Pub Date : 2024-12-12DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae145
Georgios Kazanidis
Etymology is a key component in zoological nomenclature, often carrying key information for an organism. Greek and Latin languages have been used for centuries in synthesizing zoological names. However, there are surprisingly few studies about each language’s contribution, which is crucial for avoiding misunderstandings around names’ meaning and origin. This study examined the publications that described 1328 valid Echinodermata genera and presents results for 425 genera where etymology was provided by the authors. The analysis showed that 63.8% of genera names were composed exclusively of Greek elements, 28.0% were hybrid, 6.1% ‘other’, and 2.1% Latin. Language elements used in the formation of names were Greek (68.1%), ‘other’ (17.2%), or Latin (14.7%). The contribution of the Greek elements decreased after 1960, while the presence of hybrid increased. A decrease in the contribution of morphological elements was also observed after 1960, accompanied by an increased use of scientists’ surnames. Etymological analysis has unravelled and addressed long-lasting misconceptions about commonly used terminology. The number of studies where etymology is provided increased after 1960; this practice needs to be sustained as etymological transparency advances zoological knowledge and minimizes the risk for the development of misleading concepts in zoological nomenclature.
{"title":"Cracking etymological enigmas: unravelling the Greek and Latin languages’ contributions in marine taxa nomenclature","authors":"Georgios Kazanidis","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae145","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae145","url":null,"abstract":"Etymology is a key component in zoological nomenclature, often carrying key information for an organism. Greek and Latin languages have been used for centuries in synthesizing zoological names. However, there are surprisingly few studies about each language’s contribution, which is crucial for avoiding misunderstandings around names’ meaning and origin. This study examined the publications that described 1328 valid Echinodermata genera and presents results for 425 genera where etymology was provided by the authors. The analysis showed that 63.8% of genera names were composed exclusively of Greek elements, 28.0% were hybrid, 6.1% ‘other’, and 2.1% Latin. Language elements used in the formation of names were Greek (68.1%), ‘other’ (17.2%), or Latin (14.7%). The contribution of the Greek elements decreased after 1960, while the presence of hybrid increased. A decrease in the contribution of morphological elements was also observed after 1960, accompanied by an increased use of scientists’ surnames. Etymological analysis has unravelled and addressed long-lasting misconceptions about commonly used terminology. The number of studies where etymology is provided increased after 1960; this practice needs to be sustained as etymological transparency advances zoological knowledge and minimizes the risk for the development of misleading concepts in zoological nomenclature.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142809691","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Diamesa is a cold-adapted genus of Diptera: Chironomidae colonizing cold freshwaters of the Northern Hemisphere and East Africa. Global warming and glacier shrinkage are threatening their survival. In this work, we aimed to provide new insights into taxonomical gaps and phylogeny of Diamesa species from the Pyrenees, Alps, and Karakorum mountains to understand the colonization processes better and have a more accurate count of the number of endangered species. An incongruence between morphological identification and DNA barcoding (COI) was highlighted, suggesting the need for other approaches combined to estimate genetic distance. We reconstructed the phylogeny of the Palaearctic, using molecular data from two nuclear (CADI and CADIV) and three mitochondrial (COI and COII and 16S) genes. We emphasized that: (i) the Diamesa steinboecki group shares with the common ancestor of the other Diamesa species a strong cold adaptation; (ii) the European and Asian species belonging to the steinboecki group separated from each other during the Miocene (~15 Mya); and (iii) the major diversification of species in the Alps occurred during the Plio-Pleistocene epochs, mainly during the alternation of glacial and interglacial periods. This confirms the strong relationship between species evolution and climate change.
