Body doubles: an integrative taxonomic approach reveals new sibling species of land planarians

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 533 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvana Vargas do Amaral ◽  
Giovana Gamino Ribeiro ◽  
Victor Hugo Valiati ◽  
Ana Maria Leal-Zanchet

Records of cryptic species have continued to emerge in the scientific literature, often revealed by the use of molecular phylogenetic analyses in an integrative taxonomic approach. This study addresses a group of four striped flatworms from the genus Pasipha Ogren & Kawakatsu, showing a pale median stripe on a dark dorsal surface. Based on morphological and molecular analyses from the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI), we establish that we are dealing with sibling species that are closely related to P. brevilineata Leal-Zanchet, Rossi & Alvarenga, 2012, a recently described species with a similar colour pattern. Thus, we describe three of the studied flatworms as new species and propose one new unconfirmed candidate species based on molecular data. In addition, sequence analysis revealed 40 nucleotide autapomorphies supporting the species studied herein. Considering anatomical and histological features, the three new species are differentiated from their congeners mainly by details of the copulatory apparatus, such as the occurrence of an epithelium of pseudostratified appearance lining the female atrium and the shape and position of the proximal portion of the prostatic vesicle.

Author(s):  
Alexander E. Fedosov ◽  
Peter Stahlschmidt ◽  
Nicolas Puillandre ◽  
Laetitia Aznar-Cormano ◽  
Philippe Bouchet

The small conoidean Hemilienardia ocellata is one of the easily recognizable Indo-Pacific “turrids”, primarily because of its remarkable eyespot colour pattern. Morphological and molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed four species that share this “characteristic” colour pattern but demonstrate consistent differences in size and shell proportions. Three new species – Hemilienardia acinonyx sp. nov. from the Philippines, H. lynx sp. nov. from Papua New Guinea and H. pardus sp. nov. from the Society and Loyalty Islands – are described based on the results of phylogenetic analyses. Although the H. ocellata species complex clade falls in a monophyletic Hemilienardia, H. ocellata and H. acinonyx sp. nov. possess a radula with semi-enrolled or notably flattened triangular marginal teeth, a condition that diverges substantially from the standard radular morphology of Hemilienardia and other raphitomids.


Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1531
Author(s):  
Xu Lu ◽  
Haisheng Yuan

Species in the genus Tomentella are distributed throughout the temperate and tropical regions worldwide, but few studies associated with the taxonomy and phylogeny of this genus had been reported from Northwest China. In this paper, molecular phylogenetic analyses of the nuclear ribosomal ITS (internal transcribed spacer: ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and LSU (large subunit: 28S) sequences combined with morphological characteristics identified three new species from Xinjiang Autonomous Region in Northwest China, which were named T. aurantispora, T. kanasensis, and T. schrenkiana. Similar macromorphological and anatomical characteristics are shared by these new species: arachnoid basidiocarps; byssoid sterile margins; utriform basidia with a clamp connection at the base; the absence of rhizomorphs and cystidia; and slightly thick-walled, subglobose to globose basidiospores. Among these new species, the color of the hymenophoral surface, the size of the basidiospores, and some other features can be used for species delimitation. The new species and closely related species in the phylogenetic tree were discussed, and a key to the identified species of Tomentella from China was provided.


Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4683 (3) ◽  
pp. 381-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. LEE GRISMER ◽  
PERRY L., JR. WOOD ◽  
EVAN S. H. QUAH ◽  
SHAHRUL ANUAR ◽  
NIKOLAY A. POYARKOV ◽  
...  

Molecular phylogenetic analyses of the sister species Sphenomorphus stellatus and S. praesignis based on the mitochondrial genes 12S and 16S rRNA recover the former as paraphyletic with respect to the latter in that a specimen of S. stellatus from the type locality in Peninsular Malaysia is more closely related to S. praesignis than to Indochinese populations of S. stellatus. Furthermore, the phylogeny indicates that the Indochinese populations represent two species, thus resulting in four major lineages within this clade. These relationships are consistent with multivariate and univariate analyses of morphological and discrete color pattern data which statistically define and diagnose the four lineages and together with the molecular data, provide the foundation for robust, testable, species-level hypotheses. As such, S. stellatus is herein restricted to Peninsular Malaysia; S. annamiticus is resurrected for the circum-continental populations ranging through southeastern Thailand, southern Cambodia, and southern Vietnam; a new species—S. preylangensis sp. nov.—is described from an isolated mountain, Phnom Chi, from the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary in central Cambodia; and the taxonomy of S. praesignis remains unchanged. The description of S. preylangensis sp. nov. underscores the necessity to conserve this remnant of lowland evergreen rainforest in the Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4455 (1) ◽  
pp. 99 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALESSANDRO MARQUES ◽  
ILANA ROSSI ◽  
VICTOR HUGO VALIATI ◽  
ANA MARIA LEAL-ZANCHET

The genus Obama Carbayo et al., 2013 includes 38 species, being the most species-rich within Geoplaninae. Species of this genus show a similar anatomy regarding their copulatory apparatus, which may hinder species differentiation. In this study, we describe two new species, presenting a marbled colour pattern, found in two different phytophysionomies of the Atlantic Forest, namely Semi-deciduous Forest and Araucaria Forest. Both species can be distinguished from their congeners, as well from each other, by colour pattern and eye arrangement combined with characteristics of the pharynx, penis papilla and prostatic vesicle, confirmed by molecular analyses from cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI). Phylogenetic analyses suggest that both species herein studied are closely related to another species that occurs in areas of Araucaria Forest (O. maculipunctata). Results also indicate the need to use at least 600 bp of the gene COI in the definitions of interspecific divergences and for species delineation, at least for the genus Obama.


