Search

[Display omitted] • The divergence times and evolutionary relationships of Schizoparmaceae were analyzed for the first time. • The ancestor of Schizoparmaceae split from Upper Cretaceous period approximately 75.7 Mya was revealed using molecular clock analyses. • Most likely origin of the family Schizoparmaceae was exposed in Africa by Reconstructing Ancestral State in Phylogenies (RASP) coupled with Bayesian Binary Markov chain Monte Carlo (BBM) Method. • Three new species and a key of Pseudoplagiostomataceae, and a new species of Schizoparmaceae were reported first. The Diaporthales includes 32 families, many of which are important plant pathogens, endophytes and saprobes, e.g., members of the families Pseudoplagiostomataceae, Pyrisporaceae and Schizoparmaceae. Nucleotide sequences derived from five genetic loci including: ITS, LSU, TEF1-α, TUB2 and RPB2 were used for Bayesian evolutionary analysis to determine divergence times and evolutionary relationships within the Schizoparmaceae. Molecular clock analyses revealed that the ancestor of Schizoparmaceae split during the Upper Cretaceous period approximately 75.7 Mya (95 % highest posterior density of 60.3–91.3 Mya). Reconstructing ancestral state in phylogenies (RASP) with using the Bayesian Binary Markov chain Monte Carlo (BBM) Method to reconstruct the historical biogeography for the family Schizoparmaceae indicated its most likely origin in Africa. Based on taxonomic and phylogenetic analyses, the Pseudoplagiostomataceae and Pyrisporaceae relationships were clarified and a total of four species described herein. For Pseudoplagiostomataceae, three new species and one known species that include, Pseudoplagiostoma fafuense sp. nov., Ps. ilicis sp. nov., Ps. sanmingense sp. nov. and Ps. bambusae are described and a key of Pseudoplagiostomataceae is provided. With respect to Pyrisporaceae, we considered Pseudoplagiostoma castaneae to be a synonym of Pyrispora castaneae. In addition, a new species of Schizoparmaceae, Coniella fujianensis sp. nov. is described and illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydnocarpus longipedunculatus , a medically significant tree species, is threatened and has a narrow distribution, being endemic to the Southern Western Ghats of India. A case of fruit rot disease was observed in a solitary tree of H. longipedunculatus in the Kulamavu forest areas of Kerala, India. The causative fungus, Lasiodiplodia theobromae , was isolated and identified through a combination of morpho-cultural characteristics and molecular sequence analysis involving the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), partial translation elongation factor-1-α (TEF1-α), partial β-tubulin (TUB2), and large subunit ribosomal ribonucleic acid (LSU) regions. Additionally, concatenated multigene (ITS- TEF1-α-TUB2) phylogenetic analysis was done. Pathogenicity tests were conducted in vitro using mycelial disc methods and confirmed the pathogenic nature of the fungus through re-isolation and morphocultural analysis, satisfying Koch's postulates. Previous studies neither have reported H. longipedunculatus as a host for L. theobromae , nor has any genus within Hydnocarpus. Therefore, this represents the first documented instance of H. longipedunculatus as a novel host record for L. theobromae from India. [Display omitted] • Severe fruit rots disease was observed on H. longipedunculatus with 33 % disease incidence. • The causative agent was identified as Lasiodiplodia theobromae using integrative approaches. • This is the first record of Lasiodiplodia theobromae causing fruit rots on H. longipedunculatus from India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strychnos potatorum L.f., is a well-known medicinal plant found in peninsular India and Sri Lanka, which is widely used in traditional and modern medicines for curing various kinds of diseases. In January 2020, while conducting a foliar fungal disease investigation in Kerala, India, a leaf spot and blight disease was spotted on S. potatorum. The pathogen was isolated and identified as Curvularia verruculosa based on symptomatic studies, culture characteristics, conidial morphology, multigene (ITS- LSU-GAPDH-TEF1-α) molecular sequences analysis, and concatenate multigene (ITS- GAPDH-TEF1-α) phylogeny. Koch's postulates were evaluated in vitro , and similar symptoms and re-isolation of the pathogen confirmed the association of C. verruculosa with leaf spot and blight disease. To our knowledge, this is the first report of C. verruculosa causing foliar disease on S. potatorum in India. [Display omitted] • Strychnos potatorum , recently faces a novel biotic threat causing leaf spot and leaf blight. • The pathogen was identified as Curvularia verruculosa by morphology and molecular studies. • Precise identification of this foliar pathogen could be helpful for disease management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Five Akanthomyces species were found in Brazil, including two unidentified taxa. • Both A. dipterigenus and A. muscarius were highly virulent to B. tabaci and A. fabae. • A. lecanii was not virulent (<50% confirmed mortality) for any of the six pest