Proposed Species Groups Research Articles

A checklist of Thismia section Labiothismia (Thismiaceae), reinstated to include Asian species earlier placed in the neotropical T. sect. Glaziocharis

The paper contributes to a construction of a comprehensive sectional subdivision of the mycoheterotrophic genus Thismia through elucidating nomenclaturally correct application of the existing names and re-shaping the earlier proposed species groups in line with the ideas on phylogenetic relationships. The name Thismia sect. Glaziocharis widely used for a section accommodating certain Asian and Australian species is here demonstrated to be typified by the neotropical Thismia caudata (≡ Glaziocharis macahensis). This finding in conjunction with the phylogenetic views means that Thismia sect. Glaziocharis is to be applied to a neotropical group of the genus. Moreover, Thismia sect. Glaziocharis is the correct name for Thismia sect. Pyramidalis, since they are based on the same type species and the former name has a nomenclatural priority over the latter. The Asian species commonly placed into Thismia sect. Glaziocharis belong to a monophyletic group that has a single available name at the sectional rank, i.e. Thismia sect. Labiothismia. Thismia sect. Labiothismia is therefore formally reinstated, and a checklist of this section in the new circumscription is provided. The section is currently known to comprise 14 species, including a single North American species of Thismia, and the rest being distributed from India and Japan to Sumatra. Finally, a lectotype is designated for T. huangii.

To and fro in the archipelago: Repeated inter-island dispersal and New Guinea’s orogeny affect diversification of Delias, the world’s largest butterfly genus

The world’s largest butterfly genus Delias, commonly known as Jezebels, comprises ca. 251 species found throughout Asia, Australia, and Melanesia. Most species are endemic to islands in the Indo-Australian Archipelago or to New Guinea and nearby islands in Melanesia, and many species are restricted to montane habitats over 1200 m. We inferred an extensively sampled and well-supported molecular phylogeny of the group to better understand the spatial and temporal dimensions of its diversification. The remarkable diversity of Delias evolved in just ca. 15–16 Myr (crown age). The most recent common ancestor of a clade with most of the species dispersed out of New Guinea ca. 14 Mya, but at least six subsequently diverging lineages dispersed back to the island. Diversification was associated with frequent dispersal of lineages among the islands of the Indo-Australian Archipelago, and the divergence of sister taxa on a single landmass was rare and occurred only on the largest islands, most notably on New Guinea. We conclude that frequent inter-island dispersal during the Neogene—likely facilitated by frequent sea level change—sparked much diversification during that period. Many extant New Guinea lineages started diversifying 5 Mya, suggesting that orogeny facilitated their diversification. Our results largely agree with the most recently proposed species group classification system, and we use our large taxon sample to extend this system to all described species. Finally, we summarize recent insights to speculate how wing pattern evolution, mimicry, and sexual selection might also contribute to these butterflies’ rapid speciation and diversification.

Adding one more to the list: A new species of Eniochobothrium (Cestoda: Lecanicephalidea) from the Oman cownose ray in South Africa.

A new species of Eniochobothrium Shipley and Hornell, 1906 was recovered from the Oman cownose ray (Rhinoptera jayakari Boulenger) from the body of water off the south-eastern coastline of the KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Eniochobothrium acostae n. sp. is described on morphological and molecular grounds. The new species is placed within Eniochobothrium (viz., Eniochobothrium gracile Shipley and Hornell, 1906, Eniochobothrium qatarense Al Kawari, Saoud and Wanas, 1994, Eniochobothrium euaxos Jensen, 2005) by possessing key generic characteristics such as the absence of a vagina, expansion of the anterior region of the strobila forming a trough and presence of a thick-walled cirrus sac. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of the partial 28S rRNA and mtCOI genes confirm the generic characterisation as the newly proposed species groups together with other members of the genus. Eniochobothrium acostae n. sp. currently represents the largest described species of the genus; it possesses slightly fewer testes compared to most congeners, given that this feature has been provided in the original description (e.g., E. euaxos and E. qatarense). The new species of Eniochobothrium is the fourth valid species described to date and the first species record from South African waters.

