A phylogenetic analysis and taxonomic revision of the oribatid mite family Malaconothridae (Acari: Oribatida), with new species of Tyrphonothrus and Malaconothrus from Australia

Hitherto, the Malaconothridae contained Malaconothrus Berlese, 1904 and Trimalaconothrus Berlese, 1916, defined by the possession of one pre-tarsal claw (monodactyly) or by three claws (tridactyly) respectively. However, monodactyly is a convergent apomorphy within the Oribatida and an unreliable character for a classification. Therefore we undertook a phylogenetic analysis of 102 species as the basis for a taxonomic review of the Malaconothridae. We identified two major clades, equivalent to the genera Tyrphonothrus Knülle, 1957 and Malaconothrus. These genera are redefined. Trimala-conothrus becomes the junior subjective synonym of Malaconothrus. Some 42 species of Trimalaconothrus are recom-bined to Malaconothrus and 15 species to Tyrphonothrus. Homonyms created by the recombinations are rectified. The replacement name M. hammerae nom. nov. is proposed for M. angulatus Hammer, 1958, the junior homonym of M. an-gulatus (Willmann, 1931) and the replacement name M. luxtoni nom. nov. is proposed for M. scutatus Luxton, 1987, the junior homonym of M. scutatus Mihelč ič, 1959. Trimalaconothrus iteratus Subías, 2004 is an unnecessary replacement name and is a junior objective synonym of Malaconothrus longirostrum (Hammer 1966). Malaconothrus praeoccupatus Subías, 2004 is a junior objective synonym of M. machadoi Balogh & Mahunka, 1969. Malaconothrus obsessus (Subías, 2004), an unnecessary replacement name for Trimalaconothrus albulus Hammer 1966 sensu Tseng 1982, becomes an available name for what is in fact a previously-undescribed species of Malaconothrus. We describe four new species of Tyrphonothrus: T. gnammaensis sp. nov. from Western Australia, T. gringai sp. nov. and T. maritimus sp. nov. from New South Wales, and T. taylori sp. nov. from Queensland. We describe six new species of Malaconothrus: M. beecroftensis sp. nov., M. darwini sp. nov. M. gundungurra sp. nov. and M. knuellei sp. nov. from New South Wales, M. jowettae sp. nov. from Norfolk Island, and M. talaitae sp. nov. from Victoria.

