Systematic Zoology Research Articles

Unravelling the obscure homology: postembryonic development of chaetotaxic traits in a basal hexapod taxon (Collembola: Tomoceridae)

Abstract Homology assessment is essential for systematic zoology, but for many taxa and traits, precise recognition of homology can be challenging with limited evidence. Tomoceridae is one of the earliest branches in the elongate-bodied springtails (Collembola: Entomobryomorpha), and is among the commonest and best-known families in the class. However, the homology of some important traits is still obscure in this group, including its characteristic chaetotaxic traits. In this study, we conducted the first rigorous homology assessment of chaetotaxy in Tomoceridae based on ontogenetic evidence. The postembryonic development of chaetotaxy was investigated in three species of Tomocerus. The primary chaetotaxy of first instar larvae show high similarity within Tomocerinae. The postembryonic development involves extensive transformations between chaetal types. The continuous dwarfism of primary chaetae during development leads to apparent oligochaetosis in adults. The thoracic bothriotricha are transformed from primary macrochaetae. The sensory chaetotaxy is stable during postembryonic development, and shows interspecific differences mainly on the mesothorax and the fourth abdominal segment. This study will promote the future use of chaetotaxic traits in the taxonomic and phylogenetic studies of Tomoceridae, and will potentially illuminate the early evolution of Entomobryomorpha.

Diplopod types in the Hungarian Natural History Museum, II. (Arthropoda: Myriapoda: Diplopoda)

After forty years, the type specimens kept in the Myriapoda Collection of the Hungarian Natural History Museum are revisited, a current catalogue is provided, and the status of the old names are updated and reevaluated. A total of 239 nominal taxa (species, subspecies, varietas and forma) are listed which is an almost fivefold increase compared to the number (35) of the previous catalogue from 1983. Two collections of old type specimens arrived to the museum after 1983: a set of Daday’s types from the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle Genève in 2004, and another collection containing Loksa’s material from the Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, in 2017. Thorough search in the collection revealed type material of 66 species-group taxa originally considered lost. 53 type specimens that were supposedly deposited in the Hungarian Natural History Museum are missing, and the possible reason for that is discussed. In addition, a comprehensive bibliography is given along with the names of all type taxa dealt in those publications. With 43 figures, 8 tables, and an appendix.

CONTRIBUTION TO THE GENUS SYMPETRUM NEWMAN, 1833 (ODONATA, ANISOPTERA) FROM SW ROMANIA, WITH A GENERAL DISCUSSION ON SYMPETRUM SPECIES

The paper presents the results of an exploratory research on the genus Sympetrum in two regions in the SW part of Romania (Timiș Plain and Oltenia region), in terms of the faunistic account, species distribution and comparative morphology. The variable, constant and distinctive characters are given for each species. The variability of some taxonomic characters – pterostigma, the male accessory genitalia and the vulvar scale is compared with data from the available literature. The analysis reveals that pterostigma variability and set (combinations) of morphological characters (legs and vulvar scale) go out of the current knowledge, questioning their taxonomic value. A discussion on Sympetrum species is provided from the perspective of the classical principles of systematic zoology: the biological species concept, the reproductive isolation of species, species delimitation, speciation.

Evaluating the significance of wing shapes in inferring phylogenetic proximity among the generic taxa: an example of Cantharinae (Coleoptera, Cantharidae)

The resolution of phylogenetic relationship among animals is still one of the most challenging problems in systematic zoology. Insect wing is a highly valued morphological character in the systematics, but few studies have been conducted to quantify wing shape variations for phylogenetic reconstruction. In this study, with Cantharinae as the subject, we conducted the GM analyses from hindwings of 16 representative genera. Further, we conducted the UPGMA based on Procrustes distance and Euclidean similarity measure of Mahalanobis distance, respectively, and NJ analysis of the Mahalanobis distance, as well as MP analysis using merged landmark dataset. In the meantime, we constructed the phylogenetic relationships among these genera based on the mitochondrial genomes, with a total of 41 sequences novel to Cantharinae, by BI and ML analyses. As a result, the CVA analysis demonstrated that the hindwing shapes of the cantharid genera are significantly different from one another. All the topologies produced by the GM data partially correspond with that of mitogenomic data. The close relationships of some genera are frequently recovered, including Cyrebion + Themus, Cantharis + Taiwanocantharis + Taocantharis, Stenothemus + Falsopodabrus + Habronychus. These results prove the importance and potential application of the hindwing shapes in recovering the relationships among the sibling genera.

