The Pleurobemini (Bivalvia : Unionida) revisited: molecular species delineation using a mitochondrial DNA gene reveals multiple conspecifics and undescribed species

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 689 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kentaro Inoue ◽  
David M. Hayes ◽  
John L. Harris ◽  
Nathan A. Johnson ◽  
Cheryl L. Morrison ◽  
...  

The Pleurobemini (Bivalvia: Unionida) represent approximately one-third of freshwater mussel diversity in North America. Species identification within this group is challenging due to morphological convergence and phenotypic plasticity. Accurate species identification, including characterisation of currently unrecognised taxa, is required to develop effective conservation strategies because many species in the group are imperiled. We examined 575 cox1 sequences from 110 currently recognised species (including 13 Fusconaia and 21 Pleurobema species) to understand phylogenetic relationships among pleurobemine species (mainly Fusconaia and Pleurobema) and to delineate species boundaries. The results of phylogenetic analyses showed no geographic structure within widespread species and illustrated a close relationship between Elliptio lanceolata and Parvaspina collina. Constraint tests supported monophyly of the genera Fusconaia and Pleurobema, including the subgenus P. (Sintoxia). Furthermore, results revealed multiple conspecifics, including P. hanleyianum and P. troschelianum, P. chattanoogaense and P. decisum, P. clava and P. oviforme, P. rubrum and P. sintoxia, F. askewi and F. lananensis, and F. cerina and F. flava. Species delimitation analyses identified three currently unrecognised taxa (two in Fusconaia and one in Pleurobema). Further investigation using additional genetic markers and other lines of evidence (e.g. morphology, life history, ecology) are necessary before any taxonomic changes are formalised.

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung Seok Kim ◽  
Kevin J. Roe

AbstractDetailed information on species delineation and population genetic structure is a prerequisite for designing effective restoration and conservation strategies for imperiled organisms. Phylogenomic and population genomic analyses based on genome-wide double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-Seq) data has identified three allopatric lineages in the North American freshwater mussel genus Cyprogenia. Cyprogenia stegaria is restricted to the Eastern Highlands and displays little genetic structuring within this region. However, two allopatric lineages of C. aberti in the Ozark and Ouachita highlands exhibit substantial levels (mean uncorrected FST = 0.368) of genetic differentiation and each warrants recognition as a distinct evolutionary lineage. Lineages of Cyprogenia in the Ouachita and Ozark highlands are further subdivided reflecting structuring at the level of river systems. Species tree inference and species delimitation in a Bayesian framework using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) data supported results from phylogenetic analyses, and supports three species of Cyprogenia over the currently recognized two species. A comparison of SNPs generated from both destructively and non-destructively collected samples revealed no significant difference in the SNP error rate, quality and amount of ddRAD sequence reads, indicating that nondestructive or trace samples can be effectively utilized to generate SNP data for organisms for which destructive sampling is not permitted.


2005 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos A. Acuña ◽  
Eric J. Martínez ◽  
Camilo L. Quarin

Thrasya petrosa (Trin.) Chase is the most widespread species of a grass genus indigenous to the New World. Genetic systems in diploid (2n=2x=20) and tetraploid (2n=4x=40) races of T. petrosa were investigated. The diploid race exhibited embryological development typical of sexual reproduction, but failed to produce seed because of self-incompatibility, whereas the tetraploid showed embryological pathways characteristic of facultative apomixis. Consequently, some ovules showed a normal meiotic embryo sac, others had one to several aposporous sacs, and, finally, some ovules had one or more aposporous sacs beside the meiotic one. A uniform progeny test assisted by molecular markers confirmed that the main reproductive mode for the tetraploid race was apomixis, despite some sexual reproductive structures observed by cytoembryological analyses. The chromosome pairing patterns at meiosis suggested that autoploidy was the genetic origin of the tetraploid races of T. petrosa. In addition, the close relationship between Thrasya Kunth and Paspalum L. previously supported by phylogenetic analyses is further sustained by the particular genetic system shared by the two genera. The system involves co-specific sexual self-incompatible diploids and apomictic, pseudogamous and self-compatible polyploids.


