Variation In Morphological Characters Research Articles

Short Communication: Characterization and nutrient analysis of seed of local cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) varieties from Southwest Maluku, Indonesia

Abstract. Karuwal RL, Suharsono, Tjahjoleksono A, Hanif N. 2021. Short Communication: Characterization and nutrient analysis of seed of local cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) varieties from Southwest Maluku, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 85-91. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is a legume species that have many local varieties across regions in Indonesia, including in Southwest Maluku District. It has been utilized by the community as raw materials, but mainly for food sources of self-consumption. While there are rich local varieties of cowpea in Southwest Maluku, the data about its morphological characters and nutritional compositions are not available. The objectives of the research were to analyze morphological characters and nutritional compositions of local seven cowpea varieties from Southwest Maluku and classify these varieties according to such characters and compositions. Morphological characters observed consisted of shape, color, texture, eye pattern, eye color, size (length, width, thickness), and 100-grain weight. Nutritional composition consisted of proximate analysis tested using AOAC (Association of Official Analytical Chemist) method and folic acid content using HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) method. The results showed that the varieties have significant variation in morphological characters and nutrition composition. There are differences in shape, color, texture, eye pattern, and color. Seed size in terms of length, width and thickness have range values of 5-9 mm, 4-6 mm, 3-4 mm, respectively while seed weight ranges 11-19 g. Furthermore, nutrition composition is significantly affected by varieties. Moisture content ranges between 11-17%, ash content of 3.13-3.97%, fat content of 0.58-1.42%, protein of 15.5-20.76%, carbohydrate of 58.46-63.48% and folic acid content of 100.13-131.57 µg/mL. There is significant correlation between morphology characters and nutrition composition. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed that local varieties can be classified into three clusters. Therefore, KM1, KM3, KM4 and KM7 varieties that have the highest size, weight, and nutrition composition can be selected in plant breeding.

Age-related variability in the stellate sturgeon domestication in industrial conditions

Morphometric studies are fundamental in the domestication of new fish species. Despite the obvious dependence of the morphological parameters of fish on habitat conditions, they are currently used as the main criteria for the approval of breeding achievements, and a measure of the processes of domestication and selection. In this regard, we have begun work to study the variability of morphological characters in the process of domestication of stellate sturgeon (Asipenser stellatus, Pall) in a closed water supply. Researched sturgeon of Volga origin grown from caviar in artificial conditions in a closed water supply installation. At the first stage, 25 morphological parameters of stellate sturgeon underyearlings were studied. At the second stage, six years later, morphological studies were repeated in the same group of fish. Comparison of the average values of the indicators indicates the following trends in their change with the age of the fish: the relative length and height of the head, the rostrum (rr), and the diameter of the eye, the width of the mouth and the width of the break of the lower lip decrease; the indicators of the distance between the fins relative to the end of the snout and between themselves increase, the smallest and largest body height. At the same time, the most significant significant differences between underyearlings and six-year-olds were found in body height and head length. Similar changes are observed with age in most fish, including sturgeon. They are associated with the development of swimming muscles, physiological changes and demonstrate the expected biological age-related changes. The presented data on age-related changes in morphological parameters show the erroneousness of using sturgeon underyearlings as a control group for assessing uniformity and stability for distinctness.

Morphological and genetic variability associated with environmental variation in two species of Pseudodiploria Fukami, Budd & Knowlton, 2012 (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Scleractinia)

