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Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) viruses grouped within hemagglutinin (HA) gene clade 2.3.4.4b are spreading globally and causing high mortality among domestic and wild birds (1). In addition, the [...]

Anaplasma capra is an emerging tickborne zoonotic pathogen in the genus Anaplasma, family Anaplasmataceae, and was initially identified in blood samples from asymptomatic goats (Capra aegagrus hircus) and a febrile [...]

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV; species Mammarenavirus choriomeningitidis) is a single-stranded RNA virus that has a bisegmented genome and ambisense coding strategy (1). LCMV is a zoonotic virus that causes encephalitis, [...]

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE This paper presents a critical evaluation of a recent update to Sagart's 'numeral-based phylogeny' of Austronesian languages. The update takes the form of new evidence, including new etymologies and reconstructions of words meaning 'six' and 'ten' which differ from conventional reconstructions, and updated and expanded evidence for 'Southern Austronesian,' a subgroup that contains Kra-Dai and Malayo-Polynesian. This paper argues that Sagart's new evidence is unconvincing and does not provide additional support for the numeral-based phylogeny. Rather, this paper details shortcomings in new etymologies for 'six' and 'ten', as well as issues in the comparisons made between Kra-Dai and Malayo-Polynesian. It is concluded that conventional subgrouping proposals remain superior to the numeral-based phylogeny despite recent updates. Keywords: Subgrouping; Historical Lingusitics; Numeral-Based Phylogeny; Comparative Method, 1. INTRODUCTION. (1) There are many competing proposals on the higher order subgrouping of Austronesian (AN) languages, many of which are based on familiar approaches to subgrouping and reconstruction. For [...]

Viral infections are major threats to human health (1,2). Because of the advent of high-throughout sequencing, researchers are identifying new viruses with an unprecedented speed (3), and continuous attempts at [...]

Zoonotic leishmaniasis is endemic to Israel. Leishmania tropica, L. major, and L. infantum infect humans in different areas of Israel and circulate through distinct zoonotic transmission cycles (1). Cutaneous leishmaniasis [...]

Dengue virus (DENV) is a vectorborne tropical disease transmitted by Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus mosquitoes. Globally, an estimated 390 million cases occur per year, and 3.9 billion persons are [...]

We sequenced the mitochondrial ND2 gene for 290 Bushtits (Psaltriparus minimus) sampled from northern Washington to Guatemala. Phylogenetic analysis sorted specimens into 2 main lineages residing either west (coastal) or east (inland) of the Sierra Nevada and Cascades. These lineages are separated by 3.5% sequence divergence and correspond with the distributions of 2 long-recognized phenotype groupings (brown-capped and plumbeous, respectively). Three additional monophylctic geographically structured lineages were identified. Birds from southmost Baja California (Sierra de la Laguna) segregate from other coastal samples whereas the inland lineage includes additional lineages occurring in southeastern Mexico (Morelos, Puebla, Guerrero, and Oaxaca) plus Guatemala, and southwestern Mexico (Michoacan). Examination of museum specimens revealed that a black-eared phenotype occurs sporadically in the interior lineage in southern U.S. and northern Mexico, increasing in frequency to the south, corresponding roughly with these southern Mexican mtDNA lineages. Degree of sequence divergence between the 2 main lineages suggests a relatively early divergence, and ample time for 2-way introgression to occur. However, only 1 of our sampling localities (Lake Co., Oregon: n = 4) was mixed for coastal (n = 1) and interior (n =3) lineages suggesting the possibility of reproductive isolation between the 2 main lineages. Received 31 January 2022. Accepted 8 December 2022. Key words: gene tree, lineage divergence, mitochondrial DNA, niche models, phylogeography. Secuenciamos el gen mitocondrial ND2 de 290 mitos colectados desde el norte de Washington hasta Guatemala. Los analisis filogeneticos clasificaron a los especimenes en 2 linajes principalcs que residian ya sea en al ocste (costero) o al este (interior) de la Sierra Nevada y Cascades. Estos linajes se separan por una divergencia de secuencias de 3.5% y corresponden a distribuciones de 2 agrupamientos fenotipicos reconocidos desde hace mucho tiempo (respectivamente capucha marron y plomizo). Se reconocieron tres linajes adieionales monofilcticos cstructurados gcograficamcnte. Aves de la pane mas surena de Baja California (Sierra de la Laguna) se segregan de otras muestras costeras mientras que linajes del interior incluyen otros linajes que se encuentran en el sudeste mexicano (Morelos, Puebla, Guerrero y Oaxaca), sumado a Guatemala y al sudoeste mexicano (Michoacan). La examinaeion de especimenes de musco rcvclo que un fenotipo de oreja negra se eneuentra esporadicamente en el linaje interior en el sudeste de Estados Unidos y norte de Mexico, que aumenta su frecuencia haeia el sur y corresponde en general con linajes mtADN del sudeste mexicano. El grado de divergencia de secuencias entrc los 2 linajes principalcs sugiere una divergencia relativamente temprana y un tiempo grande para que ocurriera una introgrcsion de 2 vias. Sin embargo, solo una de las localidades de muestrco (Lake Co., Oregon, n =4) presentaba una mezela de linajes costero (n = 1) e interior (n = 3). sugiriendo la posibilidad de aislamiento reproductive) entre los 2 linajes principalcs. Palabras clave: ADN mitocondrial, arbol genctico, divergencia de linaje, filogeografia, modelos de nicho., The field of phylogeography began with the realization that mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) could be rapidly and easily sequenced, and that the sequences could be analyzed phylogenetically in a geographic context, [...]