PeerJ ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. e7662 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiangyu Tian ◽  
Junwei Ye ◽  
Yu Song

Lindera is a genus (c. 100 spp.) of trees belonging to the “core Laureae” group in the family Lauraceae. It is often confused with Litsea, and the systematics of the genus is unclear. Here, total 10 complete plastomes from nine trinerved Lindera species and another species Lindera obtusiloba (sect. Palminerviae Meissn.) were sequenced. Nine highly variable regions, trnH-GUG/psbA, psbM/trnD-GUC, petA/psbL, ndhF, trnL-UAG/ndhD, and ycf1, were identified among the 10 Lindera species. In addition, a total of 1,836 mutation events including six micro-inversions, 156 indels, and 1,674 substitutions, were also summarized. Comparing our sequences with other available plastomes in the “core Laureae,” we put forward that six hypervariable loci, trnH-GUG/psbA, ndhF, ndhF/rpl32, trl32/trnL-UAG, ndhD, and ycf1, could potentially be used as plastid barcode candidates for species identification. Further phylogenetic analyses were conducted using 49 complete Lauraceae plastomes. The results supported a close relationship among trinerved Lindera species and suggested an improved trinerved group comprising species of trinerved Lindera species and Iteadaphne caudate.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Fernández-López ◽  
M. Teresa Telleria ◽  
Margarita Dueñas ◽  
Mara Laguna-Castro ◽  
Klaus Schliep ◽  
...  

AbstractThe use of different sources of evidence has been recommended in order to conduct species delimitation analyses to solve taxonomic issues. In this study, we use a maximum likelihood framework to combine morphological and molecular traits to study the case of Xylodon australis (Hymenochaetales, Basidiomycota) using the locate.yeti function from the phytools R package. Xylodon australis has been considered a single species distributed across Australia, New Zealand and Patagonia. Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses were conducted to unmask the actual diversity under X. australis as well as the kinship relations respect their relatives. To assess the taxonomic position of each clade, locate.yeti function was used to locate in a molecular phylogeny the X. australis type material for which no molecular data was available using morphological continuous traits. Two different species were distinguished under the X. australis name, one from Australia–New Zealand and other from Patagonia. In addition, a close relationship with Xylodon lenis, a species from the South East of Asia, was confirmed for the Patagonian clade. We discuss the implications of our results for the biogeographical history of this genus and we evaluate the potential of this method to be used with historical collections for which molecular data is not available.


Zootaxa ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4379 (1) ◽  
pp. 47 ◽  
Author(s):  
JACK M. CRAIG ◽  
LUIZ R. MALABARBA ◽  
WILLIAM G. R. CRAMPTON ◽  
JAMES S. ALBERT

Banded Knifefishes (Gymnotus, Gymnotidae) comprise the most species-rich, ecologically tolerant (eurytopic), and geographically widespread genus of Neotropical electric fishes (Gymnotiformes), with 40 valid species occupying most habitats and regions throughout the humid Neotropics. Despite substantial alpha-taxonomic work in recent years, parts of the genus remain characterized by taxonomic confusion. Here we describe and delimit species of the G. carapo and G. tigre clades from the southern Neotropics, using body proportions (caliper-based morphometrics), fin-ray, scale and laterosensory-pore counts (meristics), quantitative shape differences (geometric morphometrics), osteology, color patterns and electric organ discharges. We report these data from 174 Gymnotus specimens collected from 100 localities throughout the southern Neotropics, and delimit species boundaries in a multivariate statistical framework. We find six species of the G. carapo clade (G. carapo australis, G. cuia n. sp., G. chimarrao, G. omarorum, G. pantanal, and G. sylvius), and two species of the G. tigre clade (G. inaequilabiatus and G. paraguensis) in the southern Neotropics. The new species G. cuia is readily distinguished from the morphologically similar and broadly sympatric G. c. australis by a shorter head and deeper head and body, and from the morphologically similar and sympatric G. omarorum by fewer lateral-line ventral rami and fewer pored lateral-line scales anterior to the first ventral ramus. We also review the geographic distributions of all eight species of the G. carapo and G. tigre clades in the southern Neotropics, showing that G. cuia is the most widespread species in the region. These results affirm the importance of understanding the structure of variation within and between species, both geographic and ontogenetic, in delimiting species boundaries. 