{"title":"Revisiting European and Asian Diamesa species (Diptera: Chironomidae: Diamesinae): morphological and molecular insights","authors":"Valeria Lencioni, Narcís Prat, Francesca Paoli, Raúl Acosta, Ana Rodriguez-Prieto, Giuliana Allegrucci","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae136","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae136","url":null,"abstract":"Diamesa is a cold-adapted genus of Diptera: Chironomidae colonizing cold freshwaters of the Northern Hemisphere and East Africa. Global warming and glacier shrinkage are threatening their survival. In this work, we aimed to provide new insights into taxonomical gaps and phylogeny of Diamesa species from the Pyrenees, Alps, and Karakorum mountains to understand the colonization processes better and have a more accurate count of the number of endangered species. An incongruence between morphological identification and DNA barcoding (COI) was highlighted, suggesting the need for other approaches combined to estimate genetic distance. We reconstructed the phylogeny of the Palaearctic, using molecular data from two nuclear (CADI and CADIV) and three mitochondrial (COI and COII and 16S) genes. We emphasized that: (i) the Diamesa steinboecki group shares with the common ancestor of the other Diamesa species a strong cold adaptation; (ii) the European and Asian species belonging to the steinboecki group separated from each other during the Miocene (~15 Mya); and (iii) the major diversification of species in the Alps occurred during the Plio-Pleistocene epochs, mainly during the alternation of glacial and interglacial periods. This confirms the strong relationship between species evolution and climate change.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"38 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142809699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-12-11DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae155
Volker Mauss, Alexander V Fateryga, Christophe J Praz, Dominique Zimmermann, Henrik Mauss, Rainer Prosi
The evolution of flower-visiting behaviour in pollen wasps remains poorly investigated. The females of oligolectic Celonites species show two fundamentally different behavioural patterns for pollen uptake from Heliotropium flowers with a narrow corolla tube. They remove pollen from the concealed anthers either with their forelegs or with their proboscis. Single-frame video analysis revealed that pollen collection with the proboscis consists of a hitherto unknown, unique, and stereotypic behavioural pattern. The first phylogenetic reconstruction of Celonites based on ultra-conserved elements demonstrates that this highly complex behaviour is presumably homologous and evolved only once. It probably derived from accidental consumption of pollen adhering to the proboscis during nectar uptake and is associated with morphological adaptations of the foretarsi and mouthparts. Pollen uptake with the forelegs evolved independently. Morphological adaptations to this type of pollen uptake are the elongation of the forelegs and a tarsal pollen brush formed by hooked setae. These results confirm for pollen wasps a view that has been developed in studies of bee–flower relationships, namely that pollen collection, contrary to nectar collection, is a specific and stereotypic behaviour that often requires morphological and behavioural adaptations, possibly underlying the high rate of specialization observed in pollen-collecting Hymenoptera.
{"title":"Evolution of different adaptations for pollen uptake from flowers of Heliotropium (Boraginaceae) with narrow corolla tube in pollen wasps of the genus Celonites (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Masarinae)","authors":"Volker Mauss, Alexander V Fateryga, Christophe J Praz, Dominique Zimmermann, Henrik Mauss, Rainer Prosi","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae155","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae155","url":null,"abstract":"The evolution of flower-visiting behaviour in pollen wasps remains poorly investigated. The females of oligolectic Celonites species show two fundamentally different behavioural patterns for pollen uptake from Heliotropium flowers with a narrow corolla tube. They remove pollen from the concealed anthers either with their forelegs or with their proboscis. Single-frame video analysis revealed that pollen collection with the proboscis consists of a hitherto unknown, unique, and stereotypic behavioural pattern. The first phylogenetic reconstruction of Celonites based on ultra-conserved elements demonstrates that this highly complex behaviour is presumably homologous and evolved only once. It probably derived from accidental consumption of pollen adhering to the proboscis during nectar uptake and is associated with morphological adaptations of the foretarsi and mouthparts. Pollen uptake with the forelegs evolved independently. Morphological adaptations to this type of pollen uptake are the elongation of the forelegs and a tarsal pollen brush formed by hooked setae. These results confirm for pollen wasps a view that has been developed in studies of bee–flower relationships, namely that pollen collection, contrary to nectar collection, is a specific and stereotypic behaviour that often requires morphological and behavioural adaptations, possibly underlying the high rate of specialization observed in pollen-collecting Hymenoptera.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"14 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142809692","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-12-10DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae124
Daniel Barasoain, Rodrigo L Tomassini, Sofía I Quiñones, Laureano R González-Ruiz, Ricardo A Bonini, Alfredo E Zurita
Within armadillos, two clades are currently recognized: Chlamyphoridae and Dasypodidae. Major evolutionary processes of Chlamyphoridae are linked to the main environmental and climatic events that occurred in South America in the Cenozoic. More precisely, the Euphractinae reached a high diversity concomitant with the cooling period of the Late Miocene–Pliocene. One of the largest euphractines is Macrochorobates, which includes the species M. scalabrinii and M. chapalmalensis, differentiated by minor details on the osteoderms of the dorsal carapace. This genus had a wide distribution, with records in Late Miocene–Pliocene deposits of different regions of Argentina. Here we describe and compare new specimens of M. scalabrinii, which represent the most complete material known so far. Our comparative analysis strongly suggests that M. chapalmalensis represents a junior synonym of M. scalabrinii. This way, the biochron of M. scalabrinii would range from the Late Miocene to the Late Pliocene. Additionally, anatomical comparisons and cladistic analysis show that Macrochorobates and Macroeuphractus (another Late Neogene large euphractine) share some cranial characters, not observable in other armadillos; therefore, we propose that Macrochorobates scalabrinii could have had intermediate carnivorous diets between more generalist taxa such as Euphractus and the specialized carnivory proposed for Macroeuphractus.
