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We describe the pattern of vegetation change at three sites on a utility right-of- way, Exeter, Rhode Island, over 57 years. Trees and tall shrubs were cut from the right-of-way in 1963. The stumps were chemically treated in 1963 with 2,4,5-T. Select hardwood species were treated again from 1965 to 2022 targeting only the taller trees and shrubs. Unwanted small woody and herbaceous vegetation was treated with a 2% solution of Vastian, while Polaris (.250%), Escort, and Arsenal (.250%) were applied to unwanted weeds, grasses, and woody taxa. There has been an increase in the number of vascular plant species at each of the three sites, especially at Site 2, where the number of taxa, 28, is nearly double the 15 taxa identified at the site in 1965. There was a significant increase in the number of monocots in 2022, especially Poaceae, including Poa sylvestris A. Gray, a new Rhode Island record. No nonnative taxa were identified in 1965, while eight were present in 2022. Parsimony analysis reveals a branch break between Sites 1b and 2b and Sites 1a, 2a, 3a, and 3b. This is best explained by soil moisture, community development, and succession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new phreatoicidean isopod, Speonastes venkataramani gen. sp. nov. is described from Borra Cave in northeastern Andhra Pradesh, India. This new taxon has features seen in most phreatoicideans such as ventrally projecting pleonal pleurae, but also has features characteristic of the hypogean family Hypsimetopidae, such as an elongated pleotelson with a medially rotating uropod that has protopodal denticles or denticulate setae opposing the denticulate margin of the pleotelson, as well as the distal article of the antennula being minute and the penultimate article elongated and somewhat inflated. Robustness-tested phylogenetic analyses of character data from exemplars from nearly all phreatoicidean genera and four non-phreatoicidean outgroups finds that this species is the earliest derived member of Hypsimetopidae. These analyses have substantial implications for both relationships among Phreatoicidea, but within the family as well. The body form of the Phreatoicidea basal to the hypsimetopid clade resembles the form seen in fossils or by recent taxa such as Crenisopus Wilson & Keable, 1999. Ancestors of Speonastes gen. nov. may have independently colonized India from those of the Nichollsia - Andhracoides clade. An early Mesozoic diversification of Hypsimetopidae and related taxa along continental rifts in eastern Gondwana between Antarctica, India, and Australia is one implication of the phylogeny. Although the caves of Andhra Pradesh and other Indian states have biologically unique and scientifically important taxa, India provides no protection for any cave. This exposes the fauna to negative impacts such as quarrying or illegal mining, over-exploitation of water resources, and damage from unconstrained tourist visitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new species of wasps (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar (Burmese) amber, with club-shaped antennae, are assigned to Archaeovespa gen. nov. and provide morphological information for new phylogenetic analyses of Vespidae. Phylogenetic results suggest that Archaeovespa has more affinities with Masarinae than with Protovespinae and, along with Masarinae, composes the sister clade to Polistinae, Eumeninae, Vespinae and Stenogastrinae. New findings indicate that the antennal morphologies of Vespidae diversified significantly during or before the mid-Cretaceous. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vascular flora identified in 1968–1969 in three rice fields of the Winyah Bay Estuary at the Bell W. Baruch Institute for Marine Biology and Coastal Research, Georgetown County, South Carolina, abandoned in 1915, was compared with the vascular flora present in 1987–1991 and 2013–2015. Twenty vascular plant species were identified in 1968–1969 and 22 in 2013–2015 at the most saline marsh, Thousand Acre Rice Field. Forty-seven taxa were reported at Airport Marsh in 1968–1969 and 27 in 2013–2015. Fifty-six taxa were reported at Alderly in 1968–1969 with 41 identified there in 2013–2015. A parsimony algorithm was used to evaluate the distribution and co-occurrence of vascular brackish marsh species in these fields sampled at the three intervals. There was a reduction in flora at the two least saline sites, Alderly and Airport Marsh, from 1968–69 to 1987–91 and 2013–2015. Three factors—rising sea level, an increase in water salinity, and invasion by Phragmites australis—may explain this shift. There was also a shift in the flora at Thousand Acre Rice Field from 1967–1969 to 1987–1991 and 2013–2015 after the marsh was savaged by Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Invasion by non-native Phragmites australis at all sites and increase in water salinity at all sites best explain the reduction in vascular plant species at Airport Marsh and Alderly over the 47-year collection period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The titanosaurian sauropod dinosaur Diamantinasaurus matildae is represented by two individuals from the Cenomanian–lower Turonian 'upper' Winton Formation of central Queensland, north-eastern Australia. The type specimen has been described in detail, whereas the referred specimen, which includes several elements not present in the type series (partial skull, atlas, axis and postaxial cervical vertebrae), has only been described briefly. Herein, we provide a comprehensive description of this referred specimen, including a thorough assessment of the external and internal anatomy of the braincase, and identify several new autapomorphies of D. matildae. Via an expanded data matrix consisting of 125 taxa scored for 552 characters, we recover a close, well-supported relationship between Diamantinasaurus and its contemporary, Savannasaurus elliottorum. Unlike previous iterations of this data matrix, under a parsimony framework we consistently recover Diamantinasaurus and Savannasaurus as early-diverging members of Titanosauria using both equal weighting and extended implied weighting, with the overall topology largely consistent between analyses. We erect a new clade, named Diamantinasauria herein, that also includes the contemporaneous Sarmientosaurus musacchioi from southern Argentina, which shares several cranial features with the referred Diamantinasaurus specimen. Thus, Diamantinasauria is represented in the mid-Cretaceous of both South America and Australia, supporting the hypothesis that some titanosaurians, in addition to megaraptoran theropods and possibly some ornithopods, were able to disperse between these two continents via Antarctica. Conversely, there is no evidence for rebbachisaurids in Australia, which might indicate that they were unable to expand into high latitudes before their extinction in the Cenomanian–Turonian. Likewise, there is no evidence for titanosaurs with procoelous caudal vertebrae in the mid-Cretaceous Australian record, despite scarce but compelling evidence for their presence in both Antarctica and New Zealand during the Campanian–Maastrichtian. These later titanosaurs presumably dispersed into these landmasses from South America before the Campanian (~85 Mya), when seafloor spreading between Zealandia and Australia commenced. Although Australian mid-Cretaceous dinosaur faunas appear to be cosmopolitan at higher taxonomic levels, closer affinities with South America at finer scales are becoming better supported for sauropods, theropods and ornithopods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new subgenus of Tenebroides , Polynesibroides subgen. nov. , is established for six potentially extinct beetles, Tenebroides atiu , T. moorea , T. raivavae , T. rimatara , T. tubuai and T. mihiura spp. nov. described from the Cook, Austral and Society Islands based on subfossil fragments, and the extant T. tahiti sp. nov. from the island of Tahiti, Society Islands. Here we present the first detailed time-scaled phylogeny of the superfamily