东亚千里光族款冬亚族（菊科）的系统学

千里光族是菊科中最大的一个族，约含有120属3400多种，全世界分布。千里光族的族下分类与系统发育一直是菊科研究中的难点。Jeffrey&Chen(1984)和千里光亚族(7属)。自此以后，有关东亚款冬亚族的范畴、亚族内各属的系统位置与亲缘关系就成了千里光族系统学研究中争论的焦点，至今仍未有定论。陈艺(1997)在东亚款冬亚族内发表假橐吾属新属。根据Jeffrey&Chen(1984)的概念，东亚款冬亚族现含13属。东亚款冬亚族目前存在的系统学问题主要有：(1)毛冠菊属是否与款冬亚族内的款冬属及蜂斗菜属近缘;(2)狗舌草亚族所辖3属是否是款冬亚族的自然成员;(3)东亚款冬亚族13属的系统位置及其亲缘关系;(4)东亚款冬亚族的影响范畴。 针对上述问题，本文以发现新的系统学证据为主要目的，较为全面地研究了东亚款冬亚族及其相关类群的外部形态学，首次报道了18属45种植物的花部微观性状，19属64种105个居群的核形态学特征，10属15种植物花粉壁的超薄结构及13属28种植物花粉的外壁纹饰，3种植物的胚胎发育和6种植物的ITS基因序列;并对所获得的证据进行了比较与综合分支分析。根据所获系统学资料，对东亚款冬亚族的上述系统学问题进行了讨论。主要实验结果及结论总结如下。 1. 外部形态 较为全面地观察与分析了东亚款冬亚族及其相关类群外部形态性状及其演化趋势，指出根状茎分枝方式、幼叶出土性状、花部茎基部叶是否宿存、叶柄是否纤维状宿存、花序托空心或实心、花药基部结构等不被以前作者重视或忽视的形态学性状可能具有重要的系统学价值。外部形态上，毛冠菊属与千里光族内的千里光属与款冬属等类群没有亲缘关系，而与紫菀族存在一定的渊源;狗舌草亚族则介于千里光亚族和款冬亚族之间;东亚款冬亚族13属可依据外部形态划分为6个属群。 2. 花部微观性状 东亚款冬亚族及其相关类群的花部微观性状主要包括：花药顶端不育组织、花药药室内壁、花药基部、花药领、花柱分枝顶端、花柱毛被、花柱分枝内表面构型、果柄细胞列数等。花部微观性状研究表明：毛冠菊属似乎应作为紫菀族中的一个孤立属;狗舌草亚族在某些衍征上与千里光亚族接近，而它的原始性状则类似于款冬亚族;根据花部微观性状对东亚款冬亚族的13个属划分出的自然属群与形态性状分析所得结果基本一致。 3. 核形态学 毛冠菊属的染色体基数为x=9，与紫菀族相同：而与千里光族和旋覆花族的染色体x=10存在显著的区别。狗舌草亚族中新发现2n=24、60、72三个染色体数目，亚族内染色体基数之间的演化关系不清楚，利用染色体基数来探讨狗舌草亚族所辖属的系统位置和属间关系仍还比较困难。东亚款冬亚族的染色体基数主要有x=30、29、28、27、26;款冬亚族中普遍存在的染色体基数x=30可能有3种来源;核型可分为2A、3A、2B三大类型，虽然三种类型之间的染色体基数(x=30)有可能是不同起源的，但从整个千里光族来看，3A、2B应是较进化的类型。根据核形态学特征，东亚款冬亚族可分为款冬型、蟹甲草型和大吴风草型三类。在蟹甲草型染色体进化支上，存在染色体的非整倍性下降趋势。东亚款冬亚族存在的种内多倍性可能与不同的生境有关。 4. 花粉学 通过对东亚款冬亚族及其相关类群的花粉壁超微结构与扫描电镜观察，发现花粉壁超微结构存在“千里光型”和“向日葵型”两种类型。扫描电镜下，花粉外壁均为刺状纹饰，但在刺的长短、刺部是否膨大、刺基膨大上的纹饰以及刺基之间的纹饰等方面存在差别。毛冠菊属的花粉性状组合支持将其置于紫菀族中。狗舌草亚族的花粉性状与款冬亚族的有些属相似。款冬亚族各属的花粉生状组合所划分的属群与形态学、核形态学等方面的研究结果较为一致。 5. 胚胎学 款冬、掌裂橐吾和珠毛蟹甲草共同拥有药壁发育双子叶型;绒毡层发育属“The Comos bipinnatus”型;成熟花粉为3细胞型;单珠被，薄珠心，倒生胚珠;具发育相似的珠被绒毡层：胚橐发育4孢子型等胚胎学特征，但它们在胚囊发育方式、反足细胞数目、发殖物候上还存在区别。三属代表植物的胚胎学研究支持将它们作为同一亚族的成员。 6. 分子数据 利用本研究测得的华千里光属4种、狗舌草属1种和大吴风草属的ITS－1和ITS－2基因序列，结合从Genbank中得出的千里光族5属8种植物得ITS序列，用PAUP软件进行分析。研究结果表明，染色体基数、花粉超微结构、叶型和叶脉等性状在ITS分支图上存在趋同进化;华千里光属和狗舌草属不是单系群。并讨论了一些分类群的亲缘关系。 7. 分支分析 选择东亚款冬亚族和狗舌草亚族各属的代表种作为终端代表类群进行分支分析;分支分析表明染色体基数、与头状花序有关的性状、叶型及叶脉等性状存在较多的平行与逆转进化，而根状茎分枝类型、花部微观性状以及花粉性状则表现出较大的一致性。根据分支结果，作者认为应建立包括狗舌草亚族在内的广义东亚款冬亚族。 8. 系统学 毛冠菊属的性状组合支持将其置于紫菀族，排除在千里光族之外。广义东亚款冬亚族可分为7个属群：蟹甲草属群(包括蟹甲草属，华蟹甲草属，小蟹甲草属，兔儿伞属，蟹甲木属)、毛柱菊属群(毛柱菊属)、橐吾属群(包括橐吾属，垂头菊属，假橐吾属)、狗舌草属群(狗舌草属，华千里光属，羽叶千里光属)、多榔菊属群(多榔菊属)、大吴风草属群(大吴风草属)、款冬属群(款冬属，蜂斗菜属)。总结与讨论了各属群的系统位置、亲缘关系与存在的分类学问题。描述了华千里光属1新种。

