Valid Taxon Research Articles

The taxonomy of two poorly known species of elbow crabs, Daldorfia spinosissima (A. Milne-Edwards, 1862) and D. triangularis Sakai, 1974 (Brachyura, Parthenopidae)

The taxonomy of Daldorfia spinosissima (A. Milne-Edwards, 1862) and D. triangularis Sakai, 1974, two large and rarely reported parthenopid species, is discussed. The taxonomy of the two species had been confused until Tan & Ng (2007) argued that both were valid taxa. The availability of fresh species material allowed direct comparisons to be made and the two taxa could, in fact, be separated by a good series of characters: carapace shape, spination on carapace surfaces and chelipeds, rostral form, shape of proepistomal spine, proportions of the third maxilliped ischium, overall structure of the chelipeds, relative lengths of the ambulatory merus, shape of the anterior thoracic sternal depression, and proportions of the male pleon, as well as structure of the male first gonopod.

The genus Synura (Synurales, Synurophyceae) in small urban rivers of Nizhniy Novgorod

The latest special studies of the genus Synura in Russia were conducted in the 1970s. In the last decade, 14 new species of the genus were described based on molecular and morphological data. The total number of valid taxa of the genus has increased to 49. Only 18 taxa of Synura are known in Russia up to date, and the diver sity of the genus on this huge territory is strongly underestimated. Previous studies of the genus were focused mainly on large lakes or reservoirs. To reveal a more complete flora, it is necessary to include other habitats into account. Small urban rivers can be prospective habitats for interesting taxa including synuralean algae. Our study focuses on the taxonomic composition of the genus Synura in four small rivers in Nizhniy Novgorod (European Russia): Chyornaya, Levinka, Borzovka and Rzhavka. All the rivers flow in the city and fall under strong anthropogenic impact. The genus Synura was studied by means of transmission and scanning electron microscopy during 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015. In total, eight species and one form of Synura have been found: S. conopea, S. curtispina, S. echinulata, S. glabra, S. macropora, S. petersenii, S. spinosa f. spinosa, S. spinosa f. longispina, S. uvella. All nine taxa were observed in the river Chyornaya. Five taxa were found in the rivers Levinka, Borzovka and Rzhavka. One species (Synura conopea) is a new record to the flora of Russia. It was found in all studied rivers. Four taxa (S. conopea, S. glabra, S. macropora, S. spinosa f. longispina) are new records to the Middle Volga river basin.

The status of three little known names proposed by Miranda-Ribeiro (1926) and the synonymization of Pyrrhura snethlageae Joseph & Bates, 2002 (Psittaciformes: Psittacidae: Arinae).

The presence of complex geographic variation among species allied to the absence of clear morphological breaks among populations has led to many poorly defined taxa in the genus Pyrrhura (Psittacidae: Arinae: Arini). This article addresses nomenclature of the Pyrrhura picta species complex, particularly the identity of three little-known names introduced by Miranda-Ribeiro (1926): Pyrrhura luciani ochrotis, P. l. pallescens and P. l. melanoides. We show that these names represent subjective synonyms of Pyrrhura snethlageae Joseph & Bates, 2002. Furthermore, we argue that Pyrrhura pallescens (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926) n. comb. should be considered as the valid senior name because: (1) there is no doubt about the type locality (near the type locality of P. snethlageae) and, as a consequence, it "will best serve stability and universality of nomenclature" as recommended by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclatural, and; (2) it corresponds to the most common phenotype usually referred to as P. snethlageae, the species name that has been used for bird specimens from this region. Those considering P. snethlageae lucida Arndt, 2008 as a valid taxon should refer to this population as Pyrrhura pallescens lucida (Arndt, 2008) n. comb. In a near future P. pallescens melanoides (Miranda-Ribeiro, 1926) n. comb. is likely to be considered the best senior synonym of P. p. lucida given its type locality (Teles Pires River, MT).

Eight new species of Andrena Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Apoidea: Andrenidae) from Israel-a Mediterranean hotspot for wild bees.

