Pedipalp sclerite homologies and phylogenetic placement of the spider genus Stemonyphantes (Linyphiidae, Araneae) and its implications for linyphiid phylogeny

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Efrat Gavish-Regev ◽  
Gustavo Hormiga ◽  
Nikolaj Scharff

Male secondary genitalia (pedipalps) are useful characters for species discrimination in most spider families. Although efforts have been made to establish pedipalp sclerite homologies, there are still many inconsistencies in their use. The majority of the morphological characters used to reconstruct the linyphiid phylogeny address male genitalic variation; these inconsistencies may affect the phylogeny and our understanding of linyphiid evolution. Stemonyphantes Menge, 1866, has been hypothesised to be sister to all remaining Linyphiidae. However, despite the basal position of Stemonyphantes, its pedipalp sclerite homologies are not well understood and, along with its monophyly, have never been thoroughly tested in a phylogenetic context. We tested the homology of tegular and radical structures of five Stemonyphantes species to the known linyphioid and araneoid sclerites. All minimum-length trees found under all analytical methods used support Stemonyphantes monophyly and its placement as the sister group to all other Linyphiidae. Our study suggests that Stemonyphantes, unlike any other linyphiids, does have homologues of the araneoid median apophysis and conductor. As Stemonyphantes is the sister group of all other linyphiids, resolving its pedipalp sclerite homologies is critical for understanding sclerite homologies and the phylogeny of the entire family.

Zootaxa ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 1792 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
GUSTAVO HORMIGA ◽  
LIHONG TU

The spider genus Putaoa new genus (Araneae, Pimoidae) is described to place two species of pimoids from China, Putaoa huaping new species (the type species) and P. megacantha (Xu & Li, 2007) new combination. Parsimony analysis of morphological characters provides support for the monophyly of Putaoa and for its sister group relationship to the genus Weintrauboa Hormiga, 2003 and corroborates the monophyly of Pimoidae.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiumei Lu ◽  
Bo Wang ◽  
Xingyue Liu

AbstractBabinskaiidae is an extinct family of the lacewing superfamily Myrmeleontoidea, currently only recorded from the Cretaceous. The phylogenetic position of this family is elusive, with inconsistent inferences in previous studies. Here we report on three new genera and species of Babinskaiidae from the mid-Cretaceous Kachin amber of Myanmar, namely Calobabinskaia xiai gen. et sp. nov., Stenobabinskaia punctata gen. et sp. nov., and Xiaobabinskaia lepidotricha gen. et sp. nov. These new babinskaiids are featured by having specialized characters, such as the rich number of presectoral crossveins and the presence of scaly setae on forewing costal vein, which have not yet been found in this family. The exquisite preservation of the Kachin amber babinskaiids facilitate a reappraisal of the phylogenetic placement of this family based on adult morphological characters. Our result from the phylogenetic inference combining the data from fossil and extant myrmeleontoids recovered a monophyletic clade composed of Babinskaiidae and another extinct family Cratosmylidae, and further assigned this clade to be sister group to a clade including Nemopteridae, Palaeoleontidae, and Myrmeleontidae. Babinskaiidae appears to be a transitional lineage between Nymphidae and advanced myrmeleontoids, with ancient morphological diversification.


1993 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 1551 ◽  
Author(s):  
CJ Glasby

A family revision and cladistic analysis of the superfamily Nereidoidea sensu George and Hartmann - Schroder, 1985 (Polychaeta : Phyllodocida) based on internal and external morphological characters is presented. The superfamily, presently lacking synapomorphies, contains the Antonbruunidae, Calamyzidae, Hesionidae, Levidoridae, Nautiliniellidae, Nereididae, Pilargidae and Syllidae. Three synapomorphies are proposed: anterior or, rarely, anteroventral palps; paired pharyngeal retractor muscles; and the presence of metanephromixia. On the basis of this definition, the Chrysopetalidae are moved to the Nereidoidea. The requirement for ingroup monophyly necessitated synonymising the Antonbruunidae with the Pilargidae, and the Calamyzidae and Levidoridae with the Syllidae. The Nautiliniellidae are redefined. The cladistic analysis using 15 characters (21 apomorphic character states) and 3 outgroups (Aphroditidae, Polynoidae, and Sigalionidae) produced 3 minimum-length cladograms each with 29 steps and consistency index of 0.72. The cladograms showed the Nereidoidea to consist of 2 monophyletic groups: the Nereididae - (Chrysopetalidae - Hesionidae) and the Pilargidae - Nautiliniellidae - Syllidae. The topology of the latter group was variable; one cladogram had the Pilargidae as the sister-group of the Nautiliniellidae and Syllidae, and another had the Syllidae as the sister-group of the Nautiliniellidae and the Pilargidae. Evolutionary scenarios for multistate characters are given, and the phylogenetic relationships of taxa are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz Felipe Moretti Iniesta ◽  
Henrik Enghoff ◽  
Antonio D. Brescovit ◽  
Rodrigo S. Bouzan