茄科天仙子族：结构、分化和系统关系

本文研究了茄科天仙子族7属以及有亲缘关系的颠茄属、茄参属和枸杞属的形态学、解剖学、孢粉学、种子形态学、胚胎学、花器官发生、分子系统学和分支系统学;论述了它们的结构、分化和系统关系。主要内容包括： 1．解剖学 在光学显微镜和扫描电镜下，观察了茄科天仙子族(Hyoscyameae)7属21种及邻近4属4种共25种植物的叶表皮特征，结果表明：气孔器在各种植物的上、下的表皮均有分布，多为无规则型，也有不等细胞型;叶表皮细胞形状有不规则形、十字形、近长圆形和不规则多边形，垂周壁较平直或各种波状。叶表皮气孔器外拱盖内缘近平滑、浅波状或波状;角质膜多为具条纹，也有同时具条纹和颗粒或鳞片，偶尔仅具颗粒和鳞片或光滑。气孔器类型可以作为区分部分属的依据之一。颠茄叶表皮细胞形状和垂周壁式样在一些属和种中有一定的规律性，并与外部形态、孢粉学性状或地理分布相关;叶片表面角质膜的特征对属和种的划分也有一定意义。 2．种子形态学 在扫描电子显微镜下首次全面研究了天仙子族及颠茄属和茄参属等共10属25种植物的种子形态学特征，结果表明： 该族植物种子表面纹饰有脑纹状或近脑纹状和网状两大类，除了山莨菪属Anisodus和Hyoscyamus.pusillus 外，其余类群均为网状。外种皮细胞形状和周壁式样有两大类，一类为多边形至近圆形，等径，周壁近平直，另一类为形状不规则，常不等径，周壁为各式波状;外种皮细胞周壁内侧有皱波状、瘤状、小颗粒、片状或小刺等各式附属物。各属植物的种子大小、形状及种脐着生位置的系统学意义不大。但是，种脐突出与否、种子外种皮细胞形状和周壁式样，尤其是周壁内侧附属物等性状具有较大的分类学意义。 3．孢粉学 在扫描电镜下研究了该族7属及其它3属共10属23种植物的花粉形态学特征。结果表明：天仙子族的花粉粒形状为球形、近球形、扁球形和长球形;萌发孔类型有无萌发孔、不规则的拟孔、3沟、4 沟、3- 4沟、散沟和3孔沟;外壁纹饰为小刺状、瘤状、各式条纹状、条纹-穴状、条纹-网状、皱波状、细网状和网状。沟膜近光滑、具小颗粒、具小刺状突起或具瘤状突起。各属植物的花粉形态在萌发孔的有无、萌发孔的类型和外壁纹饰等方面有较大的差异，可以作为探讨属间分类和系统关系的重要依据。天仙子族植物花粉萌发孔的演化趋势为：无萌发孔→ 3、4沟→3孔沟。无萌发孔的山莨菪属是原始类群，三孔沟的马尿泡和天仙子等属是进化类群。 4．胚胎学 本论文首次研究了天仙子族山莨菪Anisodus tanguticus的胚胎学特征，结果表明：山莨菪的小孢子形成为同时型，腺质绒毡层;胚珠半倒生，单珠被，薄珠心;蓼型胚囊;其胚胎发生类型可能为茄型;胚乳形成为细胞型。山莨菪的胚胎学性状与马尿泡十分相似。胚胎学证据支持山莨菪属与马尿泡属关系密切的观点。 5．花器官发生 首次全面研究了天仙子族的山莨菪属（山莨菪）、马尿泡属（马尿泡）、天仙子属（天仙子）及其邻近2属共5种植物的花器官发生特征，结果表明：山莨菪和天仙子的5个花萼裂片原基突起最早发生，且几乎是近同时环状发生，其排列方式从花发育早期直至花成熟后始终为轮状排列。而马尿泡和颠茄首先是5个花萼裂片原基突起依次螺旋状发生，但在其5个花萼裂片原基都出现后，其排列方式仍为轮状排列。不同之处是：马尿泡的花萼裂片原基在其花冠裂片原基刚刚不明显地发生时，就已经在基部联合并形成了一个环，而颠茄的花萼裂片原基直到雄蕊原基突起开始发生并较明显时，花萼裂片原基仍然是分离的，当花顶的中央开始出现很不明显的雌蕊原基的凹陷时，花萼裂片原基才开始联合。青海茄参与其它4种植物的不同之处在于柱头2裂或3裂，而后4者的柱头均为2裂。花器官发生的特征表明马尿泡与天仙子和山莨菪的关系较近。 6．基于叶绿体DNA trnL-F序列和核糖体DNA ITS序列的初步分析 以宁夏枸杞作为外类群，对代表天仙子族及其邻近3属的10种植物的ITS区和trnL-F序列进行了测定，将这两个序列结合构建系统树。将gaps作为fifth base处理时，马尿泡属和茄参属构成最基部的一支，赛莨菪属和天仙子属构成一支然后与泡囊草属构成姐妹群，另外一支由天蓬子属、颠茄属和山莨菪属组成，其中天蓬子属与颠茄属构成一支后与山莨菪属构成姐妹群。分子证据只是一个尝试，还不足以说明天仙子族各属的系统关系。 7．分支分析 以枸杞属为外类群，基于形态学、叶表皮、种子形态学、孢粉学等特征对天仙子族7属及颠茄属和茄参属进行了分支分析。结果表明：目前公认的天仙子族7属构成一个单系类群，而颠茄属和茄参属并没有包括在内，它们两者构成一支，并与天仙子族形成姐妹群的关系。这与该族传统的分类结果相一致。 8．天仙子族的分化和系统关系 基于上述研究结果，结合天仙子族各属的现代地理分布，讨论了各属的分化和系统关系。认为根据传统分类包括有7个属的天仙子族是一个自然的单系类群，目前还没有足够的证据说明是否应该将颠茄属和茄参属放在天仙子族中。