More than 150 solitary bee species of the genus Andrena Fabricius are known from Israel and the West Bank, where they are distributed along a broad climatic gradient and diverse habitats and vegetation types. Extensive collecting throughout Israel in recent years has yielded eight new species and one new subspecies, adding to the rich bee fauna of the region: A. crocusella Pisanty & Scheuchl n. sp., A. danini Pisanty & Scheuchl n. sp., A. hermonella Scheuchl & Pisanty n. sp., A. israelica Scheuchl & Pisanty n. sp., A. judaea Scheuchl & Pisanty n. sp., A. menahemella Scheuchl & Pisanty n. sp., A. palaestina Pisanty & Scheuchl n. sp., A. perahia Pisanty & Scheuchl n. sp., and A. sphecodimorpha mediterranea Pisanty & Scheuchl n. ssp. The previously unknown female of A. fimbriatoides Scheuchl 2004 and male of A. wolfi Gusenleitner & Scheuchl 2000 are also described here for the first time. The discovery of males of A. wolfi lead us to reinstate A. iohannescaroli Nobile 2000 as a valid taxon. Detailed morphological description and differential diagnosis against closest relatives are provided for all species, as well as information on the distribution, phenology and flower visitation, when available. A neotype is designated for A. sphecodimorpha Hedicke, the holotype of which is considered to be lost. Additional collecting efforts in diverse habitats and seasons, incorporating diverse collecting techniques, are required in order to deepen our knowledge of the rich bee fauna in threatened habitats in the Mediterranean Basin, which constitutes one of the world's major hotspots for wild bees.

The cranial morphology and taxonomic status of Tarchia (Dinosauria: Ankylosauridae) from the Upper Cretaceous of Mongolia

The taxonomic status of specimens referred to Tarchia kielanae, T. gigantea, and Minotaurasaurus ramachandrani has been contested. The holotype of T. kielanae, Zaklad Paleobiologii (Institute of Paleobiology)-Polish Academy of Sciences (ZPAL) MgD I/111, is redescribed. It has features common to both Palaeontological Institute-Russian Academy of Sciences (PIN) 3142/250, long considered Tarchia, and to M. ramachandrani but which are lacking in Saichania chulsanensis. The specimen PIN 3142/250 is not referable to Saichania but instead represents a new species, Tarchia teresae sp. nov. Similarly, the holotype skull of M. ramachandrani is not referable to T. kielanae, so Minotaurasaurus is a valid taxon. Tarchia is more derived than either Saichania or Minotaurasaurus while sharing features of both.

Filling phylogenetic gaps and the biogeographic relationships of the Octodontidae (Mammalia: Hystricognathi)

Endemic to South America, octodontid rodents are remarkable by being the only mammal taxa where allotetraploidy has been documented. The taxon’s extensive morpho-physiological radiation associated to niche shifts has allowed testing phylogeographic hypotheses. Using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses, applied to all nominal species of octodontids, phylogenetic reconstructions based on sequences of 12S rRNA and growth hormone receptor gene are presented. Species boundaries were determined by coalescent analyses and divergence times among taxa were estimated based on mutation rates. Two main clades associated to the Andean orogenesis were recognized. The essentially western clade comprises genera Aconaemys, Octodon, Spalacopus, and Octodontomys whereas the eastern one included genera Octomys, Pipanacoctomys, Salinoctomys, and Tympanoctomys. Genetic relationships, coalescent analyses, and genetic distance supported the specific status given to Octodon pacificus and that given to Pipanacoctomys aureus as a species of Tympanoctomys. However, these analyses failed to recognize Salinoctomys loschalchalerosorum as a valid taxon considering its position within the diversity of Tympanoctomys barrerae. Although the origin of genome duplication remains contentious, the coincidence of the basal clade split with distinctive modes of karyotypic evolution across the Andes emphasizes the role of physiographic barriers and westerlies in shaping different edaphological conditions, selective grounds, and concomitantly distinct adaptations within the octodontids.

