Asian Species Research Articles

Evolutionary analysis of major histocompatibility complex variants in chytrid-resistant and susceptible amphibians

An amphibian emerging infectious disease (EID), chytridiomycosis, caused by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), originated in Asia but primarily led to declines and extinctions in amphibian populations outside of Asia. Host major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules exhibit high polymorphism, and the evolution of MHC can be influenced by recombination and pathogens. Previous studies have indicated that host MHC class II is associated with Bd resistance. In this study, I conducted recombination and selection tests on functional MHC IIß1 alleles from an Asian Bd-resistant anuran species (Bufo gargarizans) and an Australasian Bd-susceptible species (Litoria caerulea). Recombination at the same site was identified in both species, supporting the hypothesis that recombination contributes to MHC IIß1 diversity in amphibians. Positive selection was observed in MHC IIß1 alleles in both species. In L. caerulea, at least four amino acid sites were identified under significant positive selection in the MHC IIß1, whereas these sites were either negatively selected or conserved in B. gargarizans. This suggests these sites might be selected for Bd resistance. Hydrophobicity was detected in certain amino acid sites relating to Bd resistance, suggesting this physicochemical property may be a factor selected to counteract Bd infection. These findings of this study provide an evolutionary basis for understanding how amphibian MHC IIß1 may undergo selection in response to chytrid infection.

The first record of Trichomanes s.s. (Hymenophyllaceae) in Asia and establishment of the new subgenus Asiatrichomanes

Callistopteris superba is a peculiar Asian species within the genus Callistopteris (Hymenophyllaceae). A detailed morphological study of available herbarium specimens was conducted and the species was integrated into a global molecular phylogeny of the family in order to more precisely investigate its taxonomy. Morphological analysis and dated phylogenetic reconstructions demonstrate that the species is not part of Callistopteris and is instead strongly supported as being included in the distinct genus Trichomanes, comprising mainly Neotropical and some Afro-Malagasy species. The uniqueness, within the Hymenophyllaceae and the genus Trichomanes, of an indumentum of glandular-like hairs on the adaxial side of the lamina and on the indusia, allows us to propose Asiatrichomanes as a new subgenus based on this species, which is here also neotypified.

A novel characterized multi-drug-resistant Pseudocitrobacter sp. isolated from a patient colonized while admitted to a tertiary teaching hospital

Reports of nosocomial infections typically describe recognised microorganisms. In this study, a novel bacterial species was isolated, based on rectal swab screening for carbapenemases post-admission, then phenotypically and genetically characterised. Determined to be a possible Enterobacterales, whole genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis confirmed identification as Pseudocitrobacter, a relatively new genus (2013) with three known species. This isolate was found to be distinct from these, with 99.7% 16s rRNA identity to Pseudocitrobacter corydidari; an Asian cockroach-associated species. Given the highly conserved/low variability of 16S rRNA genes in Enterobacteriaceae, average nucleotide identity (ANI) analysis compared the new isolate's genome with those of 18 Enterobacteriaceae species, including confirmed species of Pseudocitrobacter and unnamed Pseudocitrobacter species in the SILVA database. Of these, Pseudocitrobacter corydidari had the highest ANI at 0.9562. The published genome of the only known isolate of P. corydidari is stated to not include Antimicrobial Resistance Genes (ARGs), with exception of potential drug efflux transporters. In contrast, our clinical isolate bears recognised antimicrobial resistance genes, including Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase. The associated genome suggests resistance to carbapenems, β-lactams, sulfonamides, fluoroquinolones, macrolides, aminoglycosides and cephalosporins. Phenotypic antimicrobial resistances were confirmed. In addition to evident variations in ARG profiles, human colonisation and origin in a clinically-relevant niche that is geographically, physically and chemically disparate, lend credibility for divergent evolution or, less likely, parallel evolution with P. corydidari. Genome data for this new species have been submitted to GENBANK using proposed nomenclature Pseudocitrobacter limerickensis. The patient was colonised only and did not require antimicrobial treatment.

Oriental pied hornbills (Anthracoceros albirostris) solve invisible displacement tasks in a test of Piagetian object permanence.

