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The Afromontane and Afroalpine areas constitute some of the main biodiversity hotspots of Africa. They are particularly rich in plant endemics, but the biogeographic origins and evolutionary processes leading to this outstanding diversity are poorly understood. We performed phylogenomic and biogeographic analyses of one of the most species-rich plant genera in these mountains, Helichrysum (Compositae-Gnaphalieae). Most previous studies have focused on Afroalpine elements of Eurasian origin, and the southern African origin of Helichrysum provides an interesting counterexample. We obtained a comprehensive nuclear dataset from 304 species (≈50% of the genus) using target-enrichment with the Compositae1061 probe set. Summary-coalescent and concatenation approaches combined with paralog recovery yielded congruent, well-resolved phylogenies. Ancestral range estimations revealed that Helichrysum originated in arid southern Africa, whereas the southern African grasslands were the source of most lineages that dispersed within and outside Africa. Colonization of the tropical Afromontane and Afroalpine areas occurred repeatedly throughout the Miocene–Pliocene. This timing coincides with mountain uplift and the onset of glacial cycles, which together may have facilitated both speciation and intermountain gene flow, contributing to the evolution of the Afroalpine flora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the globally distributed red algal genus Pterocladiella , comprising 24 described species, many of which are economically important sources of agar and agarose. We used DNA-based species delimitation approaches, phylogenetic, and historical biogeographical analyses to uncover cryptic diversity and infer the drivers of biogeographic patterns. We delimited 43 species in Pterocladiella , of which 19 are undescribed. Our multigene time-calibrated phylogeny and ancestral area reconstruction indicated that Pterocladiella most likely originated during the Early Cretaceous in the Tethys Sea. Ancient Tethyan vicariance and long-distance dispersal have shaped current distribution patterns. The ancestor of Eastern Pacific species likely arose before the formation of the formidable Eastern Pacific Barrier—a first confirmation using molecular data in red algae. Divergences of Northeast and Southeast Pacific species have been driven by the Central American Seaway barrier, which, paradoxically, served as a dispersal pathway for Atlantic species. Both long- and short-distance dispersal scenarios are supported by genetic relationships within cosmopolitan species based on haplotype analysis. Asymmetrical distributions and the predominance of peripatry and sympatry between sister species suggest the importance of budding speciation in Pterocladiella. Our study highlights the underestimation of global diversity in these crucial components of coastal ecosystems and provides evidence for the complex evolution of current species distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Historical processes that shaped current diversity patterns of seaweeds remain poorly understood. Using Dictyotales, a globally distributed order of brown seaweeds as a model, we test if historical biogeographical and diversification patterns are comparable across clades. Dictyotales contain some 22 genera, three of which, Dictyota, Lobophora and Padina, are exceptionally diverse. Specifically, we test whether the evolutionary processes that shaped the latitudinal diversity patterns in these clades are in line with the tropical conservatism, out‐of‐the‐tropics or diversification rate hypotheses. Location: Global coastal benthic marine environments. Taxon: Dictyotales (Phaeophyceae). Methods: Species diversity was inferred using DNA‐based species delineation, addressing cryptic diversity and circumventing taxonomic problems. A six‐gene time‐calibrated phylogeny, distribution data of 3,755 specimens and probabilistic modelling of geographical range evolution were used to infer historical biogeographical patterns. The phylogeny was tested against different trait‐dependent models to compare diversification rates for different geographical units as well as different thermal affinities. Results: Our results indicate that Dictyotales originated in the Middle Jurassic and reach a current peak of species diversity in the Central Indo‐Pacific. Ancestral range estimation points to a southern hemisphere origin of Dictyotales corresponding to the tropical southern Tethys Sea. Our results demonstrate that diversification rates were generally higher in tropical regions, but increased diversification rates in different clades are driven by different processes. Our results suggest that three major clades underwent a major diversification burst in the early Cenozoic, with Dictyota and Padina expanding their distribution into temperate regions while Lobophora retained a predominantly tropical niche. Main conclusions: Our results are consistent with both the tropical conservatism hypothesis, in which clades originate and remain in the tropics (Lobophora), and the out‐of‐the‐tropics scenario, where taxa originate and expand towards the temperate regions while preserving their presence in the tropics (Dictyota, Padina). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carpopeltis maillardii has been regarded as a widely distributed species in the Indo‐Pacific region. In this study, we analyzed the genetic diversity of C. maillardii and related species collected from Taiwan and the Indian Ocean based on rbcL sequences, in order to elucidate species boundaries, diversity, and biogeographic patterns. Our analyses show that C. maillardii specimens are only distantly related to the genus Carpopeltis (type: C. phyllophora) but instead form a clade together with species of Yonagunia. We therefore propose the new combination Yonagunia maillardii comb. nov. In addition, two new species (Yonagunia palmata sp. nov. and Yonagunia taiwani‐borealis sp. nov.) are described from Taiwan. The close relationship of Yonagunia to Grateloupia is corroborated by detailed observations of the female reproductive structures, which demonstrate that the development of auxiliary cell ampullae before and after diploidization is similar to that of Grateloupia sensu stricto. Namely, the ampullae are composed of only two orders of unbranched filaments in which only a few ampullar cells are incorporated into a basal fusion cell after diploidization of the auxiliary cell and the pericarp consists almost entirely of secondary medullary filaments. Of all Yonagunia species, Y. maillardii has the widest distribution in the Indo‐Pacific, and can be identified in the field by its relatively thin, feathery, and highly branched morphology. Most other species, including those that occur in Taiwan, are seemingly more range‐restricted. Our phylogenetic analyses resulted in a well‐resolved phylogeny of Yonagunia, with an origin estimated in the Eocene–Oligocene, and diversification of species mainly in the Miocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recognition of cryptic biodiversity provides valuable insights for the management of exploited species. The Atlantic seabob shrimp (Xiphopenaeus kroyeri) is a commercially important fishery resource in the Guianan ecoregion, South America. Previous research in Brazil suggested the presence of cryptic species within the genus. Here, we confirm this presence and delimit the species by applying a multilocus approach based on two mitochondrial (COI and cytb) and two nuclear (PEPCK and NaK) genes. Species boundaries were tested using BPP, GMYC and bPTP delimitation algorithms. These analyses provided strong support for three clades within the genus Xiphopenaeus , including one undescribed clade, which occurs sympatrically with X. kroyeri in the Western Atlantic. Unexpectedly, this undescribed clade is more closely related to the Pacific Xiphopenaeus riveti than to their Atlantic congener. Our DNA-based species delimitation was further supported by new ecological information on habitat and morphology (colour). We also expand the known distribution range of the cryptic species, currently restricted to Brazil, to include French Guiana, Suriname and Colombia. Our findings have important consequences for the management of the species, in terms of both biodiversity management and fisheries management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brown algal genus Padina (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae) is distributed worldwide in tropical and temperate seas. Global species diversity and distribution ranges, however, remain largely unknown. Species-level diversity was reassessed using DNA-based, algorithmic species delineation techniques based on cox3 and rbcL sequence data from 221 specimens collected worldwide. This resulted in estimates ranging from 39 to 61 putative species ( ESUs), depending on the technique as well as the locus. We discuss the merits, potential pitfalls, and evolutionary and biogeographic significance of algorithmic species delineation. We unveil patterns whereby ESUs are in all but one case restricted to either the Atlantic or Indo- Pacific Ocean. Within ocean basins we find evidence for the vast majority of ESUs to be confined to a single marine realm. Exceptions, whereby ESUs span up to three realms, are located in the Indo- Pacific Ocean. Patterns of range-restricted species likely arise by repeated founder events and subsequent peripatric speciation, hypothesized to dominate speciation mechanisms for coastal marine organisms in the Indo- Pacific. Using a three-gene ( cox3, psaA and rbcL), relaxed molecular clock phylogenetic analysis we estimated divergence times, providing a historical framework to interpret biogeographic patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Free-living microorganisms have long been assumed to have ubiquitous distributions with little biogeographic signature because they typically exhibit high dispersal potential and large population sizes. However, molecular data provide contrasting results and it is far from clear to what extent dispersal limitation determines geographic structuring of microbial populations. We aimed to determine biogeographical patterns of the bloom-forming freshwater cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa. Being widely distributed on a global scale but patchily on a regional scale, this prokaryote is an ideal model organism to study microbial dispersal and biogeography. Methodology/Principal Findings: The phylogeography of M. aeruginosa was studied based on a dataset of 311 rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences sampled from six continents. Richness of ITS sequences was high (239 ITS types were detected). Genetic divergence among ITS types averaged 4% (maximum pairwise divergence was 13%). Preliminary analyses revealed nearly completely unresolved phylogenetic relationships and a lack of genetic structure among all sequences due to extensive homoplasy at multiple hypervariable sites. After correcting for this, still no clear phylogeographic structure was detected, and no pattern of isolation by distance was found on a global scale. Concomitantly, genetic differentiation among continents was marginal, whereas variation within continents was high and was mostly