Reappraisal of the Early Cretaceous sauropod dinosaur Amargatitanis macni (Apesteguía, 2007), from northwestern Patagonia, Argentina

Amargatitanis macni Apesteguía, 2007 was described as a purported titanosaur sauropod. That referral is significant because Amargatitanis would represent one of the oldest known members of Titanosauria. However, this referral and even the systematic validity of the taxon were questioned. Here, all the available remains of the taxon are evaluated including a description of unpublished elements. The identity of the type material is discussed based on a first-hand examination of the specimens and evaluation of the original field notes as reliable evidence for bone association. The original holotype of Amargatitanis is a chimaera, as pointed out by previous authors. Herein a new, modified holotype for Amargatitanis is proposed. This analysis presents a revised diagnosis for Amargatitanis macni as a valid taxon, and description of unpublished material clarifies the anatomy of this sauropod dinosaur. The inclusion of Amargatitanis macni in an updated phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of a second species of the family Dicraeosauridae in the La Amarga Formation, suggesting that, at present, there is no record of titanosaur body fossils in Patagonia prior to Cenomanian times.

Dentary groove morphology does not distinguish ‘Nanotyrannus’ as a valid taxon of tyrannosauroid dinosaur. Comment on: “Distribution of the dentary groove of theropod dinosaurs: Implications for theropod phylogeny and the validity of the genus Nanotyrannus Bakker et al., 1988”

There has been considerable debate about whether the controversial tyrannosauroid dinosaur ‘Nanotyrannus lancensis’ from the uppermost Cretaceous of North America is a valid taxon or a juvenile of the contemporaneous Tyrannosaurus rex. In a recent Cretaceous Research article, Schmerge and Rothschild (2016) brought a new piece of evidence to this discussion: the morphology of the dentary groove, a depression on the lateral surface of the dentary that houses neurovascular foramina. They argued that an alleged ‘Nanotyrannus’ specimen, which possesses a groove, cannot be referable to Tyrannosaurus rex, which they considered as lacking the groove, and they hypothesized that ‘Nanotyrannus’ is closely related to albertosaurine tyrannosauroids, which also are said to possess the groove. However, we show that the groove is a widespread feature of tyrannosauroids that is present in T. rex and many other specimens, and that it is an ontogenetically variable feature that changes from a sharp, deeply-impressed groove to a shallower sulcus as an individual matures. As a result, the presence or absence of a dentary groove does not clarify the validity of ‘Nanotyrannus’ or its phylogenetic position among tyrannosauroids. We consider it most parsimonious that ‘Nanotyrannus’ specimens belong to juvenile T. rex.

Molecular phylogenetic reconstruction and taxonomic investigation of eelpouts (Cottoidei: Zoarcales) based on Co-1 and Cyt-b mitochondrial genes

The infraorder Zoarcales (Cottoidei), or eelpouts, includes about 400 species of coldwater fishes concentrated mainly in the North Pacific. To date, the molecular phylogenetic methods in combination with morphological data have significantly contributed to understanding the taxonomic composition of this group and made it possible to confirm/refute validity of some families of obscure origin. In spite of the growing amount of new data on taxonomy and evolution of eelpouts, a consideration of the original and independent data is obviously needed to verify the existing knowledge of this taxon. In this study, which is based on concatenated matrix of Co-1 and Cyt-b mitochondrial genes, as well as relying on the samples from seven families and 45 species of eelpouts, we have reconstructed the phylogeny, which is generally consistent with previous inferences. Despite the resolution of the original data matrix is low, we have demonstrated the monophyletic origin of the families Zoarcidae and Anarhichadidae, as well as Neozoarcidae, previously related to Stichaeidae and recently revised Eulophiidae. The polyphyletic patterns amongst some subfamilies in Stichaeidae have been confirmed, whereas Opisthocentrinae and Pholidae seem to constitute a valid family-level taxon. Our results provide new opportunities with respect to taxonomic relationships in the complex and diverse group of eelpouts , whose part in the tree of life is not covered by recently flourishing multilocus phylogeny of teleost fishes. In light of the data obtained, the necessity of more unified and reproducible approaches to resolve the issues of evolution and taxonomy of such a complex group as Zoarcales becomes more evident.

