Organization of a taxonomically diverse lizard assemblage in Amazonian Ecuador

1996 ◽  
Vol 74 (7) ◽  
pp. 1313-1335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie J. Vitt ◽  
Peter A. Zani
Keyword(s):  
Related Species ◽  
Prey Size ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Prey Type ◽  
Lizard Species ◽  
Lowland Forest ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Use Patterns ◽  
Microhabitat Distribution ◽  
Order Of Magnitude

Of 22 lizard species studied in eastern Ecuador, 21 were diurnal. Ten were active foragers and 12 were sit-and-wait foragers. Considerable variation existed in habitat and microhabitat distribution and body temperatures among species. Body size varied over an order of magnitude (20–270 mm snout–vent length). Most morphological (size-free) variation among species (77%) was accounted for by two principal component axes and appears tied to phylogeny. Prey size was correlated with lizard size and species were separated by prey size. Low overlaps in microhabitat, habitat, and prey type also separated species. Pseudocommunity analysis indicated structure in the consumer–resource matrix. In some comparisons, prey overlaps among species were greater within than between higher taxa, and closely related species tended to be found in similar habitat patches and microhabitats, suggesting that resource-use patterns are determined to some extent by phylogeny. Ecology, morphology, and phylogeny appear tied together in a complex manner, with resource partitioning contributing to maintenance of structure. Historical interactions among closely related species may have been important in determining which species within particular clades invaded and persisted within local assemblages in lowland forest.

Prey use among sympatric lizard species in lowland rain forest of Nicaragua

1998 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 537-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie J. Vitt ◽  
Peter A. Zani
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Species Interactions ◽  
Prey Size ◽  
Lizard Species ◽  
Lowland Forest ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Lowland Rain Forest ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Key Resources ◽  
Consumer Resource

The diets of 17 lizard species (seven families) studied simultaneously in a Caribbean lowland forest of Nicaragua were compared. Lizards varied in body size over nearly one order of magnitude. Twelve species for which there were adequate samples separated by prey types and most diet overlaps were low. A pseudocommunity analysis on volumetric diet data revealed significant guild structure in the assemblage. At each nearest neighbour rank in niche space, observed overlaps were higher than expected based on chance alone when all values in the consumer-resource matrix were randomized. There was no difference between observed and pseudocommunity overlaps with zero positions in the consumer-resource matrix retained (conserved-zero overlaps) indicating that the zero structure of the community matrix was important in maintaining structure and that lizards were converging on key resources. Individual prey size varied among species and mean prey size was significantly correlated with body size of lizard species. A phylogenetic analysis revealed no relationship between similarity in prey use (dietary overlap) and evolutionary relationships — more closely related species did not eat more similar prey types. Based on this analysis of Nicaraguan lizard diets and comparisons with other New World tropical lizard assemblages, it is suggested that factors contributing to the organization of tropical lizard assemblages are complex including historical differences in morphology (size), prey types and sizes, habitat structure and species interactions.

scholarly journals Rhamnella intermedia (Rhamnaceae), a new evergreen species from southwest Guangxi

PhytoKeys ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 159 ◽  
pp. 115-126
Author(s):  
Zhiqiang Lu ◽  
Yongshuai Sun
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Related Species ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Phenotypic Traits ◽  
Evergreen Species ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Field Investigations ◽  
Sequence Variations ◽  
Dried Fruit ◽  
Nuclear Its

Rhamnella intermedia, a new evergreen species from southwest Guangxi, is described and illustrated in this study. This species is similar to R. brachycarpa by the size and ratio of length to width of dried fruit and seeds, by which it differs from R. rubrinervis and R. tonkinensis. However, it differs from R. brachycarpa by rarely mucronate seed apices, larger ratio of length to width of leaves, leaf apices acuminate to long acuminate, shorter leaf petioles, and longer fruiting pedicels. Principal component analysis based on phenotypic traits further recognised three separated groups. Rhamnella rubrinervis and R. tonkinensis were clustered into one group; the other two groups represented R. brachycarpa and two Guangxi populations, respectively. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of nuclear ITS sequence variations highly supported that the two Guangxi populations represented an independent evolutionary lineage and were closest to R. rubrinervis. Four fixed nucleotide sites were found and were different from R. rubrinervis. However, besides the differentiated traits in seeds and fruit, densely pilose young branches also separated them from R. rubrinervis. In addition, during our field investigations, none of the three closely related species were found at locations where this new species was distributed. Therefore, this new species, based on the two Guangxi populations, is named R. intermedia. The key to four closely related species is also presented.

scholarly journals Environmental niche divergence of species from Merodon ruficornis group (Diptera: Syrphidae)

2017 ◽  
Vol 69 (2) ◽  
pp. 247-259 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jelena Acanski ◽  
Marija Milicic ◽  
Laura Likov ◽  
Dubravka Milic ◽  
Snezana Radenkovic ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Endemic Species ◽  
Related Species ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Niche Overlap ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Environmental Niche ◽  
Niche Modelling ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Niche Divergence ◽  
Environmental Space

