Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Attila Nemeth, Edvard Mizsei, Levente Laczko, David Czaban, Zsolt Hegyeli, Szabolcs Lengyel, Gabor Csorba, Gabor Sramko
Summary: Species delimitation of European blind mole rats is challenging due to their small morphological differences and complex chromosomal evolution. This study provides a comprehensive framework to improve understanding of their evolutionary history and revise their taxonomy. The results reveal the presence of multiple superspecies and species, with distinct geographic patterns and rapid chromosomal evolution.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2024)
Article
Zoology
Julie Innabi, Carla C. Stout, Angel Valdes
Summary: A study of well-preserved discodorid nudibranchs collected in Koumac, New Caledonia, discovered seven new species belonging to the genera Atagema, Jorunna, Rostanga, and Sclerodoris. However, the generic assignments are tentative due to an unresolved phylogeny of Discodoridi-dae. The paper emphasizes the significance of comprehensive collecting efforts in identifying and documenting well-camouflaged taxa.
Article
Plant Sciences
Zuoying Wei, Zengqiang Xia, Jiangping Shu, Hui Shang, Stephen J. Maxwell, Lijun Chen, Xile Zhou, Wang Xi, Bayu Adjie, Quan Yuan, Jianguo Cao, Yuehong Yan
Summary: Cryptic species, undetectable by morphological traits, may be more abundant than previously thought, as shown in the case of Dicranopteris ferns. Molecular phylogenetic analysis revealed ten distinct clades within the genus, suggesting hidden diversity within the species. The study's integration of molecular and morphological approaches sheds light on the cryptic diversity in taxonomically challenging groups like Dicranopteris.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Huiqin Yi, Shiyong Dong, Lihua Yang, Jing Wang, Catherine Kidner, Ming Kang
Summary: Discovery of cryptic diversity is crucial for understanding speciation and species conservation. Determining species boundaries in fern lineages is challenging due to lack of morphological characteristics and frequent hybridization. Genomic data has greatly improved our understanding of speciation and species delimitation, leading to the discovery of hidden diversity.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Daniele De Luca, Roberta Piredda, Diana Sarno, Wiebe H. C. F. Kooistra
Summary: Marine protists have traditionally been considered low in diversity and widespread, but recent studies have shown the presence of cryptic species complexes. Overcoming sampling and methodological limitations, global metabarcoding data analysis reveals geographic and ecological differentiation driving speciation among marine protists.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Florian C. Boucher, Cedric Dentant, Sebastien Ibanez, Thibaut Capblancq, Marti Boleda, Louise Boulangeat, Jan Smycka, Cristina Roquet, Sebastien Lavergne
Summary: Through plant surveys and genomic research, this study found that plant diversity in high-elevation temperate mountains was enriched during the Pleistocene, driven by the combined action of geography and geology.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Jeffrey P. Mower, Lilly Hanley, Kirsten Wolff, Natalia Pabon-Mora, Favio Gonzalez
Summary: Aragoa, a genus of North Andean plants, is closely related to Littorella and Plantago within the Plantagineae family. Analysis of mitochondrial genomes revealed the sister relationship between Aragoa and Littorella + Plantago. However, conflicting results were found in the placement of P. nubicola within the Plantago genus based on mitochondrial and nuclear data. Extensive substitution rate variation among lineages hindered the resolution of phylogenetic relationships using mitochondrial data.
Article
Biology
Edmund R. R. Moody, Tara A. Mahendrarajah, Nina Dombrowski, James W. Clark, Celine Petitjean, Pierre Offre, Gergely J. Szollosi, Anja Spang, Tom A. Williams, George H. Perry
Summary: Core gene phylogenies are important for understanding early evolution, but different gene sets and methods have led to different views of the tree of life. Recent analyses suggest that Archaea may be less divergent from Bacteria than previously thought, and estimates of inter-domain distance are inflated due to rapid evolution of ribosomal proteins. Resolving this debate is crucial for understanding the diversity of archaeal and bacterial domains and the early course of cellular evolution.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Paula Malaquias Souto, Luiz Felipe Lima da Silveira, Daniela Maeda Takiya, Frederico Falcao Salles
Summary: The study revealed that Leptohyphodes inanis in Southeastern Brazil may consist of three to seven potential cryptic species, each associated with mountain ranges in the region. Additionally, there was no genetic variation among individuals within the same drainage basin, suggesting populations may be isolated from each other.
