Article
Plant Sciences
Natascha D. Wagner, Pia Marincek, Loic Pittet, Elvira Hoerandl
Summary: In this study, the phylogenetic relationships of 45 Eurasian Salix species were analyzed using RAD sequencing data, infrared-spectroscopy, and morphometric data. The results showed that the molecular data were consistent with the described morphological species, supporting the inclusion of S. bicolor into S. phylicifolia. The alpine endemic S. hegetschweileri was found to be closely related to species of the section Nigricantes. The genomic structure and co-ancestry analyses revealed a geographical pattern for widespread S. myrsinifolia.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Dariusz L. Szlachetko, Magdalena Dudek, Aleksandra Naczk, Marta Kolanowska
Summary: This study presents a revision of the orchid genus Andinia based on morphological and molecular studies. The authors also calculated and visualized the similarity of climatic niches occupied by representatives of the Andinia-complex. The study found the highest number of Andinia representatives in the Eastern Cordillera real montane forests, and identified unique orchid flora in the Guajira-Barranquilla xeric scrub ecoregion. The proposed classification recognizes nine genera within the Andinia-complex and provides a key to their identification.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Ronald Laniecki, Wojciech L. L. Magowski
Summary: This study revises the neglected mite genus Neoprotereunetes according to modern taxonomic standards. Six species previously placed in the invalid genera Protereunetes or Eupodes are transferred to Neoprotereunetes. A new genus, Antarcteupodes, is created for accommodating one Antarctic species. An identification key is provided for Neoprotereunetes.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nelson Buainain, Marina F. A. Maximiano, Mateus Ferreira, Alexandre Aleixo, Brant C. Faircloth, Robb T. Brumfield, Joel Cracraft, Camila C. Ribas
Summary: This study evaluates the species limits and evolutionary history of Tunchiornis ochraceiceps, a forest songbird, using an integrative approach including plumage coloration, morphometrics, vocalization, and genomic data. The species has a relatively old crown age and comprises several lineages with little evidence of gene flow among them. The research proposes a taxonomic arrangement of four species, including a deeply divergent cryptic species.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Huacong Xi, Younan Wang, Tong Liu, Xingke Yang, Haoyu Liu, Yuxia Yang
Summary: The study identified a total of nine species within the Lycocerus fainanus species group, distributed in the subtropical regions of the Oriental area including Taiwan and the continent. The ancestral geographical range was likely located in northern Vietnam and southwest China. Species divergence was attributed to dispersal and vicariance, with some species possibly originating from Taiwan and returning to mainland China through Southeast Asia.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Flavio Dias Passos, Paulo Vinicius Ferraz Correa, Marcel Sabino Miranda
Summary: This study describes a new species of Scutopus from the South Atlantic, analyzing its characteristics such as radula and body form, and suggesting that it is more abundant at depths of 40-1300 meters and also has suitable distribution sites in the Southern Caribbean Sea and the Brazilian Northern coast.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tammy Iwasa-Arai, Silvana G. L. Siqueira, Juliana L. Segadilha, Fosca P. P. Leite
Summary: This study conducted the first survey on the biodiversity of Peracarida from Trindade Island in Brazil, revealing new species and suggesting an Indo-Pacific origin for the genus based on phylogenetic and biogeographical analyses. A comparison with the closest Abrolhos Archipelago showed a high percentage of endemic species on Trindade Island.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tri Arfianti, Mark John Costello
Summary: The study found that habitat rather than biogeography determines the distribution of amphipod crustaceans in Indonesia, with lower species richness than expected. The potential reason for this may be limited diversification due to intense fish predation. Therefore, future research needs to consider habitat factors more and incorporate them into conservation planning.
Article
Oceanography
Flavio Dias Passos, Paola Visnardi Fassina, Paulo Vinicius Ferraz Correa, Marcel Sabino Miranda
Summary: This study describes a new species and explores the distribution and morphology of caudofoveate aplacophorans in the deep sea, providing insights into their phylogeny and ecological importance.
DEEP-SEA RESEARCH PART I-OCEANOGRAPHIC RESEARCH PAPERS
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Vladimir M. Gnezdilov, Fedor Konstantinov, Anna A. Namyatova
Summary: The Issidae, a highly diverse planthopper family, has been the subject of controversy in terms of internal phylogeny and classification. In this study, a phylogeny of the family was inferred using molecular and morphological data. The results validated the taxonomic status of subfamilies, tribes, and generic complexes, and revealed interesting insights about the origin and split of the family.
SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Camiel Doorenweerd, Michael San Jose, Scott Geib, Julian Dupuis, Luc Leblanc, Norman Barr, Elaida Fiegalan, Kimberley Y. Morris, Daniel Rubinoff
Summary: This study used a phylogenomic approach to evaluate the species boundaries and relationships within the Bactrocera frauenfeldi species complex and two closely related species. The results revealed the presence of five distinct species within the complex and highlighted the limitations of using COI for species recognition. New molecular approaches will be necessary for effective pest management and prevention of incursions.
SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jiantao Hu, Hongjie Li, Harumi Sakai, Takahiko Mukai, Ho Young Suk, Chenhong Li
Summary: In this study, a robust phylogeny of the genus Odontobutis was built based on comprehensive molecular data collection and analysis. Divergence time estimation and ancestral range reconstruction indicated that the common ancestor of modern Odontobutis was likely distributed in Japan, southern China, or the Korean Peninsula. Geographical events in East Asia since the late Miocene, such as the opening of the Japan/East Sea and climate change, might have contributed to the diversification and current distribution pattern of Odontobutis.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fabien L. Condamine, Remi Allio, Eliette L. Reboud, Julian R. Dupuis, Emmanuel F. A. Toussaint, Nathan Mazet, Shao-Ji Hu, Delano S. Lewis, Krushnamegh Kunte, Adam M. Cotton, Felix A. H. Sperling
Summary: This study reconstructed a phylogenetic tree for the genus Papilio based on taxonomic and molecular analyses. It identified several taxonomic changes and revealed the origin and biogeographic distribution of this genus. This comprehensive phylogenetic framework will facilitate further studies on the ecology and evolutionary biology of Papilio.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Jackson C. Means, Derek A. Hennen, Tsutomu Tanabe, Paul E. Marek
Summary: The millipede family Xystodesmidae consists of 486 species primarily found in temperate deciduous forests in North America and East Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Appalachian Mountains. Despite including unique taxa like bioluminescent species and those producing cyanide, the family lacks comprehensive basic alpha-taxonomy with over 50 species undescribed in the Appalachian Mountains alone. A phylogenetic study using six genes has revealed six monophyletic tribes and shown the family's paraphyletic relationship with Euryuridae and Eurymerodesmidae, leading to updates in classification and species hypotheses.
INSECT SYSTEMATICS AND DIVERSITY
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Hsuan-Ching Ho, Tzu-Yung Lin
Summary: Two adults of Lestidiops indopacificus (Ege, 1953) from Taiwan were reported and described, confirming the validity and generic assignment of this species. The position of the pelvic fin below the dorsal-fin base indicates that L. indopacificus belongs to the L. mirabilis species complex. It differs from other congeners in the nostril position, light body color with unevenly distributed melanophores in adults, and a distinct combination of meristic values and other morphological characteristics. New geographic records are reported for the other two members of this species complex, L. mirabilis (Ege, 1933) and L. extremus (Ege, 1953). The diagnostic features that distinguish these three similar species are discussed.
Article
Ornithology
Leeann D. Louis, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Robert Dudley
Summary: Migration behavior influences the microstructure of bones in migratory birds, with wing bones being thicker, wider, and stiffer, while leg bones are shorter, thinner, and less stiff in migrants compared to resident birds. Migratory birds also have lower tissue mineral density and less trabecular bone volume fraction, potentially to improve stiffness and fatigue resistance in wing bones and reduce mass in leg bones. This study highlights the importance of investigating bone microstructure to understand morphological adaptations in migratory birds.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Subir B. Shakya, Cynthia Y. Wang-Claypool, Carla Cicero, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Nicholas A. Mason
Summary: This study compared phenotypic and genetic variation among Horned Lark populations and found that genetic variation is mainly influenced by geographic distance, while specific phenotypes and genomic regions are more strongly associated with the environment.
Article
Entomology
Netta Dorchin, Stephany van Munster, Cornelia Klak, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Jonathan F. Colville
Summary: Succulent Aizoaceae plants in the Greater Cape Floristic Region of southern Africa support a rich community of previously unstudied gall midges, with a new genus Ruschiola described in this study based on morphological, molecular, and life history data. The high degree of morphological uniformity in Ruschiola species suggests recent diversification and the need for molecular data to verify species boundaries and host ranges.