In this paper we analyzed environmental differentiation of closely related species from the Merodon ruficornis group. By applying principal component analysis (PCA) and environmental niche modelling (ENM)-based techniques, we estimated the level of niche divergence of closely related species. Our results indicate that ecology has an important role in the diversification process in related species from the M. ruficornis group. Distribution patterns of all analyzed species are mainly affected by the limiting effects of the temperature of the coldest quarter and month, as well as by the precipitation of the wettest and driest quarters. Our results demonstrated that among all related species, with the exception of M. ovaloides, overall or partial divergence in environmental space is present. Importantly, the results indicate that the environmental niches of all endemic species are restricted to smaller parts of the environmental space. In the case of niche overlap, the niches of endemic species are placed along the border of the realized niche of the widespread related species. For species in which distribution is not limited by geographical barriers, environmental preferences could be considered as limiting factors for further expansion, as in the case of M. alexandri, a lowland species with very strict climatic adaptations. Knowledge about the environmental factors that might influence the diversification process can provide an explanation for the high diversity in other Merodon species groups.

scholarly journals Synchrotron FTIR as a tool for studying populations and individual living cells of green algae

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kira L. Goff ◽  
Thomas Ellis ◽  
Kenneth E. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Green Algae ◽  
Related Species ◽  
Species Differences ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Living Cells ◽  
Spectral Variation ◽  
Protein Profiles ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Single Culture ◽  
Sources Of Variation

AbstractFourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectromicroscopy was used to study individual living cells of three closely-related species of the green algae Chlamydomonas. This study differentiated these three species based on differences in lipid and protein profiles, as well explored sources of variation in our measurements. Significant spectral variation was observed between individual cells within a single culture, as well as between control cultures of a species obtained on different days. Despite this, we were able to differentiate between the three close-related species. Differences in the spectra were confirmed using principal component analysis. Understanding the interplay of underlying variation and the degree of induced spectral differences is essential for the deployment of FTIR measurements in both bulk cultures and for individual living cells.

Interspecific and intersexual variation in presacral vertebrae number in Podarcis bocagei and P. carbonelli

2008 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 288-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Carretero ◽  
Gustavo Llorente ◽  
Antigoni Kaliontzopoulou
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Related Species ◽  
Cervical Vertebrae ◽  
Interspecific Variation ◽  
Same Sex ◽  
Lizard Species ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Anatomical Features ◽  
Morphological Distinction ◽  
Podarcis Bocagei

Abstract Podarcis bocagei and P. carbonelli are two closely related lizard species, endemic to the western Iberian Peninsula. Although genetic and morphological distinction between them is now well established, information on anatomical features is still very restricted. We studied presacral vertebrae number in both species, separately examining cervical and trunk vertebrae counts, in order to assess the interspecific and intersexual variation in these characters. There was no significant interspecific variation among lizards of the same sex for any of the vertebrae counts studied. However, important sexual variation existed, females presenting higher counts than males for both trunk and total presacral vertebrae, while males showed higher values of cervical vertebrae. Although our results lie within the known limits for other closely related species, they reveal that vertebrae number might present higher intraspecific variation than previously thought.

Microsatellite Marker: Importance and Implications of Cross-genome Analysis for Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn)

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 160-170
Author(s):  
Thumadath P.A. Krishna ◽  
Maharajan Theivanayagam ◽  
Gurusunathan V. Roch ◽  
Veeramuthu Duraipandiyan ◽  
Savarimuthu Ignacimuthu
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Marker ◽  
Microsatellite Markers ◽  
Ssr Markers ◽  
Genome Analysis ◽  
Related Species ◽  
Finger Millet ◽  
Crop Improvement ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Closely Related Species ◽  
Genome Amplification

Finger millet is a superior staple food for human beings. Microsatellite or Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) marker is a powerful tool for genetic mapping, diversity analysis and plant breeding. In finger millet, microsatellites show a higher level of polymorphism than other molecular marker systems. The identification and development of microsatellite markers are extremely expensive and time-consuming. Only less than 50% of SSR markers have been developed from microsatellite sequences for finger millet. Therefore, it is important to transfer SSR markers developed for related species/genus to finger millet. Cross-genome transferability is the easiest and cheapest method to develop SSR markers. Many comparative mapping studies using microsatellite markers clearly revealed the presence of synteny within the genomes of closely related species/ genus. Sufficient homology exists among several crop plant genomes in the sequences flanking the SSR loci. Thus, the SSR markers are beneficial to amplify the target regions in the finger millet genome. Many SSR markers were used for the analysis of cross-genome amplification in various plants such as Setaria italica, Pennisetum glaucum, Oryza sativa, Triticum aestivum, Zea mays and Hordeum vulgare. However, there is very little information available about cross-genome amplification of these markers in finger millet. The only limited report is available for the utilization of cross-genome amplified microsatellite markers in genetic analysis, gene mapping and other applications in finger millet. This review highlights the importance and implication of microsatellite markers such as genomic SSR (gSSR) and Expressed Sequence Tag (EST)-SSR in cross-genome analysis in finger millet. Nowadays, crop improvement has been one of the major priority areas of research in agriculture. The genome assisted breeding and genetic engineering plays a very crucial role in enhancing crop productivity. The rapid advance in molecular marker technology is helpful for crop improvement. Therefore, this review will be very helpful to the researchers for understanding the importance and implication of SSR markers in closely related species.

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