DIVERSITY AND PHENETIC STUDY ON SYCONIUM OF FICUS L. (MORACEAE) FROM KERALA, INDIA REVEALING NATURAL CLASSIFICATION ALONG WITH AN IDENTIFICATION KEY

NAIR, S. S., BACHAN, K. H. A. & EBIN, P. J. 2021. Diversity and phenetic study on syconium of Ficus L. (Moraceae) from Kerala, India revealing natural classification along with an identification key. Reinwardtia 20(1): 27–36. — Ficus L. commonly called ‘figs’ is one of the most complex genera among the angiosperms with its specialised inflorescence called syconium that looks like a fruit. Syconium of 33 species of Ficus reported from Kerala were observed here to develop a novel key, solely based on syconium morphology. Numerical taxonomic methodology for syconium morphological characters were standardised, considering 22 characters with 104 character states and analysed using similarity clustering. The floral features of the genus are very much complex and all the existing keys for the species identification relays on both vegetative as well as floral features. Hence, the present key will be practical in use when syconium is the only available part. The numerical analysis of the syconium features well clustered and separated the trees with cauliflorous inflorescence, hemi epiphytic -epiphytic life forms and independent trees similar to the natural classification of the figs as “Atthi, Itthi and Aal”, indicating that phenetic analysis using the syconium characters alone provided a grouping similar to the natural grouping based on the habit. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis of figs also provided a similar clustering. This gives an insight into the fact that the separation of figs into these natural groups is reflecting phylogenetic trait. Detailed studies including more morphological traits and molecular analysis could establish the phylogenetic relation of figs in relation to the evolutionary history of climate and vegetation.

A coadunation of biological and mathematical perspectives on the pandemic COVID-19: A Review

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has created an emergency globally, and social distancing and isolation is the only solution to prevent its spread. Several countries have announced full lockdown to tackle this pandemic. The coronavirus family is inclusive of pathogens of both – animal species and humans, encapsulating the isolated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Researchers round the globe have been dexterously working to decode this lethal virus. Many mathematical frameworks have also been depicted which have helped to understand the dynamics of the COVID-19. Methods: This systematic review highlights the virus genomic composition, preliminary phylogenetic analysis, pathogenesis, symptomatology, diagnosis, and prognosis along with mathematical models of disease transmission and dynamics. Results: Our preliminary phylogenetic analysis of the novel coronavirus sequence discerns that although shares its lineage with SARS, BAT-CoV, Beta-BAT-SARS,however, this protein is highly dissimilar to its ancestors. The widely prominent amino acid residues found in the protein are alanine (ALA), aspartic acid (ASP), phenylalanine (PHE), leucine (LEU), aspartic acid (ASP), threonine (THR), valine (VAL), tyrosine (TYR) and asparagine (ASN) that are responsible for its replication process. Conclusion: Research on coronaviruses continues towards developing a strong understanding of the rapidly evolving viral replication and its transmission between individuals.

A new species of the genus Lucasioides Kwon, 1993 (Isopoda, Oniscidea, Agnaridae) from Siberia, Russia

A new species of the family Agnaridae, Lucasioides altaicus sp. nov., is described from the Altai Mountains, southwestern Siberia, based both on morphological characters and molecular data. This species is the first record of Lucasioides from Russia, whose location is the northernmost habitat of terrestrial isopods in indigenous habitats presently known to Eurasia. The diagnostic characters of the new species and a preliminary phylogenetic analysis within Agnaridae are provided.

Taxonomic notes on the genus Campiglossa Rondani (Diptera, Tephritidae, Tephritinae, Tephritini) in India, with description of three new species

Three new species of Campiglossa Rondani are described from India: adults of both sexes and third instar larvae of C. ialong David, Salini & Hancock, sp. nov. and C. sherlyae David & Hancock, sp. nov., plus an adult female of C. shaktii David, Sachin & Hancock, sp. nov., are described and illustrated. Postabdominal structures, cephalopharyngeal skeleton, and anterior and posterior spiracles of C. gemma (Hering, 1939) and C. sororcula (Wiedemann, 1830) are illustrated. DNA barcode sequences of C. ialongsp. nov., C. sherlyaesp. nov., and C. gemma were obtained and reported. Records of C. absinthii (Fabricius, 1805) and C. iracunda (Hering, 1938) are regarded as misidentifications of C. lyncea (Bezzi, 1913) and C. shaktiisp. nov., respectively, and excluded from the Indian fauna. A key to the known species of Campiglossa from India is provided. Results of preliminary phylogenetic analysis using COI revealed that C. ialongsp. nov. is paraphyletic to the Campiglossa misella group and C. C. sherlyaesp. nov. is a sister species of C. deserta.