Environmental variability often results in morphological plasticity, allowing organisms to acclimate and resist changing environmental conditions. Corals exhibit high morphological variability, possibly influenced by factors such as phenotypic plasticity and hybridization. Pseudodiploria Fukami, Budd & Knowlton, 2012 consists of two species, Pseudodiploria strigosa Dana, 1846 and Pseudodiploria clivosa Ellis & Solander, 1786, which are often differentiated by the colony morphology, number of septa per centimeter, width of valleys, and the presence/absence of coenosteum. In this study, we performed morphological and molecular analyses of 40 Pseudodiploria colonies (20 samples each reef) from the Gulf of Mexico in two reefs Gallega (coastal reef) and Galleguilla (at 2 km of coastline), at the Veracruz Reef System, using univariate analyses of 14 macro- and micro-characters supplemented by examination of mitochondrial (cytochrome b) and nuclear (β-tubulin) sequences. We confirmed the presence of the two Pseudodiploria species based on micro-morphological results. However, 32 colonies of Pseudodiploria presented high phenotypic plasticity at colony and calice levels (11 of the 14 evaluated characters), and molecular variation of β-tubulin gene was higher in the colonies that exhibited high morphological variability. Genetic distances of β-tubulin gene sequences also demonstrated that all colonies collected are most similar to P. clivosa (according to previous studies). Interestingly, we found that colonies collected from a coastal reef had higher variability in morphological characters at colony and calice levels (17 of 20 samples), which may be the evidence of the effect of environmental conditions on phenotypic plasticity of Pseudodiploria colonies.

Secondary metabolites characterization of in vitro propagated Antigonon leptopus cultures

This work was conducted on Antigonon leptopus to optimize in vitro propagation conditions for shootlets multiplication and callus culture under effect of some factors such as types of cytokinins (BA and 2ip) at different concentrations (0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 mg/l) plus 0.1 mg/l of IBA that were examined for proliferated shoots with high rooting ability. Also, different concentrations of growth regulators (2,4-D, TDZ and NAA) under both light and darkness incubation were evaluated for callus tissues development. The secondary metabolites for both shootlets and callus tissues were estimated. For obtaining shootlet culture development with more proliferation and elongation of shootlets with the highest number of leaves, rooting percent and roots length, MS medium was added with 0.2 mg/l 2ip plus 0.1 mg/l IBA. While, MS supplemented with 0.4 2iP plus 0.1 IBA mg/l resulted in the highest values of all estimated pigments (Chl. a, b, carotenoid and anthocyanin) in shootlets. Using high concentration of 2ip (0.6 mg/1) enhanced the production of phenolic, flavonoids compounds, and antioxidant activity in shootlets. Low concentration of both NAA (2.5 mg/l) and TDZ (1.0 mg/l) under darkness condition produced the highest callus fresh weight. However, the same treatment (NAA at 2.5 mg/l+ TDZ at1mg/l) under light condition caused significant increment of the above-mentioned active compounds in callus tissues. The successfully acclimatized plantlets showed variations in morphological characters due to transferring them to different growth media (peat moss, perlite, clay and sand) in the greenhouse.

Problems of compensative fisheries: increasing the adaptive potential of broad whitefish Coregonus nasus (Pallas) in early ontogenesis by weak magnetic fields. 1. Morphometric analysis

The article presents the results of a production experiment with the embryos of Coregonus nasus, delivered at the Sobsk fish hatchery (settlement Kharp, YaNAO). The plant is taking compensatory measures to restore the number of valuable species of whitefishes in the Ob river basin. The purpose of our study was to increase the biological potential of juvenile broad whitefish for their subsequent release to the Ob river. At the last stage of the embryonic period, the embryos were treated with ultra-weak pulsed magnetic fields for several days. In the postembryonic period, the control and experimental juveniles of broad whitefish were fixed for subsequent morphometric and cytological-histological analysis. After conducting a morphometric analysis, we found that already at the early stages of the postembryonic period, the experimental larvae and fry exceeded the control ones in most parameters. Later, these differences persisted. At the same time, the juveniles of the experimental batch showed, as a rule, less variability of morphological characters. Also, the weight of the experimental fry before release to the Ob significantly exceeded the weight of the control fry. We calculated the degree of correlation of morphometric characters in juvenile broad whitefish of both parties in the process of rearing and found that during the first month the correlation of most parameters in the experimental juveniles was lower than in the control. However, with further development, the degree of relationship between the parameters in juveniles in the experiment increased and reached it in the control. Later, the allometric growth of the experimental juveniles began, which caused a decrease in the connection between some characters. We are discussing the features of the development of experimental juvenile fish; activation of its natural mechanisms of autorehabilitation by using weak physical factors. We explain the reasons for the stable, but insignificant differences between the experimental fish fry over the control treatment with an ultra-weak pulsed magnetic field at the last stages of embryogenesis, when the main organ systems are already formed. We conclude that this approach is advisable, starting with fertilization and early embryogenesis.