The wasp genus Sphex in Sub-Saharan Africa (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae)

The Afrotropical species of the sphecid genus Sphex are revised. Forty-six taxa are recognized, of which fifteen are newly described: Sphex abbotti nivarius subsp. nov., S. comorensis sp. nov., S. hades sp. nov., S. nefrens sp. nov., S. occidentalis sp. nov., S. pseudopraedator sp. nov., S. pseudosatanas sp. nov., S. pulawskii sp. nov., S. rufoclypeatus sp. nov., S. satanas memnon subsp. nov., S. schmideggeri sp. nov., S. schoutedeni malawicus subsp. nov., S. socotrensis sp. nov., S. stadelmanni rufus subsp. nov. and S. victoria sp. nov. A new subgenus, Menkeella subgen. nov., is proposed for S. paulinierii Guérin Méneville, 1843.
 Four former synonyms are resurrected: Sphex pruinosus var. haemorrhoidalis Magretti, 1898, for which the replacement name of S. feijeni nom. nov. is proposed, S. camerunicus Strand, 1916, S. cinerascens Dahlbom, 1843 and S. abbotti W. Fox, 1891.
 Nine of the previously valid names are shown to be junior synonyms: Sphex haemorrhoidalis basuto (Arnold, 1947) and S. haemorrhoidalis kobrowi (Arnold, 1928) = S. umtalicus Strand, 1916; S. incomptus anonymus Leclercq, 1955 = S. nigrohirtus Kohl, 1895; S. neavei (Arnold, 1928) = S. abbotti W. Fox, 1891; S. observabilis (R. Turner, 1918) = S. ahasverus Kohl, 1890; S. rufiscutis (R. Turner, 1918) and S. mochii Giordani Soika, 1942 = S. jansei Cameron, 1910; S. rufiscutis laevigatus Arnold, 1951 = S. gaullei Berland, 1927; and S. stadelmanni integer (Arnold, 1928) = S. stadelmanni Kohl, 1895. Three previously synonymized species are transferred as new synonyms to different species: Sphex conradti Berland, 1927 = S. camerunicus Strand, 1916; S. kilimandjaroensis Cameron, 1908 = S. abbotti W. Fox, 1891; and S. nigripes var. pachyderma Strand, 1916 = S. umtalicus Strand, 1916. For three species, the actual type localities are on different continents than their labels indicate: Sphex ahasverus Kohl, 1890, S. castaneipes Dahlbom, 1843 and S. optimus F. Smith, 1856, with the first occuring in Africa instead of Australia and the other two presumably occuring in South America instead of Africa.
 The occurrence of the argentatus group in Sub-Saharan Africa is confirmed, and seven additional species groups are established, with all but one of them based on apomorphic morphological traits. A hypothesis on the phylogenetic relationships among the subgenera and species groups of Sphex is presented, and an identification key for both sexes as well as a placoid-based identification table for males are presented. Using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analysis on mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data generated from thirty-one of the recognized taxa, the monophyly of the proposed species groups is corroborated.

Using Species Groups to Approach the Large and Taxonomically Unresolved Freshwater Fish Family Nemacheilidae (Teleostei: Cypriniformes).

Simple SummarySince large animal families with unresolved taxonomy are difficult to study, it is better to focus on smaller units. In the present study, we test if we can define a restricted group of species within a large and unsorted fish family (Nemacheilidae). In the beginning, we selected 17 candidate species that share a rare and specific pigmentation pattern, and 29 comparative species with a different pattern. We studied their relationships and the ages of pedigree branches using molecular genetic markers. It turned out that the candidate and comparative species are intermixed in two main groups, meaning that the specific pigmentation pattern is not diagnostic. However, the genetic lineages themselves are smaller units within the large family Nemacheilidae and can be used for further studies. For example, one group revealed its evolutionary history: it expanded 12 million years ago from India into Myanmar and later further to Thailand, Laos, and China. They also revealed more than 20% of undescribed species, a very high rate in vertebrates. Our results show that species groups can be a helpful tool to approach large and unsorted animal units. This finding offers species groups as a new tool for future studies exploring the diversity of life on earth.Large animal families with unresolved taxonomy are notoriously difficult to handle with respect to their biodiversity, systematics, and evolutionary history. We approach a large and taxonomically unresolved family of freshwater fishes (Nemacheilidae, >600 species) by proposing, on the basis of morphologic data, a species group within the family and study its phylogeny with conclusions regarding its diversity, taxonomy, and biogeographic history. Phylogenetic analyses of two mitochondrial and three nuclear genes of 139 specimens, representing about 46 species (17 candidate species from the proposed species-group, plus 29 comparative species), revealed that the proposed species group does not form a distinct monophyletic lineage, but that the candidate and comparative species mixed in three different lineages. However, the results revealed more than 20% of undescribed species within the ingroup and showed that species do not cluster according to the presently recognised genera. At least one of the genetic clades shows signs of an eastward range expansion during the second half of Miocene from north India via Myanmar into Laos, western China, and western Thailand. We conclude that the approach of picking monophyletic lineages to study biodiversity, systematics, and evolutionary history helps to open the door to large animal families.