Object permanence, the ability to mentally represent objects even when they are not directly accessible to the senses, is of vital importance for the survival of both human and non-human animals. The Oriental pied hornbill (Anthracoceros albirostris) is an Asian species of hornbill displaying remarkable adaptability in various environments, yet little is known about their cognitive abilities. Their breeding behaviour is unique, as the female hornbill seals herself inside a cavity before laying eggs and the male feeds her and their offspring without visual contact, strongly suggesting the presence of object permanence to some degree. In this study, six Oriental pied hornbills underwent testing for object permanence, including a series of seven standard Piagetian tasks involving visible and invisible displacements. The subjects consistently demonstrated spontaneous object permanence in all stages leading up to the invisible displacement stage. Half of the subjects achieved full stage 6 double invisible displacement Piagetian object permanence, while the other half reached stage 5 double visible displacement. Breeding behaviour and the duration of developmental stages are proposed as potential factors influencing object permanence ability in this species of hornbill.

A revision of Lycianthes (Solanaceae) in tropical Asia.

The genus Lycianthes (Dunal) Hassl. (Solanaceae) has in the past been treated as a section of the large genus Solanum L. but is more closely related to Capsicum L. Outside of the Americas, where the highest species diversity occurs, the genus is found in tropical and subtropical habitats from India to Japan and the Philippines, including the islands of Indonesia, New Guinea and the Solomons. The 19 species from Australia, New Guinea and the Pacific were treated in 'PhytoKeys 209'. Here I treat the remaining 10 species occurring across Asia; including two native species, L.biflora (Lour.) Bitter and L.oliveriana (Lauterb. & K.Schum) Bitter, and one cultivated species, L.rantonnetii (Carrière) Bitter that were also included in the earlier work. The Asian species treated here occupy a wide range of forested and disturbed habitats and are diverse in habit, ranging from epiphytic vines to small or medium sized trees, shrubs or creeping herbs. Many of the species are weedy plants of highly disturbed habitats and are best characterised as "ochlospecies", with complex polymorphic variation. Lycianthesrantonnetii, a species native to southern South America, is recorded as cultivated in India and Pakistan, but may be more widespread than collections indicate. The history of taxonomic treatments of Lycianthes in Asia is discussed, along with details of morphology found in all species. All species are treated in full, with complete morphological descriptions, including synonymy, lecto- or neotypifications, discussions of ecology and vernacular names, distribution maps and preliminary conservation assessments (for all except the cultivated L.rantonnetii). Searchable lists of all specimens examined are presented as Suppl. materials 1, 2.

Чужеродные моллюски в прибрежной части дагестанского района Каспийского моря

The species Corbicula fluminea and C. fluminalis (O.F. Müller, 1774), alien to the ecosystems of the Russian sector of the Middle Caspian, penetrated into the estuaries, forming new ecotones. Mollusks of the genus Corbicula are included in one hundred of the most actively spreading universes around the world. In 2018-2022, live individuals of the bivalve mollusk C. fluminalis (O.F. Müller, 1774) were found in the waters of the northern part of the Agrakhan Bay, in the area of the Chased Gate, Kubyakinsky Bank, Kuznechonok. For the first time, finds of C. fluminalis and C. fluminea specimens of different ages were recorded in the Prisulak canal and the Yuzbash-Sulak reservoir. There is an expansion of the habitat of corbicules in the study area. Possible ways of invasion are assumed: introduction of corbicule larvae into the Caspian Sea basin with ballast waters of ships plying through the Volga-Don Canal; introduction of Asian fish species into the inland waters of Dagestan; transfer by waterfowl. High adaptive abilities and different breeding strategies of Corbicula mollusks increase the possibility of successful naturalization in estuarine and freshwater ecosystems of the Dagestan region of the Caspian Sea, as well as in desalinated areas near the mouths of the rivers of the Northern Caspian and the northern part of the Middle Caspian.

