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From the Old World to the New World: a molecular chronicle of the phylogeny and biogeography of hystricognath rodents.

Hystricognath rodents include Old World Phiomorpha and New World Caviomorpha. These two groups have an enigmatic biogeographical history. Using a nuclear marker, the exon 28 of the von Willebrand Factor gene (vWF), we reconstructed the phylogenetic relationships among 23 Hystricognathi species. These taxa encompass the complete familial diversity of the Hystricognathi. Our results indicate a basal trifurcation of hystricognaths leading to Hystricidae, Phiomorpha s.s. (Bathyergidae, Thryonomyidae, and Petromuridae), and Caviomorpha. The monophyly of caviomorphs is robustly supported, confirming a single colonization event of South America by hystricognaths. Caviomorpha are divided into four lineages: Cavioidea, Erethizontoidea, Chinchilloidea, and Octodontoidea. Furthermore, we suggest that (1) Chinchillidae and Dinomyidae are sister clades, (2) Abrocomidae is a true Octodontoidea, and (3) Capromyidae, Echimyidae, and Myocastoridae cluster together. Surprisingly, Erethizontidae does not appear to be the most diverged caviomorph lineage. The molecular results are discussed in the light of previous paleontological and morphological observations. Local molecular clocks are used to estimate divergence dates among hystricognath lineages. An Asian origin is suggested for Caviomorpha, and a colonization route through Australia and Antarctica is indicated as an alternative to the hypothesis of a transatlantic migration of Caviomorpha from Africa to South America.

Animals↗

Phylogenetic relationships within the eared seals (Otariidae: Carnivora): implications for the historical biogeography of the family.

Phylogenetic relationships within the family Otariidae were investigated using two regions of the mitochondrial genome. A 360-bp region of the cytochrome b gene was employed for the primary phylogenetic analysis, while a 356-bp segment of the control region was used to enhance resolution of the terminal nodes. Traditional classification of the family into the subfamilies Arctocephalinae (fur seals) and Otariinae (sea lions) is not supported, with the fur seal Callorhinus ursinus having a basal relationship relative to the rest of the family. This is consistent with the fossil record which suggests that this genus diverged from the line leading to the remaining fur seals and sea lions about 6 million years ago (mya). There is also little evidence to support or refute the monophyly of sea lions. Four sea lion clades and five fur seal clades were observed, but relationships among these clades are unclear. Similar genetic divergences between the sea lion clades (D(a) = 0.054-0.078), as well as between the major Arctocephalus fur seal clades (D(a) = 0.040-0.069) suggest that these groups underwent periods of rapid radiation at about the time they diverged from each other. Rapid radiations of this type make the resolution of relationships between the resulting species difficult and indicate the requirement for additional molecular data from both nuclear and mitochondrial genes. The phylogenetic relationships within the family and the genetic distances among some taxa highlight inconsistencies in the current taxonomic classification of the family.

Animals↗

A total-evidence phylogeny of ticks provides insights into the evolution of life cycles and biogeography.

We inferred the phylogeny of 33 species of ticks from the subfamilies Rhipicephalinae and Hyalomminae from analyses of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA and morphology. We used nucleotide sequences from 12S rRNA, cytochrome c oxidase I, internal transcribed spacer 2 of the nuclear rRNA, and 18S rRNA. Nucleotide sequences and morphology were analyzed separately and together in a total-evidence analysis. Analyses of the five partitions together (3303 characters) gave the best-resolved and the best-supported hypothesis so far for the phylogeny of ticks in the Rhipicephalinae and Hyalomminae, despite the fact that some partitions did not have data for some taxa. However, most of the hidden conflict (lower support in the total-evidence analyses compared to that in the individual analyses) was found in those partitions that had taxa without data. The partitions with complete taxonomic sampling had more hidden support (higher support in the total-evidence analyses compared to that in the separate-partition analyses) than hidden conflict. Mapping of geographic origins of ticks onto our phylogeny indicates an African origin for the Rhipicephalinae sensu lato (i.e., including Hyalomma spp.), the Rhipicephalus-Boophilus lineage, the Dermacentor-Anocentor lineage, and the Rhipicephalus-Booophilus-Nosomma-Hyalomma-Rhipicentor lineage. The Nosomma-Hyalomma lineage appears to have evolved in Asia. Our total-evidence phylogeny indicates that (i) the genus Rhipicephalus is paraphyletic with respect to the genus Boophilus, (ii) the genus Dermacentor is paraphyletic with respect to the genus Anocentor, and (iii) some subgenera of the genera Hyalomma and Rhipicephalus are paraphyletic with respect to other subgenera in these genera. Study of the Rhipicephalinae and Hyalomminae over the last 7 years has shown that analyses of individual datasets (e.g., one gene or morphology) seldom resolve many phylogenetic relationships, but analyses of more than one dataset can generate well-resolved phylogenies for these ticks.