2019 ◽  
Vol 94 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Maldonado ◽  
R.O. Simões ◽  
J. São Luiz ◽  
S.F. Costa-Neto ◽  
R.V. Vilela

Abstract Nematodes of the genus Physaloptera are globally distributed and more than 100 species are known. Their life cycle involves insects, including beetles, cockroaches and crickets, as intermediate hosts. This study describes a new species of Physaloptera and reports molecular phylogenetic analyses to determine its relationships within the family Physalopteridae. Physaloptera amazonica n. sp. is described from the stomach of the caviomorph rodent Proechimys gardneri collected in the Amazon rainforest in the state of Acre, Brazil. The species is characterized by the male having the first and second pair of sessile papillae asymmetrically placed, lacking a median papilla-like protuberance between the third pairs of sessile papillae, differentiated by size and shape of the spicules, while females have four uterine branches. For both nuclear 18S rRNA and MT-CO1 gene-based phylogenies, we recovered Turgida sequences forming a clade nested within Physaloptera, thus making Physaloptera paraphyletic to the exclusion of Turgida, suggesting that the latter may have evolved from the former monodelphic ancestral state to a derived polydelphic state, or that some species of Physaloptera may belong to different genera. Relationships between most taxa within Physaloptera were poorly resolved in our phylogenies, producing multifurcations or a star phylogeny. The star-like pattern may be attributed to evolutionary processes where past simultaneous species diversification events took place. Physaloptera amazonica n. sp. formed an independent lineage, separately from the other species of Physaloptera, thus supporting the status of a new species. However, all molecular data suggested a closer relationship with other Neotropical species. In conclusion, we added a new species to this already largely diverse genus Physaloptera, bringing new insights to its phylogenetic relationships. Further analyses, adding more species and markers, should provide a better understanding of the evolutionary history of physalopterids.


Phytotaxa ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 184 (2) ◽  
pp. 61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chih-Chieh Yu ◽  
Kuo-Fang Chung

Berberis sect. Wallichianae are species of evergreen shrubs that in Taiwan are found in subalpine and montane-temperate areas and which have a notoriously controversial taxonomic history. Based on multivariate statistical analyses of morphometric data and an explicitly stated species criterion, the taxonomy of the group in Taiwan and its close relative in Luzon (B. barandana) is revised and their endemicity is evaluated by molecular data. In addition to the six species recognized in the Flora of Taiwan, 2nd ed. (i.e., B. aristatoserrulata, B. brevisepala, B. chingshuiensis, B. kawakamii, B. mingetsensis, and B. tarokoensis), B. hayatana (synonymized under B. mingetsensis) and B. nantoensis (synonymized under B. brevisepala) are reinstated, and three new species (B. pengii, B. ravenii, and B. schaaliae) are described and illustrated. Phylogenetic analyses using three chloroplast DNA sequence regions (rbcL, ycf6-psbM, and psbA-trnH) place all Taiwanese species and B. barandana in a strongly supported clade derived from within the continental Asian species of sect. Wallichianae, indicating their independent evolutionary history and supporting their endemic status.


Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4869 (4) ◽  
pp. 529-561
Author(s):  
ALAIN DE CHAMBRIER ◽  
JAN BRABEC ◽  
TOMÁŠ SCHOLZ

Species diversity and interrelationships of tapeworms of the genus Kapsulotaenia Freze, 1963 (Proteocephalidae: Acanthotaeniinae), parasites of lizards, especially monitors (Varanus spp.) in the Australasian region, were re-assessed using an interdisciplinary approach. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of newly characterized lsrDNA and cox1 sequences confirmed monophyly of the genus, which is typified by the presence of eggs in capsules, and also indicated a strict (oioxenous) level of host specificity of its species thus revealing unexpected species diversity. Diagnoses of insufficiently described species were amended based on a study of the types and freshly collected specimens and, in addition, three new species were described. A list of ten species of the genus recognized as valid is provided, including illustrations of taxonomically important structures of poorly known taxa. Kapsulotaenia beveridgei n. sp. from V. rosenbergi in Australia differs from all other species of Kapsulotaenia but K. frezei and K. saccifera by having a lower number of testes and an absence of banana-shaped clusters of eggs. Kapsulotaenia cannoni n. sp. from V. gouldii can be distinguished from all species but K. chisholmae by a smaller scolex diameter and from all remaining species by its bigger cirrus-sac ratio and a bigger Mehlis’ gland/proglottid width ratio. Kapsulotaenia cannoni n. sp. differs from K. chisholmae, by the presence of an armed cirrus and a lower number of eggs in cluster (3–7 versus 8–13). Kapsulotaenia nybelini n. sp., which also occurs in V. gouldii, differs from K. tidswelli, K. frezei and K. beveridgei by having a greater number of testes, and it differs from K. varia by having a smaller relative size of the ovary. It differs from K. saccifera by the absence of banana-shaped cluster, and from K. pythonis by the number of eggs in clusters. Identification keys for all species of Kapsulotaenia and genera of the Acanthotaeniinae are also provided, together with SEM micrographs of three species, including two newly described species. 