Cleroidea inferred from our four-gene dataset, including T. tahiti. Bayesian tip-dating, incorporating 17 fossils, estimated that Cleroidea appeared at the end of the Triassic (~210 Mya). The split of Biphyllidae + Byturidae + Phloiophilidae was reconstructed at ~204 Mya, followed by Early Jurassic separation of Trogossitidae (~200 Mya), Acanthocnemidae (~197 Mya), stem Cleridae–Thanerocleridae–Chaetosomatidae (~194 Mya), Peltidae, Lophocateridae, Decamerinae and the melyrid lineage (~191 Mya). Trogossitidae diversified by separation of Kolibacia (~136 Mya) in the Cretaceous, followed by parting Temnoscheila + Nemozoma and Airora + Tenebroides lineages (~113 Mya). Tenebroides radiated ~75 Mya and T. tahiti diverged from Panamanian taxa in the Middle Eocene (~40 Mya). Fourteen morphological characters of Pacific trogossitids were analysed. Parallelodera , including the Panamanian species, is nested within Tenebroides being sister to Polynesibroides. Therefore, Parallelodera is classified as a subgenus of Tenebroides. Tenebroides fairmairei is placed in the subgenus Parallelodera. A Neotropical origin for Parallelodera and Polynesibroides is inferred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first phylogenetic study of Portschinskia is presented based on 42 adult morphological characters scored for all 11 species, including four new species Portschinskia burmensis sp. nov. , Portschinskia sichuanensis sp. nov. , Portschinskia xizangensis sp. nov. and Portschinskia yunnanensis sp. nov. Portschinskia luliangensis is established as a junior synonym of Portschinskia magnifica. Monophyly of Portschinskia is strongly supported by nine non-homoplasious synapomorphies. All cladograms resolve P. yunnanensis as a basal taxon and a well-resolved Portschinskia gigas clade { P. gigas + ((Portschinskia bombiformis + (P. burmensis + (P. magnifica + P. xizangensis))) + (Portschinskia himalayana + (Portschinskia przewalskyi + P. sichuanensis)))}. The only topological difference is Portschinskia loewii and Portschinskia neugebaueri either being sister taxa or branching off successively at the base of the P. gigas clade. Three colour-pattern types are recognized, with the yellow-tailed pattern optimized as the ancestral state. Our data show that the modal colour pattern of Portschinskia species is the same as in bumblebees, and a regional correlation in species diversity and colour patterns can be detected between sympatric Portschinskia and Bombus species. As a result, we suggest that colour patterns of Portschinskia can be explained as Batesian mimicry tracking locally dominant bumblebees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gripopterygidae is a diverse family of stoneflies, Plecoptera, distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. It has been traditionally divided into five subfamilies, but the monophyly of most of these is not supported by molecular the more comprehensive molecular analysis of the order. To test the monophyly of Antarctoperlinae, and to establish the phylogenetic position of a new Gripopterygidae species, we performed a morphological cladistic analysis including 38 morphological characters and 27 terminal taxa, with representatives of the four subfamilies present in South America and three Austroperlidae. Based on published information, we rooted the tree with Penturoperla barbata , Austroperlidae. As a result, Antarctoperlinae was recovered as polyphyletic, with Vesicaperla kuscheli and Plegoperla punctata , two members of the subfamily, placed outside the clade that includes the nine remaining genera of Antarctoperlinae. Vesicaperla also falls outside the family in previous molecular analysis. Based on this evidence, it should not be placed in Antarctoperlinae. Plegoperla punctata , known only from the type series, possesses many missing entries in our data matrix. Based on this, it seems convenient to maintain its subfamilial placement. In the tree obtained, the potential new species nests together with Pehuenioperla llaima. We thus accept it as a member of Pehuenioperla and describe it as P. microptera sp. nov. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South American lizard genus Liolaemus comprises > 260 species, of which > 60 are recognized as members of the Liolaemus montanus group, distributed throughout the Andes in central Peru, Bolivia, Chile and central Argentina. Despite its great morphological diversity and complex taxonomic history, a robust phylogenetic estimate is still lacking for this group. Here, we study the morphological and molecular diversity of the L. montanus group and present the most complete quantitative phylogenetic hypothesis for the group to date. Our phylogeny includes 103 terminal taxa, of which 91 are members of the L. montanus group (58 are assigned to available species and 33 are of uncertain taxonomic status). Our matrix includes 306 morphological and ecological characters and 3057 molecular characters. Morphological characters include 48 continuous and 258 discrete characters, of which 70% (216) are new to the literature. The molecular characters represent five mitochondrial markers. We performed three analyses: a morphology-only matrix, a molecular-only matrix and a matrix including both morphological and molecular characters (total evidence hypothesis). Our total evidence hypothesis recovered the L. montanus group as monophyletic and included ≥ 12 major clades, revealing an unexpectedly complex phylogeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prochlorococcus is a marine cyanobacterium that numerically dominates the mid-latitude oceans and is the smallest known oxygenic phototroph. Numerous isolates from diverse areas of the world's oceans have been studied and shown to be physiologically and genetically distinct. All isolates described thus far can be assigned to either a tightly clustered high-light (HL)-adapted clade, or a more divergent low-light (LL)-adapted group. The 16S rRNA sequences of the entire Prochlorococcus group differ by at most 3%, and the four initially published genomes revealed patterns of genetic differentiation that help explain physiological differences among the isolates. Here we describe the genomes of eight newly sequenced isolates and combine them with the first four genomes for a comprehensive analysis of the core (shared by all isolates) and flexible genes of the Prochlorococcus group, and the patterns of loss and gain of the flexible genes over the course of evolution. There are 1,273 genes that represent the core shared by all 12 genomes. They are apparently sufficient, according to metabolic reconstruction, to encode a functional cell. We describe a phylogeny for all 12 isolates by subjecting their complete proteomes to three different phylogenetic analyses. For each non-core gene, we used a maximum parsimony method to estimate which ancestor likely first acquired or lost each gene. Many of the genetic differences among isolates, especially for genes involved in outer membrane synthesis and nutrient transport, are found within the same clade. Nevertheless, we identified some genes defining HL and LL ecotypes, and clades within these broad ecotypes, helping to demonstrate the basis of HL and LL adaptations inProchlorococcus. Furthermore, our estimates of gene gain events allow us to identify highly variable genomic islands that are not apparent through simple pairwise comparisons. These results emphasize the functional roles, especially those connected to outer membrane synthesis and transport that dominate the flexible genome and set it apart from the core. Besides identifying islands and demonstrating their role throughout the history ofProchlorococcus, reconstruction of past gene gains and losses shows that much of the variability exists at the “leaves of the tree,” between the most closely related strains. Finally, the identification of core and flexible genes from this 12-genome comparison is largely consistent with the relative frequency of Prochlorococcus genes found in global ocean metagenomic databases, further closing the gap between our understanding of these organisms in the lab and the wild.