Taxonomic review of the genus Meleonoma Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Autostichidae), with a checklist of all the described species.

Meleonoma Meyrick, 1914 is treated as a genus of the family Autostichidae based on the recent study. Fifty species are transferred from the genus Cryptolechia to Meleonoma, and eight Meleonoma species groups are proposed for the taxonomic convenience based on both molecular data and morphological study. Eight species groups include: the malacobyrsa group, the segregnatha group, the annulignatha group, the fasciptera group, the jigongshanica group, the dentivalvata group, the facialis group, and the acutiuscula group. Diagnostic characters and representative illustrations of each species group are provided. A discussion on the proposed species groups is given, and a checklist of all the 88 described Meleonoma species is provided.

The combined role of dispersal and niche evolution in the diversification of Neotropical lizards.

Ecological requirements and environmental conditions can influence diversification across temporal and spatial scales. Understanding the role of ecological niche evolution under phylogenetic contexts provides insights on speciation mechanisms and possible responses to future climatic change. Large‐scale phyloclimatic studies on the megadiverse Neotropics, where biomes with contrasting vegetation types occur in narrow contact, are rare. We integrate ecological and biogeographic data with phylogenetic comparative methods, to investigate the relative roles of biogeographic events and niche divergence and conservatism on the diversification of the lizard genus Kentropyx Spix, 1825 (Squamata: Teiidae), distributed in South American rainforests and savannas. Using five molecular markers, we estimated a dated species tree, which recovered three clades coincident with previously proposed species groups diverging during the mid‐Miocene. Biogeography reconstruction indicates a role of successive dispersal events from an ancestral range in the Brazilian Shield and western Amazonia. Ancestral reconstruction of climatic tolerances and niche overlap metrics indicates a trend of conservatism during the diversification of groups from the Amazon Basin and Guiana Shield, and a strong signal of niche divergence in the Brazilian Shield savannas. Our results suggest that climatic‐driven divergence at dynamic forest‐savanna borders might have resulted in adaptation to new environmental niches, promoting habitat shifts and shaping speciation patterns of Neotropical lizards. Dispersal and ecological divergence could have a more important role in Neotropical diversification than previously thought.

Phylogeny of three species groups of Rhinocricus Karsch, 1881 based on morphological characters (Diplopoda, Spirobolida, Rhinocricidae)

Rhinocricus Karsch, 1881 has 207 species occurring mainly in the Americas, and more than 60 of them were described from Brazil. The genus was proposed based on the presence of dorsal scobinae on the prozonites. The present study evaluates the monophyly of three species groups previously proposed in Rhinocricus. We evaluated 39 morphological characters and included 30 species as terminal taxa, 9 of which are outgroups. We performed a parsimony analysis under implied weighting in TNT 1.5, obtaining the same most parsimonious tree topology with three optimal K values (5.992, 7.309, and 9.105). None of the three previously proposed species groups of Rhinocricus was recovered monophyletic. Rhinocricus (Erythocricus) sanguineostriatus Schubart, 1962 was recovered sister to all other species, and Argentocricus Verhoeff, 1941 resulted paraphyletic. The diagnostic morphological characters traditionally used to separate species groups, subgenera, and genera were not recovered as synapomorphies. Further investigation including a broader species sample is needed to establish robust relationship hypotheses between Argentocricus and the remainder species of Rhinocricus, thus identifying monophyletic groups in the genus and their synapomorphies.

Chameleonfishes in Bangladesh: hipshot taxonomy, sibling species, elusive species, and limits of species delimitation (Teleostei: Badidae).