shared with all other continents. Similarly, no genetic structure across climate zones was detected. Conclusions/Significance: The high overall diversity and wide global distribution of common ITS types in combination with the lack of phylogeographic structure suggest that intercontinental dispersal of M. aeruginosa ITS types is not rare, and that this species might have a truly cosmopolitan distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taxonomy of the brown algal genus Dictyota has a long and troubled history. Our inability to distinguish morphological plasticity from fixed diagnostic traits that separate the various species has severely confounded species delineation. From continental Europe, more than 60 species and intraspecific taxa have been described over the last two centuries. Using a molecular approach, we addressed the diversity of the genus in European waters and made necessary taxonomic changes. A densely sampled DNA data set demonstrated the presence of six evolutionarily significant units (ESUs): Dictyota dichotoma (Huds.) J. V. Lamour., D. fasciola (Roth) J. V. Lamour., D. implexa J. V. Lamour., D. mediterranea (Schiffn.) G. Furnari, D. spiralis Mont., and the newly described D. cyanoloma sp. nov., which was previously reported as D. ciliolata from the Mediterranean Sea. Species distributions, based on DNA-confirmed occurrence records, indicate that all species are geographically confined to the NE Atlantic Ocean with the exception of D. dichotoma and D. implexa, which also occur in South Africa and Bermuda, respectively. To investigate potential hybridization between D. dichotoma and D. implexa, which were previously shown to be sexually compatible in culture, we compiled and analyzed sets of mitochondrial, plastid, and nuclear markers to detect putative hybrids or introgression in natural populations. Failure to detect natural hybrids indicates that effective pre- and postzygotic isolation mechanisms are at play in natural populations and supports the by-product hypothesis of reproductive isolation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Understanding the enormous diversity of microbes, their multiple roles in the functioning of ecosystems, and their response to large-scale environmental and climatic changes, are at the forefront of the international research agenda. In Antarctica, where terrestrial and lacustrine environments are predominantly microbial realms, an active and growing community of microbial ecologists is probing this diversity and its role in ecosystem processes. In a broader context, this work has the potential to make a significant contribution to the long-standing debate as to whether microbes are fundamentally different from macroorganisms in their biogeography. According to the ubiquity hypothesis, microbial community composition is not constrained by dispersal limitation and is solely the result of species sorting along environmental gradients. However, recent work on several groups of microalgae is challenging this view. Global analyses using morphology-based diatom inventories have demonstrated that, in addition to environmental harshness, geographical isolation underlies the strong latitudinal gradients in local and regional diversity in the Southern hemisphere. Increasing evidence points to a strong regionalization of diatom floras in the Antarctic and sub-Antarctic regions, mirroring the biogeographical regions that have been recognized for macroorganisms. Likewise, the application of molecular-phylogenetic techniques to cultured and uncultured diversity revealed a high number of Antarctic endemics among cyanobacteria and green algae. Calibration of these phylogenies suggests that several clades have an ancient evolutionary history within the Antarctic continent, possibly dating back to 330Ma. These findings are in line with the current view on the origin of Antarctic terrestrial metazoa, including springtails, chironomids and mites, with most evidence suggesting a long history of geographic isolation on a multi-million year, even pre-Gondwana break-up timescale. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study examines the diversity of Pseudocodium, a small green algal genus assigned to its own family in the order Bryopsidales. The included species are characterized by uncalcified thalli with a medulla composed of a limited number of interwoven siphons that form a cortex of distinctive utricles toward the periphery. Detailed morphological descriptions are provided for all known species. A combination of characters relating to general habit, morphology of the axes, apices and utricles distinguishes all species easily. Re-examination of Indonesian and Papua New Guinean specimens, previously reported as Pseudocodium floridanum, reveals that they belong to the recently described Pseudocodium okinawense. South African specimens formerly attributed to P. floridanum are described as a new species, Pseudocodium. natalense. Pseudocodium australasicum, a species endemic to southern Australia, does not fit the generic concept of Pseudocodium in that it does not possess a cortex composed of utricles. Putative reproductive structures have thus far only been reported for P. floridanum. Observations on Pseudocodium devriesii and P. natalense reveal very similar spherical to irregular structures formed laterally on medullary siphons in the axils of peripheral utricles. Interestingly, and confirming the earlier observations of Dawes & Mathieson, no basal cross wall is formed at the base of the reproductive structures. Instead, a translucent plug at the base of the reproductive structures prevents the cytoplasm from leaking. This suggests that