Two autistic children with a chromosome 15q11-q13 inverted duplication are presented. Both had uneventful perinatal courses, normal electroencephalogram and magnetic resonance imaging scans, moderate motor delay, lethargy, severe hypotonia, and modest lactic acidosis. Both had muscle mitochondrial enzyme assays that showed a pronounced mitochondrial hyperproliferation and a partial respiratory chain block most parsimoniously placed at the level of complex III, suggesting candidate gene loci for autism within the critical region may affect pathways influencing mitochondrial function.

Since their origin in the Late Triassic, crocodylomorphs have had a long history of evolutionary change. Numerous studies examined their phylogeny, but none have attempted to unify their morphological characters into a single, combined dataset. Following a comprehensive review of published character sets, we present a new dataset for the crocodylomorph clade Neosuchia consisting of 569 morphological characters for 112 taxa. For the first time in crocodylian phylogenetic studies, quantitative variation was treated as continuous data (82 characters). To provide the best estimate of neosuchian relationships, and to investigate the origins of longirostry, these data were analysed using a variety of approaches. Our results show that equally weighted parsimony and Bayesian methods cluster unrelated longirostrine forms together, producing a topology that conflicts strongly with their stratigraphic distributions. By contrast, applying extended implied weighting improves stratigraphic congruence and removes longirostrine clustering. The resulting topologies resolve the major neosuchian clades, confirming several recent hypotheses regarding the phylogenetic placements of particular species (e.g. Baryphracta deponiae as a member of Diplocynodontinae) and groups (e.g. Tethysuchia as non-eusuchian neosuchians). The longirostrine condition arose at least three times independently by modification of the maxilla and premaxilla, accompanied by skull roof changes unique to each longirostrine clade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study was designed to characterize mitochondrial ATPase8/6 genes in Sindh ibex and to determin its phylogenetic relationship with other capra species. Blood samples were collected from Kirthar National Park, Sindh, Pakistan. PCR product was sequenced bi-directionally using dideoxy chain termination method after mitochondrial ATPase8/6 genes amplification. Polymorphism, Genetic diversity and Phylogenetic analysis were carried out by the MUSCLE, DnaSP and MEGA6 tools. Total of 20 variations at different positions were found in aligned sequence results. Sequence conservation was observed for the ibex population. The overall results showed a close evolutionary relationship among Capra aegagrus, Capra nubiana, Capra falconeri, Capra hircus and Capra caucasica, demonstrating that they all were evolved from same ancestor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Systematics of fossil octodontoids (Rodentia, Caviomorpha) is in great part based on insights into the knowledge of teeth, making the step of dental characterization certainly relevant for the evolutionary reconstruction of these rodents. Different homology hypotheses were proposed for the same tooth structures, a fact that indicates the importance of knowing on which criteria the dental characters supporting the classifications were based. In this line, I evaluate the step of characterization of certain conflictive molar characters previously used, and their impact on phylogeny of octodontoids. I explore which the criteria followed to propose the hypotheses of correspondences for these characters are in light of the anatomical evidence. Based on the outcome of phylogenetic trees obtained previously, I analyze if the evolutionary transformations are compatible with character states observed in the terminals. New cladistic analyses based on recoded molar characters indicate that, unlike results recently obtained, the unorthodox position of Sallamys, Protadelphomys, and Willidewu as basal ctenomyines is not recovered. The position of Caviocricetus, Acarechimys–Neophanomysas as Octodontinae is not maintained. These results indicate that reanalyses of conflictive dental characters, scrutinizing data matrices, are particularly necessary to evaluate the current controversy on the phylogeny of octodontoids. Lower molar character definition and character states delimitation in octodontoids, being relevant to phylogenetic reconstruction, should be founded on anatomical examination, following explicit criteria of homology. Alternative hypotheses of “primary homology” proposed for the same molar traits in octodontoids indicate that each main group of caviomorphs requires its own anatomical study.

Mosasauroid squamates represented the apex predators within the Late Cretaceous marine and occasionally also freshwater ecosystems. Proper understanding of the origin of their ecological adaptations or paleobiogeographic dispersals requires adequate knowledge of their phylogeny. The studies assessing the position of mosasauroids on the squamate evolutionary tree and their origins have long given conflicting results. The phylogenetic relationships within Mosasauroidea, however, have experienced only little changes throughout the last decades. Considering the substantial improvements in the development of phylogenetic methodology that have undergone in recent years, resulting, among others, in numerous alterations in the phylogenetic hypotheses of other fossil amniotes, we test the robustness in our understanding of mosasauroid beginnings and their evolutionary history. We re-examined a data set that results from modifications assembled in the course of the last 20 years and performed multiple parsimony analyses and Bayesian tip-dating analysis. Following the inferred topologies and the ‘weak spots’ in the phylogeny of mosasauroids, we revise the nomenclature of the ‘traditionally’ recognized mosasauroid clades, to acknowledge the overall weakness among branches and the alternative topologies suggested previously, and discuss several factors that might have an impact on the differing phylogenetic hypotheses and their statistical support.

Recent missions to Mount Nimba in West Africa led to the discovery of remarkable new ctenid morphospecies. Using both morphological and molecular data, we phylogenetically analysed 41 ctenid exemplars, 33 of which originate from Mt. Nimba. Partial fragments of two mitochondrial markers and one nuclear marker (COI, 16S and H3, respectively) were amplified and sequenced for the molecular analyses. The morphological analysis was updated from an earlier one. Our results reveal that Mt. Nimba harbours at least 22 species, and is the most species-rich area for ctenids in West Africa. Using both molecular and morphological data, five new genera are created to accommodate the many species that are misplaced in the genus Ctenus. Eight species new to science are described: Amicactenus mysticus gen. nov., sp. nov.; Macroctenus herbicola gen. nov., sp. nov.; Macroctenus nimba gen. nov., sp. nov.; Macroctenus vandenspiegeli gen. nov., sp. nov.; Nimbanahita montivaga gen. nov., sp. nov.; Perictenus molecula gen. nov., sp. nov.; Piloctenus haematostoma gen. nov., sp. nov.; and Piloctenus gryseelsi gen. nov., sp. nov. The following taxonomic changes are proposed: Ctenus eminens, C. pergulanus Arts, 1912 and C. fallax Steyn & Van der Donckt, 2003 are transferred to Amicactenus gen. nov.; C. kingsleyi and C. occidentalis F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898 are transferred to Macroctenus gen. nov.; C. mirificus Arts, 1912 and C. pilosus Thorell, 1899 are transferred to Piloctenus gen. nov. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cuckoos are widely distributed, but are concentrated in the tropics, where they occupy a wide range of habitats. Both terrestrial and arboreal behaviors can be found in this group, but there is no consensus on as to whether these behaviors have arisen more than once. Moreover, the historical distribution of cuckoos is poorly understood. This paper presents a biogeographyc analysis of the early history of the distribution of these birds. The analysis was performed by using the Principle of Parsimony based on primary and secondary "Brooks Parsimony Analysis" (BPA). Despite some exceptions, the primary BPA corroborated events of vicariance (general pattern) in the early distribution of cuckoos and a terrestrial ancestor widespread in the Gondwana. The most parsimonious hypothesis suggests that the distribution of terrestrial cuckoos (basal group) is associated with the break-up of the Gondwana (Early to Mid Cretaceous), consistent with molecular data for other living birds. On the other hand, the fossil records indicate a more recent origin (Paleocene to Upper Tertiary) in the Laurasia. Nevertheless, to corroborate the fossil records, the early distribution of cuckoos would not be explained by parsimony, since additional steps on dispersion and local extinctions should be added. In addition, according to the secondary BPA, most exceptions can be explained by dispersion as the origin of the arboreal cuckoos (derived group) in South America, where they dispersed to other continents.