Animals↗

Phylogeny and biogeography of the family Cyprinidae in the Middle East inferred from cytochrome b DNA- evolutionary significance of this region.

The phylogenetic relationships of cyprinid species from the Middle East and neighboring biogeographical areas were investigated using cytochrome b sequence variation in order to test hypotheses that consider the Middle Eastern area as an important interchange area or a center of speciation for the freshwater fauna. A total of 62 cyprinid species were analyzed over the complete cytochrome b fragment (1140 bp); 28 belong to the Leuciscinae subfamily and 34 to the Cyprininae. All the Leuciscinae lineage fish recorded in the Middle East are also found in Europe, which was interpreted as an important Palearctic influence in the Middle Eastern ichthyofauna consistent with the Lago Mare dispersion. However, it has also been suggested that several Danube species have their origins in the Middle East. In contrast, the Cyprininae subfamily showed three highly divergent lineages, one shared with the Euro-Mediterranean area (Barbus/Luciobarbus genus) relict of the Lago Mare dispersion, one shared with Africa (Carasobarbus/Varicorhinus subgenus), and the third shared with Asia (Garra genus). Furthermore, clades observed in the phylogenetic reconstructions are not consistent with morphometric or karyological data and disagree with previous taxonomic assumptions. Lastly, the dispersion history in the Middle East of this subfamily appears much more complicated and ancient than that of the Leuciscinae. However, taking into account Cyprininae and Leuciscinae distribution, the Middle East appears more like an important interchange area for the freshwater ichtyofauna than a center of speciation.

Animals↗

Speciation in the globeflower fly Chiastocheta spp. (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) in relation to host plant species, biogeography, and morphology.

Phylogenetic relationships among the Chiastocheta species (Diptera, Anthomyiidae) were investigated using a 1320-bp mitochondrial DNA fragment including parts of cytochrome oxidase subunits I and II. Larvae of the Chiastocheta genus feed exclusively on Trollius (Ranunculaceae) seeds. Six Chiastocheta species (and two vicariant taxa) coexist on Trollius europaeus in Europe, where they were shown to be the sole pollinator of their host plant. In Asia, several Trollius species are parasitized by Chiastocheta spp., and several other Trollius species are free of Chiastocheta. The plant-insect association is thus obligate in Europe but facultative in Asia. This system therefore provides a unique opportunity to study the evolution of an obligate mutualism between a plant and its seed parasite pollinators and its consequences on insect diversification. Most parsimonious, distance, and maximum likelihood analyses of 16 haplotypes from Europe and 14 from Asia show that European species do not form a monophyletic group. The species relationship indicated by egg morphology is only partly supported by molecular data. Moreover, a strong discrepancy between nucleotide variation and male genitalia morphology variation was found, particularly within and among European species coexisting on a single host plant. Molecular divergence across species ranges from 0 to 4.6%, suggesting a recent origin of the genus and several events of diversification, involving both host shifts and within-host-plant radiation. We discuss alternative evolutionary scenarios that are consistent with molecular data.

Animals↗

Molecular phylogeny and biogeography of the grass lizards genus Takydromus (Reptilia: Lacertidae) of East Asia.