species. • Liquid fermentation of A. muscarius achieved yields >1.7x109 blastospores mL−1. • A. muscarius blastospores were as effective as conidia towards B. tabaci nymphs. Currently, species within the genus Akanthomyces are poorly studied and explored compared to other hypocrealean entomopathogenic fungi employed as commercial biocontrol agents. This study aimed to molecularly identify 23 Brazilian Akanthomyces strains, most originally isolated from aphids and scales (n = 22), and one from the coffee leaf rust, and further investigate their pathogenicity to six plant-sucking insects as a means to better understand their host spectra. We also explored the capacity of A. muscarius CG935 for blastospore production via liquid fermentation. Akanthomyces dipterigenus , A. muscarius , A. lecanii, and two unidentified species were recognized as naturally occurring in Brazil. Akanthomyces dipterigenus CG829 and A. muscarius CG935 were highly virulent to nymphs of Bemisia tabaci (67.5–85.4% confirmed mortality) and the aphid Aphis fabae (74.6–75.3%), but only the first strain was virulent to the mealybug Planococcus sp. (80.9%). Akanthomyces lecanii CG824 was weakly virulent to all tested insects. None of the strains were pathogenic to the thrips Caliothrips phaseoli , and all strains showed low virulence to the wooly whitefly Aleurothrixus floccosus and the scale Duplachionaspis divergens. Submerged liquid fermentation yields varied from 1.72 × 109 (day 2) to 3.90 × 109 (day 5) blastospores mL−1. Blastospores or aerial conidia from A. muscarius CG935, at a single concentration of 1 × 107 viable propagules mL−1, resulted in 67.5–83.1% mortality of B. tabaci nymphs within 8 days post-treatment. Overall, these results encourage additional studies that could lead to the development of new mycopesticides based on Akanthomyces strains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lesser Antillean anoles provide classic examples of island radiations. A detailed knowledge of their phylogeny and biogeography, in particular how the age of species relate to the ages of their respective islands and the age of their radiation, is essential to elucidate the tempo and mechanisms of these radiations. We conduct a large-scale phylogenetic and phylogeographic investigation of the Lesser Antillean anoles using multiple genetic markers and comprehensive geographic sampling of most species. The multilocus phylogeny gives the first well-supported reconstruction of the interspecific relationships, and the densely sampled phylogeography reveals a highly dynamic system, driven by overseas dispersal, with several alternative post-dispersal colonisation trajectories. These radiations currently occupy both the outer-older (Eocene to Miocene), and the inner-younger (<8mybp), Lesser Antillean arcs. The origin of these radiations corresponds with the age of the ancient outer arc. However, the ages of extant species (compatible with the age of other small terrestrial amniotes) are much younger, about the age of the emergence of the younger arc, or less. The difference between the age of the radiation and the age of the extant species suggests substantial species turnover on older arc islands, most likely through competitive replacement. Although extant anoles are extremely speciose, this may represent only a fraction of their biodiversity over time. While paraphyly enables us to infer several recent colonization events, the absence of the younger arc islands and extant species at the earlier and middle stages of the radiation, does not allow the earlier inter-island colonization to be reliably inferred. Reproductive isolation in allopatry takes a very considerable time (in excess of 8my) and sympatry appears to occur only late in the radiation. The resolved multilocus phylogeny, and relative species age, raise difficulties for some earlier hypotheses regarding size evolution, and provide no evidence for within-island speciation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Udoteaceae family (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta) is known to be highly diverse morphologically in the Caribbean region, but only few studies have studied its genetic diversity. Using an integrative taxonomic approach, this study aimed at (1) exploring the Udoteaceae species diversity using a combination of five DNA-based species delimitation methods and morpho-anatomical data for confirmation; (2) estimating the discriminatory power of traditional diagnostic characters using a morphology-based clustering method and statistical analyses focused on the genus Udotea ; and (3) reconstructing the phylogeny of the family based on a multilocus analysis ( tuf A , rbc L, 18S rDNA). Our results revealed strong congruence between species hypotheses across delimitation methods and markers. Morpho-anatomical characters proved essential to validate these hypotheses, to assign species names and to unveil new species. Morphological analyses led to relevant results for accurately discriminating Udotea morphospecies. Siphon features and cortication were key characters to define supra-specific groups and to revise the taxonomy of the genus Udotea . Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the polyphyly of Udotea, Rhipocephalus and Penicillus , which led us to propose a revised definition of Udotea sensu stricto based on both genetic and morphological data. Finally, our study emphasizes the importance of combining genetic and morphological data for the taxonomic revision of the Udoteaceae, but stresses the need of including more taxa from other geographical regions to better resolve taxonomic issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The origin of conifer genera, the main components of mountain temperate and boreal forests, was deemed to arise in the Mesozoic, although paleontological records and molecular data point to a recent diversification, presumably related to Neogene cooling. The geographical area(s) where the modern lines of conifers emerged remains uncertain, as is the sequence of events leading to their present distribution. To gain further insights into the biogeography of firs ( Abies ), we conducted phylogenetic analyses of chloroplast, mitochondrial and nuclear markers. The species tree, generated from ten single-copy nuclear genes, yielded probably the best phylogenetic hypothesis available for Abies . The tree obtained from five regions of chloroplast DNA largely corresponded to the nuclear species tree. Ancestral area reconstructions based on fossil calibrated chloroplast DNA and nuclear DNA trees pointed to repeated intercontinental migrations. The mitochondrial DNA haplotype tree, however, disagreed with nuclear and chloroplast DNA trees. It consisted of two clusters: one included mainly American haplotypes, while the other was composed of only Eurasian haplotypes. Presumably, this conflict is due to inter-continental migrations and introgressive hybridization, accompanied by the capture of the mitotypes from aboriginal species by the invading firs. Given that several species inhabiting Northeastern Asia carry American mitotypes and mutations typical for the American cluster, whereas no Asian mitotypes were detected within the American species, we hypothesize that Abies migrated from America to Eurasia, but not in the opposite direction. The direction and age of intercontinental migrations in firs are congruent with other conifers, such as spruces and pines of subsection Strobus , suggesting that these events had the same cause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ergot, genus Claviceps , comprises approximately 60 species of specialised ovarial grass parasites famous for the production of food toxins and pharmaceutics. Although the ergot has been known for centuries, its evolution have not been resolved yet. Our approach combining multilocus phylogeny, molecular dating and the study of ecological, morphological and metabolic features shows that Claviceps originated in South America in the Palaeocene on a common ancestor of BEP (subfamilies Bambusoideae, Ehrhartoideae, Pooideae) and PACMAD (subfamilies Panicoideae, Aristidoideae, Chloridoideae, Micrairoideae, Arundinoideae, Danthonioideae) grasses. Four clades described here as sections diverged during the Paleocene and Eocene. Since Claviceps are parasitic fungi with a close relationship with their host plants, their evolution is influenced by interactions with the new hosts, either by the spread to a new continent or the radiation of the host plants. Three of the sections possess very narrow host ranges and biogeographical distributions and have relatively low toxicity. On the contrary, the section Claviceps , comprising the rye ergot, C. purpurea , is unique in all aspects. Fungi in this section of North American origin have spread all over the world and infect grasses in all subfamilies as well as sedges, and it is the only section synthesising toxic ergopeptines and secalonic acids. The evolutionary success of the Claviceps section members can be explained by high toxin presence, serving as feeding deterrents and playing a role in their protective mutualism with host plants. Closely related taxa Neoclaviceps monostipa and Cepsiclava phalaridis were combined into the genus Aciculosporium . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heliozelidae are a widespread, evolutionarily early diverging family of small, day-flying monotrysian moths, for which a comprehensive phylogeny is lacking. We generated the first molecular phylogeny of the family using DNA sequences of two mitochondrial genes (COI and COII) and two nuclear genes (H3 and 28S) from 130 Heliozelidae specimens, including eight of the twelve known genera: Antispila , Antispilina , Coptodisca , Heliozela , Holocacista , Hoplophanes , Pseliastis , and Tyriozela. Our results provide strong support for five major Heliozelidae clades: (i) a large widespread clade containing the leaf-mining genera Antispilina , Coptodisca and Holocacista and some species of Antispila , (ii) a clade containing most of the described Antispila , (iii) a clade containing the leaf-mining genus Heliozela and the monotypic genus Tyriozela , (iv) an Australian clade containing Pseliastis and (v) an Australian clade containing Hoplophanes. Each clade includes several new species and potentially new