. Cyclonic/anti-cyclonic activity over the southwest Indian Ocean, explained to a good extent, the inter-seasonal variability of rainfall in Free State. The synoptic state associated with a stronger anti-cyclonic circulation at the western branch of the South Indian Ocean high-pressure, during austral summer, leading to enhanced low-level moisture transport by southeast winds was found to have the highest probability of being associated with above-average rainfall in most regions in Free State. On the other hand, the synoptic state associated with enhanced transport of cold dry air, by the extratropical westerlies, was found to have the highest probability of being associated with (winter) dryness in Free State.

scholarly journals Extensive Phylogenetic Analysis of Piscine Orthoreovirus Genomic Sequences Shows the Robustness of Subgenotype Classification

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 41
Author(s):  
Marcos Godoy ◽  
Daniel A. Medina ◽  
Rudy Suarez ◽  
Sandro Valenzuela ◽  
Jaime Romero ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Sequence Analysis ◽  
Molecular Phylogeny ◽  
Phylogenetic Trees ◽  
Genomic Segment ◽  
Double Stranded Rna ◽  
The Family ◽  
Original Classification

Piscine orthoreovirus (PRV) belongs to the family Reoviridae and has been described mainly in association with salmonid infections. The genome of PRV consists of about 23,600 bp, with 10 segments of double-stranded RNA, classified as small (S1 to S4), medium (M1, M2 and M3) and large (L1, L2 and L3); these range approximately from 1000 bp (segment S4) to 4000 bp (segment L1). How the genetic variation among PRV strains affects the virulence for salmonids is still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to describe the molecular phylogeny of PRV based on an extensive sequence analysis of the S1 and M2 segments of PRV available in the GenBank database to date (May 2020). The analysis was extended to include new PRV sequences for S1 and M2 segments. In addition, subgenotype classifications were assigned to previously published unclassified sequences. It was concluded that the phylogenetic trees are consistent with the original classification using the PRV genomic segment S1, which differentiates PRV into two major genotypes, I and II, and each of these into two subgenotypes, designated as Ia and Ib, and IIa and IIb, respectively. Moreover, some clusters of country- and host-specific PRV subgenotypes were observed in the subset of sequences used. This work strengthens the subgenotype classification of PRV based on the S1 segment and can be used to enhance research on the virulence of PRV.

A REVISED GENERIC SYNOPSIS OF HYACINTHACEAE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA, BASED ON MOLECULAR EVIDENCE, INCLUDING NEW COMBINATIONS AND THE NEW TRIBE PSEUDOPROSPEREAE

2003 ◽  
Vol 60 (3) ◽  
pp. 533-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. MANNING ◽  
P. GOLDBLATT ◽  
M. F. FAY
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Molecular Evidence ◽  
New Combinations ◽  
Generic Level ◽  
The Family ◽  
Molecular Phylogenetic ◽  
Single Genus ◽  
New Tribe ◽  
Sub Saharan

A revised generic synopsis of sub-Saharan Hyacinthaceae is presented, based on a molecular phylogenetic analysis of the family. Generic rank is accorded only to reciprocally monophyletic clades that can be distinguished by recognizable morphological discontinuities, thereby permitting an appropriate generic assignment of species not included in the analysis. Three subfamilies are recognized within the region. Subfamily Ornithogaloideae, characterized by flattened or angular seeds with tightly adhering testa, is considered to include the single genus Ornithogalum, which is expanded to include the genera Albuca, Dipcadi, Galtonia, Neopatersonia and Pseudogaltonia. Recognizing any of these segregates at generic level renders the genus Ornithogalum polyphyletic, while subdivision of Ornithogalum into smaller, morphologically distinguishable segregates in order to preserve the monophyly of each is not possible. Subfamily Urgineoideae, characterized by flattened or winged seeds with brittle, loosely adhering testa, comprises the two mainland African genera Bowiea and Drimia. The latter is well circumscribed by its deciduous, short-lived perianth and includes the previously recognized genera Litanthus, Rhadamanthus, Schizobasis and Tenicroa. The monotypic Madagascan Igidia is provisionally included in the subfamily as a third genus on the basis of its seeds, pending molecular confirmation of its relationships. Subfamily Hyacinthoideae resolves into three clades, distinguished as tribes Hyacintheae (strictly northern hemisphere and not treated further), Massonieae and Pseudoprospereae tribus nov. Full descriptions and a key to their identification are provided for all genera. New combinations reflecting the generic circumscriptions adopted here are made for most African and all Indian and Madagascan species.

A Family of Genes Clustered at the Triplo-lethal Locus of Drosophila melanogaster Has an Unusual Evolutionary History and Significant Synteny With Anopheles gambiae

Genetics ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 165 (2) ◽  
pp. 613-621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas R Dorer ◽  
Jamie A Rudnick ◽  
Etsuko N Moriyama ◽  
Alan C Christensen
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Anopheles Gambiae ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Codon Bias ◽  
Good Target ◽  
The Family ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
And Function ◽  
Gambiae Genome

Abstract Within the unique Triplo-lethal region (Tpl) of the Drosophila melanogaster genome we have found a cluster of 20 genes encoding a novel family of proteins. This family is also present in the Anopheles gambiae genome and displays remarkable synteny and sequence conservation with the Drosophila cluster. The family is also present in the sequenced genome of D. pseudoobscura, and homologs have been found in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and in four other insect orders, but it is not present in the sequenced genome of any noninsect species. Phylogenetic analysis suggests that the cluster evolved prior to the divergence of Drosophila and Anopheles (250 MYA) and has been highly conserved since. The ratio of synonymous to nonsynonymous substitutions and the high codon bias suggest that there has been selection on this family both for expression level and function. We hypothesize that this gene family is Tpl, name it the Osiris family, and consider possible functions. We also predict that this family of proteins, due to the unique dosage sensitivity and the lack of homologs in noninsect species, would be a good target for genetic engineering or novel insecticides.

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