Zootaxa ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 3465 (1) ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
NIKOLAY A. POYARKOV, JR. ◽  
JING CHE ◽  
MI-SOOK MIN ◽  
MASAKI KURO-O ◽  
FANG YAN ◽  
...  

We describe four new species of Asian Clawed salamanders of the genus Onychodactylus (Caudata: Hynobiidae), basedon fresh material collected during fieldwork in Japan, Korea, the Russian Far East and northeastern China between 2003and 2010, as well as older voucher specimens deposited in several museums. Our analyses comprise all species currentlyrecognized within this genus across its entire distribution range. We follow an integrative taxonomic approach bycombining detailed morphological comparative analyses with molecular phylogenetic analyses. We find significantdifferences among species in this genus, based on morphological and molecular data, which resulted in the recognitionand description of four new species within this genus. The new species have uncorrected molecular divergences of over4.5–7.4% and 1.9–4.1% to their closest relatives in the mitochondrial COI and 16S rRNA genes respectively. In themolecular analyses, we found two very divergent lineages in Korea and Japan that need further investigation, as detailedmorphological data are not available for them. We also discuss our approach to delimit species on salamanders. For thenew species described in this group we evaluate their threat status according to IUCN criteria: O. koreanus sp. nov. Min,Poyarkov & Vieites and O. nipponoborealis sp. nov. Kuro-o, Poyarkov & Vieites are classified as Least Concern, whileO. zhaoermii sp. nov. Che, Poyarkov & Yan and O. zhangyapingi sp. nov. Che, Poyarkov, Li & Yan are classified as Vulnerable (Vu2a).


2020 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 507-536
Author(s):  
Warren M. Cardinal-McTeague ◽  
Lynn J. Gillespie

Abstract—We present a phylogenetic classification for Plukenetia (Euphorbiaceae, Acalyphoideae) based on morphology and molecular phylogenetic studies using nuclear (ETS, ITS, KEA1 introns 11 and 17, TEB exon 17) and plastid (matK, ndhF, psbA-trnH) DNA data. Plukenetia comprises 25 species divided into six sections, with three new sections and four new species described here. The circumscription of Plukenetia is unaltered from recent treatments and we continue to recognize Romanoa as distinct. The sections of Plukenetia correspond with the subclade system proposed by Cardinal-McTeague and Gillespie (2016): P1 = P. sect. Fragariopsis comb. et stat. nov.; P2 = P. sect. Penninerviae sect. nov.; P3 = P. sect. Plukenetia; P4 = P. sect. Angostylidium; and P5 = P. sect. Hedraiostylus + P. sect. Madagascarienses sect. nov. The sections are distinguished by a combination of leaf venation, staminate flower morphology, pistillate flower number, style morphology, fruit type, and seed size. Additionally, we describe three new species from South America belonging to sect. Penninerviae: Plukenetia brevistyla and Plukenetia megastyla from the Amazon basin and Plukenetia chocoensis from the Chocó Biogeographic Region of Colombia. The new Amazonian species are morphologically similar to P. brachybotrya but distinguished by their style shape and size. The new Colombian species is morphologically similar to P. penninervia but distinguished by its elongate basilaminar extrafloral nectaries, presence of abaxial laminar extrafloral nectaries, and longer inflorescences. We also describe a new species from sect. Plukenetia, Plukenetia sylvestris, which is found in central and southern Peru. This species is suggested to be the wild progenitor of the cultivated P. carolis-vegae, differing by its smaller seeds/fruits and fewer stamens. Molecular data, including a new ETS phylogeny sampling P. brevistyla, support our new taxa as distinct. Keys to the sections and species of Plukenetia are provided and we designate 12 new lectotypes for Plukenetia and Romanoa.


Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4948 (3) ◽  
pp. 439-446
Author(s):  
XUAN AN ◽  
WA DA ◽  
MIN WANG ◽  
HOUSHUAI WANG

A new species, Daplasa medoga sp. nov., is described from Tibet, China. The new species can be distinguished morphologically from all other known Daplasa species by its male genitalia with a sagittate uncus and distally broadly crotched valvae. The validity of new species is well supported by the molecular phylogenetic analyses of one mitochondrial gene (COI) and two nuclear genes (EF-1α & RPS5), with a total length of 2,324 bp. 


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document