中国郁金香属(广义)的系统学研究

郁金香属（Tulipa L.）是世界著名的观赏植物，广泛分布于欧洲、亚洲的温带地区以及非洲的西北部，中亚地区是其分布和多样化中心。该属包括老鸦瓣组、长柱组、郁金香组、毛蕊组、扭药组、鸡冠组和无毛组共七个组，40至150种。老鸦瓣组是东亚特有类群。中国共有郁金香属植物16种，主要分布于西北（新疆）以及中东部地区，其中老鸦瓣组有4个种，占该组全部种类的4/5。长期以来，由于对老鸦瓣组的生物学特性及其地理分布缺乏了解，该类群的归属问题一直都是该属系统学研究中争论的焦点之一。因此，本文以分布于我国的郁金香属作为主要研究对象，通过对其形态学、胚囊发育的比较胚胎学以及分子系统学研究，对老鸦瓣组的系统位置以及上述特征在该属分类中的意义进行了探讨。主要结果如下 1)通过对该属18种植物（包括土耳其的3个种）28个形态性状数据的分支分析，表明广义郁金香属并不是一个单系类群。Tulipa sect. Amana与该属其他四个组（sect. Orithyia、sect. Eriostemones、sect. Leiostemones和sect. Tulipanum）在分支树上各成一支，它们与Lloydia属构成一个大支的三个分支。同时，sect. Amana具有与子房近等长的花柱以及2-3（-4）个苞片等与郁金香属不同的形态特征。因此，我们认为sect. Amana应从广义郁金香属中独立出来，恢复其老鸦瓣属Amana Honda作为属的分类地位。 2)发现了一个新种：Amana kuocangshanica D.Y. Tan et D. Y. Hong。该种与A. erythronioides 和A. anhuiensis近缘，区别在于鳞茎皮内侧光滑无毛，下部叶披针形，自基部向上2/3处最宽，果喙长0.64±0.08 cm。 3）对16种植物叶表皮形态观察的结果表明，老鸦瓣属4个种的叶上表皮细胞为矩形或矩圆形、下表皮为菱形或矩形，垂周壁为直线形或波形，上表皮无气孔或气孔密度较小，这些特征与狭义郁金香属的种差异显著。在狭义郁金香属中，叶表皮特征在种间差异明显，可以作为分种及种间亲缘关系探讨的依据，但在组间没有明显的差异。 4）对19种植物的花粉形态观察表明，Amana属的4种为近椭球形、舟形和肾形， 外壁纹饰网状，网脊浅皱波状，与狭义郁金香属的15种具明显不同。在狭义郁金香属中，花粉外壁纹饰虽然在种间存在一定程度的差异，但对组的划分意义不大。 5）从种皮形态及微形态特征看，在所观察的16种植物中，Amana属的种子小，呈半月形，较厚，种柄明显，胚不易见;种皮纹饰为皱波状或不规则，与狭义郁金香属存在显著的差异。狭义郁金香属的12种在种皮纹饰、网眼大小及形状、网脊宽窄等方面均存在明显的差异，但组间无明显差别，说明这些特征在种的划分上具有一定的分类学意义。 6）对16种植物的胚囊发育过程观察表明：共有6种胚囊发育类型，即Fritillaria type、Drusa type、Tulipa iliensis type、Tulipa tetraphylla type、 Adoxa type和Eriostemones type。其中Tulipa iliensis type为所发现的一种新的胚囊发育类型。Tulipa iliensis、T. heterophylla和T. heteropetala3个种具有两种胚囊类型。在郁金香属中，胚囊的发育类型具有一定的系统学意义。 7）通过对21种郁金香以及猪牙花属2种植物基于nrDNA ITS区和cpDNA trnL-F 区的序列分析，发现广义郁金香属并非一单系类群，老鸦瓣属为猪牙花属的姐妹群。在狭义郁金香属中，sect. Orithyia、sect. Tulipanum以及sect. Eriostemones得到了该分子系统学分析的支持，而sect. Leiostemones是否成立及其系统关系问题尚有待于进一步研究。

