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.
最近，人们越来越认识到地下生境及其相关的依赖地下水的生态系统所面临的压力。地下动物群提供重要的服务，并可作为生物指示物；然而，这种多样性的很大一部分是未知的。海苔科是一种被忽视的小型地下甲壳类动物，目前在世界范围内仅有3个亚科36属112种。它们保守的形态、小的体型和精致的外骨骼使得它们的解剖、观察和研究非常困难。然而，近年来，分子工具已被用于支持形态学和重建系统发育来分析分类群之间的关系和了解它们的起源。本文利用分子和形态学资料，在澳大利亚鉴定出37 ~ 41个新种，其中包括一个新属和新种（Queenslandbathynella gen. nov. spinosa sp. nov.），属于一个新亚科（Queenslandbathynellinae subfam）。11月)，扩展了这个家族的形态学知识。我们提出了一个多基因系统发育，包括来自澳大利亚和世界各地的许多已描述和未描述的分类群，有四个基因（细胞色素c氧化酶亚基I和16S， 28S和18S核糖体RNA），支持一个新的属和亚科的建立，这为bathynelliae提供了一个新的分子框架。
{"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}
Pub Date : 2024-11-14DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae146
Massimo Delfino, Brigette F Cohen, Romala Govender, Pippa Haarhoff, Loredana Macaluso, Liana Marino, Thalassa Matthews, Lukardis C M Wencker, Marco Pavia
South Africa is currently home to a highly diverse tortoise assemblage whose evolutionary history has been investigated mostly as a result of molecular studies. The fossil record is of little help because the remains of extant taxa are relatively recent, and only three extinct species, of uncertain relationships, have been described so far. An Early Pliocene extinct species of the currently monotypic genus Chersina, still inhabiting South Africa, was reported at the fossil-rich site of Langebaanweg more than 50 years ago but never formally described. Here we erect and describe the extinct species Chersina langebaanwegi sp. nov. on the basis of abundant material that provides information on its morphological variation. The referral of the new species to the genus Chersina is supported by phylogenetic analysis which includes the Malagasy ploughshare tortoise, sharing the presence of a single gular shield covering a very long gular protrusion with Chersina spp. and a domed shell with C. langebaanwegi sp. nov. The material from Langebaanweg represents the oldest fossil evidence of this genus. It significantly post-dates the branching of Chersina from its sister taxon Chersobius, but pre-dates the presumed split of the extant lineages of Chersina angulata as estimated on molecular basis.
{"title":"Towards the origin of South African tortoises: a new Chersina species from the Early Pliocene fossil site of Langebaanweg","authors":"Massimo Delfino, Brigette F Cohen, Romala Govender, Pippa Haarhoff, Loredana Macaluso, Liana Marino, Thalassa Matthews, Lukardis C M Wencker, Marco Pavia","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae146","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae146","url":null,"abstract":"South Africa is currently home to a highly diverse tortoise assemblage whose evolutionary history has been investigated mostly as a result of molecular studies. The fossil record is of little help because the remains of extant taxa are relatively recent, and only three extinct species, of uncertain relationships, have been described so far. An Early Pliocene extinct species of the currently monotypic genus Chersina, still inhabiting South Africa, was reported at the fossil-rich site of Langebaanweg more than 50 years ago but never formally described. Here we erect and describe the extinct species Chersina langebaanwegi sp. nov. on the basis of abundant material that provides information on its morphological variation. The referral of the new species to the genus Chersina is supported by phylogenetic analysis which includes the Malagasy ploughshare tortoise, sharing the presence of a single gular shield covering a very long gular protrusion with Chersina spp. and a domed shell with C. langebaanwegi sp. nov. The material from Langebaanweg represents the oldest fossil evidence of this genus. It significantly post-dates the branching of Chersina from its sister taxon Chersobius, but pre-dates the presumed split of the extant lineages of Chersina angulata as estimated on molecular basis.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142637637","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 : 2024-11-09DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae115
Charalampos Kevrekidis, Timo Moritz, Alexander F Cerwenka, Elena Bauer, Bettina Reichenbacher