First data on males of the saw-fly genus Pseudarge Gussakovskij, 1935 (Hymenoptera, Argidae) from Middle Asia

Species of argid saw ies of the small genus Pseudarge Gussakovskij, 1935 were known for a long time only from females. The article provides for the rst time illustrated descriptions of males of two Middle Asian species, Pseudarge rubicunda Gussakovskij, 1935 and Ps . ushinskii Gussakovskij, 1935, and also provides characters from the description of the male Pseudarge eversmanni Gussakovskij, 1935 by V. M. Yermolenko, which was overlooked by the authors of the genus revision. Photo illustrations are given for these three species (including habitus of primary types and genital structures of both sexes), as well as an amended identi cation key. Intraspeci c variability and di erentiating characters of the species of this genus are discussed.

Studies of Asian ‘Calliandra' lead to expansion of Sanjappa (Fabaceae‐Caesalpinioideae)

The genus Sanjappa, previously with the single species S. cynometroides in southern India, is expanded to include S. umbrosa, comb. nov., in northeastern India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and China (Yunnan) and S. vietnamica, sp. nov., in southern Vietnam. Sanjappa differs from Thailentadopsis, its sister genus in the Zapoteca clade, by having leaves with extrafloral nectaries in the form of sessile (versus stipitate) glands and elastically dehiscent, not moniliform pods (versus pods not elastically dehiscent and submoniliform). Sanjappa umbrosa and S. vietnamica differ from S. cynometroides by having bipinnate leaves with one pair of pinnae (versus simply pinnate leaves with two leaflets only) and a four‐lobed (versus three‐lobed) corolla. In S. umbrosa each pinna is 2–3‐foliolate and paired stipular spines are mainly present on younger growth, whereas in S. vietnamica each pinna is (3–)4–5‐foliolate and branches, including major ones, are armed with numerous paired spines with thickened bases. Synonymies, images and notes on distribution, habitat, taxonomy and conservation for the three species of Sanjappa are provided, and all names are typified. With the taxonomic changes proposed here, all Asian species previously treated as members of Calliandra have been accommodated outside this genus.

Analysis of the flora of woody plants in the Reserve Park of the Siberian Botanical Garden of TSU

The article presents the results of the analysis of the flora of woody plants in the Reserve Park of the Siberian Botanical Garden of Tomsk State University. In the course of this study, taxonomic, geographical, ecological and biomorphological analyzes of the tree assortment of the park were carried out. The list of flora of the Reserve Park includes 126 species of woody plants belonging to 27 families and 57 genera. The largest families in terms of number of species are Rosaceae (26 %) and Salicaceae (11 %). In the park, angiosperms significantly predominate over gymnosperms. The most represented are species with East Asian (33.3 %), Eurasian (26.2 %) and North American (13.5 %) ranges. There are few Central Asian species (2.4 %). Introduced tree species (68 %) prevail over local Siberian species (32 %). Mesophytes account for a significant part of the park’s woody vegetation (64 %), hydromesophytes (32 %) and xeromesophytes (4 %) are less numerous. Woody plants of the park are mainly shade-tolerant (55 %) or light-loving (44 %). The park is dominated by upstanding shrubs (60 %), forest type trees account for 20 % of the total number of species, most of them are deciduous species. Upstanding shrubs with an East Asian habitat are included in the most numerous group of woody plants (22 % of the total number of species).

Four new species of the genus Omaliopsis Jeannel, 1940 (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Omaliinae: Omaliini) of China.

Four new closely related species of the genus Omaliopsis Jeannel, 1940 (Omaliinae) from China are described and illustrated: O. fraterna sp. n. (Sichuan, Yunnan), O. hlavaci sp. n. (Sichuan), O. obliquesignata sp. n. (Shaanxi), and O. smetanai sp. n. (Sichuan, Shaanxi, Yunnan). An updated key to all Asian species of the genus is provided.

Phylogenetic relationships and biogeography in Hedysarum (Hedysareae, Fabaceae) with a focus on Central Asian taxa