铁线莲属尾叶铁线莲组的修订－兼论铁线莲属基于花粉形态学证据的系统发育

铁线莲属尾叶铁线莲组是该属中记录种类最多的类群，主要分布在亚洲亚热带至温带地区，少数种类分布至亚洲及非洲的热带地区。由于缺乏野外观察和标本不够丰富等原因，有些种类的分类处理尚不能令人满意，应予修订。尾叶铁线莲组的组下分类系统以及与近缘组之间的系统关系也存在争议，还需深入研究。本文作者经过大量的标本馆工作和全面的文献考证，结合野外观察，对该组植物进行了分类学修订，同时通过基于形态性状的分支系统学和花粉形态研究对尾叶铁线莲组及铁线莲属的系统发育进行了探讨，结果如下： 1.分类修订 通过对国内外近20 个标本馆的5000 余份馆藏标本研究，结合全面的文献考证和广泛的野外观察，发现花丝形态、花药毛被状况、药隔是否凸起、萼片外侧附的属物等性状较为稳定，是分亚组的主要依据。而复叶类型、花序形态及花梗毛被状况、萼片颜色等性状为较好的分种性状。 本文在考证了近140 个种及种下等级的分类学名称后，确认尾叶铁线莲组植物共有37 种20 变种，共分为5 个亚组，另有4 种7 变种暂存疑;2 种、2 变种降为新异名;新组合6 个，其中5 个为改级新组合;发表新亚组1 个;发现中国新纪录变种1 个;纠正了以前研究者工作中对C. aethusifolia var. latisecta 的鉴定错误;初步澄清了C. jingdungensis 及C. jinzhaiensis 的一些名实混乱;指出了前人工作中的一些拼写错误;统一了植物的中文名称，并新拟了15 个分类群的中文名称;给出了各个种的形态描述、地理分布图以及分亚组和分种检索表。 2.分支系统学 在分类修订基础上选取了35 个形态性状，对尾叶铁线莲组的37 个种，和尾叶铁线莲组的近缘组Sect. Bebaeanthera 中的2 个种，以C. alternata 为外类群，利用系统发育分系软件PAUP 4.0 beta 10 对数据矩阵进行分析。共得到182 棵最简约树，树长为182 步，一致性指数（CI）=0.385，保持性指数（RI）=0.685。结果显示：尾叶铁线莲组为一并系类群，Sect. Bebaeanthera 中的两个种：C. pseudopogonandra 和C. barbellata 与Subsect. Otophorae 亲缘关系更为接近，应并入尾叶铁线莲组中;Subsect. Otophorae 与Subsect. Grandiflorae 各自聚为两大支，从分支图基部与其他类群分开，为本组早期分化出的类群;Subsect. Acutangulae 与Subsect. Connatae 中具有红色花的C. lasiandra 和C. dasyandra 近缘;分布于东亚北部地区的Subsect. Aethusifoliae 与分布于我国横断山区的C.rehderiana 和分布于印度的C. roylei 近缘;根据分支系统学分析的结果，对尾叶铁线莲组组下分类系统进行了调整，建立了新亚组Subsect. Otophorae。 3.花粉形态 在扫描电镜下研究了铁线莲属148 种12 变种和锡兰莲属3 个种的花粉形态特征，并在透射电镜下研究了部分种类的花粉外壁结构。 结果表明：铁线莲属花粉粒一般为近球形、球形或扁球形。具三沟的花粉赤道面观为椭圆形或近圆形，极面观为三裂圆形，大小为14.8-32.1 μm ×14.2-28.7 μm;具散沟或散孔的花粉（全为球形）直径大小为14.8-36.6 μm。花粉具三沟、散沟或散孔。在三沟类型中常伴有不同比例的散沟花粉。萌发沟狭长或稍宽，有整齐或不整齐下陷的边缘，沟膜上有颗粒状纹饰或刺状纹饰;萌发孔一般圆形或不规则形，分布不规则。外壁由薄到较厚，厚度为0.8-2.5 μm，外层稍厚于内层。在透射电镜下本属花粉外壁具备被子植物花粉典型的外壁层次，即外壁内层和外壁外层。外壁内层为一层均匀的质密的无结构的层次。外壁外层由3 层组成：覆盖层，柱状层，和基层。覆盖层上均匀分布有小刺状纹饰和小穿孔。 锡兰莲属花粉粒为圆球形，其直径大小为14.9-18.8 μm。具散孔。萌发孔一般圆形，分布不规则，孔膜上有颗粒状纹饰或刺状纹饰。外壁厚度为0.8-1.8 μm，外层稍厚于内层。覆盖层上均匀分布有小刺状纹饰和小穿孔。 根据花粉形态在花粉粒大小、萌发孔的类型和外壁纹饰方面的差异将两个属的花粉分为6 个类型，其中类型1 再分为两个亚型。在这些花粉类型中，类型1 为三沟花粉，类型3 为三沟至散沟花粉，其余类型为散孔花粉。类型1 的亚型 1b 在铁线莲属中分布最广，18 个组中有13 个组具有这种类型的花粉，是铁线莲属中最原始的花粉类型，其他类型和亚型均由此亚型直接或间接演化而来。 推测这两属花粉形态特征的演化趋势为：1. 萌发孔. 三沟→（散沟）→散孔。 2. 花粉粒大小. 小（散孔，直径14.9-18.8 μm）←中等（三沟，24.2 μm ×24.8 μm） →大（散孔，直径28.9-36.5 μm）。3. 表面纹饰. 小刺不明显、分布密集→小刺明显、分布稀疏。 铁线莲属及锡兰莲属花粉形态特征对于这两个属植物的区分以及铁线莲属下组间系统发育关系的探讨具有重要意义。锡兰莲属与铁线莲属中的Sect. Naraveliopsis 亲缘关系紧密;铁线莲属内具有散沟、散孔花粉类型的Sect. Naraveliopsis、Sect. Viticella、Sect. Tubulosa、Sect. Viorna (sensu Tamura 1995)为铁线莲属中的进化类群; Sect. Tubulosa 与Sect. Campanella 亲缘关系较远，而与Sect. Clematis 近缘。

鲴类寄生六鞭毛虫系统发育的研究

利用分支系统学（Cladistics）的原理和方法，选取光镜下的24个性状，对鲴亚科17种寄生六鞭毛虫进行了系统发育分析，初步阐明了这17种六鞭毛虫相互间的亲缘关系。结果还表明，鲴亚科寄生六鞭毛虫的分化较晚；一些明显特征：如杆状条纹，是进化适应的结果，具有系统学意义。还通过对寄生六鞭毛虫在鲴亚科鱼类中的区系分布特点分析，探讨了宿主相互间的亲缘关系。结果表明：寄生六鞭毛虫的区系分布能够反映宿主相互间的亲缘关系。湖北圆吻鲴应划规鲴属。在鲴亚科中，似鳊和圆吻鲴的分化较早。