Pseudocodium is not holocarpic, unlike most Halimedineae. DNA sequences of rbcL and tufA are presented for all species and the resulting phylogenies are used as a framework to study the evolution of morphological features as well as the biogeography of the genus, both at the global scale and within the Indian Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Despite the potential model role of the green algal genus Codium for studies of marine speciation and evolution, there have been difficulties with species delimitation and a molecular phylogenetic framework was lacking. In the present study, 74 evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) are delimited using 227 rbcL exon 1 sequences obtained from specimens collected throughout the genus’ range. Several morpho-species were shown to be poorly defined, with some clearly in need of lumping and others containing pseudo-cryptic diversity. A phylogenetic hypothesis of 72 Codium ESUs is inferred from rbcL exon 1 and rps3–rpl16 sequence data using a conventional nucleotide substitution model (GTR+Γ+I), a codon position model and a covariotide (covarion) model, and the fit of a multitude of substitution models and alignment partitioning strategies to the sequence data is reported. Molecular clock tree rooting was carried out because outgroup rooting was probably affected by phylogenetic bias. Several aspects of the evolution of morphological features of Codium are discussed and the inferred phylogenetic hypothesis is used as a framework to study the biogeography of the genus, both at a global scale and within the Indian Ocean. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The primary objective of the present paper is to quantify the biogeographic affinity of the marine flora of Rodrigues within the Indian Ocean by means of the Simpson Similarity Coefficient. A second topic explores the observation that certain widespread macroalgae are absent from the island, using an extensive set of macroalgal distribution data for the Indian Ocean. Once these common Indian Ocean algae have been identified and selected for their absence in the coastal waters of Rodrigues, the two causal hypotheses, (1) low habitat diversity and (2) an incomplete process of colonization, are investigated by interpreting the ecological descriptions of a large number of Indian Ocean specimens from the GENT Herbarium. Comparisons with two neighbouring island groups, namely Mauritius and the Seychelles, show that the habitat preferences of these widespread macroalgae determine their island distributions. The biogeographic analysis shows that the species-poor marine flora of Rodrigues (179 spp.) is a subset of the tropical East African flora (Tanzania, Kenya, Mauritius and the Seychelles). The general trend of biogeographic affinities with regions within the Indian Ocean is best reflected by the Rhodophyceae, which account for (1) the highest species diversity and (2) the largest proportion of species with specific (restricted) distribution patterns (high biogeographic resolution). Regarding the explanatory hypothesis for the low species richness, the results of an analysis of the habitats of selected species favour the idea of limited habitat availability (with the consideration of potential undersampling of exposed shores with hard substrata). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study of the type specimen of Caulerpa sedoides f. geminata shows that the original description and illustrations of this taxon are not correct and induce confusion. The type specimen is compared with recent collections from Papua New Guinea. A corrected and more complete description, as well as illustrations are given and a comparison is made with other Caulerpa species with opposite ramuli. Other forms at C. sedoides (f. crassicaulis, f. tasmanica, f. mixta) as well as the biogeographical distribution of this species, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecological success of giant celled, siphonous green algae in coastal habitats has repeatedly been linked to endophytic bacteria living within the cytoplasm of the hosts. Yet, very little is known about the relative importance of evolutionary and ecological factors controlling the intracellular bacterial flora of these seaweeds. Using the marine alga Bryopsis (Bryopsidales, Chlorophyta) as a model, we explore the diversity of the intracellular bacterial communities and investigate whether their composition is controlled by ecological and biogeographic factors rather than the evolutionary history of the host. Using a combination of 16S rDNA clone libraries and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis analyses, we show that Bryopsis harbours a mixture of relatively few but phylogenetically diverse bacterial species. Variation partitioning analyses show a strong impact of local environmental factors on the presence of Rickettsia and Mycoplasma in their association with Bryopsis. The presence of Flavobacteriaceae and Bacteroidetes, on the other hand, reflects a predominant imprint of host evolutionary history, suggesting that these bacteria are more specialized in their association. The results highlight the importance of interpreting the presence of individual bacterial phylotypes in the light of ecological and evolutionary principles such as phylogenetic niche conservatism to understand complex endobiotic communities and the parameters shaping them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Genetic, reproductive and morphological variation were studied in 193 global strains of the marine diatom species Pseudo-nitzschia pungens (Grunow ex Cleve) Hasle to assess potential intraspecific variation and biogeographic