Article
Ecology
Joseph A. Tobias, Catherine Sheard, Alex L. Pigot, Adam J. M. Devenish, Jingyi Yang, Ferran Sayol, Montague H. C. Neate-Clegg, Nico Alioravainen, Thomas L. Weeks, Robert A. Barber, Patrick A. Walkden, Hannah E. A. MacGregor, Samuel E. I. Jones, Claire Vincent, Anna G. Phillips, Nicola M. Marples, Flavia A. Montano-Centellas, Victor Leandro-Silva, Santiago Claramunt, Bianca Darski, Benjamin G. Freeman, Tom P. Bregman, Christopher R. Cooney, Emma C. Hughes, Elliot J. R. Capp, Zoe K. Varley, Nicholas R. Friedman, Heiko Korntheuer, Andrea Corrales-Vargas, Christopher H. Trisos, Brian C. Weeks, Dagmar M. Hanz, Till Topfer, Gustavo A. Bravo, Vladimir Remes, Larissa Nowak, Lincoln S. Carneiro, Amilkar J. Moncada R., Beata Matysiokova, Daniel T. Baldassarre, Alejandra Martinez-Salinas, Jared D. Wolfe, Philip M. Chapman, Benjamin G. Daly, Marjorie C. Sorensen, Alexander Neu, Michael A. Ford, Rebekah J. Mayhew, Luis Fabio Silveira, David J. Kelly, Nathaniel N. D. Annorbah, Henry S. Pollock, Ada M. Grabowska-Zhang, Jay P. McEntee, Juan Carlos T. Gonzalez, Camila G. Meneses, Marcia C. Munoz, Luke L. Powell, Gabriel A. Jamie, Thomas J. Matthews, Oscar Johnson, Guilherme R. R. Brito, Kristof Zyskowski, Ross Crates, Michael G. Harvey, Maura Jurado Zevallos, Peter A. Hosner, Tom Bradfer-Lawrence, James M. Maley, F. Gary Stiles, Hevana S. Lima, Kaiya L. Provost, Moses Chibesa, Mmatjie Mashao, Jeffrey T. Howard, Edson Mlamba, Marcus A. H. Chua, Bicheng Li, M. Isabel Gomez, Natalia C. Garcia, Martin Packert, Jerome Fuchs, Jarome R. Ali, Elizabeth P. Derryberry, Monica L. Carlson, Rolly C. Urriza, Kristin E. Brzeski, Dewi M. Prawiradilaga, Matt J. Rayner, Eliot T. Miller, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Rene-Marie Lafontaine, R. Paul Scofield, Yingqiang Lou, Lankani Somarathna, Denis Lepage, Marshall Illif, Eike Lena Neuschulz, Mathias Templin, D. Matthias Dehling, Jacob C. Cooper, Olivier S. G. Pauwels, Kangkuso Analuddin, Jon Fjeldsa, Nathalie Seddon, Paul R. Sweet, Fabrice A. J. DeClerck, Luciano N. Naka, Jeffrey D. Brawn, Alexandre Aleixo, Katrin Bohning-Gaese, Carsten Rahbek, Susanne A. Fritz, Gavin H. Thomas, Matthias Schleuning
Summary: Functional traits provide a quantitative framework for theories in evolutionary biology, ecology, and ecosystem science. The AVONET dataset contains comprehensive functional trait data for all bird species, allowing integration with other datasets and providing a global template for testing hypotheses and exploring the origins, structure, and functioning of biodiversity.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Valeria Ramirez-Castaneda, Erin P. Westeen, Jeffrey Frederick, Sina Amini, Daniel R. Wait, Anang S. Achmadi, Noviar Andayani, Evy Arida, Umilaela Arifin, Moises A. Bernal, Elisa Bonaccorso, Marites Bonachita Sanguila, Rafe M. Brown, Jing Che, F. Peter Condori, Diny Hartiningtias, Anna E. Hiller, Djoko T. Iskandar, Rosa Alicia Jimenez, Rassim Khelifa, Roberto Marquez, Jose G. Martinez-Fonseca, Juan L. Parra, Joshua Penalba, Lina Pinto-Garcia, Onja H. Razafindratsima, Santiago R. Ron, Sara Souza, Jatna Supriatna, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Carla Cicero, Jimmy A. McGuire, Rebecca D. Tarvin
Summary: This article discusses issues of equality, inclusivity, ethics, and safety in field biology research and proposes four guiding principles for equitable practices. It also provides suggestions for global collaborators to make field biology more fair and encourages baseline training.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Nicholas A. Mason, Eric A. Riddell, Faye G. Romero, Carla Cicero, Rauri C. K. Bowie
Summary: Animal coloration serves multiple biological functions and must balance competing selective pressures. This study found geographic variation in dorsal patterning, coloration, and solar reflectance among horned larks. The plumage-environment associations support background matching and Gloger's rule. Thermoregulatory models showed increased cooling benefits in hotter, more arid environments. Cooling benefits were also associated with residual brightness, suggesting a trade-off between camouflage and thermoregulation. These findings show how natural selection has balanced camouflage and thermoregulation in horned larks, highlighting the interaction of multiple evolutionary pressures in shaping adaptive phenotypes.