角蟾科（Megophryidae; Anura）蝌蚪的形态多样性和生态适应

角蟾科（Megophryidae）是以角蟾属（Megophrys Kuhl and Van Hasselt, 1822）为模式属而建立的，隶于无尾目（Anura），变凹型亚目（Anomocoela）。角蟾科包括2 亚科11 属142 种，分布于东洋界，从巴基斯坦、中国西部向东直到菲律宾和苏达群岛；中国有9 属75 种分布于华中和华南地区。角蟾科被认为是原始的两栖动物之一，其分类学、系统学、生态学、动物地理学的研究均深受中外科学家的瞩目。近年来，通过形态学、古生物学、细胞学、生态学、支序系统学的研究，角蟾科的分类与系统学研究取得了较大进展。与成体形态和分子系统学研究结果相比较，蝌蚪的研究存在更多的问题和挑战，尚需深入研究：（1）角蟾科蝌蚪的形态多样性分析；（2）角蟾科的系统发育关系与蝌蚪的演化，以及口漏斗的起源；（3）角蟾科蝌蚪表型分化与栖息环境和觅食行为的适应演化。针对上述问题，本文对角蟾科9 属30 种蝌蚪的形态特征，包括外部宏观形态和口器外部结构特征、口器内部显微结构、唇齿和角质颌的亚显微结构作了深入细致、多层次的比较研究；通过12s rRNA 和cytochrome b 基因构建最大简约树，采用贝叶斯系统发育进行分析，蝌蚪型的演化采用祖先性状的重建方法分析；得到如下结论：1）初步将角蟾科蝌蚪分为4 种类型；并且建立了2 种新的角蟾科蝌蚪类型。A 型：拟髭蟾型蝌蚪，该型蝌蚪包括拟髭蟾属、髭蟾属、齿蟾属和齿突蟾属的物种；B 型：新类型，掌突蟾型蝌蚪，该型蝌蚪在本文中包括掌突蟾属、小臂蟾属的物种；C 型：新类型，短腿蟾型蝌蚪，一种特化类型，该型蝌蚪在本文中仅包括短腿蟾属的物种；D 型：角蟾型蝌蚪，该型蝌蚪在本文中包括无耳蟾属、小口拟角蟾属和异角蟾属的物种。2）对角蟾科的分类进行了修订：（1）支持角蟾科两个亚科的分类系统；（2）角蟾亚科包括拟角蟾属、异角蟾属、无耳蟾属和短腿蟾属；该亚科形态差异小，系统学关系比较复杂，暂不作族级分类的再划分；（3）拟髭蟾亚科分为2 个族：拟髭蟾族，该族物种具有类型A 的蝌蚪，包括4 个属：拟髭蟾属、髭蟾属、齿蟾属、齿突蟾属；掌突蟾族，该族物种具有类型B 的蝌蚪，包括2 个属：掌突蟾属和小臂蟾属。3）结合分子系统进化关系探讨了4 种蝌蚪类型的演化。（1）角蟾科蝌蚪的最近共同祖先来自于一类具有拟髭蟾型蝌蚪性状的蝌蚪；（2）掌突蟾型蝌蚪和角蟾亚科的蝌蚪是由具有拟髭蟾型蝌蚪性状的祖先蝌蚪分别演化而来；（3）短腿蟾型蝌蚪是角蟾型蝌蚪的一种特化类型；（4）外群蝌蚪具有与拟髭蟾型蝌蚪相似的性状，进一步印证了类拟髭蟾型蝌蚪是角蟾科蝌蚪的最近共同祖先的假说；（5）具有口漏斗的蝌蚪类型是由不具口漏斗的蝌蚪类型演化而来，在角蟾科中口漏斗是一种衍生性状。4）分析了角蟾科四种蝌蚪类型与栖息环境的适应演化。（1）角蟾科蝌蚪的口部和体形的变化反映了该科蝌蚪由缓流向类似静水生境的回水凼的渐变式适应，角蟾科蝌蚪的形态显示了多方面的适应变化；（2）随着蝌蚪类型由A 向D的演化，当水速较大时，拟髭蟾型的蝌蚪营流水攀吸型生活方式；当水速递减时，掌突蟾型蝌蚪营流水附着型生活方式；当水速进一步递减时，具有较小口漏斗的短腿蟾型蝌蚪和具有大漏斗的角蟾型蝌蚪营流水浮泳型生活。角蟾科蝌蚪对于水流递减的适应演化说明蝌蚪的生态学适应是具有进化意义的；（3）蝌蚪口器内部结构的分化揭示了蝌蚪和食性的适应关系，蝌蚪以口部的唇齿与角质颌刮取或吞吸水中的物质，然后，通过口乳突有选择地过滤进入口腔中食物。拟髭蟾亚科蝌蚪的唇齿多而窄，唇齿间距宽，颌鞘粗而稀，反映了其植食性为主的特点；它们的舌前乳突一般为指状，在口腔入口处所占面积小，其机械过滤的作用很多被唇齿和角质颌分担了；而角蟾亚科的蝌蚪，其角质颌弱，其舌前乳突一般为匙状，几乎填满了口腔入口处，因此舌前乳突起了主要的机械过滤作用。The family Megophryidae is the largest and most diverse families inArchaeobatrachia, and most of its species occur in India, Pakistan, and eastward intoChina, Southeast Asia, Borneo and the Philippines to the Sunda Islands. Currently thefamily includes 142 species have been grouped into two subfamilies, Megophryinaeand Leptobrachiinae. The mountains of central and southern China are rich in speciesof Megophryidae, 75 species belong to 9 genera and two subfamilies.The family was supposed to be ideal materials of studies in many fields of biology,such as taxonomy, evolution, systematics, ecology, and biogeography. Recently, therehave a great development in taxonomy and systematics of megophryids throughstudied by morphology, paleontology, cytology, ecology, and cladistics. However,larvae of megophryids were generally unknown, although the tadpoles might be veryimportant for above studies.In this paper, we examined the evolutionary scenario of the tadpoles’ morphologyin the context of a phylogenetic framework. Our objectives are (1) to evaluate thedivergence of larval body shape and oral discs in the family Megophryidae, (2) toexplore the evolutionary trends of the larvae in megophryidae, and test if thefunnel-shaped oral disc is apomorphic, and (3) to explore the relationship of the larvalstructure, diet and microhabitat.We examined larval morphology of 30 megophryid species, the larval body shape,oral discs, the buccopharyngeal cavity, and jaw sheaths and denticles of the Chinesemegophryid frogs were re-examined. We constructed a phylogeny of the species on thebasis of published mitochondrial cytochrome b and 16S rRNA gene segments usingpartitioned Bayesian analyses. Furthermore, hypothetical changes of larval morphologywere inferred using parsimony principle on the phylogeny. The results showed that:1) Four tadpole types in Megophryidae. The larval morphological charactersseries in Chinese megophryids fall into four general categories according to the bodyshape and oral discs: (A) Leptobrachiini type, species from genera Leptobrachium,Oreolalax, Scutiger and, Vibrissaphora share this type of tadpoles. (B) Leptolalax type,species of genus Leptolalax have this type of tadpoles. (C) Brachytarsophrys type,species of the genus Brachytarsophrys have this type of tadpoles. (D) Megophryinitype, species of the genera Atympanophrys, Ophryophryne, and Xenophrys share this type of tadpoles. Of which B