Dynamics of Diversity of Spined Loaches of Genus Cobitis, Inhabiting Caucasus, during the Anthropogenic Period According to the Data of Museum Collections. I. Morphological Variability and Diagnostic Characters of Cobitis saniae (Cobitidae)

The variability of morphological characters and coloration features used for identification of the species Cobitis saniae has been studied using the materials from the collection of the Zoological Museum of Lomonosov Moscow State University, which includes voucher samples with genetically confirmed species status, in order to clarify the dynamics of the diversity of spined loaches in Transcaucasia in the anthropogenic period. Significant variability of many characteristics at the intraspecific level has been revealed. Previously proposed taxonomic keys do not allow to identify correctly C. saniae and C. faridpaki, which are accepted in the status of cryptic allopatric species differentiated by the analysis of the mitochondrial genome. The characters are suggested that make it possible to differentiate C. saniae from C. taenia and C. melanoleuca, inhabiting the basin of the Caspian Sea, and from two species known from water bodies within the modern range of C. saniae: Khvalynskaya spined loach C. amphilekta, common in the basin of the Kyzylagach Bay in the 1930s, and a new species C. derzhavini described from the Kura River basin.

Выявление хемотаксономических маркеров растений из рода Centaurea L.

The use of chemotaxonomic methods for studying plants allows you to help identify the ancestral and species affiliation of closely related plants. Chemotaxonomy is especially useful for systematically young groups of plant taxa, characterized by great variability in morphological features, difficulty in identifying and clarifying systematic affiliation. The article analyses the content of various groups of biologically active compounds in plants of the genus Centaurea L. to find the most convenient chemotaxonomic markers. As a result of the analysis of the variability of flavonoids, sesquiterpene lactones, polysaccharides and other biologically active substances of the genus Centaurea, it was found that «flavonoid profiles» are most species-specific, and sesquiterpene lactones can serve as an additional taxonomic feature at the level of subgenera and sections of this genus. More detailed studies are needed to map the distribution of biologically active compounds as chemotaxonomic markers.

Morphological Differences in Pinus strobiformis Across Latitudinal and Elevational Gradients.

The phenotype of trees is determined by the relationships and interactions among genetic and environmental influences. Understanding the patterns and processes that are responsible for phenotypic variation is facilitated by studying the relationships between phenotype and the environment among many individuals across broad ecological and climatic gradients. We used Pinus strobiformis, which has a wide latitudinal distribution, as a model species to: (a) estimate the relative importance of different environmental factors in predicting these morphological traits and (b) characterize the spatial patterns of standing phenotypic variation of cone and seed traits across the species’ range. A large portion of the total variation in morphological characteristics was explained by ecological, climatic and geographical variables (54.7% collectively). The three climate, vegetation and geographical variable groups, each had similar total ability to explain morphological variation (43.4%, 43.8%, 51.5%, respectively), while the topographical variable group had somewhat lower total explanatory power (36.9%). The largest component of explained variance (33.6%) was the four-way interaction of all variable sets, suggesting that there is strong covariation in environmental, climate and geographical variables in their relationship to morphological traits of southwest white pine across its range. The regression results showed that populations in more humid and warmer climates expressed greater cone length and seed size. This may in part facilitate populations of P. strobiformis in warmer and wetter portions of its range growing in dense, shady forest stands, because larger seeds provide greater resources to germinants at the time of germination. Our models provide accurate predictions of morphological traits and important insights regarding the factors that contribute to their expression. Our results indicate that managers should be conservative during reforestation efforts to ensure match between ecotypic variation in seed source populations. However, we also note that given projected large range shift due to climate change, managers will have to balance the match between current ecotypic variation and expected range shift and changes in local adaptive optima under future climate conditions.