Takydromus Daudin is a group of Lacertidae lizards with slender bodies and long tails. Half of the Takydromus spp. are endemic to islands of eastern Asia aligned along the Pacific margin of the East Asian continent. This feature offers a good opportunity to study the effects of glaciations and land connections on the speciation of East Asian fauna. We reconstructed the molecular phylogeny of Takydromus species via the mitochondrial 12S rRNA gene. Phylogenetic analyses using maximum-parsimony, neighbor-joining, and maximum-likelihood options do not support a two-subgenera scheme of Takydromus and Platyplacopus proposed earlier. In contrast, the phylogeny of Takydromus species on islands fits the sequential separation of island groups influenced by changes in sea level. The hypothesis in our prediction supports the process of vicariant speciation and multicolonization of grass lizards on eastern Asian islands. At least two obvious colonization events were followed by vicariance events. Because the molecular clock of the 12 rRNA gene was not rejected in our model test, it is possible to estimate times of speciation events. As the most isolated and basal species compared to other temperate and subtropical species of Takydromus, the separation period of T. smaragdinus in the central Ryukyus is the crucial point in estimating the evolutionary rate. Quaternary-origin or Tertiary-origin models are proposed and discussed.

Animals↗

An abelisaurid from the Late Cretaceous of Egypt: implications for theropod biogeography.

Recent paleogeographic scenarios postulate the isolation of continental Africa during the Late Cretaceous. The absence of abelisaurid theropods from Upper Cretaceous African strata was offered as support of hypothesized African isolation with the acknowledgement that the paucity of African abelisaurids may be mostly an issue of sampling. Here we report on a shed theropod tooth from the Upper Cretaceous (Maastrichtian, approximately 70 Ma) Duwi Formation of Egypt. The tooth was referred to the Malagasy abelisaurid "Megalosaurus" crenatissimus (=Majungasaurus crenatissimus) in 1921. A discriminant function analysis was run to test for morphological congruence between the Egyptian tooth and the dentitions of 24 theropod taxa. The analysis correctly classified 96.6% of the teeth in the sample and assigned the tooth to Majungasaurus. As current paleogeographic reconstructions posit Madagascar had attained its current position relative to Africa before the Late Cretaceous, it is unlikely that the Egyptian tooth actually pertains to Majungasaurus. Nevertheless, its classification as an abelisaurid supports its referral to the clade. This tooth thus constitutes defensible evidence of an abelisaurid from the post-Cenomanian Cretaceous of mainland Africa. Combined with recent discoveries of abelisaurids in Niger and Morocco, the result indicates that Abelisauridae was a diverse group in Africa during the Cretaceous, existing in multiple places for at least approximately 25 Ma and weakens support for hypotheses of an isolated Africa during the Late Cretaceous.

Africa↗

Climate change and temperature-dependent biogeography: oxygen limitation of thermal tolerance in animals.

Recent years have shown a rise in mean global temperatures and a shift in the geographical distribution of ectothermic animals. For a cause and effect analysis the present paper discusses those physiological processes limiting thermal tolerance. The lower heat tolerance in metazoa compared with unicellular eukaryotes and bacteria suggests that a complex systemic rather than molecular process is limiting in metazoa. Whole-animal aerobic scope appears as the first process limited at low and high temperatures, linked to the progressively insufficient capacity of circulation and ventilation. Oxygen levels in body fluids may decrease, reflecting excessive oxygen demand at high temperatures or insufficient aerobic capacity of mitochondria at low temperatures. Aerobic scope falls at temperatures beyond the thermal optimum and vanishes at low or high critical temperatures when transition to an anaerobic mitochondrial metabolism occurs. The adjustment of mitochondrial densities on top of parallel molecular or membrane adjustments appears crucial for maintaining aerobic scope and for shifting thermal tolerance. In conclusion, the capacity of oxygen delivery matches full aerobic scope only within the thermal optimum. At temperatures outside this range, only time-limited survival is supported by residual aerobic scope, then anaerobic metabolism and finally molecular protection by heat shock proteins and antioxidative defence. In a cause and effect hierarchy, the progressive increase in oxygen limitation at extreme temperatures may even enhance oxidative and denaturation stress. As a corollary, capacity limitations at a complex level of organisation, the oxygen delivery system, define thermal tolerance limits before molecular functions become disturbed.