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda van Heerwaarden ◽  
Carla M. Sgrò

AbstractForecasting which species/ecosystems are most vulnerable to climate warming is essential to guide conservation strategies to minimize extinction. Tropical/mid-latitude species are predicted to be most at risk as they live close to their upper critical thermal limits (CTLs). However, these assessments assume that upper CTL estimates, such as CTmax, are accurate predictors of vulnerability and ignore the potential for evolution to ameliorate temperature increases. Here, we use experimental evolution to assess extinction risk and adaptation in tropical and widespread Drosophila species. We find tropical species succumb to extinction before widespread species. Male fertility thermal limits, which are much lower than CTmax, are better predictors of species’ current distributions and extinction in the laboratory. We find little evidence of adaptive responses to warming in any species. These results suggest that species are living closer to their upper thermal limits than currently presumed and evolution/plasticity are unlikely to rescue populations from extinction.


Botany ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 379-387
Author(s):  
D.H.T. Firmo ◽  
S.A. Santos ◽  
M.E.M.P. Perez ◽  
P. Soffiatti ◽  
B.F. Sant’Anna-Santos

The Syagrus glaucescens complex comprises three species: Syagrus glaucescens Glaz. ex Becc., Syagrus duartei Glassman, and Syagrus evansiana Noblick. Recently, a new population of S. evansiana that possesses a high degree of endemism was reported in the Serra do Cabral mountain. Here we intend to study the leaf anatomy of the S. glaucescens complex and confirm whether this newly found population (from now on called Syagrus aff. evansiana) belongs to S. evansiana or not. Specimens were collected to investigate their leaf anatomy, which showed distinct differences between S. aff. evansiana and S. evansiana. The midrib anatomy revealed novelties for the S. glauscecens complex, proving useful for species diagnosis. Features such as accessory vascular bundles around the vascular system of the midrib and the number of collateral bundles are diagnostic for species identification. In addition, morphological and anatomical analyses indicated a correlation with the species occurrence. We found greater similarity between S. glaucescens and S. duartei, while S. evansiana and S. aff. evansiana are more alike. Here, we propose a new identification key based only on the leaf anatomy. Despite their morphological similarities, S. aff. evansiana and S. evansiana presented differences in leaf anatomy, which — when associated with their geographical isolation — suggests a fourth taxon in the complex.


Zootaxa ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 4286 (1) ◽  
pp. 93 ◽  
Author(s):  
OLGA KLISHKO ◽  
MANUEL LOPES-LIMA ◽  
ELSA FROUFE ◽  
ARTHUR BOGAN ◽  
LYUDMILA VASILIEV ◽  
...  

The taxonomy of species within the genus Unio (Bivalvia: Unionidae: Unioninae) in Russia and Ukraine has been contentious due to the lack of correspondence between three concurrent yet divergent classifications. In order to clarify which classification system best reflects the evolutionary relationships among these taxa, we performed detailed morphological analyses on 720 Ukrainian and Russian specimens, complemented with molecular data (COI) from a selected number of specimens. The morphological character data set shows the existence of only three widespread species with slight eco-morphological variations. Statistical analyses of shell morphometric parameters and molecular analyses based on mtDNA COI gene fragment sequences confirm the existence of the same three species within a single genus, Unio, in Russia and Ukraine, that is U. pictorum, U. tumidus and U. crassus. Results from molecular analyses suggest the existence of an additional subgroup within the U. crassus lineage, U. crassus cf. courtilieri that deserves further research. The present integrated approach confirms the validity of the classification by Zhadin (1952) and rejects the complex classifications of Starobogatov et al. (2004) and Bogatov & Kijashko (2016). 


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