Venation Characters Research Articles

Taxonomic significance of epidermal and venation characters in the genus Diospyros L. (Ebenaceae) in Nigeria

This study investigated the foliar anatomy and venation patterns of thirteen species of the genus Diospyros in Nigeria with a view to identifying characters of great taxonomic value in the genus. Plant collections were made from different locations in Southwest Nigeria and the site of collection geo-referenced with a GPS device. Samples were identified at the Herbarium of Botany Department, Obafemi Awolowo University (IFE). Voucher Specimens were deposited in the herbarium and voucher number assigned to each of the species. The samples were subjected to foliar epidermal and venation examinations. Qualitative data were recorded as the quantitative data were subjected to statistical analysis and the characters vary significantly (P = 0.05). Epidermal and venation characters which separate the taxa include stomata type, size and index, shape and size of epidermal cell, trichome type, presence/absence of crystal/druses, as well as venation. Paxillate venation in D. suaveolens is diagnostic for the species. The presence of parenchymatous sheath over the veins and veinlets in D. tricolor is a spot character. The study reveals that leaf epidermal and venation characters are important in delimitation of species in the genus Diospyros.

Taxonomic and phylogenetic significance of leaf venation characteristics in Dioscorea plants

We undertook a comparative study of the leaf venation characteristics of Dioscorea species from all seven sections distributed in China (33 species, 1 subspecies and 3 varieties). We established that leaf venation has a taxonomic significance in Dioscorea . The sections Combili, Opsophyton Lasiophyton and Shannicorea all show consistent acrodromous venation (a subtype of palmate venation), with Botryosicyos exhibiting consistent pinnate venation. However, sections Stenophora and Enantiophyllum show obvious intrasectional differences. For example, D. simulans and D. biformifolia of section Stenophora have acrodromously veined middle leaflets, whereas the side leaflets are pinnately veined; D. cirrhosa and D. cirrhosa var. cylindrica of section Enantiophyllum show dichotomous veinlets. Other species in the same section show either one-branched veinlets or multiple branched veinlets. In addition to the discrepancy in venation patterns, differences in many other important morphological characteristics and chemical components were also observed. Therefore, D. simulans and D. biformifolia can be reasonably excluded from section Stenophora, and section Illigerestrum can be rebuilt using these two species. In addition, D. cirrhosa and D. cirrhosa var. cylindrica should be removed from section Enantiophyllum and placed into another new section. D. simulans and D. biformifolia show pinnate venation, and the complexity of their leaf organization (with both simple and compound leaves) also points to variations between the pinnate and acrodromous veins in Dioscorea . The repeated presence of palmate and pinnate venation in multiple angiosperm clades also suggests that the formation and evolution of venation are likely the result of evolutionary adaptation to ecological environments. https://doi.org/10.2298/ABS170322058S Received: March 22, 2017; Revised: August 24, 2017; Accepted: August 24, 2017; Published online: December 26, 2017 How to cite this article: Sun X, Xue J, Lei Z, Li M, Zhang Y, Zhou G, Hang Y. Taxonomic and phylogenetic significance of leaf venation characteristics in Dioscorea plants. Arch Biol Sci. 2018;70(2):397-407.

Comparative exploration of antennae in Pseudopontia, and antennal clubs of the tribes Leptideini and Dismorphiini (Lepidoptera: Pieridae).