Root-lesion nematodes of the genus Pratylenchus (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae) from Costa Rica with molecular identification of P. gutierrezi and P. panamaensis topotypes

Root-lesion nematodes of the genus Pratylenchus are among the most damaging nematodes for crop and ornamental plants worldwide. There are about 75 described species in this genus with a wide host range, but a difficult diagnosis because of morphological similarities and overlapping of morphometric characters among species. Four species of Pratylenchus were detected parasitizing cultivated and ornamental plants in Costa Rica: Pratylenchus bolivianus, P. gutierrezi, P. pseudocoffeae, and P. zeae; while P. panamaensis was detected in coffee in the type locality at Panama. The specimens were identified using morphological and molecular methods. Morphometrics and morphology using light and scanning electron microscopy are given for all of them. The presence of P. bolivianus and P. pseudocoffeae are reported for the first time in Costa Rica. The molecular and morphological variability associated with former populations of P. gutierrezi showed that we are in front of complex of species. This has been resolved with the study of topotype populations of P. gutierrezi and P. panamaensis combined with rDNA sequences (D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S and ITS). Our results, including SEM en face view data on topotypes of P. gutierrezi and P. panamaensis demonstrated that both species are almost undistinguishable morphologically, but clearly separated molecularly with D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S (89 % similar, 84 nucleotides and 19 indels) and ITS rDNA (only 36 % coverage with a 88 % similarity value). Consequently, P. gutierrezi and P. panamaensis need to be maintained as different valid taxa. Molecular data on D2-D3 expansion segments of 28S and ITS rDNA of topotypes of P. panamaensis were also coincident (99 % similarity) with root-lesion nematodes parasitizing coffee in Guatemala and Costa Rica, and banana in Madeira, and previously identified as P. gutierrezi (K1-AF170440, K2-AF170441, FR692277, respectively), which need to be considered conspecific with P. panamaensis. These results showed us the necessity of integrative taxonomy in the identification and characterization of Pratylenchus spp.

A reevaluation of Brachyprosopus broomi and Chelydontops altidentalis, dicynodonts (Therapsida, Anomodontia) from the middle Permian Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone of the Karoo Basin, South Africa

ABSTRACTBrachyprosopus broomi was described in 1937 based on a specimen from the Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone (Karoo Basin, South Africa), but it was largely overlooked by subsequent workers. We have identified several new specimens that show that Brachyprosopus is a valid taxon. An autapomorphy for the taxon is a curled lateral edge of the squamosal that forms a lateral wall of the external adductor fossa. Other important characters are absence of anterior median palatal ridges; maxillary tooth rows bounded laterally by a shelf; unfused vomers; raised margins of the interpterygoid vacuity; broad intertemporal region; pineal boss; dentary tables; and a long, wide posterior dentary sulcus that extends posterior to the dentary teeth. Chelydontops altidentalis is a junior synonym of B. broomi. A phylogenetic analysis places Brachyprosopus among basal dicynodonts, not as a close relative of Endothiodon. It is noteworthy that some characters, such as well-developed medial maxillary tooth rows and the shape of the palatines, are shared by Brachyprosopus, Pristerodon, Endothiodon, and Niassodon, hinting that a final resolution of relationships among toothed dicynodonts remains to be achieved. Most Brachyprosopus specimens are from the upper Abrahamskraal Formation (Moordenaars and Karelskraal members). One specimen is from low in the Koonap Formation, just above the lowermost maroon mudrocks of the Beaufort Group, and an exact correlation between this level and the strata of the Abrahamskraal Formation is uncertain. Therefore, it is likely that the stratigraphic range of Brachyprosopus extends throughout the Tapinocephalus zone and possibly down into the Eodicynodon Assemblage Zone. SUPPLEMENTAL DATA—Supplemental materials are available for this article for free at www.tandfonline.com/UJVP Citation for this article: Angielczyk, K. D., B. S. Rubidge, M. O. Day, and F. Lin. 2016. A reevaluation of Brachyprosopus broomi and Chelydontops altidentalis, dicynodonts (Therapsida, Anomodontia) from the middle Permian Tapinocephalus Assemblage Zone of the Karoo Basin, South Africa. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. DOI: 10.1080/02724634.2016.1078342.