The role of systematics for understanding ecosystem functions: Proceedings of the Zoologica Scripta Symposium, Oslo, Norway, 25 August 2022

AbstractOn 25 August 2022, the Zoologica Scripta ‐ An International Journal of Systematic Zoology and the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters arranged a symposium entitled ‘The role of systematics for understanding ecosystem functions’ in the Academy's premises in Oslo, Norway. The symposium aimed at offering a forum for exploring and discussing trends and future developments in the field of systematics. Eleven international experts contributed expertise on various issues related to global challenges, such as biodiversity assessments, databases, cutting‐edge analysis tools, and the consequences of the taxonomic impediment. Here, we compiled a multi‐author proceedings paper of the symposium contributions that are arranged in chapters and presents the content and the key conclusions of the majority of the presentations.

In Memoriam : Edward O. Wilson (1929-2021): It All Started with Ants.

In Memoriam : Edward O. Wilson (1929-2021): It All Started with Ants.

Peculiarities of age-related morphological changes in the dermal-hair cover of the Pamir yak ecotype bred in the mountain zone of Northern Tajikistan

In the process of animal adaptation to changing environmental conditions, the hair cover, which is known to perform a heat-protective function primarily, plays a significant role. The hair cover of animals undergoes changes depending on the season of the year and the natural and climatic zone in which the animals live. It has its peculiarities in different species (breeds). The nature and features of the hair cover of animals are often used by scientists to compile zoological systematics, assess the health and constitution types of animals, their acclimatisation ability, etc. In this article, the authors reviewed age-related changes in weight, size, thickness and tightness of animal skins (changes in skin thickness from the ridge to the floor) and features of the hair cover of the skin’s yaks of Northern Tajikistan. The authors also noted that in all animals, the weight of hides increases in proportion to the rise in live body weight. The absolute importance of skins, up to the age of half a year of yaks, is almost two times higher than cattle. In yaks at one- and three years old, the thick- ness of skins at the standard point in these animals is somewhat comparable. But the thickness of the pelts in the collar and area of hiding yak next to the floor remains higher by about 25-40%. Yaks are known to have three main categories of hair: long hairs (in the abdominal region of the hide and on the tail), short hairs (on the rump, neck and back) and down inches (in all parts of the animal’s fur). Long coats are also the thickest. The hair length of newborn yaks is 187.60±2.66 mm, of one-year-old yaks 452.50±2.52 mm, and of six-year-old yaks, it reaches 475 mm. The authors determined the total amount of hair of different categories in the three topographic parts of the body: in the rump, the sum of hair is 1545 hair units; in the collar part, the sum of hair is 1590 hair units; in the abdominal area of the body the sum of hair is 1770 hair units. The collar and rump do not have long hairs, unlike the abdomen. Downy hairs are characteristic of all parts of the hide but predominate in the scruff and collar. The dynamics of age-related changes in the hair cover of yaks have been determined.