We examined antennal ultrastructure in species of Dismorphiinae and Pseudopontiinae (Pieridae) using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). We examined two species of Pseudopontia (Pseudopontiinae) and more than 30 species in seven genera of two tribes in the subfamily Dismorphiinae: Leptidea, Enantia, Pseudopieris, Lieinix, Moschoneura, Dismorphia, and Patia. We focused on the scaleless terminal area of the antenna where there are many types of sensilla, some of which are clustered together and constitute specialized organs. We measured, described, and illustrate at different magnifications structures including the antennal club, antennomeres, sulci, pseudosulci, and chaetic, trichoid, coeloconic, basiconic, and auriculate sensilla, as well as other previously unnamed sensilla. From these antennal features, we created a matrix of characters that allowed us to recognize divergence between the tribes Leptideini and Dismorphiini. The antennae of Leptideini have fewer scaleless antennomeres in the antennal club than those of Dismorphiini, a greater number of pseudosulci disaggregated or dispersed (in Leptidea), and fewer types of sensilla and microtrichia (a more homogeneous antennal morphology), as well as a reduction in the density of sensilla. In Leptidea the antennal form is more specialized: it is shorter in comparison to genera of other Papilionoidea families. We also created a matrix of general morphological characters of Dismorphiinae and Pieridae from the taxonomic literature. This matrix confirms the marked character divergence between the tribes and allows for a more meaningful discussion regarding the relationships between Dismorphiinae and the other subfamilies of Pieridae (i.e., Pseudopontiinae, Coliadinae, and Pierinae). We argue that Pseudopontiinae cannot be considered the least derived subfamily among Pieridae because pupal features, wing venation, and antennal characters exhibit a combination of primitive and specialized states. In addition, we discuss our results from the perspective of patterns of food plant usage in pierid subfamilies, specifically the diversification of several Dismorphiinae genera on Hologalegina and Ingeae (Fabaceae).

Diversity of palmately lobed leaves in the early–middle Albian of eastern Russia

Diversity of palmately lobed leaves of angiosperms of the early–middle Albian floras of the Kolyma River Basin, the Omsukchan Coal Basin, Khabarovsk and Primorye Regions was studied. Leaf fossils, previously compared with those of genera Aralia, Sassafras and Lindera, now reassigned to the fossil genus Araliaephyllum. Four new combinations and one new species are published: A. kolymense (Kryshtofovich) Golovneva, comb. nov., A. luciferum (Kryshtofovich) Golovneva, comb. nov., A. ussuriense (Krassilov) Golovneva, comb. nov., A. ievlevii (Samylina) Golovneva, comb. nov., and A. popovii Golovneva, sp. nov. The type material has been restudied in detail, and lectotypes have been selected to all newly typified species. These species share many lauralean morphological and venation features. They represent the most likely early members of this group. This relationship is based on detailed study of the leaf architecture and comparison with other fossils with studied epidermal features. This study expands our knowledge of radiation and biogeography patterns of early angiosperms in northeastern Asia.

A bizarre sternorrhynchan wing from the Lower Jurassic of Luxembourg (Hemiptera: Sternorrhyncha: Pincombeomorpha?)

Fossil wing of Hemiptera Sternorrhyncha with peculiar venation is described from the lower Toarcian (Lower Jurassic) of Bascharage (Grand-duchy of Luxembourg). It represents new family Xulsigiidae fam. nov., comprising a new genus and species Xulsigia karetsa gen. et sp. nov. It is placed preliminarily in extinct infraorder Pincombeomorpha for the presence of three branches of median vein. Key to families of Pincombeomorpha is given and the taxonomic position and venation features of the new fossil are discussed.Family Xulsigiidae is registered in Zoobank under the http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3A57B428-638A-439A-AEC4-D18B5959B5CAGenus Xulsigia is registered in Zoobank under the http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2B255A30-5A7C-4CF8-AE77-18ED6E8E03C2

A new endemic Synagapetus species (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae) from Madeira Island (Portugal)

Eighteen to twenty years ago (1997–1999), the “Laurisilva project” collected many caddisflies systematically and intensively from springs and streams in the laurel forests in the Madeira Archipelago. The Trichoptera fauna of Madeira has been well known for a long time, but unexpectedly this collection included a series of specimens belonging to a new species, which is described here as Synagapetus laurisilvanicus n. sp. This new species is related to the Madeiran endemic Synagapetus punctatus (Hagen 1859), but these two species are readily distinguished by their wing venation and several genital characters, especially by the morphology of the inferior appendages and the aedeagus.

