Towards a study of the genus Acarospora A. Massal. (Acarosporales, Ascomycota) in the Magadan region (Russia)

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The results of the study of associations of live weight and genotypic traits in agricultural populations of domestic reindeer in the Magadan region and the Chukotka Autonomous District are presented. The studies were conducted between 2020 and 2022 at four agricultural enterprises in Chukotka and the Magadan region. The study utilized zootechnical data from the annual reports of agricultural enterprises in the Chukotka Autonomous District and the Severo-Evensky District of the Magadan region. The study utilized the live weight of animals sold for meat, calculated as the 10-year arithmetic mean for each sex and age group. The material for genetic studies consisted of tissue samples (ear notches) from reindeer of different sex and age groups. A total of 925 samples were used in the molecular genetic studies. Individual genotyping of the animals was performed using the ISSR-PCR method. The relationship between ISSR marker polymorphism and productive traits in the Chukchi and Even reindeer breeds had not been studied prior to this research. Chukotka reindeer populations exhibited 12% lower average number of alleles per locus and 11.0% lower number of effective alleles per locus compared to Even breeds. The values of the correlation coefficient between the live weight and genetic diversity indicators in the populations of the Chukotka and Even breeds for all age and sex groups of reindeer were respectively equal to: for the average number of alleles per locus r = 0.347 and 336, the number of effective alleles r = 0.534 and 0.546; theoretical heterozygosity 0.570 and 0.538, respectively. The obtained data allow us to state the dependence of the live weight of reindeer on the genotypic diversity in the populations of the Chukchi and Even breeds.

Roundworms (Ascaridida: Nematoda), one of the most common soil-transmitted helminths (STHs), can cause ascariasis in various hosts worldwide, ranging from wild to domestic animals and humans. Despite the veterinary and health importance of the Ascaridida species, little or no attention has been paid to roundworms infecting wild animals including non-human primates due to the current taxon sampling and survey bias in this order. Importantly, there has been considerable controversy over the years as to whether Ascaris species infecting non-human primates are the same as or distinct from Ascaris lumbricoides infecting humans. Herein, we first characterized the complete mitochondrial genomes of two representative Ascaris isolates derived from two non-human primates, namely, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and gibbons (Hylobates hoolock), in a zoological garden of southwest China and compared them with those of A. lumbricoides and the congeneric Ascaris suum as well as other related species in the same order, and then used comparative mitogenomics, genome-wide nucleotide sequence identity analysis, and phylogeny to determine whether the parasites from chimpanzees and gibbons represent a single species and share genetic similarity with A. lumbricoides. Taken together, our results yielded strong statistical support for the hypothesis that the chimpanzee- and gibbon-derived Ascaris represent a single species that is genetically similar to A. lumbricoides, consistent with the results of previous morphological and molecular studies. Our finding should enhance public alertness to roundworms originating from chimpanzees and gibbons and the mtDNA data presented here also serves to enrich the resource of markers that can be used in molecular diagnostic, systematic, population genetic, and evolutionary biological studies of parasitic nematodes from either wild or domestic hosts.