On the past and future of discussing, teaching, and learning the hows and whys of archaeological systematics

Archaeological types have been derogatorily characterized as descriptive, but they must be descriptive in terms of pertinent attributes to be analytically useful. Classifying artifacts has long been (and still is) referred to as “pigeon holing” because some formal variation is masked by the categorization process. Recent discussions of the “tyranny of typologies” echo such concerns. Such caricatures may be the result of inadequate discussion of the hows and whys of archaeological systematics first in the classroom, and second in the professional literature. Seventy-four introductory university-level fundamentals of archaeology textbooks published between 1949 and 2017 devote an average of 2.7% of their pages to archaeological systematics; several recent advanced texts on archaeological method and theory include no discussion of archaeological systematics; over the last 100 years 51 programmatic books on zoological systematics have been published in contrast to eight programmatic volumes on archaeological systematics. After continuous growth since 1900 and a peak in the 1970s, the number of journal articles and book chapters on the programmatics of archaeological systematics published per decade has decreased over the past 40 years; the substantive literature seems to display the same trend. These data suggest reduced consideration by the discipline of the whys (ontologies) and hows (epistemologies) of archaeological systematics. Additional study of the substantive research literature—applications of typologies to particular sets of artifacts—may find discussion has shifted to this sort of venue. Hopefully the future will witness more extended discussions of systematics in new introductory textbooks, and discussions of the relevance of particular mechanics and specific theories of systematics with respect to archaeologists’ favored explanatory theories.

Attaching Names to Biological Species: The Use and Value of Type Specimens in Systematic Zoology and Natural History Collections

Biological type specimens are a particular kind of voucher specimen stored in natural history collections. Their special status and practical use are discussed in relation to the description and naming of taxonomic zoological diversity. Our current system, known as Linnaean nomenclature, is governed by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. The name of a species is fixed by its name-bearing type specimen, linking the scientific name of a species to the type specimen first designated for that species. The name-bearing type specimen is not necessarily a typical example of the species, while establishment of the boundaries of a species requires empirical taxonomic studies. The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature allows for the naming of new species in the absence of preserved specimens. However, photos and DNA sequences should not function as primary type material, while new species should not be described and named without deposition of at least one type specimen in a collection. Philosophically, species are individuals, spatiotemporally restricted entities. Therefore, Linnaean species names are proper names, which do not define the taxon but serve as a label, providing an ostensive definition of a species. Paratypes have no name-bearing function but, nevertheless, are highly valued specimens in natural history collections. Paratypes should be restricted to those specimens originating from the same sample as the holotype. Diagnosis of a species taxon involves establishment of a connection between a Linnaean name and determination of the boundaries of the species. A first step in this process is the choice of an appropriate species concept. It is not the examination of holotypes and paratypes that necessarily provides the best estimate of the taxonomic boundaries of a species, but this is facilitated by a set of voucher specimens known as the hypodigm. Dissatisfaction with the present nomenclatural code led some researchers to propose emendations. Other taxonomists suggested abandoning Linnaean nomenclature and proposed the alternative PhyloCode, albeit that it relegates the naming of species taxa to the traditional nomenclatural codes.

Domestic animals and modern Zoological systematics

In this article, the authors discuss the problem of the lack of a code or other similar document that would regulate the taxonomy of domestic animals. Unfortunately, now modern zoological systematics does not consider domestic animals as objects of its research. Thus, in modern zoological science there is a serious problem of systematics of animals cultivated by man. The current taxonomic system is incomplete because it does not take into account the huge number of domestic animals. Currently, the application of zoological systematics to domestic animals would acquire an important role as a kind of zoological and DNA-genealogical marker, indicating the distinctive properties of the object under study. In our opinion, for application in domestic animals taxonomy, the experience and methods of modern botanical taxonomy could be used as a basis, recognizing a number of taxonomic categories as a rank below a subspecies (for example, variety, grex, cultivar, cultivar group (or group), cultigen etc.).