{"title":"Evolutionary, taxonomical, and ecological traits of the Late Neogene armadillo Macrochorobates Scillato-Yané (Xenarthra: Cingulata)","authors":"Daniel Barasoain, Rodrigo L Tomassini, Sofía I Quiñones, Laureano R González-Ruiz, Ricardo A Bonini, Alfredo E Zurita","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae124","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae124","url":null,"abstract":"Within armadillos, two clades are currently recognized: Chlamyphoridae and Dasypodidae. Major evolutionary processes of Chlamyphoridae are linked to the main environmental and climatic events that occurred in South America in the Cenozoic. More precisely, the Euphractinae reached a high diversity concomitant with the cooling period of the Late Miocene–Pliocene. One of the largest euphractines is Macrochorobates, which includes the species M. scalabrinii and M. chapalmalensis, differentiated by minor details on the osteoderms of the dorsal carapace. This genus had a wide distribution, with records in Late Miocene–Pliocene deposits of different regions of Argentina. Here we describe and compare new specimens of M. scalabrinii, which represent the most complete material known so far. Our comparative analysis strongly suggests that M. chapalmalensis represents a junior synonym of M. scalabrinii. This way, the biochron of M. scalabrinii would range from the Late Miocene to the Late Pliocene. Additionally, anatomical comparisons and cladistic analysis show that Macrochorobates and Macroeuphractus (another Late Neogene large euphractine) share some cranial characters, not observable in other armadillos; therefore, we propose that Macrochorobates scalabrinii could have had intermediate carnivorous diets between more generalist taxa such as Euphractus and the specialized carnivory proposed for Macroeuphractus.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142805282","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-12-10DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae148
Agata Cesaretti, Anush Kosakyan, Francesco Saponi, M Antonio Todaro
The microscopic members of the genus Urodasys are easily recognizable due to their exceptionally long tail. There are 17 described species within this iconic genus, each distinguished by various sexual organ arrangements and reproduction modalities, including the sole known ovoviviparous gastrotrich species. The remarkable variety in reproductive characteristics has captured the interest of researchers aiming to illuminate its origin and evolution. The recent discovery of a species bearing a novel set of reproductive structures has challenged early hypotheses. However, all the evolutionary scenarios put forward need to be more convincing. To gain deeper insight into the evolutionary history of these iconic animals, we obtained the nucleotide sequence of two nuclear genes and one mitochondrial gene from species’ representatives of the four known possible combinations of the reproductive apparatus and reproduction modalities. The multi-gene data matrix was analysed phylogenetically using three approaches. The analyses yielded phylogenetic trees with invariant topology. In all cases, the specimens appear organized in four robustly supported clades and subclades that reflect their reproductive system organization. Our results suggest that the sclerotized stylet evolved inside the copulatory organ before the loss of the left testis and offers a new scenario for the evolutionary history of genus Urodasys.
