Status of the New Zealand cave weta (Rhaphidophoridae) genera Pachyrhamma, Gymnoplectron and Turbottoplectron

2010 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorraine D. Cook ◽  
Steven A. Trewick ◽  
Mary Morgan-Richards ◽  
Peter M. Johns
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Taxonomic Revision ◽  
Spatial Diversity ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
Poorly Differentiated ◽  
Single Genus ◽  
Endemic Genera

The New Zealand Rhaphidophoridae Walker, 1869 comprise 18 endemic genera (including 8 that are monotypic). Although there are many new species to be described, rationalisation at the genus level is also required due to inconsistencies in their current systematics. Even the largest and best known taxa, including those that occupy cave systems and are the most frequently encountered by people, require taxonomic revision. These cave weta include species assigned to three poorly differentiated genera, Pachyrhamma Brunner v. Wattenwyl, 1888, Gymnoplectron Hutton, 1897 and Turbottoplectron Salmon, 1948, that are best known from North Island New Zealand. We used mitochondrial DNA sequence data to examine their relationships using representatives of each genus. The results indicate that a single genus Pachyrhamma would be appropriate for all, as Gymnoplectron and Turbottoplectron nest phylogenetically within it. There are insufficient morphological, spatial or ecological reasons to justify retention of all three. However, we also note that species level diversity does not correlate with genetic or spatial diversity; some species are genetically well partitioned and widespread while others have narrow ranges in single cave systems and are closely related to one another.

scholarly journals Diversification of New Zealand weta (Orthoptera: Ensifera: Anostostomatidae) and their relationships in Australasia

2008 ◽  
Vol 363 (1508) ◽  
pp. 3427-3437 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renae C Pratt ◽  
Mary Morgan-Richards ◽  
Steve A Trewick
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
New Caledonia ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Species Level ◽  
Molecular Dating ◽  
Bayesian Analyses ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
The Family

New Zealand taxa from the Orthopteran family Anostostomatidae have been shown to consist of three broad groups, Hemiandrus (ground weta), Anisoura/Motuweta (tusked weta) and Hemideina – Deinacrida (tree–giant weta). The family is also present in Australia and New Caledonia, the nearest large land masses to New Zealand. All genera are endemic to their respective countries except Hemiandrus that occurs in New Zealand and Australia. We used nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequence data to study within genera and among species-level genetic diversity within New Zealand and to examine phylogenetic relationships of taxa in Australasia. We found the Anostostomatidae to be monophyletic within Ensifera, and justifiably distinguished from the Stenopelmatidae among which they were formerly placed. However, the New Zealand Anostostomatidae are not monophyletic with respect to Australian and New Caledonian species in our analyses. Two of the New Zealand groups have closer allies in Australia and one in New Caledonia. We carried out maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analyses to reveal several well supported subgroupings. Our analysis included the most extensive sampling to date of Hemiandrus species and indicate that Australian and New Zealand Hemiandrus are not monophyletic. We used molecular dating approaches to test the plausibility of alternative biogeographic hypotheses for the origin of the New Zealand anostostomatid fauna and found support for divergence of the main clades at, or shortly after, Gondwanan break-up, and dispersal across the Tasman much more recently.

A new Liopeltis Fitzinger, 1843 (Squamata: Colubridae) from Pulau Tioman, Peninsular Malaysia

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4766 (3) ◽  
pp. 472-484
Author(s):  
HANNAH E. SOM ◽  
L. LEE GRISMER ◽  
PERRY L. JR. WOOD ◽  
EVAN S. H. QUAH ◽  
RAFE M. BROWN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
New Species ◽  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Rare Species ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Peninsular Malaysia ◽  
Tropical Asia ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
A New Species ◽  
Lines Of Evidence

Liopeltis is a genus of poorly known, infrequently sampled species of colubrid snakes in tropical Asia. We collected a specimen of Liopeltis from Pulau Tioman, Peninsular Malaysia, that superficially resembled L. philippina, a rare species that is endemic to the Palawan Pleistocene Aggregate Island Complex, western Philippines. We analyzed morphological and mitochondrial DNA sequence data from the Pulau Tioman specimen and found distinct differences to L. philippina and all other congeners. On the basis of these corroborated lines of evidence, the Pulau Tioman specimen is described as a new species, L. tiomanica sp. nov. The new species occurs in sympatry with L. tricolor on Pulau Tioman, and our description of L. tiomanica sp. nov. brings the number of endemic amphibians and reptiles on Pulau Tioman to 12. 

scholarly journals Optimization of primer-specific filter metrics for the assessment of mitochondrial DNA sequence data

2010 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 191-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela C. Curtis ◽  
Jennifer L. Thomas ◽  
Nicole R. Phillips ◽  
Rhonda K. Roby
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
Dna Sequence ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
Mitochondrial Dna Sequence

A review of the fern genus Pellaea (Pteridaceae) in Australasia

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick J. Brownsey ◽  
Daniel J. Ohlsen ◽  
Lara D. Shepherd ◽  
Whitney L. M. Bouma ◽  
Erin L. May ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Chloroplast Dna ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Indigenous Species ◽  
Ploidy Levels ◽  
Dna Sequence Data ◽  
Australian Species ◽  
The Status ◽  
Chloroplast Dna Sequences

Five indigenous species of Pellaea in Australasia belong to section Platyloma. Their taxonomic history is outlined, morphological, cytological and genetic evidence for their recognition reviewed, and new morphological and chloroplast DNA-sequence data provided. Australian plants of P. falcata (R.Br.) Fée are diploid and have longer, narrower pinnae than do New Zealand plants previously referred to P. falcata, which are tetraploid. Evidence indicates that P. falcata does not occur in New Zealand, and that collections so-named are P. rotundifolia (G.Forst.) Hook. Chloroplast DNA sequences are uninformative in distinguishing Australian P. falcata from New Zealand P. rotundifolia, but show that Australian P. nana is distinct from both. Sequence data also show that Australian and New Zealand populations of P. calidirupium Brownsey & Lovis are closely related, and that Australian P. paradoxa (R.Br.) Hook. is distinct from other Australian species. Although P. falcata is diploid and P. rotundifolia tetraploid, P. calidirupium, P. nana (Hook.) Bostock and P. paradoxa each contain multiple ploidy levels. Diploid populations of Pellaea species are confined to Australia, and only tetraploids are known in New Zealand. Evolution of the group probably involved hybridisation, autoploidy, alloploidy, and possibly apomixis. Further investigation is required to resolve the status of populations from Mount Maroon, Queensland and the Kermadec Islands.

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