Phenotypic Responses, Reproduction Mode and Epigenetic Patterns under Temperature Treatments in the Alpine Plant Species Ranunculus kuepferi (Ranunculaceae).

Plant life in alpine habitats is shaped by harsh abiotic conditions and cold climates. Phenotypic variation of morphological characters and reproduction can be influenced by temperature stress. Nevertheless, little is known about the performance of different cytotypes under cold stress and how epigenetic patterns could relate to phenotypic variation. Ranunculus kuepferi, a perennial alpine plant, served as a model system for testing the effect of cold stress on phenotypic plasticity, reproduction mode, and epigenetic variation. Diploid and autotetraploid individuals were placed in climate growth cabinets under warm and cold conditions. Morphological traits (height, leaves and flowers) and the proportion of well-developed seeds were measured as fitness indicators, while flow cytometric seed screening (FCSS) was utilized to determine the reproduction mode. Subsequently, comparisons with patterns of methylation-sensitive amplified fragment-length polymorphisms (AFLPs) were conducted. Diploids grew better under warm conditions, while tetraploids performed better in cold treatments. Epigenetic patterns were correlated with the expressed morphological traits. Cold stress reduced the reproduction fitness but did not induce apomixis in diploids. Overall, our study underlines the potential of phenotypic plasticity for acclimation under environmental conditions and confirms the different niche preferences of cytotypes in natural populations. Results help to understand the pattern of geographical parthenogenesis in the species.

Morphometric variation of Cork fish (Channa striata Bloch, 1793) from nine populations in Sumatra Island, Indonesia

The geographic isolation and specific character of local habitat could cause variation of morphological characteristics among Cork fish population in different locations. The plasticity of cork fish to adapt to the environment factors possibly has an impact on the different of specific morphological on fish population at different habitat. This study was conducted to investigate the traditional morphometric measurement and truss network differentiation of cork fish populations in different locations at Sumatra Island. Total of 394 cork fish specimens (consisting of 198 males and 196 females) were collected from nine different areas of rivers, swamp and lakes. The samples were analysed based on 14 morphometric (M) and 21 Truss Network Measurement (TNM) characters to find out the significant correlation of the fish on each area sampling. The transformed datasets were proceeded to multivariate testing using Discriminant Function Analysis (DFA) and Cluster Analysis (CA). The results showed that cork fish had 20 distinguishing predominant characters in the head and back of the body. Based on cluster analysis, those fishes were divided into 4 groups depending on geographical isolation except one floodplain population that differs from the other population groups. We revealed that phenotypic dimorphism for female cork fish had a dominant size compared to males in head region and tail fin region. Cork fish in the lake had a dominant body height size compared to rivers and flooded swamps.

Morphological profiling of tubercle bacilli identifies drug pathways of action

Morphological profiling is a method to classify target pathways of antibacterials based on how bacteria respond to treatment through changes to cellular shape and spatial organization. Here we utilized the cell-to-cell variation in morphological features of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacilli to develop a rapid profiling platform called Morphological Evaluation and Understanding of Stress (MorphEUS). MorphEUS classified 94% of tested drugs correctly into broad categories according to modes of action previously identified in the literature. In the other 6%, MorphEUS pointed to key off-target activities. We observed cell wall damage induced by bedaquiline and moxifloxacin through secondary effects downstream from their main target pathways. We implemented MorphEUS to correctly classify three compounds in a blinded study and identified an off-target effect for one compound that was not readily apparent in previous studies. We anticipate that the ability of MorphEUS to rapidly identify pathways of drug action and the proximal cause of cellular damage in tubercle bacilli will make it applicable to other pathogens and cell types where morphological responses are subtle and heterogeneous.