{"title":"Gaining and losing on the way: the evolutionary scenario of reproductive diversification in genus Urodasys (Macrodasyida: Gastrotricha) inferred by multi-gene phylogeny","authors":"Agata Cesaretti, Anush Kosakyan, Francesco Saponi, M Antonio Todaro","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae148","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae148","url":null,"abstract":"The microscopic members of the genus Urodasys are easily recognizable due to their exceptionally long tail. There are 17 described species within this iconic genus, each distinguished by various sexual organ arrangements and reproduction modalities, including the sole known ovoviviparous gastrotrich species. The remarkable variety in reproductive characteristics has captured the interest of researchers aiming to illuminate its origin and evolution. The recent discovery of a species bearing a novel set of reproductive structures has challenged early hypotheses. However, all the evolutionary scenarios put forward need to be more convincing. To gain deeper insight into the evolutionary history of these iconic animals, we obtained the nucleotide sequence of two nuclear genes and one mitochondrial gene from species’ representatives of the four known possible combinations of the reproductive apparatus and reproduction modalities. The multi-gene data matrix was analysed phylogenetically using three approaches. The analyses yielded phylogenetic trees with invariant topology. In all cases, the specimens appear organized in four robustly supported clades and subclades that reflect their reproductive system organization. Our results suggest that the sclerotized stylet evolved inside the copulatory organ before the loss of the left testis and offers a new scenario for the evolutionary history of genus Urodasys.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"230 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142805314","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-12-10DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae143
Giacinta Angela Stocchino, Ronald Sluys, Eduard Solà, Marta Riutort, Renata Manconi
Madagascar and the Comoros Archipelago are inhabited by freshwater planarians of the genus Dugesia characterized by a unique morphotype with long and pointed auricles, which were traditionally ascribed to only one species, Dugesia milloti. Collections of new specimens of these long-eared freshwater triclads enabled us to examine these worms in more detail than previously had been possible and, thus, we were able to study the animals from an integrative perspective, including morphological, karyological, and molecular data. In addition, we re-examined D. milloti specimens that were available from natural history collections. In contrast to previous notions, we found that at least seven species of long-eared planarians inhabit the Malagasy inland waters, two of which are here newly described, viz., Dugesia crassimentula Sluys & Stocchino, sp. nov., and Dugesia insolita Stocchino & Sluys, sp. nov. Molecularly, the long-eared planarians form a separate phylogenetic clade that is not closely related to the other distinct morphotypes of Malagasy congeners. Furthermore, our karyological analyses revealed a new haploid (n = 5) chromosome number for the genus Dugesia, being the lowest chromosome number presently known for this genus. In addition, a previously unknown autotomy-like behaviour in freshwater triclads is reported here for the first time.
{"title":"The long-eared freshwater planarians of Madagascar form a separate phylogenetic clade within the genus Dugesia (Platyhelminthes: Tricladida), with the description of two new species","authors":"Giacinta Angela Stocchino, Ronald Sluys, Eduard Solà, Marta Riutort, Renata Manconi","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae143","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae143","url":null,"abstract":"Madagascar and the Comoros Archipelago are inhabited by freshwater planarians of the genus Dugesia characterized by a unique morphotype with long and pointed auricles, which were traditionally ascribed to only one species, Dugesia milloti. Collections of new specimens of these long-eared freshwater triclads enabled us to examine these worms in more detail than previously had been possible and, thus, we were able to study the animals from an integrative perspective, including morphological, karyological, and molecular data. In addition, we re-examined D. milloti specimens that were available from natural history collections. In contrast to previous notions, we found that at least seven species of long-eared planarians inhabit the Malagasy inland waters, two of which are here newly described, viz., Dugesia crassimentula Sluys & Stocchino, sp. nov., and Dugesia insolita Stocchino & Sluys, sp. nov. Molecularly, the long-eared planarians form a separate phylogenetic clade that is not closely related to the other distinct morphotypes of Malagasy congeners. Furthermore, our karyological analyses revealed a new haploid (n = 5) chromosome number for the genus Dugesia, being the lowest chromosome number presently known for this genus. In addition, a previously unknown autotomy-like behaviour in freshwater triclads is reported here for the first time.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142805313","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-12-10DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae151
Giulia Perina, Ana I Camacho, Nicole E White, Liesel Morgan, Angus Lawrie, Stephanie Floeckner, Michelle T Guzik
Awareness of pressures on subterranean habitats and their associated groundwater-dependent ecosystems has increased recently. Subterranean fauna provide critical services and can act as bioindicators; however, a significant portion of this diversity is unknown. The family Bathynellidae are neglected taxa of tiny subterranean crustaceans, with only 112 species described in 36 genera and three subfamilies worldwide. Their conservative morphology, small size, and delicate exoskeleton make their dissection, observation, and study very difficult. However, in recent years, molecular tools have been used to support morphology and reconstruct phylogenies to analyse the relationships among taxa and understand their origins. In this paper, using molecular and morphological data, we recognize 37–41 new Bathynellidae putative species from Australia, including a new genus and species (Queenslandbathynella gen. nov. spinosa sp. nov.), here described, belonging to a new subfamily (Queenslandbathynellinae subfam. nov.), expanding the morphological knowledge of the family. We present a multigene phylogeny inclusive of many described and undescribed taxa from Australia and worldwide, with four genes (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S, 28S, and 18S ribosomal RNA), that supports the erection of a new genus and subfamily, which provides a new molecular framework for Bathynellidae.