Distribution of the dentary groove of theropod dinosaurs: Implications for theropod phylogeny and the validity of the genus Nanotyrannus Bakker et al., 1988

This study examines the phylogenetic distribution of a morphologic character, described as a groove containing pores, on the lateral surface of the dentary bone in theropod dinosaurs. The nature of this groove is a feature unique to theropods. Of the 92 theropod taxa examined for the presence and absence of this feature, 48 possessed and 44 lacked this feature. Distribution of this character was compared to published phylogenetic analyses of theropods, in order to evaluate the utility of the dentary groove as a diagnostic feature. 80% of pre-Tyrannoraptoran theropods possessed the dentary groove, with only 6 reversals in basal theropod clades. Theropods with beaks or edentulous jaws all lacked a dentary groove. Tyrannosauroidea is marked by mosaic distribution of this character. Among tyrannosauroids, the dentary groove occurs only in Dryptosaurus and the Albertosaurinae (Albertosaurus+Gorgosaurus). Nanotyrannus lancensis, sometimes described as representing juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex, also possesses this groove, unlike the remainder of the Tyrannosaurinae. Nanotyrannus lancensis was included in a phylogenetic analysis of Tyrannosauroidea and was recovered within Albertosaurinae. We recommend that Nanotyrannus stand as a valid taxon nested within the Albertosaurinae, based on the presence of this groove, as well as other features of the skull.

New dental material and redescription of Agerinia roselli (Primates, Adapiformes) from Les Saleres (early Eocene, NE Iberian Peninsula)

In this work, new dental material of Agerinia roselli from its type locality, Les Saleres (NE Spain), is described. An emended diagnosis of the species is provided, together with a redescription of the entire hypodigm from that locality, which was necessary due to some inaccuracies in previous descriptions. The studied material includes 12 teeth (from P3 to M3); the roots of the anterior premolars preserved in a mandible fragment are reported for the first time. Some previously undescribed traits have been identified after the new analysis of this material, such as the P4 with distinct hypoconid and entoconid and the tiny paraconid on the M1. A detailed comparison with other cercamoniines has been made. The body mass of A. roselli, ranging from 650 to 900 g, has also been estimated. The presence of a minuscule paraconid in the M1 is the most reliable criterion for distinguishing this molar from the M2. This is supported by the complete absence of paraconid in four M2 preserved in mandible fragments. The trigonid length seems to be less reliable for distinguishing M1 from M2, due to its high variability in this species. Concluding, this study updates the knowledge about the dental anatomy of A. roselli and demonstrates that it is a valid taxon clearly distinguishable from other cercamoniines.

Molecular characterisation of two known species of Paratylenchus Micoletzky, 1922 from Iran with notes on the validity of Paratylenchus audriellus Brown, 1959

During a survey on pin nematodes in western Iran, two populations of Paratylenchus audriellus and Paratylenchus tenuicaudatus were collected and subsequently analysed morphologically and molecularly. Paratylenchus audriellus is characterised by the long stylet (48-61 μm) and the typical female tail with a characteristic claw-like process with sharply pointed terminus. To our knowledge, the Iranian population of P. tenuicaudatus is the first record from Iran. The molecular characterisation of P. audriellus nematodes using the D2-D3 of 28S rRNA and the partial 18S rRNA gene sequences revealed that this species is clearly separated from P. straeleni and should be considered as a valid taxon.