The genus Holopodostreptus Carl, 1913 is a poorly known monotypic genus endemic to Ecuador. It differs from most other Pseudonannolenidae by a set of characteristics of the gnathochilarium and gonopods. Herein, we provide descriptive notes of males of H. braueri Carl, 1913 based on recently collected material. Females of the species are described for the first time, and images of the vulvae are provided. In addition, we attempt for the first time to place Holopodostreptus in a phylogenetic context. With a total of 14 taxa and 41 morphological characters, and under implied weighting (k = 6), a single most-parsimonious tree is recovered (total fit = 35.86). The genus is recovered as sister-group of Physiostreptus Silvestri, 1903. The clade Holopodostreptus + Physiostreptus is supported by one synapomorphy (absence of setae on the prefemoral process of leg-pair 1 in males) and one homoplastic transformation (narrow telopodite). Based on the phylogenetic results, notes on the subfamilies Pseudonannoleninae, Cambalomminae and Physiostreptinae and a key for all pseudonannolenid genera are provided.


Zootaxa ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 1814 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
GUSTAVO HORMIGA

Weintrauboa yele new species (Pimoidae) is described and illustrated based on specimens collected in China. The taxonomic status and distribution of Weintrauboa insularis (Saito, 1935) new combination and of W. chikunii (Oi, 1979) are discussed and the former species is illustrated based on specimens from the Sakhalin islands. Parsimony analysis of morphological characters provides support for the monophyly of Weintrauboa and for its sister group relationship to the genus Putaoa Hormiga and Tu, 2008. Some comments on the phylogenetic placement of the recently erected family “Sinopimoidae” are provided.


2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
James K. Liebherr

The carabid beetle tribe Moriomorphini attains a disjunct austral geographical distribution, with member taxa occupying Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, the Sundas, southern South America and Polynesia. The group arose in Australia, the area exhibiting the greatest generic diversity for the tribe. In this contribution, two new genera are added to the Australian fauna. Pharetis thayerae, gen. nov., sp. nov., is described from Grenvillia, New South Wales, and Spherita newtoni, gen. nov., sp. nov., is described from Avon Valley National Park, Western Australia. Their phylogenetic placement within the tribe is accomplished by parsimony analysis based on 208 morphological characters across 124 taxa, 114 in-group species and 10 outgroup taxa representing Trechini, Psydrini and Patrobini. Nearly all polytypic moriomorphine genera are represented in the analysis by at least two exemplars, allowing initial tests of generic monophyly. A revised classification is proposed for Moriomorphini, with subtribal clades related as (Amblytelina + (Moriomorphina + Tropopterina)). The Western Australian genus Spherita is placed as adelphotaxon to Sitaphe Moore, a genus restricted to tropical montane Queensland. From the phylogenetic analysis, other non-contemporaneous east–west Australian disjunctions can be inferred, as well as multiple trans-Tasman area relationships between eastern Australia and New Zealand, all proposed to be of Miocene age. Pharetis exhibits a disjunct, trans-Antarctic relationship with Tropopterus Solier, its sister-group, distributed in southern South America. Alternative vicariance-based and dispersal-based hypotheses are discussed for the origin of Tropopterus. A review of the taxonomic development of the tribe illustrates the signal importance of monotypic genera in elucidating biological diversity.


1992 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 197-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Racey

Abstract. The main evolutionary trends in the nummulites are briefly summarised and the value of certain morphological characters in species discrimination are summarised. The degree of interdependence of each morphological character on all other characters is assessed and the characters are weighted in order of importance. Environmental and ontogenetic effects on each character are then reviewed and the characters reweighted in order of importance.


Nematology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-473 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dmitry M. Miljutin ◽  
Maria A. Miljutina

Acantholaimusis a species-rich genus of deep-sea nematodes, often with dozens of species found at the same locality but each represented by single or few individuals. Species discrimination by morphological characters in this genus is therefore often difficult due to transitional forms that may be referred to several species because of lack of data on intraspecific variability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the intraspecific variability of morphological characters that are most often used inAcantholaimustaxonomy, in order to distinguish those which are most informative for species differentiation. A reverse taxonomic approach was applied for initial species discrimination. Two loci, one each from small and large subunits of rRNA, were sequenced for 59Acantholaimusspecimens from two deep-sea locations. Twenty-seven Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTU) were identified, of which 12 were represented by more than one individual. These were then analysed for intraspecific variability in morphological characters. Some of the examined characters showed high intraspecific variability; specifically: length of cephalic setae; distance from anterior end to amphid; shape of anterior setae; position and arrangement of cervical setae. In the absence of genetic data, these characters should be used with caution for differential diagnoses or species discrimination. Other characters were more conservative within the same MOTU: body proportions; length of outer labial setae; amphidial diam.; appearance of lateral field; general arrangement of cervical setae; and shape of tail. These characters may be successfully used for species discrimination in the absence of molecular data.