genera. Collectively, our data uncover a rich and undescribed diversity that appears to be especially prevalent in Australia. Our work highlights the need for a major taxonomic revision of the family and for generating a robust molecular phylogeny using multi-gene approaches in order to resolve the relationships among clades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strain within the Metarhizium anisopliae species complex was isolated in 2009 from a soil sample in a banana plantation in the municipality of Quixeré, Northeastern region of Brazil. Previous studies showed that this insect-pathogenic strain does not fit with any current taxon within the M . anisopliae species complex, as determined by both genomic and by mass spectrometric analyses. In the present study, CG1123 (=ARSEF 13308) is shown to be morphologically indistinguishable from most species in this cosmopolitan species complex, whereas multilocus phylogeny confirmed its uniqueness and supports its recognition as a new species, Metarhizium alvesii , in honor of Sérgio Batista Alves, one of the founders of insect pathology in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carnivorous plant genus Utricularia L. (bladderwort) comprises about 240 species distributed worldwide and is traditionally classified into two subgenera ( Polypompholyx and Utricularia ) and 35 sections, based mainly on general and trap morphology. It is one out of the largest carnivorous genera, representing ca. 30% of all carnivorous plant species, and is also the most widely distributed. According to previous phylogenetic studies, most infrageneric sections are monophyletic, but there are several incongruences considering their relationships and also the dissenting position of some species as a result of a too few (mostly one or two) molecular markers analyzed. Thus, here we present a multilocus phylogeny for Utricularia species with a wide taxonomic sampling (78 species and 115 accessions) based on six plastid ( rbcL , matK , rpl20-rps12 , rps16 , trnL-F ) and nuclear DNA (ITS region) sequences. The aim is to reconstruct a well-resolved tree to propose evolutionary and biogeographic hypotheses for the radiation of lineages with inferences about the divergence times of clades using a molecular clock approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species complexes that have undergone recent radiations are often characterized by extensive allele sharing due to recent ancestry and (or) introgressive hybridization. This can result in discordant evolutionary histories of genes and heterogeneous genomes, making delineating species limits difficult. Here we examine the phylogenetic relationships among a complex group of birds, the white-headed gulls (Aves: Laridae), which offer a unique window into the speciation process due to their recent evolutionary history and propensity to hybridize. Relationships were examined among 17 species (61 populations) using a multilocus approach, including mitochondrial and nuclear intron DNA sequences and microsatellite genotype information. Analyses of microsatellite and intron data resulted in some species-based groupings, although most species were not represented by a single cluster. Considerable allele and haplotype sharing among white-headed gull species was observed; no locus contained a species-specific clade. Despite this, our multilocus approach provided better resolution among some species than previous studies. Interestingly, most clades appear to correspond to geographic locality: our BEAST analysis recovered strong support for a northern European/Icelandic clade, a southern European/Russian clade, and a western North American/ canus clade, with weak evidence for a high latitude clade spanning North America and northwestern Europe. This geographical structuring is concordant with behavioral observations of pervasive hybridization in areas of secondary contact. The extent of allele and haplotype sharing indicates that ecological and sexual selection are likely not strong enough to complete reproductive isolation within several species in the white-headed gull complex. This suggests that just a few genes are driving the speciation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating the phylogeny of lacertid lizards, and particularly the tribe Lacertini has been challenging, possibly due to the fast radiation of this group resulting in a hard polytomy. However this is still an open question, as concatenated data primarily from mitochondrial markers have been used so far whereas in a recent phylogeny based on a compilation of these data within a squamate supermatrix the basal polytomy seems to be resolved. In this study, we estimate phylogenetic relationships between all Lacertini genera using for the first time DNA sequences from five fast evolving nuclear genes ( acm4 , mc1r , pdc , βfib and reln ) and two mitochondrial genes ( nd4 and 12S ). We generated a total of 529 sequences from 88 species and used Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference methods based on concatenated multilocus dataset as well as a coalescent-based species tree approach with the aim of (i) shedding light on the basal