Land-Mark based morphometric and meristic variations in two congeneric hilsha population, Tenualosa ilisha and Tenualosa toli from Bangladesh water bodies

The morphometric characters are effectively used for the better differentiation among the fish population and sustainable management. The appraisal of the natural population stock and morphological variation within and between two hilsha species (Tenualosa ilisha and Tenualosa toli) from three different habitat (Coastal, riverine and marine) of Bangladesh, were investigated by applying the land mark based morphometric and meristic variation measurement methods. All data were adjusted and Univariate ANOVA, where discriminant function analysis (DFA) and principal component analysis (PCA) exhibited the divergences in eight morphometric measurements and eight truss network measurements among the three stocks of T. ilisha. The 1st DFA accounted for 89.8% & 87.4% and the second DFA resolved 10.2% and 12.6%, respectively in morphometric characteristics variation among the group studied. Scattered plotting from PCA and dendogram from cluster analysis (CA) revealed that, the river habitants were morphologically different from the coastal and marine population. Twelve of fifteen morphometric measurements and thirteen of fourteen truss network measurements showed significant differences between T. ilisha and T. toil with significant variation in meristic characters. PCA revealed 89.23% and 88.29% in case of morphometric and truss measurement respectively confirmed high degree of variations in morphological characteristics between two species. Overall, our results based on morphometrics with truss measurements together provide useful information about the morphological differentiation which will be helpful for sustainable exploration and effective management for these two species.
 Asian J. Med. Biol. Res. June 2020, 6(2): 265-282

Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica coexistence in domestic ruminants in Nigeria: application of a PCR-based tool.

The distinction between Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica has been traditionally based on morphological criteria, although accurate recognition of the two flukes is usually difficult because of substantial variations in morphological features. The main aim of this study was to develop a PCR-based assay for discrimination between both species collected in sheep and cattle from Nigeria. A total of 47 animals, 33 cattle and 14 sheep, were sampled, and a single adult fluke was collected from each animal. DNA was extracted from flukes, and primers were designed based on mitochondrial DNA sequences to amplify a 304bp fragment for the identification of F. hepatica and 752bp for F. gigantica. PCR products from 12 flukes were sequenced for phylogenetic analysis. A total of 29 out of 47 flukes were identified as F. hepatica and 18 as F. gigantica. Within each host, the percentage of each fluke species was as follows: In cattle, 18/33 (54.5%) and 15/33 (45.5%) were F. hepatica and F. gigantica, respectively. In sheep, 11/14 (78.6%) were F. hepatica and 3/14 F. gigantica (21.4%). The phylogenetic analysis confirmed these results. Although the number of flukes collected in sheep was limited, it seems that F. hepatica is more prevalent in sheep than F. gigantica, whereas the percentage of each species was similar in cattle. This study confirms the presence of F. hepatica in Nigeria.

Divergence in Bergmann’s clines: elevational variation and heritability of body size in a leaf-cutting ant

The variation in size along elevations has been investigated in various insect species, with contradictory results regarding Bergmann’s or James’ rules. Positive, negative, or hump-shaped patterns have been commonly found, but the sources of variation are generally unknown, because the contribution of genetic and environmental factors is not usually estimated. Social insects offer the opportunity to study the intraspecific variation and heritability of morphological traits due to the ease of finding family groups in the wild. Thus, we aimed to assess the variation in morphological characters of Atta cephalotes and to estimate their heritability as an attempt to understand the sources of variation. We sampled 30 soldiers from five nests at six different elevations in Colombia; soldiers were dissected, and ten morphometric characters were measured. Variation was analysed through nested MANOVA and REML analyses, and heritabilities and co-heritabilities were estimated using a full-sib model. We found significant differences between elevations and nests, with larger soldiers occurring at localities in intermediate elevations. Heritabilities varied when they were estimated with all data together or separated by locality, showing low-to-intermediate values, while co-heritabilities were intermediate to high. The nonlinear cline found in this study could be a result of the interactions among the factors generating Bergmann’s patterns, such as temperature, the ecology of leaf-cutting ants (management of temperature inside nests) and resource availability. The heritability results imply a genotype-environment interaction, with an overall greater effect of the environment on body size variation in A. cephalotes soldiers.