Porcelain crabs of the genera Pachycheles Stimpson and Neopisosoma Haig (Decapoda : Anomura : Porcellanidae): new premises based on molecular data and comments on phylogenetic relationships in the family

Porcellanidae Haworth, 1825 is a family of marine anomuran crabs distributed throughout tropical and temperate regions of all the oceans, typically littoral and sublittoral waters, with a considerable diversity of lifestyles, habitats and colouration. Pachycheles Stimpson, 1858 and Neopisosoma Haig, 1960 share, among other morphological characteristics, the fragmentation of the lateral carapace walls. The morphology of this body region was key to supporting the establishment of Neopisosoma, which increased uncertainty about the taxonomic status of these genera due to the high intraspecific variation of this character. Our study reconstructs the phylogenetic relationship between Pachycheles and Neopisosoma based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences to evaluate whether these are valid taxa. While Pachycheles seems to be monophyletic, the position of Neopisosoma mexicanum (Streets, 1871) indicates that the group is polyphyletic, and deserves further investigation. Pachycheles is revealed to be older than Neopisosoma, and likely originated in the Indo-Pacific, later spreading to the American continent during the early Tertiary. Neopisosoma may have arisen much later in the Caribbean Province before the closure of the Isthmus of Panama, explaining its distribution, which is restricted mainly to Central America. The inclusion of a considerable number of species from both genera represents a significant advance in the study of this controversial group. The phylogenetic reconstruction of Pachycheles unveiled clades corroborated by morphology, but also revealed unclear relationships, which may indicate the potential existence of cryptic species.

Reinstatement of Varanus douarrha Lesson, 1830 as a valid species with comments on the zoogeography of monitor lizards (Squamata : Varanidae) in the Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea

The distribution and taxonomy of varanid lizards occurring in the Bismarck Archipelago is revised on the basis of field surveys, examination of museum vouchers and molecular phylogenetic analyses. A total of four species is recorded: Varanus indicus and Varanus finschi on New Britain and some of its offshore islands, Varanus douarrha on New Ireland, Lavongai and Djaul, and Varanus semotus on Mussau Island. V. douarrha, previously mistaken for both V. indicus and V. finschi, is shown to be the only species represented on New Ireland and is here resurrected as a valid taxon based on an integrated approach combining morphological and molecular evidence. Phylogenetic analyses of two mitochondrial genes suggest that V. indicus is a relatively recent immigrant to the Bismarck Islands, whereas V. douarrha, V. finschi and V. semotus have significantly longer histories in the island group. Together with the recently described V. semotus the revalidation of V. douarrha doubles the number of species known to occur in the Bismarck region and highlights an important component of both local and regional endemism.

Taxonomic, Biogeographic, and Taphonomic Reassessment of a Large Extinct Species of Paca from the Quaternary of Brazil

The taxonomy of extinct species of Cuniculus (Caviomorpha, Rodentia, Mammalia) is confusing and poorly studied. Here we provide a taxonomic review of extinct cuniculids, and discuss the taxonomic, biogeographic, taphonomic and chronologic aspects of new remains of an extinct large cuniculid from Brazilian Quaternary Gruta Cuvieri cave deposits. Our taxonomic review suggests that Cuniculus rugiceps (Lund, 1837) is the valid taxon to include all available occurrences of extinct cuniculids. The most evident features of this taxon are its larger size and the stronger and more densely distributed rugosities on the skull external surface when compared to the extant species. At present, the distribution of C. rugiceps is restricted to the tropical region of Brazil. Regarding the new remains, taphonomic analysis of the specimens from Cuvieri Cave suggests our sample is represented by at least seven individuals that accumulated within the cave deposit by pitfall entrapment. The biostratinomy of the specimens was c...

Family-Level Sampling of Mitochondrial Genomes in Coleoptera: Compositional Heterogeneity and Phylogenetics.