Two new Dikraneurini genera from Ecuador (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae: Typhlocybinae)

Two new genera, Sakakidikra n. gen. and Tricella n. gen., of tribe Dikraneurini McAtee are described from Ecuador, each based on a single new species, Sakakidikra jazminae n. sp. and Tricella antonellae n. sp. Both new genera described have only three apical cells in the forewing, an unusual characteristic in Typhlocybinae, but given the differences in the forewing and hind wing venation and male genitalia characters we consider it more appropriate to place the specimens in two separate monotypic genera.

Occurrence of the earliest gigantopterid from the basal Permian of the North China Block and its bearing on evolution

Gigantopterids are a morphological group consisting of a number of enigmatic fossil plants with angiosperm‐like leaves and reticulate venation that are of uncertain systematic affinity. Gigantopterid plants were abundant and a characteristic floral element in the Late Palaeozoic Cathaysian floras. However, in China, their oldest occurrence was much later than that in North America (Artinskian) and Indonesia (Asselian to Sakmarian). Here, we document the gigantopterid Gigantonoclea cf. mira from basal Permian (Asselian) strata in the North China Block that represents the oldest unequivocal evidence for the gigantopterids. The foliage is characterized by complex venation composed of four orders, small isodiametric meshes, and intercalary subsidiary veins arising directly from the rachis, being a distinctive morphological type of leaf venation. In addition, a nonmarginal feeding trace is detected on the lamina, extending the earliest record of plant–animal interaction between gigantopterid plants and arthropods to the earliest Permian. Our new observations show that the venation characters of Gigantonoclea mira and Gigantonoclea cf. mira more closely resemble Gigantopteris dictyophylloides than other members of gigantopterids including the evolutionary Callipteridium sequence to which it was previously assigned.

Fossil butterflies, calibration points and the molecular clock (Lepidoptera: Papilionoidea).

Fossil butterflies are extremely rare. Yet, they are the only direct evidence of the first appearance of particular characters and as such, they are crucial for calibrating a molecular clock, from which divergence ages are estimated. In turn, these estimates, in combination with paleogeographic information, are most important in paleobiogeographic considerations. The key issue here is the correct allocation of fossils on the phylogenetic tree from which the molecular clock is calibrated.The allocation of a fossil on a tree should be based on an apomorphic character found in a tree based on extant species, similar to the allocation of a new extant species. In practice, the latter is not done, at least not explicitly, on the basis of apomorphy, but rather on overall similarity or on a phylogenetic analysis, which is not possible for most butterfly fossils since they usually are very fragmentary. Characters most often preserved are in the venation of the wings. Therefore, special attention is given to possible apomorphies in venational characters in extant butterflies. For estimation of divergence times, not only the correct allocation of the fossil on the tree is important, but also the tree itself influences the outcome as well as the correct determination of the age of the fossil. These three aspects are discussed. All known butterfly fossils, consisting of 49 taxa, are critically reviewed and their relationship to extant taxa is discussed as an aid for correctly calibrating a molecular clock for papilionoid Lepidoptera. In this context some aspects of age estimation and biogeographic conclusions are briefly mentioned in review. Specific information has been summarized in four appendices.

A remarkable new genus of Protosmylinae (Neuroptera: Osmylidae) from late Eocene Florissant, Colorado.

Pseudosmylidia relicta gen. et sp. nov. (Neuroptera: Osmylidae) is described from the late Eocene of Florissant (U.S.A., Colorado). It is assigned to the subfamily Protosmylinae based on the presence of two venational features characteristic of the subfamily: most crossveins in the radial to intramedial spaces of the forewing are arranged in four gradate series, and CuP is short and simple or forked only once in the hind wing. This genus is remarkable by CuP in the forewing bearing few pectinate branches. This is the only genus of extant and Cenozoic fossil Osmylidae in which this plesiomorphic condition is retained.