{"title":"Unveiling hidden Bathynellidae (Crustacea: Bathynellacea) diversity in Australia: an integrated study reveals remarkable diversity and a new subfamily from Queensland","authors":"Giulia Perina, Ana I Camacho, Nicole E White, Liesel Morgan, Angus Lawrie, Stephanie Floeckner, Michelle T Guzik","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae151","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae151","url":null,"abstract":"Awareness of pressures on subterranean habitats and their associated groundwater-dependent ecosystems has increased recently. Subterranean fauna provide critical services and can act as bioindicators; however, a significant portion of this diversity is unknown. The family Bathynellidae are neglected taxa of tiny subterranean crustaceans, with only 112 species described in 36 genera and three subfamilies worldwide. Their conservative morphology, small size, and delicate exoskeleton make their dissection, observation, and study very difficult. However, in recent years, molecular tools have been used to support morphology and reconstruct phylogenies to analyse the relationships among taxa and understand their origins. In this paper, using molecular and morphological data, we recognize 37–41 new Bathynellidae putative species from Australia, including a new genus and species (Queenslandbathynella gen. nov. spinosa sp. nov.), here described, belonging to a new subfamily (Queenslandbathynellinae subfam. nov.), expanding the morphological knowledge of the family. We present a multigene phylogeny inclusive of many described and undescribed taxa from Australia and worldwide, with four genes (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and 16S, 28S, and 18S ribosomal RNA), that supports the erection of a new genus and subfamily, which provides a new molecular framework for Bathynellidae.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"47 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-12-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142805315","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-11-21DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae133
Georgios L Georgalis, Krister T Smith, Laurent Marivaux, Anthony Herrel, El Mabrouk Essid, Hayet Khayati Ammar, Wissem Marzougui, Rim Temani, Rodolphe Tabuce
We here describe Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi, a new amphisbaenian genus and species from the Eocene of Chambi, Tunisia. Using micro-computed tomography (μCT), we document the peculiar anatomy of the new taxon, which is characterized by extreme dental morphology, including one massive tooth on the maxilla and dentary, flat cheek teeth, and an array of other diagnostic features that readily differentiate it from all other amphisbaenians. We also redescribe the oldest named African amphisbaenian, Todrasaurus gheerbranti, from the late Palaeocene of Morocco, using μCT. Phylogenetic analysis recovers Terastiodontosaurus and Todrasaurus as sister taxa and provides strong support for a sister-group relationship of those two large-toothed amphisbaenians with extant Trogonophis. Accordingly, Todrasaurus shows that the divergence of crown Trogonophidae occurred much earlier than currently thought. Our survey of μCT scans reveals that Terastiodontosaurus, Todrasaurus, and Trogonophis are characterized by a great enamel thickness on their teeth, a feature that is absent in other examined amphisbaenians. Size estimates show that Terastiodontosaurus was the largest known amphisbaenian ever to have lived, with an estimated skull length of >5 cm. Based on new muscle data of Trogonophis, we estimate very high bite forces for Terastiodontosaurus, which would allow it to crush a wide variety of snails.