and C are two novel types.2）Taxonomic implications. The present study leads us to reconsider the generalclassification of tribes attributed to members of Megophryidae. More specifically,concerning the phylogenetic relationships and the two novel tadpole types describedherein, we propose a provisional taxonomy for the family but suggest that further taxasampling of other megophryids be performed to confirm this taxonomic change. TheMegophryidae is composed of two subfamilies (Leptobrachiinae and Megophryinae).The Leptobrachiinae was recogonized the two tribes: (1) tribe Leptobrachiini sensuDubois, corresponding to the tadpole of type A, including four genera, i.e.,Leptobrachium, Oreolalax, Scutiger and, Vibrissaphora; (2) tribe Leptolalaxini,corresponding to the tadpole of novel type B, including two genera, i.e., Leptolalaxand Leptobrachella. However, the relationships among the genera of Megophryinaewere largely unresolved, they recognized no monophyletic groups above the generalevel. A more thorough sampling will likely foster a better taxonomic solution.3) The larval evolutionary scenario in Megophryidae.Type A is characteristicof normal-mouthed with multiple tooth rows, representing the tadpole type of theMRCA of Chinese megophryids. Type B is characteristic of normal-mouthed withreduced tooth rows, prolonging labium, and integumetary glands. Type C ischaracteristic of no labial teeth and smaller umbeliform oral disc. Type D ischaracteristic of no labial teeth, enlarged umbeliform oral disc, representing the tadpoleof the MRCA of subfamily Megophryinae. A previous hypothesis, referring tofunnel-shaped oral discs as an apomorphy, is supported.4) The larval adaptation to habitats in Megophryidae. Tadpoles generallyadhere to substrates using their mouths, and the microhabitat that the tadpoles occupyreflects the degree of adhesion and oral complexity. The morphological changes inmegophryid tadpoles virtually allow a progressive adaptation to a changing habitatfrom faster water to slower water. Within the tadpoles of Type A to type D, the TOTbecomes smaller and smaller, and the oral disc orientates from anteroventral toumbelliform upturned, and eye position orientates from dorsal to lateral, and the trunkis more and more depressed and tail becomes relatively longer and slender. Within therunning water, the normal-mouthed with multiple tooth rows of Leptobrachiini tadpoles are correlated with lotic-suctorial, benthic feeders with anteroventral oraldisc and the largest body. With the water’s velocity decreasing, the lotic-adherentfeeders of Leptolalax tadpoles have tube-shaped labium with reduced tooth rows andintegumetary glands. And then, the smaller umbeliform in Brachytarsophrys tadpolesand the enlarged umbeliform oral disc in the Megophryini tadpoles are inhabitmicrohabitats of non-flowing backwaters of rivers, indicative of adaptive traits oflotic-neustonic surface feeders. The scheme of megophryid tadpoles andmicrohabitats provided the first clear evidence which congruent with the hypothesis ofAltig and Johnston (1989). The ecological divergence plays a general role in thedivergence and evolution of megophrid larvae. There is a definite correlation amongthe buccopharyngeal cavity, diet and feeding mechanisms, the tadpole graze orswallow the food particles, then through papillae which like a sieve and sort out foodparticles to the oesophagus. The tadpole of Leptobrachiinae possess multiple toothrows, wide intertooth distance as well as thick and sparse jaw sheath, these tadpolesinhabit bottom of the streams and graze on epiphyton or major detritus of organicmatter on the substrates, their prelingual papillae like single finger, the mechanicalpurpose of papillae served share in by tooth and jaw. The tadpoles of Megophryinaeoccur near the water surface of small streams and are the filter feeder, their dietincludes plankton and organic debris floating on the water surface, those tadpolepossess weak jaw, their prelingual papillae like spoon, the mechanical purpose ofpapillae served mostly for sieve.