Five species of Badidae are reported from Bangladesh, with morphological diagnoses and mitochondrial DNA sequences (cytochrome b, cytb; and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, coi). Dario kajal is recorded from Bangladesh for the first time with a precise locality. Badis badis is reported from several localities in central Bangladesh. Badis chittagongis is redescribed on the basis of samples from the region of Cox's Bazar, including Maheskhali Island. Badis pallidus, new species, is described from the Sangu and Karnafuli River drainages in Bangladesh. It is most similar to B. chittagongis, but differs slightly in colouration and meristics, and is separated by 3.8% uncorrected p-distance in coi from B. chittagongis. Badis chittagongis and B. pallidus are almost identical in morphology, colour pattern and meristics, but occupy different habitats and are reciprocally allopatric. Pronounced genetic difference but similar morphology in these two species may be due to strong stabilizing selection for cryptic colouration in Badis. Badis rhabdotus is a new species from northeastern Bangladesh and adjacent Meghalaya in India. It is distinguished from congeneric species by the colour pattern, including well-defined narrow vertical bars; posterior bars curved; and meristics. Species delimitation analysis of an alignment comprising all coi sequences available from GenBank longer than 600 bp and attributed to species of Badidae (21 June 2018) plus our coi sequences and outgroup sequences of Nandus nandus, using pairwise p-distance and the computer software GMYC, ABGD, and bPTP, produced similar results. Among 103 coi sequences of Badidae, unidentified or tagged with one of 18 valid species names, uncorrected p-distance suggests 27 OTUs at 2% difference threshold; ABGD found between 15 and 55 OTUs; GMYC with single evolutionary rate 33 OTUs, with multiple evolutionary rates 32 OTUs; PTP, mPTP and bPTP 27-28 OTUs. Phylogenetic analysis based on coi and cytb sequences support previous analyses and previously proposed species groups. Inadequate recent species descriptions and many misidentifications or provisional identifications of published DNA sequences hamper progress in species-level systematics in Badis. Based on published morphological data, Badis triocellus cannot be distinguished from B. singenensis; Badis dibruensis and B. pancharatnaensis cannot be distinguished from B. badis; Badis andrewraoi, B. autumnum, B. kyanos, and B. soraya are insufficiently well distinguished from each other.

Revision and cladistic analysis of the Southeast Asian leaf-dwelling spider genus Calapnita Simon (Araneae, Pholcidae).

The Southeast Asian pholcid genus Calapnita Simon, 1892 is revised, with descriptions of 17 new species, five of them in the phyllicola group (Borneo: C. lehi, C. kubah, C. bidayuh, C. bankirai; Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java: C. anai), 12 in the vermiformis group (Borneo: C. bario, C. bariengi, C. magaseng, C. dayak, C. lawangan, C. loksado; Sulawesi: C. bugis; Philippines: C. bohol, C. dinagat, C. mae, C. nunezae, C. maragusan). New records are listed for six of the eight previously described species. A morphological cladistic analysis supports the monophyly of Calapnita and of its two previously proposed species groups and presents several new phylogenetically informative characters. New data are presented about ultrastructure and natural history (web, egg-sac, egg parasitism).

World review of the genus Strongylophthalmyia Heller (Diptera: Strongylophthalmyiidae). Part I: Introduction, morphology, species groups, and review of the Strongylophthalmyia punctata subgroup.

The Strongylophthalmyia punctata subgroup, comprising 24 species with armored fore femora, and restricted primarily to SE Asia, is reviewed. Eighteen new species, S. albisternum, n. sp. (Thailand), S. borneensis, n. sp. (Borneo), S. caestus, n. sp. (Philippines), S. darlingi, n. sp. (Sumatra), S. federeri, n. sp. (Philippines), S. hauseri, n. sp. (Thailand, Vietnam), S. indochinensis, n. sp. (Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam), S. inundans, n. sp. (Philippines), S. laosensis, n. sp. (Laos), S. lowi, n. sp. (Peninsular Malaysia), S. malayensis, n. sp. (Peninsular Malaysia), S. nigripalpis, n. sp. (Peninsular Malaysia), S. oxybeles, n. sp. (Sumatra), S. pappi, n. sp. (Thailand), S. phillindablank, n. sp. (China), S. sichuanica, n. sp. (China), S. sumatrana, n. sp. (Sumatra), and S. thailandica, n. sp. (Thailand) are described and illustrated, S. microstyla Shatalkin and S. punctata Hennig are redescribed based on examination of the holotypes, and a key to species of the subgroup is presented. A general taxonomic overview of the genus Strongylophthalmyia is given with discussion of and keys to proposed species groups.