{"title":"The world’s largest worm lizard: a new giant trogonophid (Squamata: Amphisbaenia) with extreme dental adaptations from the Eocene of Chambi, Tunisia","authors":"Georgios L Georgalis, Krister T Smith, Laurent Marivaux, Anthony Herrel, El Mabrouk Essid, Hayet Khayati Ammar, Wissem Marzougui, Rim Temani, Rodolphe Tabuce","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae133","url":null,"abstract":"We here describe Terastiodontosaurus marcelosanchezi, a new amphisbaenian genus and species from the Eocene of Chambi, Tunisia. Using micro-computed tomography (μCT), we document the peculiar anatomy of the new taxon, which is characterized by extreme dental morphology, including one massive tooth on the maxilla and dentary, flat cheek teeth, and an array of other diagnostic features that readily differentiate it from all other amphisbaenians. We also redescribe the oldest named African amphisbaenian, Todrasaurus gheerbranti, from the late Palaeocene of Morocco, using μCT. Phylogenetic analysis recovers Terastiodontosaurus and Todrasaurus as sister taxa and provides strong support for a sister-group relationship of those two large-toothed amphisbaenians with extant Trogonophis. Accordingly, Todrasaurus shows that the divergence of crown Trogonophidae occurred much earlier than currently thought. Our survey of μCT scans reveals that Terastiodontosaurus, Todrasaurus, and Trogonophis are characterized by a great enamel thickness on their teeth, a feature that is absent in other examined amphisbaenians. Size estimates show that Terastiodontosaurus was the largest known amphisbaenian ever to have lived, with an estimated skull length of >5 cm. Based on new muscle data of Trogonophis, we estimate very high bite forces for Terastiodontosaurus, which would allow it to crush a wide variety of snails.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142679061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-11-20DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae137
Jan Simon-Pražák, Shûhei Yamamoto, Tomáš Lackner, Martin Fikáček, Jakub Prokop, Michael S Caterino
Species in the beetle family Histeridae exhibit numerous defensive adaptations, from a generally compact and spheroid body shape to retractable tarsi, legs, heads, and antennae. Modes of antennal concealment are particularly variable, underscoring the importance of protecting these essential sensory structures. Understanding the evolution of these morphological features has been hindered by a weak understanding of the family’s basal phylogeny, and corresponding patterns of niche-use and morphological evolution. Cretaceous amber fossils have been proliferating, filling in important morphological gaps right around the time of the family’s explosive radiation. Here we describe 10 new species from Cretaceous Burmese ambers, six of them representing new genera: Palaeabraeus glabrus gen. nov. et sp. nov. (Abraeinae); Pseudacritus extinctus gen. nov. et sp. nov. (Abraeinae); Miculissima excavata gen. nov. et sp. nov. (unplaced to subfamily); Placatister cascus gen. nov. et sp. nov. (unplaced to subfamily); Cretomalus tibiodentatus gen. nov. et sp. nov. (Dendrophilinae: Paromalini); Prodigister tricostatus gen. nov. et sp. nov. (unplaced to subfamily); Anapleus punctulatus sp. nov. (Dendrophilinae: Anapleini); Pantostictus hirsutus sp. nov. (Abraeinae: Pantostictini); Phasmister kraliceki sp. nov. (Onthophilinae); and Phasmister planatus sp. nov. (Onthophilinae). A revised phylogenetic analysis that includes these taxa supports previous hints that inquilinous forms were prevalent and diverse during the Cretaceous. These results also support the contention that pressures in these environments to protect the critically important sensory apparatus, the antenna, were strong, driving multiple origins of two of the more protective configurations among extant taxa. Some of the new genera remain unplaced to subfamily, underscoring the gaps that still remain in the early fossil record for the family, and the continued need for more comprehensive analyses of combined data from extant taxa, along with additional extinct forms that we may assume will continue to be discovered.