Acclimatization↗

Mitochondrial genomics of ostariophysan fishes: perspectives on phylogeny and biogeography.

Ostariophysi is the second largest superorder within Teleostei. It contains five orders: Gonorynchiformes, Cypriniformes, Characiformes, Siluriformes, and Gymnotiformes. Resolving the higher-level relationships among ostariophysan and related fishes will aid in resolving basal teleostean divergence and provide basis to historical biogeographic analysis of major freshwater fish groups. In this study, we report the complete mitochondrial (mt) DNA sequences for eleven ostariophysan fishes and the results of phylogenetic analyses including these species plus four other ostariophysan and nine non-ostariophysan teleostean fishes. Maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony analyses reconfirmed clupeiforms as the closest relatives of ostariophysans. However, gonorynchiforms were closer to clupeiforms than to otophysans (ostariophysan groups excluding gonorynchiforms), thus raising a question over the current definition of Ostariophysi. The lack of clarity in otocephalan (ostariophysans + clupeiforms) basal relationships implies that such divergence took place over a short period of time. The monophyly of cypriniforms, characiphysans (characiforms, siluriforms, and gymnotiforms), and orders or superorders outside the ostariophysans examined here were conceivably reconstructed. The phylogenetic hypothesis suggests a Pangean origin of otophysans. Within characiphysans, gymnotiforms and siluriforms have independent evolutionary origins and evolutionary histories comparable to or older than that of characiforms. This helps to explain the present geographic distribution of characiphysans.

Animals↗

Phylogeny and biogeography of wood-feeding cockroaches, genus Salganea Stål (Blaberidae: Panesthiinae), in Southeast Asia based on mitochondrial DNA sequences.

Molecular phylogenetic relationships among 25 species of the wood-feeding cockroach belonging to the genus Salganea Stål (Panesthiinae; Blaberidae) in Southeast Asia were analyzed based on the DNA sequence of the complete mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase II (COII) gene. Most basal relationships among species of Salganea are poorly resolved by both neighbor-joining and nonweighted parsimony analyses, suggesting the possibility of a hard polytomy due to a rapid and potentially simultaneous radiation early in the history of the genus. For more apical relationships, however, some interesting phylogenetic relationships were recognized. The monophyly of the two species groups, morio and foveolata, the former of which is distributed mainly in the Sunda lands (containing the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java, and Borneo), whereas the latter is Sulawesi endemic, was strongly supported. Based on the inferred phylogenetic patterns and recent palaeogeographic scenario for Southeast Asia, it is suggested that a radiation of Salganea species occurred in Southeast Asia presumably in the early Tertiary, and several barriers against dispersal and gene flow, such as the formation of straits or high mountains, have arisen from the middle Tertiary.

Animals↗

The biogeography and phylogeny of unicellular cyanobacterial symbionts in sponges from Australia and the Mediterranean.

The distribution, host associations, and phylogenetic relationships of the unicellular cyanobacterial symbionts of selected marine sponges were investigated with direct 16s rDNA sequencing. The results indicate that the symbionts of the marine sponges Aplysina aerophoba, Ircinia variabilis, and Petrosia ficiformis from the Mediterranean, four Chondrilla species from Australia and the Mediterranean, and Haliclona sp. from Australia support a diversity of symbionts comprising at least four closely related species of Synechococcus. These include the symbionts presently described as Aphanocapsa feldmannii from P. ficiformis and Chondrilla nucula. A fifth symbiont from Cymbastela marshae in Australia is an undescribed symbiont of sponges, related to Oscillatoria rosea. One symbiont, Candidatus Synechococcus spongiarum, was found in diverse sponge genera in the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian, Pacific, and Southern oceans, whereas others were apparently more restricted in host association and distribution. These results are discussed in terms of the biodiversity and biogeographic distributions of cyanobacterial symbionts.