Recientes estudios filogenéticos basados en la secuencia del gen del citocromo b, han determinado que la especie conocida históricamente como Sigmodon hispidus (Rodentia) en Suramérica incluye una especie S. hirsutus de origen parafilético. El objetivo de este estudio fue probar la hipótesis de que las poblaciones de Venezuela, representan la forma sensu estricto, los haplotipos ancestrales y una subespecie monofilética. La metodología consistió en un análisis cladístico y cálculos de distancia genética, a partir de secuencias de citocromo b en 12 individuos de tres localidades en Venezuela que pertenecen a diferentes regiones biogeográficas, y a su vez compararlas con las dos secuencias disponibles en Genbank de especies del género Sigmodon. Los análisis filogenéticos indican que las tres poblaciones de S. hirustus de Venezuela forman un subclado ancestral y monofilético con el apoyo de valores de bootstrap altos y con significativa distancia genética, entre subclados dentro de S. hirsutus. La existencia de dos subclados dentro de S. hirsutus sugiere dos subespecies, S. hirsutus hirsutus en Venezuela y S. hirsutus mexicanus en México y Centroamérica. Sin embargo, ambas subespecies necesitan una descripción formal.Molecular characterization of Sigmodon hirsutus (Rodentia: Cricetidae) populations in Venezuela. Recent phylogenetic studies based on cytochrome b gene sequence, have determined that the species historically known as Sigmodon hispidus (Rodentia) from South America comprises a species S. hirsutus of paraphyletic origin. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that populations from Venezuela, represent the sensu strict form, ancestral haplotypes, and monophyletic subspecies. For this, 12 individual sequences from three localities of different biogeographic regions in Venezuela were evaluated and sequenced based on cyto b. Additionally, the sequences were used to develop a cladistic analysis and genetic distance calculations, and to compare this information with two individual sequences of Sigmodon specimens available in Genbank. Phylogenetic analyses show that the three populations of S. hirsutus of Venezuela form an ancestral and monophyletic subclade supported by high bootstrap values and significant genetic distance between subclade within the S. hirsutus. Besides, the existence of two lineages suggests two subspecies, S. hirsutus hirsutus from Venezuela, and S. hirsutus mexicanus from Mexico-Central America, but, both species need formal description. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (2): 795-807. Epub 2011 June 01.

The genus Malva L. with 8 species and 8 varieties in Iran has a wide spread distribution. For studying the cladistic analysis of the species, 18 characters were studied. The characters have entered to the matrix as multistate character. For rooting the shortest tree, we have used three species: Alcea flavovirens, Althaea officinalis, Lavatera thuringiaca as out groups. By using parsimony analysis based on Fitch method the shortest tree with 8.67024 steps has resulted (RI=0.82, CI=0.64). The majority rules consensus tree has selected. The most parsimony cladogram didn't support monophyly of Malva species. The species in our analysis didn't occur in one clade. Also Bootstrap analysis didn't show the monophyly of Malva species.

Systematics of fossil octodontoids (Rodentia, Caviomorpha) is in great part based on insights into the knowledge of teeth, making the step of dental characterization certainly relevant for the evolutionary reconstruction of these rodents. Different homology hypotheses were proposed for the same tooth structures, a fact that indicates the importance of knowing on which criteria the dental characters supporting the classifications were based. In this line, I evaluate the step of characterization of certain conflictive molar characters previously used, and their impact on phylogeny of octodontoids. I explore which the criteria followed to propose the hypotheses of correspondences for these characters are in light of the anatomical evidence. Based on the outcome of phylogenetic trees obtained previously, I analyze if the evolutionary transformations are compatible with character states observed in the terminals. New cladistic analyses based on recoded molar characters indicate that, unlike results recently obtained, the unorthodox position of Sallamys, Protadelphomys, and Willidewu as basal ctenomyines is not recovered. The position of Caviocricetus, Acarechimys-Neophanomysas as Octodontinae is not maintained. These results indicate that reanalyses of conflictive dental characters, scrutinizing data matrices, are particularly necessary to evaluate the current controversy on the phylogeny of octodontoids. Lower molar character definition and character states delimitation in octodontoids, being relevant to phylogenetic reconstruction, should be founded on anatomical examination, following explicit criteria of homology. Alternative hypotheses of "primary homology" proposed for the same molar traits in octodontoids indicate that each main group of caviomorphs requires its own anatomical study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cladistic analysis of igneous barcoding data. • Supercraton model supported for the Neoarchaean. • Nuna and Urgondwana supercontinents recovered for the early Proterozoic. • Palaeo-Gondwana and Palaeo-Laurasia recovered for the late Proterozoic. The reconstruction of Neoarchaean and Proterozoic continents relies on comparing geological characters of the appropriate age between cratons. We present a numerical approach to analysing large igneous province (LIP) barcoding patterns based on parsimony algorithms that minimise inconsistency within the data by constructing minimal-length trees. These algorithms were developed in biology to uncover natural biological groupings and to describe the relationships between them, and are applicable to any data with a hierarchical structure that indicates 'common ancestry'. We present a proof-of-concept analysis using data from 370 to 100 Ma which recovered Pangaea, Laurasia, and Gondwana. Our results support the supercraton model in the late Neoarchaean/ Palaeoproterozoic (2.6–1.87 Ga), with the recovery of four craton groupings including Superia and Sclavia, with the implication that a modern tectonic regime had not yet developed. In the Proterozoic, two craton groupings for the age ranges 1.8–1.2 Ga and 1–0.56 Ga were recovered. The older time period produced two groupings: African, European, North American, and East Antarctica cratons in one clade and Australian, South American, North China and the Congo-São Francisco cratons in the other. Both Nena and Nuna are found as natural groupings within the former clade, but the overall arrangement does not conform to any published reconstruction of Columbia. The younger time period also produced two groupings (Laurussia and 'west Gondwana' plus 'east Gondwana') and does not support the idea of a single supercontinent of Rodinia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cladistic analysis of the genus Karos Goodnight & Goodnight, 1944, was performed using morphological data of the somatic and male genitalia characters. The analysis included 23 terminal taxa, including nine of the 11 described species of the genus plus nine new species according to the previous generic diagnosis and five species as outgroups. According to the topologies obtained by parsimony analyses, the genus is a paraphyletic assemblage, referred here as the Karos genus-group. Therefore, the genus Karos is rediagnosed here and now includes seven species: Karos barbarikos Goodnight & Goodnight, 1944 (type), Karos parvus Goodnight & Goodnight, 1971, Karos projectus Goodnight & Goodnight, 1971, Karos hexasetosus sp. nov., Karos monjarazi sp. nov., Karos singularis sp. nov., and