AbstractCentral Asia, especially the Tian‐Shan and Pamir‐Alay, is a biodiversity hotspot for Hedysarum (Fabaceae) with a high number of endemic species. However, to date, studies of the genus Hedysarum based on molecular data have included only a few species distributed in this region. To fill this gap, we analysed 110 Hedysarum species, 36 of which were from the Tian‐Shan and Pamir‐Alay Mountains of Central Asia. We performed phylogenetic analyses, divergence time estimates, and biogeographic analyses using both the internal transcribed spacers of nuclear ribosomal DNA (nrDNA ITS) and three plastid DNA (cpDNA) sequences (trnL‐trnF, matK, psbA‐trnH). Our phylogenetic analysis grouped the species of Hedysarum into three sections: H. sect. Hedysarum, sect. Multicaulia, and sect. Stracheya, which are largely consistent with previous phylogenetic classifications. Accordingly, most of the Central Asian species we studied (28 spp.) were placed in H. subsect. Crinifera within H. sect. Multicaulia. Our divergence time and biogeographic analyses indicate that Hedysarum likely originated in West Asia and/or East Asia during the Early Miocene or Middle Miocene and subsequently dispersed to adjacent areas of Eurasia, as well as North America via the Bering Land Bridge. The likely area of origin for H. sect. Multicaulia is West Asia, while East Asia appears to be the center of origin for H. sect. Hedysarum and sect. Stracheya. In addition, we suggest that the rapid radiation of the species of H. subsect. Crinifera occurred in the Tian‐Shan and Pamir‐Alay Mountains, as well as the Turkish‐Iranian Plateau, and that geological and climatic changes were the main causes of speciation in Hedysarum.

Solving the mystery of Obake rice in Africa: population structure analyses of Oryza longistaminata reveal three genetic groups and evidence of both recent and ancient introgression with O. sativa.

The undomesticated rice relative Oryza longistaminata is a valuable genetic resource for the improvement of the domesticated Asian rice, Oryza sativa. To facilitate the conservation, management, and use of O. longistaminata germplasm, we sought to quantify the population structure and diversity of this species across its geographic range, which includes most of sub-Saharan Africa, and to determine phylogenetic relationships to other AA-genome species of rice present in Africa, including the prevalence of interspecific hybridization between O. longistaminata and O. sativa. Though past plant breeding efforts to introgress genes from O. longistaminata have improved biotic stress resistance, ratooning ability, and yield in O. sativa, progress has been limited by substantial breeding barriers. Nevertheless, despite the strong breeding barriers observed by plant breeders who have attempted this interspecific cross, there have been multiple reports of spontaneous hybrids of O. sativa and O. longistaminata (aka "Obake") obtained from natural populations in Africa. However, the frequency and extent of such natural introgressions and their effect on the evolution of O. longistaminata had not been previously investigated. We studied 190 O. longistaminata accessions, primarily from the International Rice Research Institute genebank collection, along with 309 O. sativa, 25 Oryza barthii, and 83 Oryza glaberrima control outgroups, and 17 control interspecific O. sativa/O. longistaminata hybrids. We analyzed the materials using 178,651 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and seven plastid microsatellite markers. This study identified three genetic subpopulations of O. longistaminata, which correspond geographically to Northwestern Africa, Pan-Africa, and Southern Africa. We confirmed that O. longistaminata is, perhaps counterintuitively, more closely related to the Asian species, O. sativa, than the African species O. barthii and O. glaberrima. We identified 19 recent spontaneous interspecific hybrid individuals between O. sativa and O. longistaminata in the germplasm sampled. Notably, the recent introgression between O. sativa and O. longistaminata has been bidirectional. Moreover, low levels of O. sativa alleles admixed in many predominantly O. longistaminata accessions suggest that introgression also occurred in the distant past, but only in Southern Africa.

Diploid species phylogeny and evolutionary reticulation indicate early radiation of Ephedra in the Tethys coast.

Reconstructing a robust species phylogeny and disentangling the evolutionary and biogeographic history of the gymnosperm genus Ephedra, which has a large genome and rich polyploids, remain a big challenge. Here we reconstructed a transcriptome-based phylogeny of 19 diploid Ephedra species, and explored evolutionary reticulations in this genus represented by 50 diploid and polyploid species, using four low-copy nuclear and nine plastid genes. The diploid species phylogeny indicates that the Mediterranean species diverged first, and the remaining species split into three clades, including the American species (Clade A), E. rhytidosperma, and all other Asian species (Clade B). The single-gene trees placed E. rhytidosperma sister to Clade A, Clade B, or Clades A + B in similar proportions, suggesting that radiation and gene flow likely occurred in the early evolution of Ephedra. In addition, reticulate evolution occurred not only among the deep nodes, but also in the recently evolved South American species, which further caused difficulty in phylogenetic reconstruction. Moreover, we found that allopolyploid speciation was pervasive in Ephedra. Our study also suggests that Ephedra very likely originated in the Tethys coast during the late Cretaceous, and the South American Ephedra species have a single origin by dispersal from Mexico or North America.