Short Communication: Preliminary phylogenetic analysis of bacteria producing laccase isolated from Gunung Pancar, Bogor, Indonesia

Mar WW, Rohman A, Muwafiqi NH, Laras GA, Agustina D, Asmarani O, Puspaningsih NNT. 2020. Short Communication: Preliminary phylogenetic analysis of bacteria producing laccase isolated from Gunung Pancar, Bogor, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 2113-2118. Interpretation of phylogenetic trees is essential in understanding relationships between organisms, as well as their characteristics, bionetwork, and even their genomic and developmental ecology. The aim of this research is to analyze the phylogenetic bacteria producing laccase isolated from Gunung Pancar Bogor, Indonesia. Phylogenetic analysis of Geobacillus kaustophilus TP-02 producing laccase was performed using alignments with all Bacillus clusters. A phylogenetic tree was constructed by the neighbor-joining (NJ) method, using the maximum likelihood parameter. Laccase was purified using ammonium sulfate precipitation to 2.67-fold. The activity of crude laccase was determined to be 93.39 U/ml using 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) as the substrate. Moreover, Geobacillus related to counting some Geobacillus genus such as Geobacillus thermocatenulatus, Geobacillus sp. MAS1, Geobacillus thermoleovorans, and Geobacillus zalihae, having similarity under 91% with comparison to the Geobacillus kaustophilius sequence in GenBank. Therefore, results show that G. kaustophilus TP-02 does not have any closeness with other Geobacillus genera, even though these species have the same ancestor.

Orange Cane Blotch of Commercial Blackberry in the Southeastern United States

Orange cane blotch affects commercial blackberry production in the southeastern United States, mainly in the Coastal Plain region. The causal agent is a slow-growing parasitic alga, Cephaleuros virescens, which has a wide host range. Disease development is linked to the biennial growth pattern of blackberry, whereby symptoms appear in the early fall and algal lesions expand throughout the winter, spring, and early summer of the following year. Preliminary phylogenetic analysis of 18S rDNA sequences suggests that blackberry isolates from different geographical locations cluster together and are genetically similar to each other and yet differ from isolates of C. virescens obtained from commercial blueberry.

Description of Kumatoeides gen. nov. (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Eumolpinae) from New Caledonia

In this article, I describe a new endemic genus of New Caledonian Eumolpinae, Kumatoeides gen. nov. (tribe Eumolpini), and eight new species currently conforming the genus: K. anomala sp. nov., K. aulacia sp. nov. (generic type), K. leptalei sp. nov., K. megale sp. nov., K. metallica sp. nov., K. millei sp. nov., K. tarsalis sp. nov. and K. wanati sp. nov. Some easily recognizable defining traits of this new genus of fairly small species (2.23–3.20 mm) are the glabrous dorsum, aligned punctures on elytra in eight regular striae plus short scutellar and a subhumeral striae, convex elytral intervals, and the enlarged and elongate first pro- and mesotarsomeres of males. One species originally described in the genus Montrouzierella Jolivet, Verma et Mille is transferred to the new genus as Kumatoeides costata (Jolivet, Verma et Mille) nov. comb. A preliminary phylogenetic analysis using partial cox1 and rrnS mtDNA sequences of five species of Kumatoeides gen. nov. together with a representative sample of species of Eumolpinae from New Caledonia supports the monophyly of the genus and the existence of two main groups as recognized based on morphological traits. However, data are not conclusive about the relationship of the new genus with other New Caledonian lineages, although suggest a closest relationship with some unidentified species most similar to some representatives of the genus Samuelsonia Jolivet, Verma et Mille but with morphological similarities with Kumatoeides gen. nov., including dilated male protarsomeres, similar antennomere proportions and tendency to aligned rows of punctures on elytra, at least apically.