The Southeast Asian Pholcus halabala species group (Araneae, Pholcidae): new data from field observations and ultrastructure

The Southeast Asian Pholcus halabala species group is revised and re-delimited, based mainly on field observations (life color pattern, web design, position of egg-sac when carried by female, microhabitat) and ultrastructure (silk spigots, modifications of male cheliceral apophyses). The core group includes six leafdwelling species that have distinctive color patterns in life specimens (black and white or yellowish abdominal marks, dark pattern on posterior half of carapace) and build round to oval silk platforms on the undersides of leaves. Seven further species are tentatively assigned to the group pending further study. Several species originally assigned to the Pholcus halabala group are transferred to three newly proposed species groups, the Ph. krabi, Ph. buatong, and Ph. andulau groups. Nine species are newly described, four in the Ph. halabala group (Ph. khaolek Huber, sp. nov.; Ph. kuhapimuk Huber, sp. nov.; Ph. lintang Huber, sp. nov.; Ph. ubin Huber, sp. nov.); three in the Ph. krabi group (Ph. kipungit Huber, sp. nov.; Ph. krabi Huber, sp. nov.; Ph. narathiwat Huber, sp. nov.); one in the Ph. buatong group (Ph. buatong Huber, sp. nov.); and one in the Ph. andulau group (Ph. lambir Huber, sp. nov.). The females of Ph. satun Huber, 2011 and Ph. schwendingeri Huber, 2011 (both members of the buatong group) are newly described.

A new species of Labidocera (Copepoda, Calanoida, Pontellidae) collected from Okinawa, southwestern Japan, with establishment of five Indo-West Pacific species groups in the L.detruncata species complex.

Labidocera churaumi sp. n. is described from Okinawa, southwestern Japan. The female of the new species differs from other congeners in genital compound somite with right postero-lateral and left antero-lateral processes. The male is distinguished from other congeners by the structure of the fifth leg. This new species is assigned to a newly proposed species group, the Labidocera madurae species group, within the Labidocera detruncata species complex. In this species complex five Indo-West Pacific species groups are recognized (cervi, detruncata, gangetica, madurae, and pavo) and defined on the basis of difference in sexual dimorphism.

A revision of the ant genus Mystrium in the Malagasy region with description of six new species and remarks on Amblyopone and Stigmatomma (Hymenoptera, Formicidae, Amblyoponinae)

The genus Mystrium is revised for the Malagasy region. Six species, Mystrium barrybressleri sp. n., Mystrium labyrinth sp. n., Mystrium eques sp. n., Mystrium mirror sp. n., Mystrium shadow sp. n., and Mystrium janovitzi sp. n. are described as new. Two existing names, Mystrium fallax Forel and Mystrium stadelmanni Forel, are synonymized with Mystrium voeltzkowi Forel and Mystrium mysticum Roger, respectively. All recognized species, including species outside of the Malagasy region, are assigned to one of the three newly proposed species groups. The associations between existing names and males are reexamined, and males of eight of the ten Malagasy species are described or redescribed. The taxonomic history of Mystrium highlights the importance of using unique identifiers when designating type specimens and the use of deposited vouchers in phylogenetic and ecological studies. Keys to species for workers, queens, and males are provided. Furthermore, a neotype for Mystrium mysticum is designated, as well as lectotypes for Mystrium camillae Emery, Mystrium rogeri Forel, Mystrium fallax Forel, Mystrium oberthueri Forel, Mystrium stadelmanni Forel, and Mystrium voeltzkowi Forel. Stigmatomma gingivale (Brown) is reassigned to Amblyopone as comb. rev. and Amblyopone awa Xu & Chu, Amblyopone kangba Xu & Chu, Amblyopone meiliana Xu & Chu, and Amblyopone zomae Xu & Chu are transferred to the genus Stigmatomma as comb. n.