Karos tersum sp. nov. The genera Monterella Goodnight & Goodnight, 1944, Montabunus Goodnight & Goodnight, 1945, Chapulobunus Goodnight&Goodnight, 1946, and Potosa Goodnight&Goodnight, 1947 are revalidated, rediagnosed, their respective type species are redescribed and the following species are described: Chapulobunus poblano sp. nov. and Potosa reddelli sp. nov. The genera Crettaros gen. nov., Huasteca gen. nov., and Mictlana gen. nov., and the following species are described: Crettaros santibanezi sp. nov. (type), Crettaros valdezi sp. nov., and Huasteca silhavyi sp. nov. The following new combinations are proposed: Huasteca gratiosa (Goodnight & Goodnight, 1971) comb. nov. (type), Huasteca rugosa (Goodnight & Goodnight, 1971) comb. nov. and Mictlana inops (Goodnight & Goodnight, 1971) comb. nov. (type). Karos brignolii Šilhavý, 1974, is considered a junior synonym of Huasteca rugosa. Finally, 'Karos' depressus Goodnight & Goodnight, 1971 is considered incertae sedis until adult males can be studied. Diagnoses of the Karos and Paramitraceras genus-groups, and an identification key to the eight genera and 19 species of the former are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work provides a review of the taxonomic diversity, phylogenetic relationships, and historical biogeography of the seven described hadrosauroids from Mexico. Their interrelationships were inferred via maximum parsimony analysis, which indicates that these taxa are part of five groups: unnamed clade of basal Hadrosauromorpha (Huehuecanauhtlus tiquichensis), Kritosaurini (Kritosaurus navajovious , IGM 6685), Edmontosaurini (Sabina's taxon, PASAC-1), Parasaurolophini (Tlatolophus galorum), and Lambeosaurini (Magnapaulia laticaudus , Velafrons coahuilensis , and Latirhinus uitstlani). To trace back their biogeographical history, the ancestral range reconstruction was implemented using Statistical Dispersal Vicariance Analysis, which reveals that these hadrosauroids represent a southern Laramidia-Asia common ancestral range. It also shows that these dinosaurs evolved via three vicariance and two dispersals events during the Turonian, Coniacian, Santonian and Campanian, representing a complex biogeographical history. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Les caractères de la spermiogenèse et du spermatozoïde ont été utilisés pour une analyse de parcimonie des Monogènes avec le programme PAUP. Les données utilisées comprennent la matrice proposée dans une analyse précédente (JUSTINE, 1991, Int. J. Parasitol. 21: 821-838) et les données récemment publiées. Une matrice comprenant 27 taxons et 22 caractères est proposée, mais comme certains de ces taxons sont redondants ou mal définis (le spermatozoïde est connu mais la spermiogenèse n'est pas décrite), l'analyse de parcimonie n'a porté que sur 15 taxons (dont les Digenea considérés comme outgroup et les Polyopisthocotylea considérés comme un seul taxon). Un arbre de consensus a été calculé et a une longueur de 32 pas et un indice de confiance de 0,750. Les Polyopisthocotylea et les Monopisthocotylea sont chacun définis sur la base de synapomorphies, mais il n'existe pas de synapomorphie pour les Monogenea. A l'intérieur des Monopisthocotylea, plusieurs groupes sont définis. Un groupe comprend les Loimoidae et Monocotylidae, et apparaît comme groupe frère de tous les autres Monopisthocotylea. Une polytomie existe chez les autres Monopisthocotylea; les relations entre les Acanthocotylidae, Capsalidae et Gyrocotylidae ne sont pas résolues. Le groupe des Monoaxonematidea (monogènes à spermatozoïde uniflagellé) apparaît monophylétique. A l'intérieur de ce groupe, Calceostoma, Cleithrarticus et Pseudodactylogyrus semblent unis en un monophylum.

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The article demonstrates that Lophiarella (Orchidaceae), as originally circumscribed, is polyphyletic. The morphological characters, nucleotide sequences and coded gaps of two DNA regions, namely plastid rp132-trnL and nrDNA-ITS, were analyzed using parsimony and Bayesian inference. It also details the evolution of several taxonomically, ecologically and bio-geographically relevant characters, such as rostellum shape, vegetative architecture and column structure.

Given that most species that have ever existed on Earth are extinct, no evolutionary history can ever be complete without the inclusion of fossil taxa. Bovids (antelopes and relatives) are one of the most diverse clades of large mammals alive today, with over a hundred living species and hundreds of documented fossil species. With the advent of molecular phylogenetics, major advances have been made in the phylogeny of this clade; however, there has been little attempt to integrate the fossil record into the developing phylogenetic picture. We here describe a new large fossil caprin species from ca. 1.9-Ma deposits from the Middle Awash, Ethiopia. To place the new species phylogenetically, we perform a Bayesian analysis of a combined molecular (cytochrome b) and morphological (osteological) character supermatrix. We include all living species of Caprini, the new fossil species, a fossil takin from the Pliocene of Ethiopia ( Budorcas churcheri), and the insular subfossil Myotragus balearicus. The combined analysis demonstrates successful incorporation of both living and fossil species within a single phylogeny based on both molecular and morphological evidence. Analysis of the combined supermatrix produces superior resolution than with either the molecular or morphological data sets considered alone. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses of the data set are also compared and shown to produce similar results. The combined phylogenetic analysis indicates that the new fossil species is nested within Capra, making it one of the earliest representatives of this clade, with implications for molecular clock calibration. Geographical optimization indicates no less than four independent dispersals into Africa by caprins since the Pliocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent phylogenetic studies based on cytochrome b gene sequence, have determined that the species historically known as Sigmodon hispidus (Rodentia) from South America comprises a species S. hirsutus of paraphyletic origin. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that populations from Venezuela, represent the sensu strict form, ancestral haplotypes, and monophyletic subspecies. For this, 12 individual sequences from three localities of different biogeographic regions in Venezuela were evaluated and sequenced based on cyto b. Additionally, the sequences were used to develop a cladistic analysis and genetic distance calculations, and to compare this information with two individual sequences of Sigmodon specimens available in Genbank. Phylogenetic analyses show that the three populations of S. hirsutus of Venezuela form an ancestral and monophyletic subclade supported by high bootstrap values and significant genetic distance between subclade within the S. hirsutus. Besides, the existence of two lineages suggests two subspecies, S. hirsutus hirsutus from Venezuela, and S. hirsutus mexicanus from Mexico-Central America, but, both species need formal description. Rev. Biol. Trop. 59 (2): 795-807. Epub 2011 June 01. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Arrhopalites (Arrhopalitidae) was proposed by Börner for Symphypleona with separate anal and genital segments, a single bothriotricha on the fifth abdominal segment and lacking capitate tenent hairs. Recently, chaetotaxic features were discovered and used to support a division of the genus into Arrhopalites s.s. for species in the coecus-group and Pygmarrhopalites for the pygmaeus-group s.l. species. A phylogenetic analysis of the genus Arrhopalites s.l. was performed using morphologic data to test its monophyly and the recent proposal to subdivide it into two genera. Results indicate that the genus Arrhopalites s.s. is monophyletic whereas the newly erected genus Pygmarrhopalites is paraphyletic, rendering a non-natural taxon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parsimony analysis of endemicity (PAE) was used to identify areas of endemism (AOEs) for Chinese birds at the subregional level. Four AOEs were identified based on a distribution database of 105 endemic species and using 18 avifaunal subregions as the operating geographical units (OGUs). The four AOEs are the Qinghai-Zangnan Subregion, the Southwest Mountainous Subregion, the Hainan Subregion and the Taiwan Subregion. Cladistic analysis of subregions generally supports the division of China's avifauna into Palaearctic and Oriental realms. Two PAE area trees were produced from two different distribution datasets (year 1976 and 2007). The 1976 topology has four distinct subregional branches; however, the 2007 topology has three distinct branches. Moreover, three Palaearctic subregions in the 1976 tree clustered together with the Oriental subregions in the 2007 tree. Such topological differences may reflect changes in the distribution of bird species through circa three decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catostomid fishes (suckers) have duplicate copies of the growth hormone gene and other nuclear genes, due to a genome duplication event early in the group's history. Yet, paralogs of GH in suckers are more than 90% conserved in nucleotide (nt) and amino acid (aa) sequence. Within paralogs across species, variation in nt and aa sequence averages 3.33% and 4.46% for GHI, and 3.22% and 2.43% for GHII, respectively. Selection tests suggest that the two GH paralogs are under strong purifying selection. Consensus trees from phylogenetic analysis of GH coding region data for 23 species of suckers, other cypriniform fishes and outgroups resolved cypriniform relationships and relationships among GHI sequences of suckers more or less consistently with analyses based on other molecular data. However, the analysis failed to resolve all sucker GHI and GHII sequences as monophyletic sister groups. This unexpected topology did not differ significantly from topologies constrained to make all GH sequences monophyletic. We attribute this result either to limitations in our GHII data set or convergent adaptive changes in GHII of tribe Catostomini. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The araneoid spider family Micropholcommatidae Hickman, previously containing 34 southern-temperate species in eight genera, is relimited and revised at the generic level to include 18 genera from Australia, Lord Howe Island, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and Chile. Th ree subfamilies are proposed, and a new phylogenetic hypothesis for the family is presented as a result of two morphological cladistic analyses, used to test the phylogenetic position and phylogeny of the known micropholcommatid taxa. These cladistic analyses inferred a monophyletic Micropholcommatidae, belonging to the diverse araneoid symphytognathidan lineage, with the families Anapidae, Symphytognathidae and Micropholcommatidae further united by the newly proposed 'EbCY' clade. The genus Teutoniella Brignoli, previously included in the Micropholcommatidae, was found to be most closely related to an undescribed genus from South Africa, together forming a distinctive 'teutoniellid' lineage within the EbCY clade. The subfamily Micropholcommatinae Hickman, new rank contains the bulk of micropholcommatid diversity, with three tribes, 15 genera and 45 described species. The micropholcommatine tribe Micropholcommatini Hickman, new rank includes the nominate genus Micropholcomma Crosby & Bishop, along with three additional genera from Australasia and Chile: Micropholcomma has eight species, including the type, M. caeligenum Crosby & Bishop, and M. junee sp. n.; Pua Forster is monotypic, with P. novaezealandiae Forster; Tricellina Forster & Platnick is also monotypic, with T. gertschi (Forster & Platnick); and Austropholcomma gen. n. has two species, including the type A. fl orentine sp. n., and A. walpole sp. n. The micropholcommatine tribe Textricellini Hickman, new rank is a diverse and distinctive lineage, including all species previously described in the genus Textricella Hickman, which is hereby recognised as a junior generic synonym of Eterosonycha Butler syn. n.; the 20 previously described species of Textricella are thus transferred into Eterosonycha or other newly described genera. The Textricellini includes 10 genera from Australasia and Chile: Eterosonycha has four species, including the type E. alpina Butler (=Textricella parva Hickman syn. n.), E. complexa (Forster), E. aquilina sp. n. and E. ocellata sp. n.; Epigastrina gen. n. has three species, including the type E. fulva (Hickman), E. loongana sp. n. and E. typhlops sp. n.; Guiniella gen. n. is monotypic, with G. tropica (Forster); Raveniella gen. n. has three species, including the type R. luteola (Hickman), R. hickmani (Forster) and R. peckorum sp. n.; Rayforstia gen. n. has 12 species, including the type R. vulgaris (Forster), the two new species R. lordhowensis sp. n. and R. raveni sp. n., and the nine additional species R. antipoda (Forster), R. insula (Forster), R. mcfarlanei (Forster), R. plebeia (Forster), R. propinqua (Forster), R. salmoni (Forster), R. scuta (Forster), R. signata (Forster) and R. wisei (Forster); Normplatnicka gen. n. has three species, including the type N. lamingtonensis (Forster), N. chilensis sp. n. and N. barrettae sp. n.; Eperiella gen. n. has two species, including the type E. alsophila sp. n., and E. hastings sp. n.; Algidiella gen. n. is monotypic, with A. aucklandica (Forster); Taliniella gen. n. has two species, including the type T. nigra (Forster), and T. vinki sp. n.; and Tinytrella gen. n. is monotypic, with T. pusilla (Forster). The micropholcommatine tribe Patelliellini trib. n. includes only one monotypic genus, Patelliella gen. n., represented by the enigmatic species Patelliella adusta sp. n. from Lord Howe Island. The subfamily Taphiassinae subfam. n. includes two genera of distinctive, heavily punctate Micropholcommatidae from Australasia: Taphiassa Simon has six species, including the type T. impressa Simon, T. punctata (Forster), T. castanea sp. n., T. globosa sp. n., T. magna sp. n. and T. robertsi sp. n.; the genus Parapua Forster, erected by Forster (1959) for P. punctata, is hereby recognised as a junior generic synonym of Taphiassa (syn. n.). The endemic Tasmanian genus Olgania Hickman has fi ve species, including the type O. excavata Hickman, O. cracroft sp. n., O. eberhardi sp. n., O. troglodytes sp. n. and O. weld sp. n. The subfamily Gigiellinae subfam. n. includes only one genus from south-eastern Australia and Chile, Gigiella gen. n., described for the two species G. milledgei sp. n. and G. platnicki sp. n. The distribution, diversity and Gondwanan biogeography of the Micropholcommatidae are discussed, and natural history information is provided where known; webs and egg sacs of Taphiassinae are described for the fi rst time. Species level monographic coverage is provided for those faunas of conservation or biogeographic signifi cance, including the largely undescribed Western Australian fauna, the Lord Howe Island fauna, the Tasmanian cave fauna and the southern Chilean fauna, with other species of conservation or biogeographic importance also described. In total, 26 new species, 12 new genera, one new tribe and two new subfamilies are described, taking the total documented micropholcommatid fauna to 58 species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Among the diverse clade of Paleozoic dissorophoid amphibians, the small, terrestrial amphibamids and the