2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 129
Author(s):  
Edilson Caron ◽  
Cibele S. Ribeiro-Costa ◽  
Alfred F. Newton

Rove beetles of the genus Piestus Gravenhorst, 1806 are commonly captured under the bark of or inside decaying logs from Neotropical forests. Piestus belongs to the subfamily Piestinae, historically an ill-defined dumping-ground for Staphylinidae defined by plesiomorphic characters, but which has gradually been restricted in concept and currently includes only six additional extant genera worldwide. Piestinae in this restricted sense has been considered a probably monophyletic subfamily, but its status and phylogenetic position, as a possible sister-group of Osoriinae within the recently proposed Oxyteline group of staphylinid subfamilies, are uncertain and need confirmation. The main aim of the present study was to provide a morphological cladistic analysis and complete taxonomic revision of Piestus, which, as the type and most speciose genus of Piestinae, is critical for future phylogenetic studies involving the subfamily. In our study, the monophyly of Piestus is established and phylogenetic relationships among its species are proposed based on 70 adult morphological characters. Piestus is supported by 11 synapomorphies and high branch support. All species of Piestus are revised and the genus is redefined. The genus contains 43 species, including 13 species described here for the first time. The previously proposed subgenera Antropiestus Bernhauer, 1917, Eccoptopiestus Scheerpeltz, 1952, Elytropiestus Scheerpeltz, 1952, Lissopiestus Scheerpeltz, 1952, Piestus s. str., Trachypiestus Scheerpeltz, 1952 and Zirophorus Dalman, 1821 have not been confirmed, as they were found to be poly- or paraphyletic, or are here removed from Piestus, and therefore subgenera are not used. The main taxonomic changes are as follows. Lissopiestus, syn. nov. is proposed as new synonym of Eleusis Laporte, 1835 and its species, E. interrupta (Erichson, 1840), comb. rest., is transferred again to that genus. Antropiestus, syn. nov. and Eccoptopiestus, syn. nov. are proposed as new synonyms of Hypotelus Erichson, 1839 and their species, H. laevis (Solsky, 1872), comb. nov. and H. andinus (Bernhauer, 1917), comb. nov., are transferred to Hypotelus. Fourteen new synonymies are proposed (valid species listed first): P. lacordairei Laporte, 1835 = Z. furcatus Sharp, 1887, syn. nov.; P. capricornis Laporte, 1835 = P. frontalis Sharp, 1876, syn. nov.; P. pennicornis Fauvel, 1864 = P. plagiatus Fauvel, 1864, syn. nov.; P. rectus Sharp, 1876, syn. nov.; P. pygialis Fauvel, 1902, syn. nov.; P. surinamensis Bernhauer, 1928, syn. nov.; P. minutus Erichson, 1840 = P. nigrator Fauvel, 1902, syn. nov.; P. sulcatus Gravenhorst, 1806 = P. sanctaecatharinae Bernhauer, 1906, syn. nov.; P. condei Wendeler, 1955, syn. nov.; P. gounellei Fauvel, 1902 = P. wasmanni Fauvel, 1902, syn. nov.; P. mexicanus Laporte, 1835 = P. alternans Sharp, 1887, syn. nov.; P. aper Sharp, 1876 = P. schadei Scheerpeltz, 1952, syn. nov.; P. angularis Fauvel, 1864 = P. crassicornis Sharp, 1887, syn. nov.; H. andinus (Bernhauer, 1917) = P. strigipennis Bernhauer, 1921, syn. nov. One species is revalidated: P. fronticornis (Dalman, 1821), stat. rev., and one synonym is restored: P. penicillatus (Dalman, 1821) = P. erythropus Erichson, 1840, syn. rest. Neotypes are designated for P. lacordairei Laporte, 1835 and Oxytelus bicornis Olivier, 1811, and lectotypes are designated for P. puncticollis Fauvel, 1902, P. capricornis variety muticus Fauvel, 1902, P. zischkai Scheerpeltz, 1951, P. pennicornis Fauvel, 1864, P. plagiatus Fauvel, 1864, P. pygmaeus Laporte, 1835, P. niger Fauvel 1864, P. minutus Erichson, 1840, P. nigratror Fauvel, 1902, P. sulcatus Gravenhorst, 1806, P. sanctaecatharinae Bernhauer, 1906, P. sulcipennis Scheerpeltz, 1952, P. aper Sharp, 1876, P. schadei Scheerpeltz, 1952 and P. andinus Bernhauer, 1917.


Crustaceana ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 91 (12) ◽  
pp. 1495-1504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajan Kumar ◽  
Shikha Rahangdale ◽  
Subal Kumar Roul

Abstract Albuneid crabs are specialized and active sand-burrowing organisms. Despite their substantial diversity, their ability to avoid fishing gear leads to “under collection” and a discontinuous record of distribution. The present study documents the first distributional record of Albunea occulta Boyko, 2002 from the Bay of Bengal, eastern Indian Ocean. Albunea thurstoni Henderson, 1893 is also recorded for the first time from the area, i.e., from the Gulf of Mannar, southwestern Bay of Bengal. This study further reports variation in morphological characters, especially in the carapace grooves (CG) from previous records and across specimens from different regions. Morphometric characters were found useful in species discrimination, which is explained as well.


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