Morphological and molecular studies have inferred multiple hypotheses for the phylogenetic relationships of Testudines. The hypothesis that Testudines are the only extant anapsid amniotes and the sister taxon of diapsid amniotes is corroborated by morphological studies, while the hypothesis that Testudines are diapsid amniotes is corroborated by more recent molecular and morphological studies. In this study, the placement of Testudines is tested using the full length cDNA sequence of the polypeptide hormone precursor proopiomelanocortin (POMC). Because only extant taxa have been used, the hypotheses being tested are limited to the following (1) Testudines as the sister taxon of Archosauria, (2) Testudines included in Archosauria and the sister taxon of Crocodilia, (3) Testudines as the sister taxon of Lepidosauria, (4) Testudines as the sister taxon of Sauria, and (5) Testudines as the sister taxon of a monophyletic Mammalia–Sauria clade. Neither Maximum likelihood, Bayesian, or maximum parsimony analyses are able to falsify the hypothesis of (Archosauria (Lepidosauria, Testudines)) and as such is the preferred inference from the POMC data. Zusammenfassung Morphologische und molekluargenetische Untersuchungen haben zu verschiedenen Hypothesen uber die Verwandtschaftsverhaltnisse der Testudines gefuhrt. Die Hypothese, dass Testudines die einzigen noch lebenden anapsiden Amnioten und das Schwestertaxon der diapsiden Amnioten sind, wird durch morphologische Untersuchungen bekraftigt, wahrend neuere morphologische und molekulargenetische Studien eher die Hypothese stutzen, dass Testudines diapside Amnioten sind. In dieser Studie untersuchen wir die Stellung der Testudines mittels vollstandiger cDNA-Sequenzen des polypeptiden Prohormons Proopiomelanocortin (POMC). Da nur lebende Taxa verwendet werden, konnen nur folgende Hypothesen getestet werden: 1) Testudines ist das Schwestertaxon der Archosauria, 2) Testudines sind in Archosauria enthalten und somit das Schwestertaxon der Crocodilia, 3) Testudines sind das Schwestertaxon der Lepidosauria, 4) Testudines sind das Schwestertaxon der Sauria und 5) Testudines sind das Schwestertaxon einer monophyletischen Mammalia–Sauria Gruppe. Weder Maximum-Likelihood, Bayesian oder Maximale Parsimony Analysen waren in der Lage, die Hypothese (Archosauria (Lepidosauria, Testudines)) zu falsifizieren, sodass diese die bevorzugte Folgerung aus den POMC Daten darstellt.

Lamium is a taxonomically convoluted genus of about 34 species. Within Lamium, the L. garganicum species complex is particularly challenging. Here, based on morphological and molecular studies, Lamium cappadocicum Celep & Karaer sp. nova (Lamiaceae) is separated from L. garganicum and L. bilgilii and described as a new species, and L. garganicum subsp. rectum (= L. garganicum subsp. pulchrum) is resurrected. The new species is only known from the Hasan Mountain (Aksaray) in Central Anatolia, Turkey. Lamium cappadocicum is closely related to L. garganicum subsp. rectum but differs from it by its mat-forming caespitose habit, reniform (rarely ovate in upper part) and deeply cordate leaves with dense white villous hairs, deeply crenate and undulate leaf margins, subglabrous to sparsely pilose stems, and densely white villous calyces. Lamium cappadocicum also differs from L. bilgilii by its matforming caespitose habit, smaller corollas (25-33 mm versus 40-52 mm in L. bilgilii), subglabrous to sparsely pilose stems and smaller leaves (3-20 (-30) mm long × 3-20 (-30) mm wide, versus 5-45 mm long × 5-45 mm wide in L. bilgilii). Molecular phylogenetic analyses from nuclear ribosomal (nrITS) and chloroplast (matK, rpoA and psbA-trnH) gene regions support the morphological results. The IUCN conservation status, ecology, phenology, etymology, and notes on biogeography of the new species are also given and diagnostic features are discussed.

Is self-fertilization possible in nudibranchs?

This study evaluates Ornithogalum brevipedicellatum, which was previously accepted as a synonym of O. oligophyllum, as a separate distinct species and discusses the similarities and differences between O. brevipedicellatum and its related species (O. oligophyllum and O. pamphylicum). Similarities and differences among these species were identifi ed by morphological and molecular studies. The leaf morphology and inflorescence of O. brevipedicellatum and O. pamphylicum are similar to each other, and in terms of these features, they show differences from O. oligophyllum. Some diagnostic characteristics are quite different in O. brevipedicellatum and O. pamphylicum, such as the size of tepals, length of fruiting pedicels and style. Morphological data were supported by the results obtained from molecular studies. According to a dendrogram obtained by molecular studies, O. brevipedicellatum and O. pamphylicum are similar. O. oligophyllum is more closely related to O. pyrenaicum used as an out-group. Additionally, the seeds of O. brevipedicellatum were examined with the use of scanning electron microscopy

Recent molecular biological, chemical, physiological and morphological studies indicate that Tri-chosporon cutaneum and related species should be reclassified. In this study, antigenic characteristics of the species were determined. The results of adsorption experiments revealed that there were at least three serological types: I, II and III. Specific factor sera I, II and III were prepared on the basis of adsorption experiments and isolates were serotyped by cell slide agglutination (CSA). Since the CSA test was difficult to read in some strains, the results of the CSA test were compared with the findings from an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). For the ELISA, crude polysaccharide antigens prepared from the culture supernatant were used as the antigen. The types determined by ELISA correlated well with those determined by the CSA test. These data suggest that T. cutaneum and related species have at least three serological types, and that the typing can be done by either CSA or ELISA.