Molecular phylogeny of the spider family Sparassidae with focus on the genus Eusparassus and notes on the RTA-clade and ‘Laterigradae’

The phylogeny of the spider family Sparassidae is comprehensively investigated using four molecular markers (mitochondrial COI and 16S; nuclear H3 and 28S). Sparassidae was recovered as monophyletic and as most basal group within the RTA-clade. The higher-level clade Dionycha was not but monophyly of RTA-clade was supported. No affiliation of Sparassidae to other members of the ‘Laterigradae’ (Philodromidae, Selenopidae and Thomisidae) was observed, and the crab-like posture of this group assumed a result of convergent evolution. Only Philodromidae and Selenopidae were found members of a supported clade, but together with Salticidae and Corinnidae, while Thomisidae was nested within the higher Lycosoidea. Within Sparassidae monophyly of the subfamilies Heteropodinae sensu stricto, Palystinae and Deleninae was recovered. Sparianthinae was supported as the most basal clade within Sparassidae. Sparassinae and the genus Olios were found each to be polyphyletic. Eusparassinae was not recovered monophyletic, with the two original genera Eusparassus and Pseudomicrommata in separate clades and only the latter clustered with most other assumed Eusparassinae, here termed the “African clade”. Further focus was on the monophyletic genus Eusparassus and its proposed species groups, of which the dufouri-, walckenaeri- and doriae-group were confirmed as monophyletic with the two latter groups more closely related. According to molecular clock analyses, the divergence time of Sparassidae and Eusparassus was estimated with 186 and 70 million years ago respectively.

The Tadpole and Karyotype ofRhinellaachavali(Anura: Bufonidae)

Abstract We describe the external morphology, buccal cavity, chondrocranium, hyobranchial skeleton, and musculature of the tadpole of Rhinella achavali (Achaval's Toad), along with its karyotype. Tadpoles were found in a small, permanent stream and were showing schooling behavior. The characterization of the proposed species groups within Rhinella cannot be currently improved using external larval morphology, as it seems to be much conserved within this genus. Buccal cavity morphology confirms the distinctiveness of the Rhinella veraguensis (Veragua Toad) group with respect to other known Rhinella. Musculoskeletal character states are similar among bufonids, although within this family the basal genus Melanophryniscus shows some distinctive states. The karyotype is composed of 22 bi-armed chromosomes, with secondary constrictions in pair 7, as found in the other species in the Rhinella marina (Marine Toad) group.

Phylogeny and character evolution in the bee-assassins (Insecta: Heteroptera: Reduviidae)

Apiomerus, the charismatic bee-assassins (>108 spp.), belong to the New World resin bugs in the harpactorine tribe Apiomerini (12 extant genera) that is characterized by a novel predation strategy, resin trap predation. Apiomerini also exhibit striking genitalic diversity that has shaped subgeneric classifications within the genus Apiomerus and females of some species of Apiomerus are known to engage in unique maternal care behaviors. The lack of a phylogenetic framework currently hinders evolutionary interpretations of genitalic morphology and maternal care. We here present a molecular phylogeny based on 4, 477bp of six ribosomal and protein coding genes and 95 terminal taxa using parsimony and maximum likelihood approaches as a way of addressing these shortcomings. Apiomerini are monophyletic, with Heniartes being the sistergroup to all remaining taxa that form the monophyletic Manicocoris (Calliclopius, Manicocoris, Micrauchenus, and Ponerobia) and Apiomerus (Agriocoris, Apiomerus, and Sphodrolestes) clades. Previously proposed subgeneric groups are polyphyletic, but several proposed species groups are recovered as monophyletic. Ancestral state reconstruction of the metatibial comb indicates that this structure evolved in the ancestor of all Apiomerini where it was present in males and in females; it became strongly sexually dimorphic (better developed in females than in males) in the Apiomerus clade (Apiomerus+Agriocoris+Sphodrolestes). Genitalic features reveal a pattern of homoplasy, but frequently are nonetheless useful to diagnose supraspecific groups within Apiomerus. The complex genitalia found within Apiomerus are derived for that clade. We conclude that, using the metatibial comb as a proxy, maternal care is relatively common in the tribe Apiomerini and propose that it likely evolved at the base of the Apiomerus clade if not at the base of Apiomerini.