relationships of Lacertini (ii) assessing the monophyly of genera which were previously questioned, and (iii) discussing differences between estimates from this and previous studies based on different markers, and phylogenetic methods. Results uncovered (i) a new phylogenetic clade formed by the monotypic genera Archaeolacerta , Zootoca , Teira and Scelarcis ; and (ii) support for the monophyly of the Algyroides clade, with two sister species pairs represented by western ( A. marchi and A. fitzingeri ) and eastern ( A. nigropunctatus and A. moreoticus ) lineages. In both cases the members of these groups show peculiar morphology and very different geographical distributions, suggesting that they are relictual groups that were once diverse and widespread. They probably originated about 11–13 million years ago during early events of speciation in the tribe, and the split between their members is estimated to be only slightly older. This scenario may explain why mitochondrial markers (possibly saturated at higher divergence levels) or slower nuclear markers used in previous studies (likely lacking enough phylogenetic signal) failed to recover these relationships. Finally, the phylogenetic position of most remaining genera was unresolved, corroborating the hypothesis of a hard polytomy in the Lacertini phylogeny due to a fast radiation. This is in agreement with all previous studies but in sharp contrast with a recent squamate megaphylogeny. We show that the supermatrix approach may provide high support for incorrect nodes that are not supported either by original sequence data or by new data from this study. This finding suggests caution when using megaphylogenies to integrate inter-generic relationships in comparative ecological and evolutionary studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the Oligocene, regions adjacent to the Red Sea have experienced major environmental changes, from tectonic movements and continuous geological activity to shifting climatic conditions. The effect of these events on the distribution and diversity of the regional biota is still poorly understood. Agamid members of the genus Pseudotrapelus are diurnal, arid-adapted lizards distributed around the Red Sea from north-eastern Africa, across the mountains and rocky plateaus of the Sinai and Arabian Peninsulas northwards to Syria. Despite recent taxonomic work and the interest in the group as a model for studying biogeographic and diversity patterns of the arid areas of North Africa and Arabia, its taxonomy is poorly understood and a comprehensive phylogeny is still lacking. In this study, we analyzed 92 Pseudotrapelus specimens from across the entire distribution range of the genus. We included all known species and subspecies, and sequenced them for mitochondrial (16S, ND4 and tRNAs) and nuclear (MC1R, c- mos ) markers. This enabled us to obtain the first time-calibrated molecular phylogeny of the genus, using gene trees, species trees and coalescent-based methods for species delimitation. Our results revealed Pseudotrapelus as a monophyletic genus comprised of two major clades and six independently evolving lineages. These lineages correspond to the five currently recognized species and a sixth lineage relating to the synonymized P. neumanni . The subspecific validity of P. sinaitus werneri needs further assessment as it does not form a distinct cluster relative to P. s. sinaitus . The onset of Pseudotrapelus diversification is estimated to have occurred in Arabia during the late Miocene. Radiation has likely resulted from vicariance and dispersal events due to the continued geological instability, sea level fluctuations and climatic changes within the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two sexual systems are predominant in Catasetinae (Orchidaceae), namely protandry (which has evolved in other orchid lineages as well) and environmental sex determination (ESD) being a unique trait among Orchidaceae. Yet, the lack of a robust phylogenetic framework for Catasetinae has hampered deeper insights in origin and evolution of sexual systems. To investigate the origins of protandry and ESD in Catasetinae, we sequenced nuclear and chloroplast loci from 77 species, providing the most extensive data matrix of Catasetinae available so far with all major lineages represented. We used Maximum Parsimony, Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian methods to infer phylogenetic relationships and evolution of sexual systems. Irrespectively of the methods used, Catasetinae were monophyletic in molecular phylogenies, with all established generic lineages and their relationships resolved and highly supported. According to comparative reconstruction approaches, the last common ancestor of Catasetinae was inferred as having bisexual flowers (i.e., lacking protandry and ESD as well), and protandry originated once in core Catasetinae (comprising Catasetum , Clowesia , Cycnoches , Dressleria and Mormodes ). In addition, three independent gains of ESD are reliably inferred, linked to corresponding loss of protandry within core Catasetinae. Thus, prior gain of protandry appears as the necessary prerequisite for gain