SYSTEMATICS AND BIODIVERSITY
(2021)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Maria Carolina Lima Farias, Petronio Coelho Filho, Alany Itala Pontes, Uedson Pereira Jacobina
Summary: The inability to accurately identify biological species has significant implications for conservation efforts, especially among economically valuable taxa such as the Penaeini tribe. These shrimp species supply over half of the global demand for crustaceans and play crucial roles in ocean ecosystems. Recent studies suggest that the diversity within the Penaeini tribe is underestimated, leading to controversial taxonomic classifications. This work uses phylogenetic and phylogeographic approaches to assess the genetic diversity and evolution of Penaeini representatives, revealing identification errors and synonyms as well as highly structured populations in different ocean regions.
ORGANISMS DIVERSITY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Didier Reinhardt, Christophe Roux, Nicolas Corradi, Antonio Di Pietro
Summary: Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi have long been considered ancient asexuals, but recent genomic studies suggest they may have sexual features. Comparative genomics of conspecific isolates of AMF show unexpected interstrain diversity, indicating a high number of lineage-specific genes, similar to fungal pathogens of plants and humans. These genomic similarities may play a role in AMF adaptation to the environment and symbiotic functioning.
TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Zoology
Islam Gunduz, Sadik Demirtas, Metin Silsupur, Medine Ozmen, P. David Polly, David T. Bilton
Summary: Subterranean life is characterized by morphological cryptic lineages, and this is also true for moles. In this study, the systematics and evolution of the Talpa davidiana group in Eastern Anatolia/Iran were explored using genetic and morphometric data. Four taxa were identified, including two newly described species. Molecular species delimitation analyses supported taxonomic hypotheses and revealed additional cryptic lineages. The study also recognized T. transcaucasica as a distinct species from T. levantis, increasing the number of known extant taxa in Eurasian Talpa to 18.
ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Ilias Strachinis, Nikos Poulakakis, Nikoleta Karaiskou, Politis Patronidis, Ioannis Patramanis, Dimitris Poursanidis, Daniel Jablonski, Alexandros Triantafyllidis
Summary: This study explored the phylogeographic relationships within the genus Algyroides in the south-western Balkans, identifying three major clades and discussing the encounter of two major clades of A. nigropunctatus in western Greece. It also raised questions about the validity of Dinarolacerta as a genus due to its clustering within the genus Algyroides.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Alexander P. Yuzefovich, Ilya V. Artyushin, Sergei V. Kruskop
Summary: The phylogenetic analysis of Vietnamese Hipposideros gentilis specimens shows a complex distribution of divergent mitochondrial DNA lineages, contradicting nuclear and morphological data, which is likely due to historical hybridization. The data supports the species status of H. gentilis, but only partially corroborates its previously proposed subspecies delimitation.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cuneyt Nadir Solak, Romain Gastineau, Claude Lemieux, Monique Turmel, Ewa Gorecka, Rosa Trobajo, Mateusz Rybak, Elif Yilmaz, Andrzej Witkowski
Summary: This article describes a new diatom species, Nitzschia anatoliensis, inhabiting extreme habitats and isolated from Van Lake in East Turkey. Through morphological, genomic, and molecular phylogenetic analyses, it was found that N. anatoliensis is closely related to the endosymbiont of the dinotom Kryptoperidinium foliaceum. The study provides insights into diatom symbiosis and the genetic diversity of diatom species in alkaline lakes of Asia Minor and Siberia.
Article
Biology
A. A. Bannikova, V. S. Lebedev
Summary: The development of molecular clock concept is associated with advancements in methods, with Relaxed clock methods being commonly used for dating. The accuracy of dating is influenced by the instability of the molecular evolution rate, the increase in data volume to the genomic level, and the use of different evolution rate models. Despite improvements in estimating molecular divergences, uncertainties in dating persist due to calibration ambiguities and limitations in DNA sequence evolution models.