Pteridosperms from the Lower Carboniferous of South Urals, Russia

Rich pteridosperm collection from the Visean (Mississippian, Lower Carboniferous) of the South Urals, Russia, was studied. A brief review of previous plant findings from the Lower Carboniferous of the region is considered. Two genera and six species including a new species Adiantites tevelevii sp. nov. are described. A new species is determined on the basis of pinna morphology. Detailed features of pinnule venation of studied genera are discussed. Hook-like recurved structures are distinguished on the medullosalean rachides. Paleoecological groups of studied pteridosperms are suggested.

Application of geometric morphometric analyses to confirm two new species of Karatavitidae (Hymenoptera: Karatavitoidea) from northeastern China

SHIH, M.J.H., LI, L.F. & REN, D., April 2017. Application of geometric morphometric analyses to confirm two new species of Karatavitidae (Hymenoptera:Karatavitoidea) from northeastern China. Alcheringa 41, 499–508. ISSN 0311-5518Two new species, Praeratavites rasnitsyni and Karatavites ningchengensis in the wasp family Karatavitidae, are described and illustrated. These specimens were collected from the uppermost Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation at Daohugou Village in Inner Mongolia, China. Key venation characters, as measured by relative positions or length ratios, are summarized for all documented species of Karatavites and Praeratavites to facilitate morphological comparisons and assess whether the studied specimens are referable to new species. In addition, geometric morphometric analyses were conducted to confirm the distinction of the new species, which add to the diversity of these genera in the Middle Jurassic.Matthew J.H. Shih* [mpshih88@gmail.com] Union County Magnet High School, Scotch Plains, NJ 07076, USA; Longfeng Li [fenger4499@163.com] and Dong Ren [rendong@mail.cnu.edu.cn] College of Life Sciences, Capital Normal University, 105 Xisanhuanbeilu, Haidian District, Beijing 100048, PR China. *Also affiliated with: Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013, USA.

Phylogeny, classification and divergence times of pygmy leaf‐mining moths (Lepidoptera: Nepticulidae): the earliest lepidopteran radiation on Angiosperms?

AbstractNepticulidae represent one of the early diverging Lepidoptera lineages, and the family currently comprises over 850 described species. The larvae of the vast majority of the species are leaf miners on Angiosperms and highly monophagous, which has led to persistent ideas on coevolution with their plant hosts. We present here a molecular phylogeny based on eight gene fragments from 355 species, representing 20 out of 22 extant Nepticulidae genera. Using two fossil calibration points, we performed molecular dating to place the origin of the family in the Early Cretaceous, before the main Angiosperm diversification. Based on our results we propose a new classification, abandoning all ranks between family and genus, as well as subgenera to allow for a stable classification. The position of Enteucha Meyrick within Nepticulidae remains somewhat ambiguous, and the species‐rich cosmopolitan genus Stigmella Schrank, with nearly half of all described Nepticulidae, requires further study. Ectoedemia Busck, Zimmermannia Hering, Acalyptris Meyrick, Etainia Beirne, Parafomoria Borkowski, Muhabbetana Koçak & Kemal and Fomoria Beirne appear to have diversified in a relatively short evolutionary period, leading to short branches in the molecular phylogeny and unclear suprageneric relations. Otherwise support values throughout the phylogeny are mostly high and the species groups, genera and higher clades are discussed in respect of their supporting morphological and life‐history characters. Wing venation characters are confirmed to be mostly reliable and relevant for Nepticulidae classification, but some other previously used characters require reinterpretation. The species groups of most genera are recovered, but only partly so in the large genus Stigmella. The molecular dating results are compared with existing knowledge on the timing of the Angiosperm radiation and reveal that the diversification of Nepticulidae could largely have been contemporaneous with their hosts, although some of the genera restricted to a single plant family appear to have begun to diversify before their hosts.