Molecular systematics, species limits, and diversification of the genus Dendrocolaptes (Aves: Furnariidae): Insights on biotic exchanges between dry and humid forest types in the Neotropics

The true diversity and interspecific limits in the Neotropical endemic avian genus Dendrocolaptes (Furnariidae) remain a highly controversial subject, with previous genus-wide assessments, based mostly on morphological characters, producing poorly resolved phylogenies. The lack of well-resolved, robust, and taxonomically densely sampled phylogenies for Dendrocolaptes prevents reliable inferences on the genus’ actual species diversity and evolutionary history. Here, we analyzed 2,741 base pairs of mitochondrial and nuclear genes from 43 specimens belonging to all species and the majority of subspecies described for Dendrocolaptes to evaluate species limits and reconstruct its diversification through time. Our phylogenies recovered a monophyletic Dendrocolaptes, with two main highly supported internal clades corresponding to the D. certhia and D. picumnus species complexes. Also, our analyses supported the monophyly of most Dendrocolaptes species recognized today, except D. picumnus, which was consistently recovered as paraphyletic with respect to D. hoffmannsi. A coalescent-based test supported a total of 15 different lineages in Dendrocolaptes and indicated that the number of currently accepted species within the genus may be greatly underestimated. Particularly relevant, when combined with previous analyses based on plumage characters, comparative high levels of genetic differentiation and coalescent analyses support the recognition of D. picumnus transfasciatus as a full species that is already under threat. Ancestral area reconstructions suggest that diversification in Dendrocolaptes was centered in lowland Amazonia, with several independent dispersal events leading to differentiation into different adjacent dry and high elevation forest types throughout the Neotropics, mainly during the Middle and Late Pleistocene. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research published by Blackwell Verlag GmbH

Practical methods for the morphological recognition and definitionof genera, with a comment on polychaetes (Annelida)

There are very few publications dealing with methods for the morphological recognition of genera, and how they can be defined, in comparison to those available dealing with species issues. My objective is to provide a historical review, synthesize and discuss some ideas or practical procedures about this problem. Genera are recognized because member species depict a general morphological pattern, and usually one or a few diagnostic characters separate each genus from other similar genera. Human mind detects patterns by comparative morphology and this explains why experience is extremely important in taxonomy. Analogy is also involved, because by understanding how character patterns help recognizing taxonomic groups, these patterns can be extrapolated in less well-known groups. From an historical perspective, botanists and zoologists perceived or defined genera differently with some common considerations and procedures. Genera are natural groups, size-variable and shape-conservative, that are recognized by different cultures. As explanatory hypothesis, genera are unstable and difficult to define because their contents are modified after the study of species from different localities; once planetary revisions are made, the resulting delineation is improved because variations are better understood or assimilated into current definitions. A necessary step for this improvement is the standardization of the terminology for morphologic features, but planetary revisions are the only means to reach this goal. As in other fields in systematic zoology, the recognition of genera among marine annelids (polychaetes) relied in a comparative approach, after the standardization of the terminology for body appendages. The study of larger collections with specimens from distant localities helped to clarify the morphological patterns, but their evaluation sometimes drove to contradictory conclusions, such as a widespread acceptance of cosmopolitan species. Although there are several pending issues, there has been a progressive improvement, especially after the inclusion of additional methods, but more efforts are needed for taxonomic training, and for improving the job market.

Three-dimensional modelling in arachnology as exemplified using Porrhomma-species (Araneae: Linyphiidae)

Three-dimensional modelling has shown its importance in many fields, including zoological systematics. It is difficult to distinguish females of Porrhomma egeria Simon, 1884 and P. campbelli F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1894 according to only dorsal and ventral views of the vulva. The same is true for the pair P. microps (Roewer, 1931) and P. profundum Dahl, 1939. A caudal view is necessary to distinguish the vulvae of these species pairs. A 3D model combines all important views of the female genitalia (ventral, dorsal, lateral and caudal) into a single unit.

Ernst Haeckel (1834-1919): The German Darwin and his impact on modern biology.