Animals↗

Biodiversity and biogeography of Fusarium species from northeastern North American asparagus fields based on microbiological and molecular approaches.

Sixteen Fusarium species were recovered from 52 asparagus commercial fields, representing all major ecological (edaphic and climatic) area of asparagus production in the province of Québec, eastern Canada. This study extends our understanding of the geographic range of these species. It also provides climatological and edaphic properties linked to community changes and adaptations. Fusarium oxysporum and F. proliferatum were omnipresent and abundant in all five ecological area under study, whereas F. redolens was less frequently found. Species of Fusarium that produce carmine red pigmentation on potato dextrose agar, i.e., F. acuminatum, F. avenaceum, etc., were common at the northern limit of asparagus production. Abundance of red Fusarium species corresponded with a low isolation frequency of F. proliferatum. Nevertheless, F. proliferatum had a high recovery rate throughout Québec asparagus growing areas, under climatic conditions as cold as those of northern Europe where this species is uncommon in asparagus fields. In the light of these results, redefinition of the geographical distribution of F. proliferatum in asparagus fields is proposed. Intraspecific molecular differences in F. proliferatum and F. oxysporum were detected in the EF-1 alpha sequences and compared with well-characterized strains of North America.

Agriculture↗

Biogeography and landscape-scale diversity of the dominant Crenarchaeota of soil.

We surveyed the diversity of soil Archaea across a large scale elevational gradient of ecosystem types, from foothills forest to alpine tundra in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. We used a dilution technique to sequence the single most abundant archaeal 16S rDNA sequence in each of the 40 soil cores distributed across the gradient to compare our results to those of typical 16S clone library studies. We found a greater diversity of sequences than has typically been found in clone library studies from a single site or core, identifying sequences both from the Terrestrial Group and the FFSB Group at several sites. We did not observe any significant environmental correlates with the dominant sequence type, nor was there any relationship between the spatial distance between samples and the phylogenetic similarity of the dominant sequence types. Despite using a very different methodology, our collective results are in remarkably good agreement with other studies of soil Crenarchaeota in terms of the diversity and relative abundance of sequence types identified. We are able to identify two instances of very tightly clustered sequences which we suggest are the results of global selective sweeps-one closely related to SCA1145, an abundant globally distributed group within the Terrestrial Group of Crenarchaeota, and another nested within the more basal FFSB group of sequences. We replicated our sequence results at two levels: first, by repeating the dilution and PCR processes from the same soil core DNA extraction, and second, by performing a replicate DNA extraction from the same homogenized soil core sample. Pairs of sequences produced by the dilution replicates were significantly more similar than the pairs of sequences produced by the extraction replicates, suggesting that soil Crenarchaeota exists in highly localized and discrete clonal populations.

Base Sequence↗

Biogeography of sponge chemical ecology: comparisons of tropical and temperate defenses.

Examples from both marine and terrestrial systems have supported the hypothesis that predation is higher in tropical than in temperate habitats and that, as a consequence, tropical species have evolved more effective defenses to deter predators. Although this hypothesis was first proposed for marine sponges over 25 years ago, our study provides the first experimental test of latitudinal differences in the effectiveness of sponge chemical defenses. We collected 20 common sponge species belonging to 14 genera from tropical Guam and temperate Northeast Spanish coasts (Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean biogeographic areas) and conducted field-based feeding experiments with large and small fish predators in both geographic areas. We use the term global deterrence to describe the deterrent activity of a sponge extract against all of the predators used in our experiments and to test the hypothesis that sponges from Guam are chemically better defended than their Mediterranean counterparts. Sympatric and allopatric deterrence refer to the average deterrent activity of a sponge against sympatric or allopatric predators. All of the sponges investigated in this study showed deterrent properties against some predators. However, 35% of the sponge species were deterrent in at least one but not in all the experiments, supporting the idea that predators can respond to chemical defenses in a species-specific manner. Tropical and temperate sponges have comparable global, sympatric, and allopatric deterrence, suggesting not only that chemical defenses from tropical and temperate sponges are equally strong but also that they are equally effective against sympatric and allopatric predators. Rather than supporting geographic trends in the production of chemical defenses, our data suggest a recurrent selection for chemical defenses in sponges as a general life-history strategy.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Speciation and biogeography of the Caloglossa leprieurii complex (Delesseriaceae, Rhodophyta).