ZHURNAL OBSHCHEI BIOLOGII
(2022)
Article
Zoology
A. A. Kidov, R. A. Ivolga, T. E. Kondratova, E. A. Kidova
Summary: The Batura toad is a triploid species found in the highlands of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. They live near geothermal streams and have similar reproductive and early development features as other species in the Bufotes genus. The long tail and black body of their larvae are believed to be adaptive features for living in high-altitude flowing reservoirs.
ZOOLOGICHESKY ZHURNAL
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Gabriele Sansalone, Colangelo Paolo, Castiglia Riccardo, Wroe Stephen, Castiglione Silvia, Raia Pasquale
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between functional performance and integration levels in the humeral morphology of talpid moles. The results suggest that high biomechanical performance is associated with elevated levels of integration, while taxa with low-performance values show intermediate or low integration. Theoretical morphs in high-performance areas are unoccupied, indicating a strong relationship between integration and performance.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Francesco Gallozzi, Paolo Colangelo, Gabriele Senczuk, Riccardo Castiglia
Summary: This study reveals that the geographic variability of the dorsal pattern of the Italian wall lizard is more influenced by allopatric historical processes rather than adaptive processes. It also identifies a putative secondary contact area and shows different environmental factors associated with each dorsal pattern phenotype.
Article
Zoology
Anna A. Bannikova, Alexander P. Yuzefovich, Clara Stefen, Vladimir S. Lebedev, Alexei Abramov
Summary: The phylogeographic structure of the endemic white-toothed shrews of Vietnam, Crocidura kegoensis-C. zaitsevi group, was assessed using mitochondrial and nuclear data. The results revealed the conspecificity between C. kegoensis and C. zaitsevi, with C. zaitsevi being considered as a synonym of C. kegoensis. The analysis showed distinct mitochondrial lineages in C. kegoensis, indicating a complex phylogeographical structure.
Article
Biology
A. A. Kidov, R. A. Ivolga, T. E. Kondratova, E. A. Kidova
Summary: The Batura toad is a triploid species found in the highlands of Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. Through studying its reproduction and early development in high mountain environments, interesting characteristics have been discovered, such as breeding at high altitudes and having long tails and black body color in the larvae.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Andrey N. Reshetnikov, Marina G. Zibrova, Dincer Ayaz, Santosh Bhattarai, Oleg Borodin, Amael Borzee, Jindrich Brejcha, Kerim Cicek, Maria Dimaki, Igor Doronin, Sergey M. Drobenkov, Uzlipat A. Gichikhanova, Anastasia Y. Gladkova, Dmitriy A. Gordeev, Yiannis Ioannidis, Mikhail P. Ilyukh, Elena A. Interesova, Trupti D. Jadhav, Dmitry P. Karabanov, Viner F. Khabibullin, Tolibjon K. Khabilov, M. Monirul H. Khan, Artem A. Kidov, Alexandr S. Klimov, Denis N. Kochetkov, Vladimir G. Kolbintsev, Sergius L. Kuzmin, Konstantin Y. Lotiev, Nora E. Louppova, Vladimir D. Lvov, Sergey M. Lyapkov, Igor M. Martynenko, Irina Maslova, Rafaqat Masroor, Liudmila F. Mazanaeva, Dmitriy A. Milko, Konstantin D. Milto, Omid Mozaffari, Truong Q. Nguyen, Ruslan Novitsky, Andrey B. Petrovskiy, Vladimir A. Prelovskiy, Valentin V. Serbin, Hai-tao Shi, Nikolay Skalon, Richard P. J. H. Struijk, Mari Taniguchi, David Tarkhnishvili, Vladimir F. Tsurkan, Oleg Y. Tyutenkov, Mikhail Ushakov, Dmitriy A. Vekhov, Fanrong Xiao, Andrey Yakimov, Tatyana I. Yakovleva, Peimin Yang, Dmitriy F. Zeleev, Varos G. Petrosyan
Summary: Through analyzing the ecological data of the red-eared slider, a globally recognized invasive species, we found that it has expanded widely in Eurasia, covering 68 countries including eight newly reported ones. The red-eared slider shows higher invasion success in Europe, West Asia, and East Asia, with higher occupancy rate in natural water bodies, larger population size, successful overwintering, occurrence of juveniles, and successful reproduction. Therefore, a cost-effective population control strategy should consider both the potential reproduction range and the geographical area of successful wintering.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Francesco Gallozzi, Claudia Corti, Riccardo Castiglia, Vasco Avramo, Gabriele Senczuk, Claudia Mattioni, Paolo Colangelo
Summary: This study investigated the genetic and morphological diversity of Podarcis siculus populations in the Tuscan Archipelago. The results revealed at least two different colonization waves, including a new ancient insular clade from Giglio and Capraia islands. These findings highlight the need for conservation efforts and further taxonomic investigation.