First soldier fly from the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber (Diptera, Stratiomyidae)

Stratiomyidae, or soldier flies, are a relatively primitive and diverse group of Brachycera, but definitive stratiomyids from the Mesozoic are rare. Here we describe the first soldier fly, Lysistrata burmensis sp. nov., in the mid-Cretaceous amber from northern Myanmar. The new species mostly resembles Lysistrata emerita Grimaldi and Arillo from the upper Lower Cretaceous Spanish amber and Montsecia martinezdelclosi Mostovski from the Lower Cretaceous Montsec Formation of Spain based on the general characters of venation, antennae and cerci. The new form displays an unusual feature (tibial spurs formula 0-1-0) that is confined exclusively to the modern genus Allognosta Meigen.

Two new angiosperm leaf morphotypes from the Anfiteatro de Ticó Formation (mid-Aptian) Santa Cruz Province, Argentina

Floodplain deposits of the Anfiteatro de Ticó Formation (Baqueró Group, Aptian), in Patagonia (Argentina), are rich in plant remains and contain some of the oldest angiosperm records of southern Gondwana. Many gymnosperm and pteridophyte species, as well as three morphotypes of medium sized angiosperm leaves, have already been described from this unit at different fossiliferous outcrops. We report two new angiosperm morphotypes from the Bajo Tigre locality. Both morphotypes (AT1 and AT2) consist of nano- to microphyllous leaves, nearly elliptic, with untoothed margins and pinnate brochidodromous venation. These leaves mostly exhibit characteristics of a high first or low second rank vein system. This combination of characters is associated with early angiosperm evolution. Morphotype AT1 is similar to one of the brochidodromous morphotypes from the La Cantera Formation (uppermost Aptian), which could be possibly conspecific. Morphotype AT2 has gross features already observed in leaf records from the younger Kachaike Formation (Albian ̶ lower Cenomanian) though they differ in lamina shape and secondary venation features. The angiosperm leaves of the Anfiteatro de Ticó Formation suggest that the early stages of angiosperm evolution in Patagonia had included forms with more than one type of growth habit.

<I>Tovomita</I> (Clusiaceae) from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest: Taxonomy and Utility of Leaf Venation Characters at the Species Level

Abstract Tovomita comprises approximately 50 species that are mainly distributed in moist forests of the Neotropics. In Brazil there are 34 species, which occur in the Amazon region and along the Atlantic coast. We here describe and illustrate the Tovomita species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, as well as characterize the leaf morphology of these taxa. Leaves were cleared and their venation was analyzed to look for diagnostic characters related to architecture and the relationship between the secondary and intersecondary veins. Eleven species of Tovomita were recorded, which have distributions ranging from the state of Rio Grande do Norte to the state of Rio de Janeiro. An identification key, based on the analysis, and distribution maps are provided. Tovomita salimenae, a new and vulnerable species endemic to the state of Minas Gerais, is described and two synonyms and nine lectotypifications are proposed. This work also revealed that seven species have larger distributions than previously thought an...

New beaded lacewings (Neuroptera: Berothidae) from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar amber

Two new genera with two new species in Berothidae, Maculaberotha nervosa gen. et sp. nov. and Magniberotha recurrens gen. et sp. nov., are described from Upper Cretaceous Myanmar (Burmese) amber. Based on the new specimens of the same species, we propose some venational characters as intraspecific variations, e.g., the markings on the wings and crossveins in the radial sector. We also study and compare the female genital sclerites from three genera of Haploberotha, Dasyberotha, and Jersiberotha to highlight the importance of using these characters preserved in amber for taxonomic and phylogenetic studies. Furthermore, an updated key to the berothid genera of Myanmar amber is provided.

Revision of the Scytinopteridae (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha: Scytinopteroidea) of the Queensland Triassic.