The first new species of Leptelmis Sharp, 1888 (Coleoptera, Elmidae) from the Philippines in the last 50 years

This paper describes Leptelmis kodadai sp. n., the first species of Leptelmis discovered from the Philippines in the last 50 years. Previously, Leptelmis Sharp, 1888 was represented in the Philippines with only one species, namely L. tawitawiensis Delève, 1973 documented from Tawi-Tawi, the southwestern tip of the country. Due to habitus and genital differences with L. tawitawiensis, L. kodadai sp. n. collected from Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Bukidnon from the island of Mindanao was deemed new to science. Additionally, using the generated COI-3ʹ gene sequences, the intraspecific distance of the L. kodadai sp. n. specimens was determined to be 0.72%. This paper generates the first barcodes of Philippine Leptelmis and provides an updated checklist for Southeast Asian species.

Revision of Campylosiphon (Burmanniaceae), with New Combinations and a New Species Described

Abstract— Campylosiphon (Burmanniaceae), a genus with two fully mycoheterotrophic species distributed in the tropics of South America and West Africa, is extended to include two Asian species and one African species with “wingless” flowers. Specifically, Burmannia championii and B. densiflora are transferred to Campylosiphon, and a Campylosiphon species new to science is described from Guizhou, China, supported by a combination of morphological comparison and molecular phylogenetic inference. We reveal that the genus Campylosiphon can be characterized by five morphological aspects. With this revised circumscription, Campylosiphon becomes the third genus in Burmanniaceae with a pantropical distribution pattern. We also report that two Campylosiphon species have advanced degraded plastomes, losing all protein coding genes for photosynthesis.

Total Content of Saponins, Phenols and Flavonoids and Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of In Vitro Culture of Allochrusa gypsophiloides (Regel) Schischk Compared to Wild Plants.

Allochrusa gypsophiloides is a rare Central Asian species, a super-producer of triterpene saponins with pharmacological and technical value. In this work, a comparative evaluation of the in vitro culture of adventitious roots (ARs), in vitro adventitious microshoots (ASs), natural roots and aboveground parts of wild plants from Kazakhstan to define the total saponin (TS), phenol (TP) and flavonoid (TF) content, as well as antioxidant (AOA) and antimicrobial activity, is presented for the first time. In the AR culture, growth index (GI), TS, TP and TF were evaluated on days 25, 45 and 60 of cultivation on ½ MS medium without (control) and with auxin application. It was found out that TS and TF were higher in the in vitro AR culture. The amount of TP and TF are higher in the aerial part of vegetative plants with maximum AOA. The concentration of the extract required to inhibit 50% of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical formation (ICO50) in extracts from natural material negatively correlated with TS, TP, TF and in the in vitro AR culture with TF. Control extracts from the in vitro AR culture with high TS levels showed growth-inhibitory activity against S. thermophillus, S. cerevisiae and C. albicans. The influence shares of medium composition factor, cultivation duration factor and their interaction with GI, TS, TP and TF were determined. The in vitro AR culture is promising for obtaining triterpene saponins TSR with high antibacterial and antifungal activity, and the in vitro ASs culture-for shoot multiplication with antioxidant properties.

Priopoda macrophyae (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Ctenopelmatinae), a new species of parasitoid of Macrophya satoi (Tenthredinidae), a serious pest of Japanese ash tree (Oleaceae).

A new species, Priopoda macrophyae sp. nov., is described. This species is an important parasitoid of a serious pest of Japanese ash (Fraxinus japonica), Macrophya satoi Shinohara & Li, 2015. This species resembles P. otaruensis (Uchida, 1930) in the black colouration of the hind coxa, hind femur, and all metasomal tergites, but can be clearly distinguished by the length of the malar space, the smooth interspace of the punctures on the mesopleuron, the large smooth area of the speculum, the complete and strongly raised propodeal carinae, and the length of the first metasomal tergite. The bionomics of this species is also noted. The host record of this species is also the first record for Asian species of this genus.