Article
Evolutionary Biology
Alexandra A. Raspopova, Vladimir S. Lebedev, Jeremy B. Searle, Anna A. Bannikova
Summary: In this study, the phylogenetic relationships within the chromosomally variable Sorex araneus species group were reconstructed using nuclear and mitochondrial genes. The results showed a complex evolutionary history with high incidence of reticulation and possible ancient hybridizations. The authentic mitochondrial lineage of the Iberian shrew S. granarius was found to be closely related to S. coronatus, indicating introgression from S. araneus. This study also revealed deeper reticulations for the first time, suggesting hybrid origins for the S. arcticus and S. coronatus lineages.
Article
Zoology
Artem A. Kidov, Sergey M. Lyapkov, Irina V. Stepankova, Kirill A. Afrin, Elena A. Kidova, Tatyana E. Kondratova, Spartak N. Litvinchuk
Summary: This paper presents the findings of a skeletochronological study on age structure and growth characteristics of the triploid toad Bufotes baturae in the Pamir Mountains. The study reveals that the majority of males were three years old, while most females were four years old. The age of sexual maturity was reached after three hibernations, and most toads breed at the age of three or four years. The harsh high-altitude environment and limited food resources contribute to high mortality rates in the population.
RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jennifer A. Luedtke, Janice Chanson, Kelsey Neam, Louise Hobin, Adriano O. Maciel, Alessandro Catenazzi, Amael Borzee, Amir Hamidy, Anchalee Aowphol, Anderson Jean, Angel Sosa-Bartuano, Ansel G. Fong, Anslem de Silva, Antoine Fouquet, Ariadne Angulo, Artem A. Kidov, Arturo Munoz Saravia, Arvin C. Diesmos, Atsushi Tominaga, Biraj Shrestha, Brian Gratwicke, Burhan Tjaturadi, Carlos C. Martinez Rivera, Carlos R. Vasquez Almazan, Celsa Senaris, S. R. Chandramouli, Christine Strussmann, Claudia Fabiola Cortez Fernandez, Claudio Azat, Conrad J. Hoskin, Craig Hilton-Taylor, Damion L. Whyte, David J. Gower, Deanna H. Olson, Diego F. Cisneros-Heredia, Diego Jose Santana, Elizah Nagombi, Elnaz Najafi-Majd, Evan S. H. Quah, Federico Bolanos, Feng Xie, Francisco Brusquetti, Francisco S. Alvarez, Franco Andreone, Frank Glaw, Franklin Enrique Castaneda, Fred Kraus, Gabriela Parra-Olea, Gerardo Chaves, Guido F. Medina-Rangel, Gustavo Gonzalez-Duran, H. Mauricio Ortega-Andrade, Ibere F. Machado, Indraneil Das, Iuri Ribeiro Dias, J. Nicolas Urbina-Cardona, Jelka Crnobrnja-Isailovic, Jian-Huan Yang, Jiang Jianping, Jigme Tshelthrim Wangyal, Jodi J. L. Rowley, John Measey, Karthikeyan Vasudevan, Kin Onn Chan, Kotambylu Vasudeva Gururaja, Kristiina Ovaska, Lauren C. Warr, Luis Canseco-Marquez, Luis Felipe Toledo, Luis M. Diaz, M. Monirul H. Khan, Madhava Meegaskumbura, Manuel E. Acevedo, Marcelo Felgueiras Napoli, Marcos A. Ponce, Marcos Vaira, Margarita Lampo, Mario H. Yanez-Munoz, Mark D. Scherz, Mark-Oliver Rodel, Masafumi Matsui, Maxon Fildor, Mirza D. Kusrini, Mohammad Firoz Ahmed, Muhammad Rais, N'Goran G. Kouame, Nieves Garcia, Nono Legrand Gonwouo, Patricia A. Burrowes, Paul