{"title":"A bonanza of Cretaceous fossils provides insights into the evolution of antennal protection in clown beetles (Coleoptera: Histeridae)","authors":"Jan Simon-Pražák, Shûhei Yamamoto, Tomáš Lackner, Martin Fikáček, Jakub Prokop, Michael S Caterino","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae137","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae137","url":null,"abstract":"Species in the beetle family Histeridae exhibit numerous defensive adaptations, from a generally compact and spheroid body shape to retractable tarsi, legs, heads, and antennae. Modes of antennal concealment are particularly variable, underscoring the importance of protecting these essential sensory structures. Understanding the evolution of these morphological features has been hindered by a weak understanding of the family’s basal phylogeny, and corresponding patterns of niche-use and morphological evolution. Cretaceous amber fossils have been proliferating, filling in important morphological gaps right around the time of the family’s explosive radiation. Here we describe 10 new species from Cretaceous Burmese ambers, six of them representing new genera: Palaeabraeus glabrus gen. nov. et sp. nov. (Abraeinae); Pseudacritus extinctus gen. nov. et sp. nov. (Abraeinae); Miculissima excavata gen. nov. et sp. nov. (unplaced to subfamily); Placatister cascus gen. nov. et sp. nov. (unplaced to subfamily); Cretomalus tibiodentatus gen. nov. et sp. nov. (Dendrophilinae: Paromalini); Prodigister tricostatus gen. nov. et sp. nov. (unplaced to subfamily); Anapleus punctulatus sp. nov. (Dendrophilinae: Anapleini); Pantostictus hirsutus sp. nov. (Abraeinae: Pantostictini); Phasmister kraliceki sp. nov. (Onthophilinae); and Phasmister planatus sp. nov. (Onthophilinae). A revised phylogenetic analysis that includes these taxa supports previous hints that inquilinous forms were prevalent and diverse during the Cretaceous. These results also support the contention that pressures in these environments to protect the critically important sensory apparatus, the antenna, were strong, driving multiple origins of two of the more protective configurations among extant taxa. Some of the new genera remain unplaced to subfamily, underscoring the gaps that still remain in the early fossil record for the family, and the continued need for more comprehensive analyses of combined data from extant taxa, along with additional extinct forms that we may assume will continue to be discovered.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142673016","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-11-14DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae121
Yonela Sithole, Emmanuel J W M N Vreven, Pedro H N Bragança, Tobias Musschoot, Albert Chakona
The Zambezi grunter, Parauchenoglanis ngamensis, is currently distributed across four (sub)basins in southern and south-central Africa, namely the Okavango, upper Zambezi, Kwanza, and Kasai. The present study used a combination of molecular (barcoding), colour pattern, and other morphological data to explore the possible existence of hidden species diversity within this species. Based on the available samples, analyses of molecular data uncovered seven well-supported (.96–1.00 Bayesian posterior probabilities) candidate species, with 1.6%−8.5% genetic divergence between them. These, in addition to two more candidate species without genetic data, exhibited a combination of consistent colour pattern and other morphological differences that supported their distinction. The present study redescribes P. ngamensis, which is confined to the Okavango and upper Zambezi (sub)basins, and describes eight new species: two from the Kwanza Basin and six from the Kasai sub-basin. The fact that some of the species occur allopatrically, whereas others are sympatric and even syntopic indicates the complex palaeogeographical history of these basins. In addition, the high species diversity discovered in the Kasai sub-basin seems to be related to its highly peculiar hydrography. Accurate delimitation of species boundaries and mapping of their distribution is crucial for conservation assessments and guiding their protection.
{"title":"Nine in one: integrative taxonomic evidence of hidden species diversity in the widespread Zambezi grunter, Parauchenoglanis ngamensis (Siluriformes: Auchenoglanididae), from southern and south-central Africa","authors":"Yonela Sithole, Emmanuel J W M N Vreven, Pedro H N Bragança, Tobias Musschoot, Albert Chakona","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae121","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae121","url":null,"abstract":"The Zambezi grunter, Parauchenoglanis ngamensis, is currently distributed across four (sub)basins in southern and south-central Africa, namely the Okavango, upper Zambezi, Kwanza, and Kasai. The present study used a combination of molecular (barcoding), colour pattern, and other morphological data to explore the possible existence of hidden species diversity within this species. Based on the available samples, analyses of molecular data uncovered seven well-supported (.96–1.00 Bayesian posterior probabilities) candidate species, with 1.6%−8.5% genetic divergence between them. These, in addition to two more candidate species without genetic data, exhibited a combination of consistent colour pattern and other morphological differences that supported their distinction. The present study redescribes P. ngamensis, which is confined to the Okavango and upper Zambezi (sub)basins, and describes eight new species: two from the Kwanza Basin and six from the Kasai sub-basin. The fact that some of the species occur allopatrically, whereas others are sympatric and even syntopic indicates the complex palaeogeographical history of these basins. In addition, the high species diversity discovered in the Kasai sub-basin seems to be related to its highly peculiar hydrography. Accurate delimitation of species boundaries and mapping of their distribution is crucial for conservation assessments and guiding their protection.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"98 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142637638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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