Mitochondrial genomes are readily sequenced with recent technology and thus evolutionary lineages can be densely sampled. This permits better phylogenetic estimates and assessment of potential biases resulting from heterogeneity in nucleotide composition and rate of change. We gathered 245 mitochondrial sequences for the Coleoptera representing all 4 suborders, 15 superfamilies of Polyphaga, and altogether 97 families, including 159 newly sequenced full or partial mitogenomes. Compositional heterogeneity greatly affected 3rd codon positions, and to a lesser extent the 1st and 2nd positions, even after RY coding. Heterogeneity also affected the encoded protein sequence, in particular in the nad2, nad4, nad5, and nad6 genes. Credible tree topologies were obtained with the nhPhyML (“nonhomogeneous”) algorithm implementing a model for branch-specific equilibrium frequencies. Likelihood searches using RAxML were improved by data partitioning by gene and codon position. Finally, the PhyloBayes software, which allows different substitution processes for amino acid replacement at various sites, produced a tree that best matched known higher level taxa and defined basal relationships in Coleoptera. After rooting with Neuropterida outgroups, suborder relationships were resolved as (Polyphaga (Myxophaga (Archostemata + Adephaga))). The infraorder relationships in Polyphaga were (Scirtiformia (Elateriformia ((Staphyliniformia + Scarabaeiformia) (Bostrichiformia (Cucujiformia))))). Polyphagan superfamilies were recovered as monophyla except Staphylinoidea (paraphyletic for Scarabaeiformia) and Cucujoidea, which can no longer be considered a valid taxon. The study shows that, although compositional heterogeneity is not universal, it cannot be eliminated for some mitochondrial genes, but dense taxon sampling and the use of appropriate Bayesian analyses can still produce robust phylogenetic trees.

Response paper: Morphometric article by Mejía et al. 2015 alluding genera Herichthys and Nosferatu displays serious inconsistencies

ABSTRACT In the present response paper, the article entitled "Morphometric variation of the Herichthys bartoni (Bean, 1892) species group (Teleostei: Cichlidae): How many species comprise H. labridens (Pellegrin, 1903)?" by Mejía et al . 2015 is critically reviewed. The current review pinpoints some of the more conspicuous conceptual inconsistencies and fundamental errors found in the study by Mejía et al . (2015), It is contended that the authors fail to provide any new insights into the complex biogeography and evolutionary history of the Nosferatu and Herichthys genus groups, and that while results of their Cox1 molecular analysis are comparable to those by De la Maza-Benignos et al . (2015), the conclusions of the two studies are not comparable. In addition, it is contested that, whereas the designation of genus Nosferatu by De la Maza-Benignos et al . (2015) was found on the principles of the biological and phylogenetic species concepts, the rejection of the genus by Mejía et al . (2015) is solely based "on the presence of (overlapping) morphometric characters" between genera. The assumption by Mejía et al . (2015),that because their geometric morphometrics analysis failed to provide separation of species, then Nosferatu genus does not correspond to a valid taxon; and their suggesting geometric morphometrics "as useful tool to discriminate species, because it allows to propose diagnostic characters" were not supported by their results. While Mejía et al . present some interesting thoughts on the systematics of Nosferatu , they unfortunately fail to provide any data that can be objectively assessed as relevant to motivate any changes in the current taxonomy.

Early phylogeny of crinoids within the pelmatozoan clade

AbstractPhylogenetic relationships among early crinoids are evaluated by maximizing parsimonious‐informative characters that are unordered and unweighted. Primarily Tremadocian–Darriwilian (Early–Middle Ordovician) taxa are analysed. Stratigraphic congruence metrics support the best phylogenetic hypothesis derived using parsimony methods. This study confirms the traditionally recognized lineages of Palaeozoic crinoids and provides new information on the branching order of evolving lineages. Camerates are basal crinoids with progressively more tipward groups (from an Ordovician perspective) being protocrinoids, cladids (paraphyletic), hybocrinids and disparids. The Protocrinoida should be maintained, but the Aethocrinida should be placed within the Cladida. The results of this study identify phylogenetic structure amongst the major early crinoid lineages and delineate the relative positions of crinoid higher taxa along a tree. Each valid higher taxon discussed herein requires a comprehensive treatment to delimit within‐lineage phylogenetic relationships.