Y. Imbun, Philipp Wagner, Philippe J. R. Kok, Rafael L. Joglar, Renoir J. Auguste, Reuber Albuquerque Brandao, Roberto Ibanez, Rudolf von May, S. Blair Hedges, S. D. Biju, S. R. Ganesh, Sally Wren, Sandeep Das, Sandra V. Flechas, Sara L. Ashpole, Silvia J. Robleto-Hernandez, Simon P. Loader, Sixto J. Inchaustegui, Sonali Garg, Soumphthone Phimmachak, Stephen J. Richards, Tahar Slimani, Tamara Osborne-Naikatini, Tatianne P. F. Abreu-Jardim, Thais H. Condez, Thiago R. De Carvalho, Timothy P. Cutajar, Todd W. Pierson, Truong Q. Nguyen, Ugur Kaya, Zhiyong Yuan, Barney Long, Penny Langhammer, Simon N. Stuart
Summary: The second Global Amphibian Assessment reveals that amphibians, especially salamanders in the Neotropics, are the most threatened vertebrate class, with 40.7% of species globally threatened. The deteriorating status of amphibians is predominantly driven by climate change, disease, and habitat loss.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Agnes Bernis-Fonteneau, Meryem Aakairi, Omar Saadani-Hassani, Giandaniele Castangia, Rachid Ait Babahmad, Paolo Colangelo, Ugo D'Ambrosio, Devra I. Jarvis
Summary: This study aims to understand varietal naming and assess the current diversity of important crops in the Moroccan High Atlas. The results show low diversity at the household level but higher diversity at the community level. Farmers still heavily rely on landraces, which adapt to local conditions.
Article
Zoology
Artem A. Kidov, Andrey B. Petrovskiy, Andrey A. Ivanov, Spartak N. Litvinchuk
Summary: Anguis colchica orientalis is an endemic subspecies of the eastern slow worm that primarily inhabits the coastal lowlands and mountains along the Caspian Sea. The distribution of the species is influenced by factors like slope, barren land, and precipitation. Despite being tolerant of human-transformed habitats, the main threat to the slow worm is the degradation of suitable habitats.
RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF HERPETOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Zoology
A. A. Kidov, T. E. Kondratova, R. A. Ivolga, S. M. Lyapkov
Summary: The age, growth, and fertility of two populations of Ablepharus bivittatus in the Talysh Mountains in Iran were studied. The lizards were determined to have an average age of 3.6 +/- 1.15 years for females and 2.6 +/- 1.24 years for males. Growth retardation lines were observed on the tubular bones of many individuals, corresponding to hibernation and aestivation. The fertility of the females was found to be independent of age.
ZOOLOGICHESKY ZHURNAL
(2023)
Review
Zoology
Victor K. Uteshev, Edith N. Gakhova, Ludmila I. Kramarova, Natalia V. Shishova, Svetlana A. Kaurova, Elena A. Kidova, Artem A. Kidov, Robert K. Browne
Summary: Major Russian institutions collaborated to develop and implement reproduction technologies for amphibian conservation. The techniques included environmental manipulation and the use of gonadotropic hormones for breeding. Cryopreservation of sperm and pluripotent cell nuclei were achieved, along with other advanced techniques.
ASIAN HERPETOLOGICAL RESEARCH
(2023)