Spring leaf phenology is an important event for trees to determine carbon fixation during the growing season. However, less is understood about the intraspecific variation in spring leaf phenology and its relationship with the spring temperature requirements of conifers, which is problematic for accurately predicting the influence of spring climate warming on conifers. I monitored bud burst timing and the degree days required for bud burst for seedlings and large individuals of Abies sachalinensis (fir) and Larixkaempferi (larch) over two seasons in northern Japan. Contrary to my expectation, the degree days required for the bud burst of small individuals were similar to or larger than those of the large individuals for fir and larch. Consequently, the bud burst timing of small individuals was similar to or later than that of large individuals for fir and larch. Even when conifer species are in their early stage, the spring temperature requirement for bud burst is not necessarily less than that for large individuals, which is not the case for many broad-leaved species. These results indicate that for these two coniferous species, ontogenetic differences in temperature requirements are not necessary to be considered for the response of communities to spring climate change. Key words: ontogeny, phylogeny, winter climate change, gymnosperm, snow, Introduction Spring leaf phenology, such as bud burst timing, is one of the most important events for trees to determine their survival and carbon fixation during the growing season (Sakai [...]

Cycads (Cycadales) are among the most ancient lineages of extant seed-bearing plants and are the most threatened plant order on Earth, with circa 75% of the 356 accepted species endangered or threatened with extinction. Zamia is the most species-rich (81 spp.) and widely distributed cycad genus in the Americas, notable for its morphological and ecological diversity. Across the genus, there appears to be a high degree of convergence among macromorphological traits, with many characters that are useful for species identification proving uninformative for elucidating relationships among species. However, it remains unknown whether anatomical variation in leaflet structure corresponds with phylogenetic or geographic patterns, as has been investigated in Dioon and Cycas. Here, we present a broad comparative survey of leaflet anatomy across Zamia species with the goals of describing anatomical diversity and uncovering diagnostic characters for resolved clades. Anatomical characters were scored based on the literature and newly prepared sections of leaflets from 20 Zamia species plus the outgroup species Microcycas calocoma. The resulting matrix covers 39 Zamia species representing all five major clades and spanning the geographic distribution of the genus. Anatomical characters scored from leaflet sections were mapped onto a previously published phylogeny and evaluated for their phylogenetic signal. Most anatomical characters examined are not diagnostic for clades, but newly reported mesophyll sclereids may be unique to one large lineage. Given the widespread incongruence between phylogenetic relationships and the distribution of anatomical traits, we tested the relationship between anatomical characters and environmental signals but did not uncover significant correlations between anatomy and ecology. While further work is required to elucidate the evolutionary history of anatomical characters in this genus, this research improves our understanding of micromorphological character evolution, anatomical diversity, and phylogenetic relationships within this highly threatened lineage of plants. Keywords Cycads * Neotropics * Gyrrmosperms * Sclereids * Biogeography * Hypodermis, Introduction Zamia L. is the second-largest genus in the Cycadales, and the most morphologically, ecologically, and karyologically diverse in the order (Caputo et al., 1996; Jones, 2002; Norstog, 1981; Stevenson, [...]