The genetic diversity of 78 individuals of Rhododendron redowskianum Maxim. from five natural populations of different territories of the Far East – Magadan Region, Sakhalin Region, Primorye Territory and Northeast China was studied. Variability of the species according to five markers of plastid DNA was very low. The only one mutation was detected in one of the markers in a singl individual from Sikhote-Alin population. Analysis of the polymorphism of eight nuclear microsatellites, on the contrary, revealed a high level of diversity in all samples (mean values: Aa = 6.44, Ae = 4.43, Ho = 0.514, He = 0.523) and high interpopulation differentiation (FST = 0.299, p < 0.001). Population structure analysis identified four genetic clusters that correspond to the four geographic areas represented. Relationship analysis based on plastid DNA data revealed the ancestral position of R. redowskianum in relation to the closely related species R. camtschaticum Pall. s.l.

So far, six species of Oxeoschistus Butler, including its junior synonym Dioriste Thieme, were listed from Central America, with five of them from Costa Rica alone, which appears to represent the highest regional diversity of this Neotropical montane butterfly genus. Our research based on field work, morphological studies and barcode analysis proved that one record is a misunderstanding perpetuated in scientific literature for over a century: Oxeoschistus cothonides Grose-Smith is identified here as an individual form of the female of O. cothon Salvin. The presence of Oxeoschistus tauropolis (Westwood) in Costa Rica, subject to some controversy, is confirmed, and a new local subspecies is described from Costa Rica, O. tauropolis mitsuko Pyrcz & Nakamura n. ssp. Specific status of O. euriphyle Butler is reinstated based on morphological and molecular data. A new subspecies O. hilara lempira Pyrcz n. ssp. is described from Honduras. O. puerta submaculatus Butler is reported for the first time from the Darién region on the Panama–Colombia border. Species relationships are preliminarily evaluated based on COI data concluding, among others, that O. hilara and O. euriphyle are less closely related than previously assumed. Altitudinal and distributional data are revised, and ecological and behavioural information of all the species of Central American Oxeoschistus is provided.

Orobanche aegyptiaca Pers., Orobanche cernua L. and Orobanche coelestis (Reut.) Boiss. and Reut. ex Beck are plants belong to the Orobanchaceae family in Iraq. Morphological and anatomical study of the three species is very important to to know the qualities that help us to distinguish between them. To study the morphological and anatomical traits the samples were collected from Baghdad, the southern deserts, and Kurdistan of Iraq between 2016-2018 during the flowering period (spring). The plant was preserved in special glass ampoules containing alcohol 70% for the purpose of conducting the transvere anatomy section process. The identity and morphological study as well as the anatomical study of the three species were determined by studying the anatomical transverse sections of the stem and studying the trichomes which are generally divided into two parts: Non-glandular trichomes which consist of from one or more cells, different lengths with acute or obtuse apices, and glandular trichomes which consist of a multicellular or unicellular head and stalks depended on their shape, number of cells and general characteristics as a method or Identity imprint of the plant used to differentiate among the studied species. Significant differences were observed in the general and anatomical appearance. The species Orobanche aegyptiaca Pers. is more dense in the amount of trichomes spread in all parts of the plant compared to other, O. aegyptiaca Pers. be containing 18–22 layers of parenchyma cells, the species O. cernua L. consists of 10-16 layer of parenchyma cells and the species O. coelestis (Reut.) Boiss. And Reut.exBeck consists of 20-24 layers of parenchyma cells. Morphological and anatomical study have proven its effectiveness in determining mportant characteristics in diagnosing species and distinguishing between them.

