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The fauna of freshwater gastropods of the Arabian Peninsula, a desert land, is neither rich nor extensively studied. Only five species of the family Lymnaeidae have been recorded from this subcontinent so far. In February 2023, a few specimens of Radix rufescens (J. E. Gray, 1822) have been collected from the stream at Wadi Tiwi, NE Oman. The shell, female part of the reproductive organs, prostate, paraeputium and phalloteca are presented. Cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences confirmed the assignment of these specimens to R. rufescens, known from Nepal, Bangladesh, and Myanmar, not from the Arabian Peninsula. Either R. rufescens is the sixth lymnaeid species inhabiting Arabia, or at least some of the records of R. natalensis (Krauss, 1848), whose shells are hardly discernible from the ones of R. rufescens, should be interpreted as misidentified R. rufescens. Thousands of years of the trade relations between Oman and India suggest accidental transportation of this snail by trade vessels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to complete the molecular evaluation of five Acacia species including first by determining the genetic diversity of the plants using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) method. This investigation was carried out to assess fingerprint and thus genetic variations among the Acacia species. The ISSR method was used to determine DNA fingerprints for Acacia spp. Eight primers were used, with all primers delivering amplification products. Our data show a total of 71 bands of 70 bp to 2,200 bp were amplified, of which 0.77 demonstrated an average polymorphism information content per primer. Among the eight primers tested, the mean annealing temperature was 48°C and average polymorphism information content was between 0.36 and 0.84. The ISSR primers for the five species of Acacia showed four main groups, with a higher level of similarity between these species. These results indicated ISSR markers provide an efficient alternate for identification via DNA fingerprinting of the genetic relationships in Acacia. PCR-based ISSR represents a powerful method that can provide practical information for the development of molecular markers, molecular cytogenetic techniques, and DNA Fingerprinting for application in an Acacia spp breeding program.

The objective of this study was to complete the molecular evaluation of five Acacia species including first by determining the genetic diversity of the plants using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) method. This investigation was carried out to assess fingerprint and thus genetic variations among the Acacia species. The ISSR method was used to determine DNA fingerprints for Acacia spp. Eight primers were used, with all primers delivering amplification products. Our data show a total of 71 bands of 70 bp to 2,200 bp were amplified, of which 0.77 demonstrated an average polymorphism information content per primer. Among the eight primers tested, the mean annealing temperature was 48°C and average polymorphism information content was between 0.36 and 0.84. The ISSR primers for the five species of Acacia showed four main groups, with a higher level of similarity between these species. These results indicated ISSR markers provide an efficient alternate for identification via DNA fingerprinting of the genetic relationships in Acacia. PCR-based ISSR represents a powerful method that can provide practical information for the development of molecular markers, molecular cytogenetic techniques, and DNA Fingerprinting for application in an Acacia spp breeding program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study on the snake species called Liophidium pattoni sp. n., particularly on its phylogenetic relationships. It says that the snake species is regarded to have a unique colour pattern as compared with other snakes found in Madagascar. The study also included snake samples from the Malagasy pseudoxyrhophiine genera aside from the ones representing the genus Liophidium. It states that the scientific methods used include polymerase chain reactions (PCRs), parsimony analysis, and Bayesian phylogeny inference. Results reveal that L. pattoni has several meristic characteristics comparable to L. torquatum inducing scale counts, neck band, and transversal spot lines on the venter.