Research interest in the diversity and evolutionary history of herring-like fossils (subcohort Clupei) has increased in recent decades. However, little is known about the relationships between fossils assigned to Clupei, particularly those that are demonstrably related to extant herring-like members of the order Clupeiformes. To help bridge this gap, we present a new morphological phylogeny that includes representatives of all major clupeiform lineages. The data matrix consists of 192 characters, drawn from 79 extant and 37 fossil taxa and selected to be readily identifiable in fossils. Most clupeiform families are recovered as monophyletic, and their interrelationships are generally compatible with previous morphological hypotheses. The phylogenetic positions of six fossil clupeiform taxa are resolved, as the results of all analyses (unconstrained/constrained parsimony and Bayesian inference) are consistent. Twenty-one fossil taxa are incertae sedis, including two species of Ellimmichtyiformes, which are recovered as Clupeoidei in the parsimony analyses. The relationships of the rest of the fossils are interpreted with varying degrees of certainty. The evolution of key morphological characters is discussed in light of the new results, and four fossil taxa are proposed as calibration points for future dating studies.
{"title":"Uncovering the relationships among herring-like fossils (Clupei: Teleostei): a phylogenetic analysis","authors":"Charalampos Kevrekidis, Timo Moritz, Alexander F Cerwenka, Elena Bauer, Bettina Reichenbacher","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae115","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae115","url":null,"abstract":"Research interest in the diversity and evolutionary history of herring-like fossils (subcohort Clupei) has increased in recent decades. However, little is known about the relationships between fossils assigned to Clupei, particularly those that are demonstrably related to extant herring-like members of the order Clupeiformes. To help bridge this gap, we present a new morphological phylogeny that includes representatives of all major clupeiform lineages. The data matrix consists of 192 characters, drawn from 79 extant and 37 fossil taxa and selected to be readily identifiable in fossils. Most clupeiform families are recovered as monophyletic, and their interrelationships are generally compatible with previous morphological hypotheses. The phylogenetic positions of six fossil clupeiform taxa are resolved, as the results of all analyses (unconstrained/constrained parsimony and Bayesian inference) are consistent. Twenty-one fossil taxa are incertae sedis, including two species of Ellimmichtyiformes, which are recovered as Clupeoidei in the parsimony analyses. The relationships of the rest of the fossils are interpreted with varying degrees of certainty. The evolution of key morphological characters is discussed in light of the new results, and four fossil taxa are proposed as calibration points for future dating studies.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142597786","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 : 2024-11-08DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae134
Karla D A Soares
About 300 valid species are classified within the order Rajiformes, the largest group of chondrichthyans. The monophyly of this order is highly supported by morphological and molecular inferences, but little is known about the mandibular, hyoid, and hypobranchial muscles of its members. This study aims to describe and illustrate the morphological variation in mandibular, hyoid, and hypobranchial muscles among rajiforms, review their terminology and discuss the phylogenetic and functional implications of conditions observed. Twenty-two ethanol-preserved specimens belonging to 19 of the 36 skate genera currently considered valid were manually dissected. Nine new characters are proposed and tested cladistically. The main differences observed are the relative width of muscle units of the levator palatoquadrati, insertion point and extension of the intermanibularis posterior, relative position of the facialis nerve and the levator hyomandibularis muscle, origin and insertion of the coracomandibularis, extension of the coracohyomandibularis, and occurrence of the preorbitalis medialis and intermandibularis anterior. When analysed together with other morphological features, muscle characters have shown to play a key role in the understanding of interrelationships among skates. Nevertheless, additional studies are needed to improve our knowledge of rajiform systematics and the functionality of mandibular, hyoid, and hypobranchial muscles.