of ESD in orchids. Our results contribute to a comprehensive evolutionary scenario for sexual systems in Catasetinae and more generally in orchids as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • DNA and acoustic samples of all 11 subspecies of the six currently recognized bush robin species (Tarsiger spp.) • An integrative taxonomy combining multilocus phylogenetic and acoustic analysis, as well as morphological differentiation. • Our results suggest recognition of two further species, Qilian Bluetail T. albocoeruleus and Taiwan Bush Robin T. formosanus. Several cryptic avian species have been validated by recent integrative taxonomic efforts in the Sino-Himalayan mountains, indicating that avian diversity in this global biodiversity hotspot may be underestimated. In the present study, we investigated species limits in the genus Tarsiger , the bush robins, a group of montane forest specialists with high species richness in the Sino-Himalayan region. Based on comprehensive sampling of all 11 subspecies of the six currently recognized species, we applied an integrative taxonomic approach by combining multilocus, acoustic, plumage and morphometric analyses. Our results reveal that the isolated north-central Chinese populations of Tarsiger cyanurus , described as the subspecies albocoeruleus but usually considered invalid, is distinctive in genetics and vocalisation, but only marginally differentiated in morphology. We also found the Taiwan endemic T. indicus formosanus to be distinctive in genetics, song and morphology from T. i. indicus and T. i. yunnanensis of the Sino-Himalayan mountains. Moreover, Bayesian species delimitation using BPP suggests that both albocoeruleus and formosanus merit full species status. We propose their treatment as 'Qilian Bluetail' T. albocoeruleus and 'Taiwan Bush Robin' T. formosanus , respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Levant region witnessed dramatic tectonic events and climatic fluctuations that changed the historical landscape of the area and consequently influenced the cladogenesis and distribution of the local biota. In this study we use information from two mitochondrial and two nuclear genes and species delimitation methods in order to obtain the first robust time-calibrated molecular phylogeny of the Levantine rock lizards of the genus Phoenicolacerta . We sampled from across its distributional range with the aim to clarify its systematics, biogeography and evolution. Our results suggest that the genus includes two well-supported clades, one comprising solely the montane species Phoenicolacerta kulzeri , and the other including the three remaining species, the relatively widespread, P. laevis , the Syrian-Turkish P. cyanisparsa and the Cypriot endemic P. troodica . We found that both P. laevis and P. cyanisparsa are not monophyletic, as the Turkish populations of P. laevis branch within P. cyanisparsa . We found high levels of undescribed diversity within P. laevis which necessitate a thorough revision. We suggest that Phoenicolacerta started radiating during the mid-late Miocene, and that both vicariance and dispersal events shaped the diversification and distribution of the genus concomitantly with the formation of major geological structures and climatic fluctuations in the Levant. These results highlight the region as an important center of speciation, contributing to the species diversity of the eastern Mediterranean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The understanding of the diversity of species in the Palearctic and the processes that have generated it is still weak for large parts of the arid areas of North Africa and Arabia. Reptiles are among their most remarkable representatives, with numerous groups well adapted to the diverse environments. The Ptyodactylus geckos are a strictly rock-dwelling genus with homogeneous morphology distributed across mountain formations and rocky plateaus from the western African ranges in Mauritania and the Maghreb to the eastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, with an isolated species in southern Pakistan. Here, we use a broad sampling of 378 specimens, two mitochondrial (12S and cytb ) and four nuclear ( c-mos , MC1R , ACM4 , RAG2 ) markers in order to obtain the first time-calibrated molecular phylogeny of the genus and place its diversification in a temporal framework. The results reveal high levels of intraspecific variability, indicative of undescribed diversity, and they do not support the monophyly of one species ( P. ragazzii ). Ptyodactylus species are allopatric across most of their range, which may relate to their high preference for the same type of structural habitat. The onset of their diversification is estimated to have occurred in the Late Oligocene, while that of several deep clades in the phylogeny took place during the Late Miocene, a period when an increase in aridification in North Africa and Arabia initiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Lizards of the genus Trachylepis are a species-rich group of skinks mainly inhabiting Africa, Madagascar, and several other islands in the western Indian Ocean. All except one probably