Molecular phylogeny of the leiobunine harvestmen of eastern North America (Opiliones: Sclerosomatidae: Leiobuninae)

Phylogenetic relationships among the leiobunine harvestmen or “daddy-longlegs” of eastern North America (Leiobunum, Hadrobunus, Eumesosoma) are poorly known, and systematic knowledge of the group has been limited largely to species descriptions and proposed species groups. Here we obtained mitochondrial (NADH1, 16S and 12S rDNA) and nuclear (28S rDNA, EF-1α introns and exons) DNA sequences from representatives of each genus, virtually all Leiobunum species from the USA and Canada, four western North American outgroup species and the distantly related Phalangium opilio. We applied Bayesian, maximum-likelihood and parsimony methods under various data-partition treatments to reconstruct phylogeny and to test taxonomy-based phylogenetic hypotheses. Results were largely congruent among methods and treatments and well supported by bootstrap and posterior probability values. We recovered Leiobunum as paraphyletic with respect to Eumesosoma and Hadrobunus. Most species were encompassed by five well-supported clades that broadly correspond to groups based on male reproductive morphology (Hadrobunus group, an early-season Leiobunum group, L. vittatum group, L. politum group and L. calcar group). Relationships within species groups were often ambiguous or inconsistent with morphology, suggesting the presence of gene introgression or deep coalescence and/or the need for taxonomic revision.

Assessing the molecular phylogeny of a near extinct group of vertebrates: the Neotropical harlequin frogs (Bufonidae; Atelopus)

Neotropical harlequin frogs, Atelopus, are a species-rich bufonid group. Atelopus monophyly has been suggested but intergeneric, interspecific and intraspecific relationships are poorly understood. One reason is that morphological characters of harlequin frogs are often difficult to interpret, making species delimitations difficult. Molecular analyses (DNA barcoding, phylogeny) may be helpful but sampling is hampered as most of the more than 100 Atelopus species have undergone severe population declines and many are possibly extinct. We processed mitochondrial DNA (12S and 16S rRNA) of 28 available ingroup samples from a large portion of the genus’ geographic range (Bayesian Inference, Maximum Likelihood). Our samples constitute a monophyletic unit, which is sister to other bufonid genera studied including the Andean genus Osornophryne. In contrast to previous morphological studies, our results suggest that Osornophryne is neither sister to Atelopus nor nested within it. Within Atelopus, we note two major clades with well supported subclades, one Amazonian–Guianan Clade (Flavescens-spumarius Clade plus Tricolor Clade) and an Andean–Chocó–Central American Clade (Varius Clade plus all other Atelopus). The first mentioned includes all species that possess a middle ear (i.e. stapes) except for A. seminiferus lacking it (like all remaining Atelopus). Previously proposed species groups based on frog-like versus toad-like overall appearance (i.e. Longirostris and Ignescens Groups) or phalangeal reduction in the thumb (i.e. Flavescens Group) are not monophyletic in our phylogeny, thus characters used to define them are not considered synapomorphies. We show that genetic divergence can be high between species belonging to different clades, in spite of their phenetic similarity (e.g. A. pulcher, Atelopus sp. 2). On the other hand, within the same clade, colour can vary tremendously, while genetic divergence is low (e.g. A. flavescens and allies). These observations demonstrate that Atelopus taxonomy is complicated and that an integrative approach is required before ‘splitting’ or ‘lumping’ nominal species.

A New Species and a Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis of the Antarctic Fish Genus Pogonophryne (Notothenioidei: Artedidraconidae)

Pogonophryne stewarti, new species, is described from collections made at 1700 m on the continental slope of the Indian Ocean Sector of the Southern Ocean, off Wilkes Land, Antarctica. The new species is assigned to the unspotted P. albipinna species group and is related to P. immaculata. It is distinguished from all other species of the P. albipinna species group by the following combination of characters: a long (about 15–20% SL) mental barbel without a terminal expansion, a shallow head and slender trunk with only slight taper to caudal peduncle, 8–13 middle lateral-line pores, and divergence in the mitochondrial ND2 gene. We discuss the composition and validity of the P. albipinna group, which, up to this point, has been based on three holotype specimens. We provide meristic and morphometric data for seven recently collected adult specimens of P. immaculata. Bayesian analyses of mitochondrial gene sequences for 11 of the now 19 recognized species of Pogonophryne, sampled from all five of the proposed species groups, resulted in reciprocal monophyly of the monotypic species groups. The P. albipinna and P. mentella species groups were each monophyletic and resolved as sister lineages. We provide a revised key for the four species of Pogonophryne classified in the P. albipinna group.