The year 2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the death of Ernst Haeckel, a German zoologist, artist, and philosopher of science, who defended and supplemented Charles Darwin's system of theories regarding the mechanisms of biological evolution. We briefly recapitulate Haeckel's remarkable career and reproduce the Laudatio read by the President of the Linnean Society of London (1 July 1908), when Haeckel was awarded the Darwin-Wallace Medal. Finally, we summarize the importance of Haeckel's original concepts, insights, and theories with reference to our current knowledge in the areas of evolutionary biology, molecular phylogenetics, systematic zoology, and philosophical issues today.

The second hemiphlebiid damselfly (Odonata: Zygoptera) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

Zheng, D. & Wang, B., November, 2018. The second hemiphlebiid damselfly (Odonata: Zygoptera) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber. Alcheringa 43, 257–260. ISSN 0311-5518.Burmahemiphlebia zhangi Zheng et al., 2017 is the dominant damselfly found in Burmese amber. Here, a new hemiphlebiid damselfly, Burmahemiphlebia hui sp. nov., is described representing the second Burmahemiphlebia species discovered in Burmese amber. Burmahemiphlebia hui sp. nov. differs from Burmahemiphlebia zhangi in having more postnodal cross-veins, CuP and the separating point of AA from AP basal of A × 1, Arc aligned with A × 2, RP2 base closer to N than to Pt, and IR1 five cells distal of RP2 base. The new damselfly is extremely rare and the only one known from Burmese amber, unlike Burmahemiphlebia zhangi.Daran Zheng* [dranzheng@gmail.com], Bo Wang† [bowang@nigpas.ac.cn] State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology and Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, PR China. *Also affiliated with: Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, PR China. †Also affiliated with: Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Depositional Mineralization & Sedimentary Minerals, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao, Shandong 266590, PR China and Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China.

GEORGES CUVIER — AN OUTSTANDING SCIENTIST-NATURALIST (TO THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF BIRTHDAY)

Georges Cuvier belongs to the most largest naturalists of the end of 18th – the first half of 19th century. He published more than 300 scientific works, which considered different problems — from the design of comparative-anatomical fundament for the development of the creatures system, to the questions of natural science. Cuvier suggested his own sight of the progress in organic world, which gave to the geologists the scientific method on geochronology. His theory of catastrophes, which provided the change of the subsequent systems of flora and fauna on the Earth, had a huge influence on the further development of science. The result of its use was the appearance of the stratigraphic scale in the first half of 19th century. The most important reform of the zoological systematics is connected with the Kuvier’s works. On the base of comparative- anatomical method, he justified for the first time the study ot the four main forms of the organization of the creatures, or the plans of the animal kingdom’s structure. The stratigraphic scheme of Paris basin, suggested by Kuvier, became the example pattern for the differentiation of the similar deposits in other regions of Western Europe. A brief biographic data has been provided.

Exceptionally well-preserved dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) in Mexican amber

Zheng, D., Nel, A., Jarzembowski, E.A., Chang, S.-C., Zhang, H. & Wang, B., 25 May 2018. Exceptionally well-preserved dragonflies (Insecta: Odonata) in Mexican amber. Alcheringa 43, 157–164.Dragonflies (odonatans) are comparatively rare as amber inclusions, and most are not well preserved on account of their size. Here, we report a single piece of Mexican amber with one complete dragonfly and two damselflies. The dragonfly is attributed to the extant gomphid Erpetogomphus Selys Longchamps, and the damselflies belong to the extant coenagrionid Argia Rambur. Both genera are nowadays distributed widely in Mexico. The new discovery dates the origins of these two genera to the Miocene at least.Daran Zheng [dranzheng@gmail.com], Edmund A. Jarzembowski* [jarzembowski2@live.co.uk] Haichun Zhang [hczhang@nigpas.ac.cn] and Bo Wang† [bowang@nigpas.ac.cn] State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210008, PR China; André Nel [anel@mnhn.fr] Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité, ISYEB-UMR 7205-CNRS, MNHN, UPMC, EPHE, Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 50, Entomologie, F-75005, Paris, France; Daran Zheng, Su-Chin Chang [suchin@hku.hk] Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, PR China. *Also affiliated with Department of Earth Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK. †Also affiliated with Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, PR China.