The Indo-Pacific purpleback flying squid Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis has the most complicated population structure reported to date among the ommastrephid squids. The highest density occurs in the Arabian Sea in the northwestern Indian Ocean, where fishing interests in this species are developing. This study offers the first report on the mitogenome of the enigmatic giant form of this species believed to be endemic to this region for better resolution of its evolutionary history. We used low-coverage whole genome sequencing in Illumina and assembled the complete mitogenome using the NOVOPlasty pipeline. The mitochondrial genome was AT-rich, 20318 bp in length, and contained 18 PCGs, 23 tRNAs, two rRNAs, and two non-coding regions. The plus stand encoded 22 of the 43 genes while the others were encoded by the minus strand. In the mitogenome, six genes and the non-coding region were all duplicated. Codon usage analysis suggested three predominant codon families that are AT-rich. The skew statistics of the PCGs suggested a compositional symmetry between different forms of S. oualaniensis. Ka/Ks analysis in its lineages indicated that PCGs are under purifying selection. Phylogenetic analyses recovered all lineages of the species into two sister clades, one containing the giant form along with the dwarf form and the second containing all middle-sized forms, despite the morphological similarity of the giant form with the middle-sized form. The major lineages appear to have originated through adaptive radiation. The lack of distinct morphological differences between certain forms indicates that they are probably in the grey zone of speciation., Author(s): N. S. Jeena [sup.1] , Wilson Sebastian [sup.1] , Summaya Rahuman [sup.1] , K. A. Sajeela [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.462189.0, 0000 0001 0707 4019, Marine Biotechnology Fish Nutrition [...]

Understanding of the biological diversity, involving molecular phylogenetic methods, is a fundamental task for a broad array of evolutionary, taxonomic, and ecological studies, as well as a basis for conservation. Our hydrobiological survey during an expedition in 2021 to the coastal waters of the Kuril Islands (the northwestern Pacific) revealed the undocumented diversity of the nudibranch molluscs. Two new species of the genera Zelentia and Cuthonella are described here using analysis of fine-scale morphological and molecular data. Representatives of the genus Zelentia prior to this study were known only from the North Atlantic and from the Canadian and US northeastern Pacific. In addition, two new distributional records of the previously described species Cuthonella denbei Korshunova et al., 2020 and Cuthonella soboli Martynov, 1992 are presented here for the first time. The molecular phylogenetic framework for the majority of the species of the genera Cuthonella and Zelentia, including the two new species, confirmed the taxonomic distinctness of the genus Zelentia (family Trinchesiidae) and the genus Cuthonella (family Cuthonellidae), and represents another important result of this study. Key words: biodiversity, Cuthonella, North Pacific, nudibranch molluscs, molecular phylogeny, phylogeography, Zelentia La comprehension de la diversite biologique, notamment par des methodes de phylogenetique moleculaire, constitue une tache fondamentale d'une vaste gamme d'etudes taxonomiques, ecologiques et de l'evolution, ainsi qu'un fondement de la conservation. Un leve hydrobiologique realise durant une expedition en 2021 dans les eaux littorales des Kouriles (nord-ouest de l'ocean Pacifique) revele une diversite non documentee de mollusques nudibranches. Deux nouvelles especes des genres Zelentia et Cuthonella sont decrites en utilisant une analyse de donnees moleculaires et morphologiques fines. Des representants du genre Zelentia n'etaient auparavant connus que de l'Amerique du Nord et des eaux canadiennes et etats-uniennes du nordest de l'ocean Pacifique. En outre, deux nouveaux cas de presence des especes deja decrites Cuthonella denbei Korshunova et al., 2020 et Cuthonella soboli Martynov, 1992 qui elargissent leurs aires de repartition respectives, sont presentes pour la premiere fois. Le cadre phylogenetique moleculaire pour la majorite des especes des genres Cuthonella et Zelentia, incluant deux nouvelles especes, confirme le caractere distinct sur le plan taxonomique du genre Zelentia (famille des trinchesiides) et du genre Cuthonella (famille des cuthonellides) et constitue un autre important resultat de la presente etude. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles : biodiversite, Cuthonella, Pacifique Nord, mollusques nudibranches, phylogenetique moleculaire, phylogeographie, Zelentia, Introduction The Kuril Islands are scientifically and economically an important chain of over 50 volcanic islands in the northwestern Pacific with diverse fauna and flora (e.g., Kotlyakov et al. 2009; [...]