neotenic branchiosaurids have frequently been suggested as possible antecedents of either all or some of the modern amphibian clades. Classically, amphibamids and branchiosaurids have been considered to represent distinct, but closely related clades within dissorophoids, but despite their importance for the controversial lissamphibian origins, a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of small dissorophoids has thus far not been attempted. On the basis of an integrated data set, the relationships of amphibamids and branchiosaurids were analyzed using parsimony and Bayesian approaches. Both groups represent miniaturized forms and it was tested whether similar developmental pathways, associated with miniaturization, lead to an artificial close relationship of branchiosaurids and amphibamids. Moreover, the fit of the resulting tree topologies to the distribution of fossil taxa in the stratigraphic rock record was assessed as an additional source of information. The results show that characters associated with a miniaturized morphology are not responsible for the close clustering of branchiosaurids and amphibamids. Instead, all analyses invariably demonstrate a monophyletic clade of branchiosaurids highly nested within derived amphibamids, indicating that branchiosaurids represent a group of secondarily neotenic amphibamid dissorophoids. This understanding of the phylogenetic relationships of small dissorophoid amphibians provides a new framework for the discussion of their evolutionary history and the evolution of characters shared by branchiosaurids and/or amphibamids with modern amphibian taxa. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: Previous phylogenetic analyses of Ranunculales, which have mostly been focused on an individual family and were based on molecular data alone, have recovered three main clades within the order. However, support for relationships among these three clades was weak. Earlier hypotheses were often hampered by limited taxon sampling; to date less than one-tenth of the genera in the order have been sampled. In this study, we used a greatly enlarged taxon sampling (105 species, representing 99 genera of all seven families in the order). Our study is, furthermore, the first to employ morphology (65 characters) in combination with sequence data from four genomic regions, including plastid rbcL, matK and trnL-F, and nuclear ribosomal 26S rDNA to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships within Ranunculales. Maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference were performed on the individual and combined data sets. Our analyses concur with those of previous studies, but in most cases provide stronger support and better resolution for relationships among the three main clades retrieved. The first, comprised solely of the monogeneric family Eupteleaceae, is the earliest-diverging lineage. The second clade is composed exclusively of taxa of Papaveraceae, which is sister to the third clade, the core Ranunculales, comprising the other five families of the order. Circaeasteraceae and Lardizabalaceae form a strongly supported clade. Pteridophyllum is supported as sister to Hypecoum, contradicting the viewpoint that the former is the earliest-diverging genus in Papaveraceae. Glaucidium is basalmost in Ranunculaceae. Within this phylogenetic framework, the evolution of selected characters is inferred and diagnostic morphological characters at different taxonomic levels are identified and discussed. Based on both morphological and molecular evidence, a classification outline for Ranunculales is presented, including the proposal of two new subfamilies, Menispermoideae and Tinosporoideae in Menispermaceae and a new tribe, Callianthemeae, for the genus Callianthemum (Ranunculaceae). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Coelomycetous fungi classified in Ascochyta, Phoma, and Phyllosticta have been recorded from spots on leaves and pods of soybeans. Based on the Genealogical Concordance Phylogenetic Species Concept, the authors suggest the re-evaluation of the taxonomic status of Phoma sojicola (syn.= Ascochyta sojicola) and Phyllosticta sojicola. In spite of the former delimitation of Phoma sojicola based on small differences in morphological features, it has proved to be identical to Phoma pinodella. Similarly, it was also confirmed that Phyllosticta sojicola was identical to Phoma exigua var. exigua. The authors supply tools for identification of Phoma-like fungi by combined conventional and molecular methods. Protein-encoding genes (tef1 and β-tubulin) were successfully applied within the Phoma genus to infer phylogenetic relationships. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A total of 24 isolates of Pythium spinosum from cucumber obtained from five regions in Oman were characterized for genetic diversity using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) fingerprinting and three isolates from the Netherlands, South Africa and Japan were included for comparison. Isolates from Oman were also characterized for aggressiveness on cucumber seedlings and sensitivity to metalaxyl. Identity of all isolates was confirmed using sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA), which showed more than 99% nucleotide similarity among all isolates. Using six primer-pair combinations, AFLP fingerprinting resolved 295 AFLP markers of which 193 were polymorphic among isolates from other countries and only six were polymorphic among isolates of P. spinosum from Oman. Seven different AFLP phenotypes of P. spinosum were recovered in Oman; two of them were found to contain over 79% of isolates and one was recovered from all regions in Oman. Phenotypes from Oman showed very high (≥99%) levels of genetic similarity to each other compared to moderate (mean =53%) levels of genetic similarity with phenotypes from other countries. In addition, all isolates from Oman were found to be highly sensitive to metalaxyl and all were aggressive on cucumber seedlings at 25°C. The high genetic similarity among phenotypes of P. spinosum in Oman as well as recovering two major clones across regions may suggest that P. spinosum has been recently introduced in Oman via a common source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously reported species that belong to the genus Paraprionospio (Polychaeta: Spionidae) include P. pinnata (Ehlers, 1901), P. inaequibranchia (Caullery, 1914), P. africana (Augener, 1918), P. alata (Moore, 1923), P. tribranchiata Berkeley, 1927, P. treadwelli Hartman, 1951, P. ornata (Berkeley & Berkeley, 1961), P. lamellibranchia Hartman, 1975, P. coora Wilson, 1990, P. tamaii Delgado-Blas, 2004 and P. yokoyamai Delgado-Blas, 2004. Some of these descriptions are confused due to incomplete characterizations. In the present study that aimed to resolve the confusion, (1) Paraprionospio pinnata, P. inaequibranchia, P. africana and P. lamellibranchia are redescribed based on specimens collected from Concepciòn, Chile (close to the type locality of Paraprionospio pinnata) and the type specimens (the latter three species), (2) Paraprionospio treadwelli, P. tamaii and P. yokoyamai are synonymized with Paraprionospio alata based on the examination of the type specimens, (3) three new species, Paraprionospio cordifolia sp. nov., P. oceanensis sp. nov. and P. patiens sp. nov. from Japanese coastal waters are described, (4) Paraprionospio coora is recorded from Japan for the first time, (5) 11 diagnostic characters are selected for identifying Paraprionospio species and an identification key to the valid nine species is provided, and (6) phylogenetic relationships between Paraprionospio and other genera in Spionidae and within Paraprionospio are discussed based on the parsimony analysis. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 151, 253–284. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The first comprehensive combined molecular and morphological phylogenetic analysis of the major groups of termites is presented. This was based on the analysis of three genes (cytochrome oxidase II, 12S and 28S) and worker characters for approximately 250 species of termites. Parsimony analysis of the aligned dataset showed that the monophyly of Hodotermitidae, Kalotermitidae and Termitidae were well supported, while Termopsidae and Rhinotermitidae were both paraphyletic on the estimated cladogram. Within Termitidae, the most diverse and ecologically most important family, the monophyly of Macrotermitinae, Foraminitermitinae, Apicotermitinae, Syntermitinae and Nasutitermitinae were all broadly supported, but Termitinae was paraphyletic. The pantropical genera Termes, Amitermes and Nasutitermes were all paraphyletic on the estimated cladogram, with at least 17 genera nested within Nasutitermes, given the presently accepted generic limits. Key biological features were mapped onto the cladogram. It was not possible to reconstruct the evolution of true workers unambiguously, as it was as parsimonious to assume a basal evolution of true workers and subsequent evolution of pseudergates, as to assume a basal condition of pseudergates and subsequent evolution of true workers. However, true workers were only found in species with either separate- or intermediate-type nests, so that the mapping of nest habit and worker type onto the cladogram were perfectly correlated. Feeding group evolution, however, showed a much more complex pattern, particularly within the Termitidae, where it proved impossible to estimate unambiguously the ancestral state within the family (which is associated with the loss of worker gut flagellates). However, one biologically plausible optimization implies an initial evolution from wood-feeding to fungus-growing, proposed as the ancestral condition within the Termitidae, followed by the very early evolution of soil-feeding and subsequent re-evolution of wood-feeding in numerous lineages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Distributional patterns of 81 species of three genera of Mexican gymnosperms (Ceratozamia, Dioon, Pinus) were analyzed to evaluate their contribution to the cladistic biogeography of the Mexican Transition Zone, applying Brooks Parsimony Analysis (BPA) and parsimony analysis of paralogy-free subtrees (PAPS). BPA showed three main groups of areas: clade A is comprised of the Baja California, Great Basin, and Mojavean provinces; clade B includes the Valle de Tehuacán-Cuicatlán, Balsas Basin, Planicie Costera del Noreste, Planicie Costera del Noroeste, Costa del Golfo de México, and Costa Pacífica provinces, located along the coasts and in the central lowlands of Mexico; and clade C includes the Appalachian, Atlantic and Gulf Coastal, Yucatan Peninsula, Caribbean, Californian, Vancouverian, Eastern Central America, Soconusco, Serranías Transístmicas, Serranías Meridionales, Sierra Madre Occidental, Altiplano, and Sierra Madre Oriental provinces, corresponding to the montane areas of the Mexican Transition Zone, Central America and some areas of the U.S.A. PAPS showed three groups of areas: clade D includes the Vancouverian, Appalachian, and Atlantic and Gulf Coastal provinces; clade E the Balsas Basin, Planicie Costera del Noreste, and Planicie Costera del Noroeste provinces; and clade F the Serranías Transístmicas, Soconusco, Serranías Meridionales, Sierra Madre Occidental, Altiplano, Sierra Madre Oriental, Baja California, Californian, Great Basin and Mojavean provinces. Comparing both analyses, three common area relationships emerge: (1) Appalachian and Atlantic and Gulf Coastal provinces, (2) Great Basin, Mojavean and Baja California provinces, and (3) Altiplano, Sierra Madre Oriental and Sierra Madre Occidental provinces. Differences between the general area cladograms can be accounted for by dispersal having a stronger influence in BPA, and the PAPS general area cladogram showing a clearer vicariant signal. The general area cladograms obtained support some area relationships not explained in previous studies, and may complement the historical distributional patterns of the biota of the Mexican Transition Zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A taxonomic revision of Pseudonereis (Polychaeta, Nereididae) shows that some of the described taxa are very similar in most morphological characteristics. The revision includes all ten taxa considered valid, and are redescribed from type material. Lectotypes are designated for Pseudonereis anomala Gravier, 1901, Pseudonereis noodti (Hartmann-Schröder, 1962) and Pseudonereis trimaculata Horst, 1924. The widely geographically distributed and well-known P. gallapagensis Kinberg, 1865 and P. variegata ( Grube, 1857 ) show striking morphological resemblance to less well-known taxa with similar distribution. Paragnath variation in populations of P. anomala is discussed relating to its geographical distribution. Pseudonereis trimaculata is recorded from Australia for the first time. Taxa belonging to Pseudonereis are predominantly tropical and subtropical. A cladistic analysis using parsimony is included to test for monophyly of Pseudonereis. A monophyletic clade including all Pseudonereis taxa is given low bootstrap support. This clade is supported by the synapomorphies: presence of paragnaths in closely spaced comb-like rows on the maxillary ring on the pharynx, and presence of p-bar paragnaths in Areas II–IV and VII–VIII. Several of the included taxa share the shield-shaped paragnath in Area VI, which serves to distinguish Pseudonereis spp. from Perinereis spp. Paragnaths of the type p-bars and shield-shaped bar is described for the first time; the latter character is different from the smooth bar-shaped paragnaths in Area VI as has previously been described in these taxa. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 150, 145–176. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loculoascomycete Moristroma quercinum sp. nov. and Moristroma japonicum sp. nov. are described from Northern Europe (Denmark, Lithuania, Sweden) and Japan, respectively. M. quercinum is reported from wood of Quercus robur and Q. petraea, and M. japonicum is reported from wood of Quercus mongolica var. grossoserrata. Ascostromata of both species were found on hard heartwood of attached or shed branches. The two new species differ from the type species of the genus, M. polysporum, by the presence of pycnidia, and by the size of ascostromata, asci and ascospores. Drawings illustrate ascostromata, pycnidia, asci, hamathecium and ascospores of the two new species. A phylogenetic analysis suggests that Moristroma belongs to the Chaetothyriomycetes, rather than to the Dothideomycetes as previously suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phylogenetic relationships among genera of tribe Malveae (Malvaceae, subfamily Malvoideae) were reconstructed using sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of the 18S-26S nuclear ribosomal repeat. Newly generated sequences were combined with those available from previous generic level studies to assess the current circumscription of the tribe, monophyly of some of the larger genera, and character evolution within the tribe. The ITS data do not support monophyly of most generic alliances as presently defined, nor do the data support monophyly of several Malveae genera. Two main well-supported clades were recovered, which correspond primarily to taxa that either possess or lack involucral bracts, respectively. Chromosomal evolution has been dynamic in the tribe with haploid numbers varying from n = 5 to 36. Aneuploid reduction, hybridization, and/or polyploidization have been important evolutionary processes in this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]