Changes in claw morphology of a bioindicator species across habitats that differ in human disturbance

Variations in morphological characteristics are frequently important determinants of the physiology, ecology and inter- and intra-specific interactions of organisms. Various causative drivers have been investigated for this morphological variation, such as sexual selection, variations in the available resources to exploit, habitat characteristics, and other environmental factors. However, it is not clear whether human disturbance has any selective role in creating morphological variations other than simply reducing the body size of individuals. We used a bioindicator, the Atlantic ghost crab Ocypode quadrata, to measure how human disturbance influences morphological claw variation. We examined the claw height and the volume of major and minor claws of crabs at 12 South Carolina sandy beaches with various degrees of human disturbance. Crabs from disturbed sites had smaller and shallower claws compared to crabs from pristine sites, and these differences varied with sex and with body size. Additionally, major claw volume and claw height also varied with crab body size, gender, and across beaches with different amounts of human disturbance. Other claw characteristics showed no difference between sexes with the degrees of human disturbance, or with variation in body size. Our results suggest that the magnitude of the human disturbance experienced by populations may have a selective role on the morphology of individual organisms that can differ between males and females. These morphological changes likely have ecological and physiological consequences.

Plastid Genome Evolution in the Subtribe Calypsoinae (Epidendroideae, Orchidaceae)

Calypsoinae is a small subtribe in Orchidaceae (Epidendroideae) characterized by diverse trophic strategies and morphological characters. Calypsoinae includes 13 genera, four of which are leafless and mycoheterotrophic. Mycoheterotrophic species in the leafless genus Corallorhiza are well suited to studies of plastome evolution. However, the lack of plastome sequences for other genera in Calypsoinae limits the scope of comparative and phylogenetic analyses, in particular our understanding of plastome evolution. To understand plastid genome evolution in Calypsoinae, we newly sequenced the plastomes of 12 species in the subtribe, including representatives of three mycoheterotrophic genera as well as five autotrophic genera. We detected two parallel photosynthetic losses in Corallorhiza. Evolutionary analyses indicated that the transition to obligate mycoheterotrophy leads to the relaxation of selection in a highly gene-specific pattern.

Changes in the Morphological Characteristics of Potato Plants Attributed to Seasonal Variability

The development of a potato crop differs according to the environmental conditions and growing season of an area. Periods of high temperatures and drought have been frequent in recent years, and this has affected crops worldwide. The effect of meteorological factors on the plant morphology of potato cultivars growing in A Limia was analyzed for three consecutive years. The crop cycle with the highest temperatures and least accumulated rainfall (2016) showed plants with a higher number of leaflets, which were shorter in length. The crop cycle (2014) with a lower temperature and more rainfall had the tallest plants, the highest degree of flowering, fewer pairs of leaflets and the highest length of the floral peduncle. Kennebec and Fontane were the varieties that showed the least variability in morphological characteristics during the seasons analyzed. Considering the meteorological and morphological data, a principal component analysis was carried out, which explained 80.1% of the variance of the data. Spearman rank correlations showed higher significant coefficients between the temperature and foliar characteristics. The leaf size of plants was estimated using a multiple linear regression analysis, which included the mean temperature, explaining 64% of the variability of the data.

Longitudinal ultra-high field MRI of brain lesions in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders

BackgroundIn neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD), clinical disability in NMOSD patients is relapse-related and progressive phase is rare. This observation raises the question whether there is any radiographic disease activity. The aim of present study was to determine the longitudinal changes in cerebral lesion number, lesion size, lesion-to-venule relationship, and morphological patterns of lesions in NMOSD using multiparametric 7T MR imaging. We also aimed to assess brain volume changes in NMOSD. MethodsA cohort of 22 patients with NMOSD underwent high-resolution 3D-susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) and 2D-gradient-echo (GRE-T2*) weighted imaging on 7T MRI of brain at baseline and after ~2.8 years of follow-up. Morphologic imaging characteristics, and signal intensity patterns of lesions were recorded at both time points. Lesions were classified as "iron-laden" if they demonstrated hypointense signal on GRE-T2* images and/or SWI as well as hyperintense signal on quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM). Lesions were considered "non-iron-laden" if they were hyperintense on GRE-T2*/SWI and isointense or hyperintense on QSM. Additionally, fractional brain parenchymal volume (fBPV) was computed at both time points. ResultsA total of 169 lesions were observed at baseline. At follow-up, 6 new lesions were found in 5 patients. In one patient, a single lesion could not be detected on the follow-up scan. No appreciable change in lesion size and vessel-lesion relationship was observed at follow up. All lesions demonstrated hyperintense signal intensity on GRE-T2* weighted images and isointense signal on QSM at both time points. Therefore, these lesions were considered as non-associated with iron pathology. Additionally, no significant change in brain volume was observed: fBPV 0.78 ± 0.06 at baseline vs. 0.77 ± 0.05 at follow up, p>0.05. ConclusionCerebral lesions in NMOSD patients remain ‘inert’ and do not show any substantial variations in morphological characteristics during a 2–3-year follow-up period.

A New Species of Fairy Wrasse (Teleostei: Labridae: Cirrhilabrus) from Mesophotic Coral Ecosystems of the Verde Island Passage, Philippines

The new species, Cirrhilabrus briangreenei, is described on the basis of the holotype and six paratypes collected from mesophotic coral ecosystems of the Verde Island Passage, Philippines, between depths of 82 and 110 m. The new species is most closely related to Cirrhilabrus pylei, but it differs primarily in the presence of: more pored scales on the posterior lateral line (7–9 vs. 5–6); a lower number of circumpeduncular scales (14 vs. 16); a lower number of gill rakers (16–17 vs. 18–20); and differences in coloration details of the dorsal and caudal fins. Both species differ from all other congeners in sharing the following combination of characters: pelvic fins very long (56.5–70.0% SL), often extending past anal-fin terminus in males; caudal fin scintillating and iridescent in males; dorsal fin with sinuous scribbling in both sexes; anterior dorsal fin with a metallic blue spot on first one to two interspinous membrane spaces; snout with three parallel stripes from maxilla to anterior edge of orbit; and rest of head with a network of short broken pinstripes in both sexes. These characters are also distributed in part amongst other species of Cirrhilabrus, in particular, C. katoi, C. lineatus, C. rhomboidalis, and C. rubrimarginatus, and their putative relationships are discussed on the basis of meristic, morphometric, and molecular sequence data. We briefly comment on the variability of morphological characters within Cirrhilabrus and their implications towards phylogenetic classification, with remarks on methods for data collection for species of Cirrhilabrus.

Identification of Duplicates in Ginger Germplasm Collection from Odisha Using Morphological and Molecular Characterization

In this investigation, sixty morphologically different ginger rhizomes, collected from an active germplasm conservatory of High Altitude Research Station, Odisha, India, were characterized using morphological traits and molecular markers. Larger variations in morphological characters were observed among the 45 ginger accessions out of 60 accessions. Out of 22 markers, 9 ISSR and 13 SSR markers used for analysis generated 42 and 160 polymorphic bands accounting to 55% and 63.29% of the total polymorphic bands, respectively; this depicts that SSR markers have better efficiency over ISSR markers. A high degree of variation is detected in multivariate analysis (PCA and UPGMA) of both morphological traits and combined molecular markers, in which the ginger accessions clustered into five and four distinct groups. This explains the existence of large variation in morphological traits despite markers used. Genetic distance between the accessions determined from Nei’s dissimilarity matrix was used to find out the potential duplicates within the accessions collected. Twenty-nine accessions having mean genetic distance (MGD) less than threshold MGD (average MGD) value 0.174 were considered as ‘potential duplicate’ accessions and were reduced to one group, and the rest 31 were considered distinct genotype out of 60 accessions. From this analysis, 48.3% of the collection were considered as potential duplicates and deemed to be redundant. However, careful elimination of redundant through molecular analysis supported with passport data will help to eradicate existing synonyms used by farmers and improve management practices of the ginger germplasm conservatory.