introduced species of Madagascan Trachylepis are endemic. Two species groups have been distinguished on the basis of subocular scale shape but their phylogenetic relationships remained unclear. We inferred a multilocus phylogeny of the Madagascan Trachylepis species, based on a concatenated dataset of 3261bp from 3 mitochondrial and 4 nuclear genes with a dense Madagascan taxon sampling and find high support for the monophyly of the endemic Madagascan Trachylepis. The two species groups in Madagascar are highly supported as clades. The highland species T. boettgeri is nested in the T. aureopunctata species group of mainly arid-adapted species, suggesting a colonization of highland swamps by ancestors inhabiting dry western Madagascar. The Seychellois species were sister to the T. maculilabris/T. comorensis clade, suggesting their origin directly out of Africa as with Seychellois chameleons. In Madagascar, a high intraspecific molecular variation was confirmed for T. gravenhorstii, T. elegans, and T. vato, indicating a need for taxonomic revision. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Clades that have undergone episodes of rapid cladogenesis are challenging from a phylogenetic point of view. They are generally characterised by short or missing internal branches in phylogenetic trees and by conflicting topologies among individual gene trees. This may be the case of the subfamily Trematominae, a group of marine teleosts of coastal Antarctic waters, which is considered to have passed through a period of rapid diversification. Despite much phylogenetic attention, the relationships among Trematominae species remain unclear. In contrast to previous studies that were mostly based on concatenated datasets of mitochondrial and/or single nuclear loci, we applied various single-locus and multilocus phylogenetic approaches to sequences from 11 loci (eight nuclear) and we also used several methods to assess the hypothesis of a radiation event in Trematominae evolution. Diversification rate analyses support the hypothesis of a period of rapid diversification during Trematominae history and only a few nodes in the hypothetical species tree were consistently resolved with various phylogenetic methods. We detected significant discrepancies among trees from individual genes of these species, most probably resulting from incomplete lineage sorting, suggesting that concatenation of loci is not the most appropriate way to investigate Trematominae species interrelationships. These data also provide information about the possible effects of historic climate changes on the diversification rate of this group of fish. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Marble trout (Salmo marmoratus) populate two geographically separated areas in the northern and southern parts of the Adriatic Sea drainage. Although morphologically similar, each population is distinguished by a different set of unrelated mitochondrial haplotypes, suggesting that they have evolved from different ancestors. Due to a possible discordance between mitochondrial and species phylogeny, we performed phylogenetic analysis based on 22 nuclear loci. The results inferred from Maximum-likelihood and Bayesian Inference analysis revealed that northern and southern populations are closely related, forming a monophyletic group. This observation is concordant with the present marble trout classification, which considers both populations as conspecific. On the other hand, our findings are in marked contrast to those of previous mtDNA-based studies and highlight potential dangers of making phylogenetic inferences from mtDNA alone. Reasons for discordance between mtDNA and nDNA phylogeny are discussed with incomplete lineage sorting proposed as the most parsimonious explanation for mtDNA divergence in marble trout. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • First multilocus phylogeny of the ancient genus Pelasgus (Teleostei: Leuciscidae). • Evolutionary history inferred from calibrated multilocus coalescent species-tree. • Miocene - early Pleistocene diversification. • Hybridisation due to unintentional translocations. The Balkans are one of the European biodiversity hotspots, hosting outstandingly rich, yet threatened, flora and fauna. This region hosts one of the richest endemic freshwater ichthyofauna in Europe, including several genera occurring exclusively here. One of these is the genus of the primary freshwater minnows Pelasgus , which was designated only in 2007. The genus is one of the most ancient genera of the family Leuciscidae and comprises seven small-bodied species, inhabiting slower, well-vegetated courses of rivers. This work is the first molecular multilocus phylogeny of the genus, based on one mitochondrial and three nuclear markers. In total, 305 individuals across almost entire distribution range of the genus were analysed. We inferred the evolutionary history of the species by comparing the results of our calibrated multilocus coalescent species-tree to palaeogeological events. The diversification of the genus started in the early Miocene and continued through to the beginning of Pleistocene. We identified the regions of