Apophytes in the flora of the Seymskiy Regional Landscape Park (Ukraine): analysis and list of species

The group of apophytes (native synanthropic plants) in the Seymskiy Regional Landscape Park (Sumy Oblast, northern Ukraine) has been studied with respect to its species composition and other features. This group in the park includes 285 species from 193 genera and 63 families. Among them, the most numerously represented families are the Asteraceae, Fabaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Poaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Lamiaceae, Rosaceae, Brassicaceae, Apiaceae, Polygonaceae, Boraginaceae, Cyperaceae, and Ranunculaceae, while the major genera are Trifolium, Veronica, Carex, Galium, Poa, Artemisia, Centaurea, Plantago, Potentilla, Rumex, Verbascum, and Viola. This study shows that hemicryptophytes dominate among plant life-forms, and most species are mesophytes. Meadow species of apophytes are the most numerous ecological group. The core of the group of apophytes consists of species of European-West Asian, Eurasian, European, and circumpolar distribution. According to the latitudinal types of distribution range, dominant positions are occupied by temperate-submeridional, boreal-submeridional, boreal-meridional, and temperate-meridional species. Hemiapophytes make up 41.4% of apophyte species, while accidental apophytes (38.2%), and euapophytes (20.4%) are less numerous. In the flora of the park, apophytes prevail over the adventive fraction (alien species introduced accidentally or intentionally). This contrasts with the contribution of apophytes to the flora of Ukraine and other protected areas.

Филогенетический анализ скорпионов рода Mesobuthus (Vachon, 1950), обитающих на территории Казахстана, на основании анализа фрагментов митохондриальных и ядерных генов

The taxonomy of scorpions belonging to the genus Mesobuthus has undergone significant revisions in recent times. Initially, based on the morphological characteristics, scientists identified and described a considerable number of subspecies within different species of this genus. However, in the last decade, modern researchers have “revised” the species diversity of the genus based on the results of genetic and morphological analyses, forming new separate species complexes. As a result, a species complex called “Mesobuthus caucasicus” was identified, which was later reassigned to the genus Olivierus by František Kovařík in 2019. Currently, the genus Olivierus comprises 18 species, with 7 of them inhabiting the territory of Central Asia. The distribution ranges of most Central Asian species of the genus Olivierus overlap with those of the genus Mesobuthus. Specifically, in the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the species Olivierus gorelovi occurs, whose distribution range coincides with that of Mesobuthus thersites. Due to this overlap, the taxonomic status of some scorpion populations inhabiting the territory of the Republic of Kazakhstan remains uncertain and poorly studied. The authors of this study attempted to determine the phylogenetic relationships among individuals from different populations using data obtained from molecular genetic barcoding. The analysis was conducted on three nuclear and one mitochondrial gene fragments of scorpions inhabiting the regions of Zhambyl, Karaganda, Atyrau, Turkestan, Abay, and Almaty. The obtained results indicate that scorpions of the genus Olivierus inhabit the territories of Atyrau, Almaty, Karaganda, and Turkestan regions, while scorpions of the genus Mesobuthus inhabit the territories of Zhambyl, Karaganda, and Abay regions. This study makes a direct contribution to the study of scorpion fauna biodiversity in Central Asia.

A new Neoleptophlebia Kluge, 1997 species from eastern China (Ephemeroptera: Leptophlebiidae).

The genus Neoleptophlebia Kluge, 1997 includes five Asian species. Three of them were reported from northeastern Asia and two were found from Chinese Taiwan Island, leaving a huge geographic gap on the Chinese mainland. Here we find a new one, which is named N. uncinata Zhou sp. nov., from Nanjing municipality, eastern China. Via field collecting and indoor rearing, all life stages were obtained, and its nymphs are found living in small creeks (with a width less than 1 m) and shallow waters (with a depth less than 30 cm). Diagnostically, the imago of this new species has larger lateral penial appendages than its congeners, and its nymph has subequal broadened segments II and III of maxillary and labial palpi. Biogeographically, this species bridges two northern and southern groups of the genus.