We describe Liophidium maintikibo, a new species of pseudoxyrhophiine snake from the dry deciduous forest of Kirindy, western Madagascar. The new species is related to Liophidium therezieni but differs by a lower number of ventral scales and several details of colouration. Its ventral scales have a large central black patch which is missing from the subcaudals. This predominantly black ventral side is similar to that of another enigmatic Malagasy snake, Pararhadinaea melanogaster, for which we here present evidence for two new locality records, Ankarana and Daraina in northern Madagascar. The phylogenetic relationships of P. melanogaster (the sole representative of a monotypic genus) have so far not been clarified. Similarities to Liophidium maintikibo may indicate affinities to Liophidium, but P. melanogaster differs from this new species by a lower number of ventrals, subcaudals, number of maxillary teeth and by a different dorsal colouration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationships among Scorpidium cossonii and Scorpidium scorpioides haplotypes from most of the species’ distribution areas were analyzed based on ITS and rpl16. The haplotype networks were produced by TCS and were rooted by neighbor joining (ITS, recombination present) or maximum parsimony analysis. The haplotype closest to the root of the ITS network and some poorly represented haplotypes close to this have S. cossonii morphology and are arctic to subarctic, suggesting a northern origin of the complex. Additionally, two major lineages evolved from the root haplotype; one with S. cossonii morphology samples and one with all S. scorpioides morphology ones. The basal haplotypes in these major lineages include numerous temperate zone representatives, suggesting that adaptations for relatively warmer environments are present. Among haplotype groups that evolved later, one group in each major lineage is absent from America. rpl16 provides a scenario similar to that revealed by ITS for S. cossonii (no variation in S. scorpioides). Fossil and molecular evidence suggest that ancestral populations of S. cossonii evolved at least almost 4 Myr bp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The peculiar disjunction between Macaronesia and Australasia of the morphologically isolated pleurocarpous moss genus Echinodium is one of the most prominent questions in bryology. Echinodium as traditionally circumscribed comprises six extant species, four restricted to the Macaronesian archipelagos and two confined to the Australasian/Pacific regions. Molecular phylogenetic analyses based on plastid trnL UAA intron and nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences indicate that Echinodium is polyphyletic and split into three groups. Three of the four Macaronesian species (E. spinosum and the single island endemics E. renauldii and E. setigerum) are closely related to each other and treated as Echinodium s.str. (Echinodiaceae). Further clarification of the relationships of Echinodium s.str. with Orthostichella, a segregate of Lembophyllaceae, is needed. The remaining Macaronesian species, E. prolixum, is transferred to Isothecium (Lembophyllaceae); this systematic position is also strongly supported by leaf characters. The two Australasian species, E. hispidum and E. umbrosum, are molecularly unrelated to the Macaronesian species and are transferred to Thamnobryum in the Neckeraceae. While the molecular data suggest that the peculiar distribution pattern of ‘Echinodium’ is an artefact, the striking morphological similarity observed in Macaronesian and Australasian species cannot be dismissed. Possible explanations are: (i) parallel morphological evolution of the ‘Echinodium habit’ in Macaronesia and Australasia, or (ii) retention of a set of plesiomorphic characters in non-related groups in relict habitats, the Macaronesian laurel forest and the austral temperate rain forests, respectively. Of these hypotheses, the evolutionary parallelism hypothesis seems more plausible for several reasons, which are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Within the genus Scorpidium, the two species S. cossonii (Schimp.) l-ledenas and S. revolvens (Sw. ex Anonyrno) Rubers are similar to each other in habit and superficial morphological traits, whereas S. scorpioides (Hedw.) Limpr. appears to be very different. Because finer morphological characteristics seem to tell another story, the taxonomic treatment of these species has been debated. A molecular analysis of exemplar specimens based on ITS, atpB-rbcL, rpII6, and IrnL-trnF sequences reveals that S. cossonii and S. scorpioides differ from each other by 10 base substitutions/indels and from S. revo/vens by 46. When relationships based on ITS, rp/16, or both markers together are analysed for numerous specimens, those ofS. scorpioides appear with some S. cos- sonii specimens in a basal grade (rpII6) or in a dade nested within S. cossonii (ITS or both markers together). The molecular data suggest that superficial morphological data are misleading as regards to relationships within Scorpidium. There is no evidence for the recognition of the genus Lirnprichtia for S. cossonii and S. revolvens, or for merging these species into one. ITS data suggest recombination in S. scorpioides and rplI6 indicate exchange of chloroplast genetic material among populations of S. cossonii. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Ceratozamia has a distribution from Mexico to Central America. Molecular relationships were explored among Mexican Ceratozamia species using variable molecular markers, namely Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms (AFLP). Three AFLP primer-combinations generated 77 loci for a total of 1,684 fragments. Molecular variation was 75.72% among species and 24.28% within species, and a low correlation was present between genetic and geographical distances. Cluster analysis produced a phenogram in which two distinct clusters are clearly recognizable, one including C. alvarezii, C. sabatoi, C. zaragozae, C. kuesteriana, C. mexicana and C. robusta, and another one with C. zoquorum, C. miqueliana, C. latifolia, C. microstrobila, C. hildae and C. morettii. The AFLP proved to be suitable to study the relationships among species of Ceratozamia, and the results corroborated those from previous morphology-based studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Background and Aims There are more than 80 species of Leucadendron and most are used as cut flowers. Currently, more than 100 cultivars are used by industry and many of them are interspecific hybrids. The origin of most cultivars is unclear and their genetic diversity and relationships have not been studied. This investigation was carried out to evaluate the genetic variation and relationships among 30 Leucadendron cultivars.• Methods ISSR markers were applied to determine the genetic variation and to discriminate Leucadendron cultivars. Sixty-four ISSR primers were screened and 25 primers were selected for their ability to produce clear and reproducible patterns of multiple bands.• Key Results A total of 584 bands of 305–2400 bp were amplified, of which 97 % were polymorphic. A dendrogram generated using the Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Average based on a distance measure of total character difference showed that the Leucadendron cultivars clustered into two main groups. Twenty-four of the 30 cultivars can be unequivocally differentiated, but identical profiles were observed for three cultivar pairs, ‘Katie's Blush’ and ‘Silvan Red’, ‘Highlights’ and ‘Maui Sunset’, and ‘Yellow Crest’ and ‘Yellow Devil’.• Conclusions ISSR profiling is a powerful method for the identification and molecular classification of Leucadendron cultivars. A fingerprinting key was generated based on the banding patterns produced using two ISSR primers (UBC856 and UBC857). In addition cultivar-specific ISSR bands were obtained for 17 of the 30 Leucadendron cultivars tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circumscription, intraspecific variation, and biogeography of five Campylopus species of putative Gondwanan origin, C. flexuosus, C. fragilis, C. pyriformis, C. savannarum, and C. thwaitesii, are evaluated based on parsimony and likelihood analyses of nuclear ribosomal ITS1/ITS2 and chloroplast atpB-rbcL spacer sequences, and are compared with those of C. introflexus and C. pilifer. Campylopus introflexus and C. thwaitesii are monophyletic with low intraspecific sequence variation; specimens of C. savannarum appear on one well-supported clade together with two closely related species. In contrast, specimens of C. flexuosus, C. fragilis, C. pilifer, and C. pyriformis do not form monophyletic groups but are spread over several clades, which partly correspond to geographical regions. Apparently, these morphologically defined species are comprised of groups of populations that are morphologically similar due to convergent evolution. It is concluded that the circumscription and distribution patterns of these widespread Campylopus species are to be revised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood analyses based on partialtrnL intron sequences of 60 specimens of the Gondwanan liverwort family Pallaviciniaceae, and 23 representatives of other families of the Metzgeriidae, resolve the Pallaviciniaceae as monophyletic, albeit with low bootstrap support, with the Hymenophytaceae as their sistergroup in the likelihood tree. These data and further analyses of the Pallaviciniacean taxa only, based on thetrnTUGU-trnLUAA spacer,trnLUAA 5'exon andtrnLUAA intron of the chloroplast DNA and the ITS2 of the nuclear ribosomal DNA, support a separation ofMoerckia(Moerckioideae) from the remaining genera. An unexpected close relationship betweenPodomitrium(Podomitrioideae) and the Symphyogynoideae is observed, whereasPallaviciniaand the Pallavicinioideae are polyphyletic. WithinSymphyogyna, well-supported clades comprising the species with dendroid and prostrate-lobate thalli on the one hand and species with prostrate-undivided thalli on the other hand (exceptS. tenuinervis, includingSymphyogynopsis) are distinguished. According to the molecular data, evolution of the dendroid life-form occurred three times independently in the Metzgeriidae, inSymphyogyna,Jensenia, andHymenophyton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]