Studies on the morphology, reproductive compatibility, life cycle and molecular phylogeny of the euryhaline red alga Caloglossa provide insights into the speciation events and biogeographic patterns. The C. leprieurii complex is separated into three morphotypes based on the number of cell rows at nodes and the blade width. The three morphotypes are reproductively incompatible with each other, and furthermore many mating groups are recognized within the morphotypes. Incomplete reproductive isolation is occasionally seen between geographically distant mating groups, whereas no sexual compatibility occurs between sympatrically or parapatrically distributed mating groups. In the molecular phylogenetic analyses, the C. leprieurii complex is resolved as two clusters that phenotypically correspond to the single and multiple cell row types, respectively. The strains belonging to the same mating group are closely related to each other, without exception, while the mating groups showing incomplete reproductive reactions do not always make a clade. The genetic distance is generally not correlative to the geographic distance, and this is also suggested by the morphological data and crossability. These results indicate that allopatric speciation has frequently occurred in this species complex, although there is some evidence of long-distance dispersal.

Brazil↗

Phylogeny, evolution and biogeography of the Quadrifoliovariinae Yamaguti, 1965 (Digenea: Lecithasteridae).

The Quadrifoliovariinae is revised and three new species of Quadrifoliovarium Yamaguit, 1965 from acanthurid fishes of the genus Naso from waters of the Indo-Pacific are described: Q, maceria n. sp. from N. tonganus, N. annulatus, N. fageni and N. brevirostris; Q. simplex n. sp. from N. tonganus and N. annulatus; and Q. quattuordecim n. sp. from N. tonganus. Amendments are made to the characterisation of the Quadrifoliovariinae, Quadrifoliovarium, Bilacinia Manter, 1969 and Unilacinia Manter, 1969 in light of observations on type and new material. A molecular phylogeny based on ITS2 and 28S regions of the ribosomal DNA is proposed. The phylogeny suggests that U. asymmetrica is the most basal taxon and Q. simplex n. sp. and Q. quattuordecim n. sp. the most derived. Evolution of morphological traits within the Quadrifoliovariinae are discussed in light of the molecular phylogeny. Molecular sequences of the ITS2 rDNA were identical between specimens of Q. pritchardae collected off Exmouth (Indian Ocean), Heron Island and Lizard Island (Western Pacific) and Moorea (far Eastern Indo-Pacific), indicating a broad Indo-Pacific distribution. All members of the subfamily are recorded only from the acanthurid genus Naso, with the exception of B. lobatum (Yamaguti, 1970), which has been recorded from a pomacanthid. The restricted host range of the group is discussed in the light of the phylogeny of the host genus Naso.

Animals↗

The parasites of the Polynesian rat: biogeography and origins of the New Zealand parasite fauna.

Unique aspects of the prehistory and current distribution of the Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans Peale) have been applied to the problem of determining the biogeographical origin of its parasites as found on 'exulans only' islands of New Zealand. The database consists of collated records of both endo- and ectoparasites reported from throughout this rat's geographical range. The analytical method is based on the concepts of Sprent (1969. Immunity to Parasitic Animals, pp. 14-17) and includes the formulation and testing of two hypotheses. A total of six 'heirloom' species is identified, and a further seven are classified as 'old souvenirs'. Contrary to prediction, 11 species are considered to be 'new souvenirs', acquired from other rodent species now present in New Zealand.

Animals↗