AMERICAN NATURALIST
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sondra Turjeman, Sasha Pekarsky, Ammon Corl, Pauline L. Kamath, Wayne M. Getz, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Yuri Markin, Ran Nathan
Summary: In ecological and conservation studies, responsible researchers aim to gather rich data with minimal disturbance to wildlife and ecosystems. This study compared the microbiota of noninvasively collected fecal samples to those collected from trapped common cranes to assess the use of noninvasive sampling for fecal microbiome research. The results showed significant differences in microbial composition between the samples, potentially due to the effects of trapping on the birds' microbiota. It was concluded that noninvasive sampling may better represent the host fecal microbiota without trapping effects.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2023)
Review
Evolutionary Biology
Phred M. Benham, Rauri C. K. Bowie
Summary: To address the current biodiversity crisis, it is important to understand population responses to human-induced ecological change. Access to genomic resources for nonmodel taxa, especially DNA sequencing of historical specimens, provides valuable information for management strategies and predicting species responses to future environmental change. This review discusses methods for generating genome-scale data from natural history collections and highlights recent studies utilizing genomic data to inform biodiversity conservation. The traditional motivations of museum collectors also offer unique opportunities for comparing genomic responses to anthropogenic change across time.
JOURNAL OF HEREDITY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Niloofar Alaei Kakhki, Manuel Schweizer, Dave Lutgen, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Hadoram Shirihai, Alexander Suh, Holger Schielzeth, Reto Burri
Summary: Insights into the processes underpinning convergent evolution advance our understanding of the contributions of ancestral, introgressed, and novel genetic variation to phenotypic evolution. Phylogenomic analyses characterizing genome-wide gene tree heterogeneity can provide first clues about the extent of ILS and of introgression and thereby into the potential of these processes or (in their absence) the need to invoke novel mutations to underpin convergent evolution. Here, we were interested in understanding the processes involved in convergent evolution in open-habitat chats (wheatears of the genus Oenanthe and their relatives) and investigated these processes using whole-genome resequencing data from 50 taxa of 44 species. Our results suggest that convergent evolution in open-habitat chats involved diverse processes, including ILS, introgression, and novel mutations, and highlight the complexity of phenotypic diversification.
MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Nikki Thie, Ammon Corl, Sondra Turjeman, Ron Efrat, Pauline L. Kamath, Wayne M. Getz, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Ran Nathan
Summary: Migration is a physically demanding period for birds, and it can temporarily change the composition of their gut microbiota. This study found that the diversity and composition of the cloacal microbiota of steppe buzzards varied with body condition, sex, movement patterns, and survival. Early arrivals had better body condition and higher microbial diversity compared to later arrivals. The findings highlight the importance of sampling the microbiota of migratory birds to understand the links between migration, microbiota, and health.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Phred M. Benham, Carla Cicero, Merly Escalona, Eric Beraut, Mohan P. A. Marimuthu, Oanh Nguyen, Michael W. Nachman, Rauri C. K. Bowie
Summary: This study presents a draft reference assembly for the California quail, based on PacBio HiFi long read and Omni-C chromatin-proximity sequencing data. The assembly is highly contiguous and complete, with a total length of 1.08 Gb and 321 scaffolds. Transposable elements occupy 16.5% of the genome, indicating a higher content compared to previous quail assemblies. This reference assembly will be valuable for investigating local adaptation, phylogeography, and conservation genetics in the California quail.
JOURNAL OF HEREDITY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Julia Choi, Lilianne Lee, Aleksey Maro, Ammon Corl, Jimmy A. McGuire, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Robert Dudley
Summary: Some nectarivorous mammals prefer low-concentration ethanol solutions, but the behavioral responses of nectar-feeding birds to ethanol are unknown. In experiments with Anna's Hummingbirds, it was found that they did not discriminate between 0% and 1% ethanol solutions, but consumption rates significantly decreased with a 2% ethanol solution.
ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Biodiversity Conservation
Rauri C. K. Bowie, William B. Monahan, Jon Fjeldsa
Summary: The Eastern Arc Mountains in Tanzania and Kenya have unique biological endemism, mainly driven by three periods of forest contraction and expansion caused by climate cycles. The paleoclimate models and molecular phylogenetic studies of the region's birds provide insight into the evolutionary processes behind the high bird diversity in this area.
Article
Microbiology
Rachael L. L. Joakim, Mohammad Irham, Tri Haryoko, Karen M. C. Rowe, Yohanna Dalimunthe, Syahfitri Anita, Anang S. S. Achmadi, Jimmy A. A. McGuire, Susan Perkins, Rauri C. K. Bowie
Summary: This study examines the effect of environmental factors and host sex on the gut microbiota of a passerine bird species from the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. The results show that microbiota diversity decreases with increasing elevation, and a specific genus of bacteria, Clostridium, is enriched at high elevations. This study highlights the importance of incorporating multiple statistical models and abiotic factors, such as elevation, in empirical microbiome research.
Letter
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jacqueline A. Robinson, Rauri C. K. Bowie, Olga Dudchenko, Erez Lieberman Aiden, Sher L. Hendrickson, Cynthia C. Steiner, Oliver A. Ryder, David P. Mindell, Jeffrey D. Wall