distribution patterns. Genetic differentiation between allo- and sympatric strains was investigated using the ITS1–5.8S–ITS2 rDNA region. Three ITS clades were found. Clones of opposite mating type were sexually compatible within clades I or II, and viable F1 hybrid offspring were produced in crosses between them. The molecular differences between these clades were correlated with slight but consistent morphological differences. At present, nothing can be said about morphology and mating behavior for clade III clones because only ITS data were available. The three ITS clades showed different geographic distributions. Clade II was restricted to the NE Pacific, whereas clones belonging to clade III originated from geographically widely separated areas (Vietnam, China and Mexico). ITS clade I was recovered in all locations studied: the North Sea (Belgium, The Netherlands, France), the eastern and western N Atlantic (Spain, Canada), the NW and S Pacific (Japan, New Zealand) and the NE Pacific (Washington State). Clade I thus appears to be globally distributed in temperate coastal areas and provides the first strong evidence to date for the global distribution of a biologically, genetically and morphologically defined diatom species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Diversity of genus Lobophora is reassessed in the western Indian Ocean. • A total of forty-three species are recognized. • Twenty-nine species appear endemic to the western Indian Ocean. • Fifteen species are described as new. The brown algal genus Lobophora (Dictyotales, Phaeophyceae) is an important ecological component of tropical marine systems. Although still scantily sampled, 35 species of Lobophora were discovered previously from the western Indian Ocean. This study updates previous diversity estimates by incorporating recent collections from Madagascar, Mozambique, and the Red Sea, considerably improving our knowledge of Lobophora diversity and biogeography in this region. Eight additional species are identified from the western Indian Ocean, raising the total number of Lobophora species to 43. Fifteen species are new to science and described herein. With ca. 40% of the global diversity, the western Indian Ocean is second only to the Central Indo-Pacific. Of the species identified to date, 29 appear to be restricted to the western Indian Ocean, three are shared with the Atlantic (four including L. lessepsiana introduced to the western Mediterranean Sea) and 12 have a wider distribution in the Indo-Pacific. The western Indian Ocean supports a high diversity with ca. 67% of its Lobophora restricted to this region, which is comparable to the Central Indo-Pacific (62%) and the Caribbean (61%). The presence of several putative endemic species in the western Indian Ocean islands and the Red Sea illustrates that these provinces played an important role in Lobophora species diversification within the western Indian Ocean by producing locally new species. The small number of species shared between the western Indo-Pacific and Atlantic indicates that this oceanic boundary – associated with the temperate Agulhas marine province, and the Benguela current and upwelling – acts as an effective dispersal barrier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A time-calibrated phylogeny is constructed for the Sansevieria Clade using plastid phylogenomics. • The five main clades were formed in a Pliocene radiation event. • The sansevierias with a Dracomima-type inflorescence form a clade. • Most informal groups defined by morphology are polyphyletic. • There are at least three colonisation events from Africa to Asia. Best known as low maintenance houseplants, sansevierias are a diverse group of flowering plants native to Africa, Madagascar, the Arabian Peninsula, and the Indian subcontinent. Traditionally recognised as a distinct genus, Sansevieria was recently merged with the larger genus Dracaena based on molecular phylogenetic data. Within the Sansevieria Clade of Dracaena , taxonomic uncertainties remain despite attempts to unravel the relationships between the species. To investigate the evolutionary relationships, morphological evolution and biogeographical history in the group, we aim to reconstruct a robust dated phylogenetic hypothesis. Using genome skimming, a chloroplast genome (cpDNA) dataset and a nuclear ribosomal (nrDNA) dataset were generated. The sampling included representatives of all sections and informal groups previously described in Sansevieria based on morphology. Analysis of the cpDNA dataset using a maximum likelihood approach resulted in a well-supported phylogeny. The time-calibrated phylogeny indicated a recent radiation with five main clades emerging in the Pliocene. Two strongly supported clades align with previously defined groups, i.e., Sansevieria section Dracomima , characterised by the Dracomima-type inflorescence, and the Zeylanica informal group, native to the Indian subcontinent. Other previously defined groups were shown to be polyphyletic; a result of convergent evolution of the identifying characters. Switches between flat and cylindrical leaves occurred multiple times in the evolution of the Sansevieria Clade. Similarly, the Cephalantha-type inflorescence has originated multiple times from an ancestor with a Sansevieria-type inflorescence. Analysis of the nrDNA dataset resulted in a phylogenetic hypothesis with low resolution, yet it supported the same two groups confirmed by the cpDNA dataset. This study furthers our understanding of the evolution of the Sansevieria Clade, which will benefit taxonomic and applied research, and aid conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]