the oldest colonization by Pelasgus , the drainages of the ancient lakes Ohrid and Prespa, and the southernmost part of the Peloponnese, hosting Pelasgus minutus , P. prespensis and P. laconicus , respectively. We showed that P. prespensis is not endemic to Lake Prespa, as previously thought; it occurs also in the Albanian River Devoll. This corroborates the emerging opinion that the endemic taxa of ancient lakes evolved within larger-scale historic drainages and not only within the lakes. Our results showed that the species with the most recent common ancestor of the early Pliocene origin, P. thesproticus , P. epiroticus , P. stymphalicus and P. marathonicus , have neighbouring distribution ranges. Pelasgus epiroticus is especially interesting, not only for its pronounced genetic diversity with a geographic pattern, but also for being found at three localities within the native distribution range of P. stymphalicus as a result of a translocation. At two of these localities, we identified hybrids between the two species, and at one of them, the genetically pure native species was not found at all. This points to a threat of the loss of the native ichthyofauna due to unintentional translocations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Multilocus phylogeny of Lates contradicts morphology-based phylogenetic hypotheses. • Extant African lates perches are a monophylum that started to diversify ~2–4.5 MYA. • The nile perch comprises three divergent, geographically restricted lineages. • The nile perch is paraphyletic with respect to the four Lake Tanganyika Lates species. • Lates colonized and radiated in Lake Tanganyika more recently than other fishes. Lates perches of the genus Lates (Latidae) are large piscivorous fishes, with a strikingly disjunct distribution range in coastal areas and estuaries of the Indo-Pacific region and in some large African freshwater systems. Previous phylogenetic hypotheses based on osteological and ontogenetic data suggested paraphyly of the African representatives, or even the small Lake Tanganyika species assemblage, with respect to the remaining Lates species. Based on a multilocus phylogeny, however, we show that extant African lates perches are monophyletic. The Nile perch, L. niloticus , which is widely distributed in the Nilo-Sudan region and Central Africa, comprises three distinct lineages and is paraphyletic with respect to the four endemic Lake Tanganyika species. We find that diversification of extant African Lates happened only as recently as the Pliocene. With the extensive, in part much older fossil record, this suggests repeated extinction and (re-)colonization of hydrological systems. We further find that Lates started to diversify in Lake Tanganyika only in the Pleistocene, which is much more recent than other fish radiations endemic to Lake Tanganyika, implying that they radiated in the presence of other top predators already in this ecosystem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Phylogenetic conflicts were identified between nuclear and chloroplast topologies. • NO-RECOMBINATION phylogeny resolved the evolutionary relationships of Corylus. • Genus Corylus can be divided into four major clades. • Corylus originated in the the middle Eocene in Southwest China. • Lineage diversification associated with the Miocene and habitat associations. The evolutionary history of the genus Corylus , a tertiary disjunct lineage consisting of approximately 15–20 taxa with New and Old World distribution, has not been fully studied using molecular tools. In this research, we reconstructed comprehensive phylogenies of this genus using multiple datasets (genome-wide SNPs; complete chloroplast genomes; and nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences) based on detailed sampling of 17 Corylus species currently recognized. Divergence times were estimated using a fossil calibrated relaxed clock model, and ancestral area reconstruction were inferred using Bayesian binary MCMC (BBM) method and the dispersal–extinction–cladogenesis (DEC) model. Phylogenetic incongruences were detected from datasets, with nuclear SNP and ITS phylogenies supporting four major clades that correspond well with morphological traits, while chloroplast phylogeny revealed geographic partitioning. Recombination and introgressive hybridization played important roles in Corylus diversification. Molecular dating and biogeographical analyses unambiguously revealed that Corylus originated in Southwest China during the middle Eocene. The westward migration of Phyllochlamys (Clade C) and Colurnae (Clade D) and the uplift of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau drove the formation of European taxa, whereas the transoccanic migration crossing the Bering Land Bridge of Siphonochlamys (Clade B) and Phyllochlamys (Clade C) led to the occurrence of North American taxa. The topographic heterogeneity and climatic oscillations from Miocene to Pleistocene made East Asia the diversity center for Corylus. This study offers important insights into the phylogenetic relationships and biogeography history of the genus Corylus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]