The extinct hemipteran family Scytinopteridae, the presumed ancestors of the Heteroptera, was a small but widely distributed element of the Triassic insect fauna of Queensland. A total of 28 tegmina have been collected at six sites (Gayndah, Esk, Mount Crosby, Riverview, Denmark Hill and Dinmore) in five Middle or Late Triassic Formations. The specimens are remarkably uniform in both wing shape and basic venation, and the generally weakly developed venation of the apical area of the tegmen is rarely clearly preserved. Some consistent variations in tegmen size and in minor venational characters, however, have enabled the identification of six and possibly seven species in three genera, acknowledging of course, the somewhat artificial nature of fossil insect species based solely on isolated wings. Mesoscytina Tillyard, 1919 (= Triassoscarta Tillyard, 1919, syn. nov.), comprising Mesoscytina australis Tillyard, 1919 (= Mesoscytina affinis Tillyard, 1919, syn. nov., = Triassoscarta subcostalis Tillyard, 1919, syn. nov.) (Denmark Hill, Esk), Mesoscytina fistulae sp. nov. (Mount Crosby, Gayndah), Mesoscytina woodsi sp. nov. (Gayndah), and Mesoscytina magna sp. nov. (Dinmore), is distinguished by the combination of the R more or less straight distally and M with three apical branches. The monotypic Eurymelidium Tillyard, 1919, with type species Eurymelidium australe Tillyard, 1919 (Denmark Hill, Dinmore), has R sinuous and M with two apical branches, and the monotypic Apheloscyta Tillyard, 1922, with type species Apheloscyta mesocampta Tillyard, 1922 (Denmark Hill, Riverview) has R more or less straight and M with two apical branches. Three poorly preserved and thus unidentifiable scytinopterid tegmina from Esk, similar in size to Mesoscytina fistulae, are designated as Esk species A.

Leaf venation studies of 30 varieties ofMangifera indicaL. (Anacardiaceae)

Leaf morphological characters are important, especially for plant identification and classification. Leaf morphological characters are mainly used for classifying a particular genus, species and varieties, but leaf architectural patterns are not much studied. This study has been undertaken for identification of 30 Mangifera indica L. varieties based on venation characteristics. The results showed that pinnate type are common in the Kaju, Totapuri and Badshahpasand varieties, which are usually characterized by thick primary veins. Secondary veins were of camptodromous type. Minor venation was measured up to five orders and all varieties studies showed fimbriate venation. Other qualitative characters of secondary vein (angle of divergence, course, intersecondary vein), tertiary vein (pattern), higher order venation (course), veinlet branching, areole development, areole arrangement and areole shape were undertaken. Quantitative observations included number of areoles per mm2, average size of areole per mm2,...

Computer vision cracks the leaf code

Understanding the extremely variable, complex shape and venation characters of angiosperm leaves is one of the most challenging problems in botany. Machine learning offers opportunities to analyze large numbers of specimens, to discover novel leaf features of angiosperm clades that may have phylogenetic significance, and to use those characters to classify unknowns. Previous computer vision approaches have primarily focused on leaf identification at the species level. It remains an open question whether learning and classification are possible among major evolutionary groups such as families and orders, which usually contain hundreds to thousands of species each and exhibit many times the foliar variation of individual species. Here, we tested whether a computer vision algorithm could use a database of 7,597 leaf images from 2,001 genera to learn features of botanical families and orders, then classify novel images. The images are of cleared leaves, specimens that are chemically bleached, then stained to reveal venation. Machine learning was used to learn a codebook of visual elements representing leaf shape and venation patterns. The resulting automated system learned to classify images into families and orders with a success rate many times greater than chance. Of direct botanical interest, the responses of diagnostic features can be visualized on leaf images as heat maps, which are likely to prompt recognition and evolutionary interpretation of a wealth of novel morphological characters. With assistance from computer vision, leaves are poised to make numerous new contributions to systematic and paleobotanical studies.