Incongruent cladistics reveal a new hydrozoan genus (Cnidaria : Sertularellidae) endemic to the eastern and western coasts of the North Pacific Ocean

Molecular phylogenetics provides objective references for zoological systematics which sometimes are inconsistent with morphological data. This applies particularly for some primitive phyla such as Cnidaria. The marine hydrozoan Symplectoscyphus turgidus (Sertularellidae) is a recent questionable case reported to occupy an unexpected phylogenetic position and suggested to belong to a new genus. However, its position, based on a single Californian specimen, seemed doubtful. Here we contributed 16S, 18S and 28S rRNA data of another morphologically related species from the Yellow Sea, forming a monophyletic clade with the Californian sample, confirming the clade stability. Further integrative analyses support describing this clade as the new genus Xingyurella, gen. nov., and lead to a taxonomic revision of species characterised by three hydrothecal marginal teeth and strong gonothecal spines. This resulted in a new species and three new combinations: Xingyurella xingyuarum, sp. nov., X. gotoi, comb. nov., X. pedrensis, comb. nov. and X. turgida, comb. nov. Future investigations are required to understand the evolution and speciation involved in the transoceanic distribution pattern of Xingyurella. The approach used herein for dealing with non-monophyletic conditions may be indicative for further studies by integrating trophosome and gonosome traits for Sertularellidae and other hydrozoans. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E99F8777-8E31-4C4B-A065-71C71371EEBC.

A new dysagrionid damselfly (Odonata: Zygoptera: Palaeodysagrion) from mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber

AUTHOR, N. & AUTHOR, P. December 2017. Article title. Alcheringa 42, 301-305. ISSN 0311-5518. Dysagrionidae are common in Paleogene sedimentary rocks, but rarely recorded in the Mesozoic. This family, however, is diverse in Burmese amber. A new dysagrionid damselfly, Palaeodysagrion youlini Zheng, Chang & Chang sp. nov., is described here based on a well-preserved specimen (holotype) in Burmese amber. The new damselfly provides wing apex and body characters for Palaeodysagrion. It differs from Palaeodysagrion cretacia in having Arc slightly distal of Ax2, the midfork slightly basal of the nodus, Cr and Sn almost perpendicular to RA and RP and in having a simple wing system. This is the fourth dysagrionid damselfly described from the Burmese amber.Daran Zheng* [dranzheng@gmail.com], State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210,008, PR China; Su-Chin Chang [suchin@hku.hk]*, Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, PR China; Bo Wang† [bowang@nigpas.ac.cn], State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 39 East Beijing Road, Nanjing 210,008, PR China. *Also affiliated with: Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, PR China. †Also affiliated with: Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100,101, PR China.

3D printing in zoological systematics: Integrative taxonomy ofLabrys chinensisgen. nov., sp. nov. (Nematoda: Tylenchomorpha)

Three-dimensional printing technology has shown its importance in many fields. In this study, the potential of this technique in zoological systematics was assessed. For the first time, 3D printed models were incorporated in the description of a new genus as a complement to pictures and drawings to illustrate complex 3D structures and to be used in education. Hereby, we also tested the performances of different printing materials and suggest resin as the most suitable option for the zoological field. As a case study, Labrys chinensis gen. nov., sp. nov. was described using an integrative approach: detailed morphology based on light- and electron microscopy, phylogenetic position as revealed from two ribosomal RNA genes, generic traits were tested for homoplasy, and the intra- and interpopulation variations of four sampled populations were analyzed. The new genus belongs to the subfamily Tylenchinae, family Tylenchidae in the infraorder Tylenchomorpha. It is characterized by a unique labial plate that has four narrow lobes with tips detached from the adjacent cuticle, laterally broad elongated amphidial apertures, a strong sclerotized excretory duct, a round spacious postvulval uterine sac, and a spicule with a sharp protrusion at the blade.