{"title":"Mandibular, hyoid, and hypobranchial musculature in skates (Chondrichthyes: Batoidea: Rajiformes): revised terminology and phylogenetic implications","authors":"Karla D A Soares","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae134","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae134","url":null,"abstract":"About 300 valid species are classified within the order Rajiformes, the largest group of chondrichthyans. The monophyly of this order is highly supported by morphological and molecular inferences, but little is known about the mandibular, hyoid, and hypobranchial muscles of its members. This study aims to describe and illustrate the morphological variation in mandibular, hyoid, and hypobranchial muscles among rajiforms, review their terminology and discuss the phylogenetic and functional implications of conditions observed. Twenty-two ethanol-preserved specimens belonging to 19 of the 36 skate genera currently considered valid were manually dissected. Nine new characters are proposed and tested cladistically. The main differences observed are the relative width of muscle units of the levator palatoquadrati, insertion point and extension of the intermanibularis posterior, relative position of the facialis nerve and the levator hyomandibularis muscle, origin and insertion of the coracomandibularis, extension of the coracohyomandibularis, and occurrence of the preorbitalis medialis and intermandibularis anterior. When analysed together with other morphological features, muscle characters have shown to play a key role in the understanding of interrelationships among skates. Nevertheless, additional studies are needed to improve our knowledge of rajiform systematics and the functionality of mandibular, hyoid, and hypobranchial muscles.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"9 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142597788","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 : 2024-11-06DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae135
J H Arbour, S Ramazan, S Clark
Fish skulls are often highly kinetic, with multiple linkage and lever systems powered by a diverse suite of muscles. Comparative analysis of the evolution of soft-tissue structures in the fish skull is often limited under traditional approaches, while new imaging techniques like diceCT (diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography) allow for high-resolution imaging of muscles in situ. Darters (Percidae: Etheostomatinae) are a diminutive and species-rich clade of lotic freshwater fishes, which show diverse head shapes believed to be associated with different foraging strategies. We used diceCT to sample all major cranial adductors and abductors responsible for movement of the jaw, hyoid, operculum, and suspensorium from 29 species. We applied comparative phylogenetic approaches to analyse the evolutionary trends in muscle size across the clade. We found two major patterns: (i) darter cranial muscles show fundamental trade-offs relating to investment in musculature, as well as buccal expansion vs. biting attributes; early divergence in muscle size appears to be associated with shifts in habitat use and foraging; (ii) darter adductor mandibulae show high variation in architecture (fibre orientation, divisions). This study highlights how new imaging techniques can provide novel insights into the anatomy of even well-sampled/represented clades.
{"title":"Adaptation and innovation in darter fish cranial musculature (Etheostomatinae: Percidae): insights from diceCT","authors":"J H Arbour, S Ramazan, S Clark","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae135","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae135","url":null,"abstract":"Fish skulls are often highly kinetic, with multiple linkage and lever systems powered by a diverse suite of muscles. Comparative analysis of the evolution of soft-tissue structures in the fish skull is often limited under traditional approaches, while new imaging techniques like diceCT (diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography) allow for high-resolution imaging of muscles in situ. Darters (Percidae: Etheostomatinae) are a diminutive and species-rich clade of lotic freshwater fishes, which show diverse head shapes believed to be associated with different foraging strategies. We used diceCT to sample all major cranial adductors and abductors responsible for movement of the jaw, hyoid, operculum, and suspensorium from 29 species. We applied comparative phylogenetic approaches to analyse the evolutionary trends in muscle size across the clade. We found two major patterns: (i) darter cranial muscles show fundamental trade-offs relating to investment in musculature, as well as buccal expansion vs. biting attributes; early divergence in muscle size appears to be associated with shifts in habitat use and foraging; (ii) darter adductor mandibulae show high variation in architecture (fibre orientation, divisions). This study highlights how new imaging techniques can provide novel insights into the anatomy of even well-sampled/represented clades.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"20 7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2024-11-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142594712","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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