AimDiversity dynamics remain controversial. Here, we examine these dynamics, together with the ecological factors governing them, across mammalian clades of different ages and sizes, representing different phylogenetic scales. Specifically, we investigate whether the dynamics are bounded or unbounded, biotically or abiotically regulated, stochastic or ecologically deterministic.LocationWorldwide.Time period150 Myr.Major taxa studiedMammals.MethodsIntegrating the newest phylogenetic and distributional data by means of several distinct methods, we study the ecology of mammalian diversification within a predictive framework, inspired by classic theory. Specifically, we evaluate the effects of several classes of factors, including climate, topography, geographical area, rates of climatic‐niche evolution, and regional coexistence between related and unrelated species. Next, we determine whether the relative effects of these factors change systematically across clades representing different phylogenetic scales.ResultsWe find that young clades diversify at approximately constant rates, medium‐sized clades show diversification slowdowns, and large clades are mostly saturated, suggesting that diversification dynamics change as clades grow and accumulate species. We further find that diversification slowdowns intensify with the degree of regional coexistence between related species, presumably because increased competition for regional resources suppresses the diversification process. The richness at which clades eventually saturate depends on climate; clades residing in tropical climates saturate at low richness, implying that niches become progressively densely packed towards the tropics.Main conclusionsThe diversification process is influenced by a variety of ecological factors, whose relative effects change across phylogenetic scales, producing scale‐dependent dynamics. Different segments of the same phylogeny might therefore support seemingly conflicting results (bounded or unbounded, biotically or abiotically regulated, stochastic or ecologically deterministic diversification), which might have contributed to several outstanding controversies in the field. These conflicts can be reconciled, however, when accounting for phylogenetic scale, which might, in turn, produce a more integrated understanding of global diversity dynamics.

An examination of previous morphological and molecular studies of strepsirhine systematics suggests a conflict between the two types of data. Cladistic analyses of morphological data have indicated that the Malagasy primate family Cheirogaleidae is the sister taxon of the Afro-Asian lorisiforms and that together, cheirogaleids and lorisiforms comprise a monophyletic clade that excludes the Malagasy lemuriforms. Molecular studies, on the other hand, have consistently found that cheirogaleids and lemuriforms together are monophyletic to the exclusion of lorisiforms. Both types of studies, however, have suffered from methodological weaknesses: the morphological studies looked at too few characters and the molecular studies looked at too few taxa. This study examines a large and diverse morphological data set as well as molecular data from a comprehensive sample of strepsirhine taxa. The data sets are considered independently and jointly. When they are analyzed independently, the morphological data give weak support, and the molecular data strong support, to the hypothesis of Malagasy primate monophyly. When the two data sets are combined in a single analysis, the results are decisive. The "total evidence" approach yields compelling support to the hypothesis that cheirogaleids and remaining Malagasy lemuriforms comprise a monophyletic assemblage that excludes lorisiforms.

Providing tools for the reassessment of Eupatorieae (Asteraceae): Comparative and statistical analysis of reproductive characters in South American taxa

We address the systematics of Bruchus seed‐beetles through the use of a geometric morphometric outline approach, namely elliptic Fourier analysis. We found that a previously neglected genitalic structure, the ventral plate, provides new evidence in the discussion of taxonomic issues raised by recent molecular studies. Three methods of hierarchical clustering allow investigation of the phylogenetic relationships of the key species that cause the paraphyly of two species groups in recent molecular studies. The resulting reconstructions reveal the phylogenetic usefulness of the structure of interest in recovering consistent relationships of Bruchus. Our analyses support the monophyly of the species group whose paraphyletic status was weakly supported by statistical tests in molecular analyses. Our results agree with those molecular and morphological studies that indicate, with relatively strong support, the paraphyletic status of the other species group. We highlight the need to reappraise the use of neglected or presumably uninformative (in traditional morphometrics) morphological characters with geometric morphometrics methods. In addition, we assess the utility of the combination of morphometric descriptors with other sources of phylogenetic information by analysing together an extant molecular dataset and matrix representations based on the results of the elliptic Fourier analyses (to our knowledge our study is the first to investigate such a combination of datasets within a Bayesian framework). Combining morphometric descriptors with other information can improve phylogenetic reconstructions, as suggested by the results of the corresponding analyses we performed using a published molecular dataset.