Contribution to the knowledge of the genus "Cladonia" in Macaronesia

Sixteen species of the genus Cladonia are reported from Macaronesia from the Canary Islands. Three species are new to canarian flora and, two of them new to Macaronesia. The chemical variation of the taxa is reported. A phytogeographic distribution of the taxa with data on their habitat and ecology are presented.

The thermohaline expressway: the Southern Ocean as a centre of origin for deep-sea octopuses

Understanding how environmental forcing has generated and maintained large-scale patterns of biodiversity is a key goal of evolutionary research and critical to predicting the impacts of global climate change. We suggest that the initiation of the global thermohaline circulation provided a mechanism for the radiation of Southern Ocean fauna into the deep sea. We test this hypothesis using a relaxed phylogenetic approach to coestimate phylogeny and divergence times for a lineage of octopuses with Antarctic and deep-sea representatives. We show that the deep-sea lineage had their evolutionary origins in Antarctica, and estimate that this lineage diverged around 33?million years ago (Ma) and subsequently radiated at 15?Ma. Both of these dates are critical in development of the thermohaline circulation and we suggest that this has acted as an evolutionary driver enabling the Southern Ocean to become a centre of origin for deep-sea fauna. This is the first unequivocal molecular evidence that deep-sea fauna from other ocean basins originated from Southern Ocean taxa and this is the first evidence to be dated.

Molecular systematics of the Cactaceae

Bayesian, maximum-likelihood, and maximum-parsimony phylogenies, constructed using nucleotide sequences from the plastid gene region trnK-matK, are employed to investigate relationships within the Cactaceae. These phylogenies sample 666 plants representing 532 of the 1438 species recognized in the family. All four subfamilies, all nine tribes, and 69% of currently recognized genera of Cactaceae are sampled. We found strong support for three of the four currently recognized subfamilies, although relationships between subfamilies were not well defined. Major clades recovered within the largest subfamilies, Opuntioideae and Cactoideae, are reviewed; only three of the nine currently accepted tribes delimited within these subfamilies, the Cacteae, Rhipsalideae, and Opuntieae, are monophyletic, although the Opuntieae were recovered in only the Bayesian and maximum-likelihood analyses, not in the maximum-parsimony analysis, and more data are needed to reveal the status of the Cylindropuntieae, which may yet be monophyletic. Of the 42 genera with more than one exemplar in our study, only 17 were monophyletic; 14 of these genera were from subfamily Cactoideae and three from subfamily Opuntioideae. We present a synopsis of the status of the currently recognized genera

Combined phylogenetic analyses reveal interfamilial relationships and patterns of floral evolution in the eudicot order Fabales

Relationships between the four families placed in the angiosperm order Fabales (Leguminosae, Polygalaceae, Quillajaceae, Surianaceae) were hitherto poorly resolved. We combine published molecular data for the chloroplast regions matK and rbcL with 66 morphological characters surveyed for 73 ingroup and two outgroup species, and use Parsimony and Bayesian approaches to explore matrices with different missing data. All combined analyses using Parsimony recovered the topology Polygalaceae (Leguminosae (Quillajaceae + Surianaceae)). Bayesian analyses with matched morphological and molecular sampling recover the same topology, but analyses based on other data recover a different Bayesian topology: ((Polygalaceae + Leguminosae) (Quillajaceae + Surianaceae)). We explore the evolution of floral characters in the context of the more consistent topology: Polygalaceae (Leguminosae (Quillajaceae + Surianaceae)). This reveals synapomorphies for (Leguminosae (Quillajaceae + Surianaceae)) as the presence of free filaments and marginal/ventral placentation, for (Quillajaceae + Surianaceae) as pentamery and apocarpy, and for Leguminosae the presence of an abaxial median sepal and unicarpellate gynoecium. An octamerous androecium is synapomorphic for Polygalaceae. The development of papilionate flowers, and the evolutionary context in which these phenotypes appeared in Leguminosae and Polygalaceae, shows that the morphologies are convergent rather than synapomorphic within Fabales.

Cladistic analysis of continuous modularized traits provides phylogenetic signals in Homo evolution

Evolutionary novelties in the skeleton are usually expressed as changes in the timing of growth of features intrinsically integrated at different hierarchical levels of development(1). As a consequence, most of the shape- traits observed across species do vary quantitatively rather than qualitatively(2), in a multivariate space(3) and in a modularized way(4,5). Because most phylogenetic analyses normally use discrete, hypothetically independent characters(6), previous attempts have disregarded the phylogenetic signals potentially enclosed in the shape of morphological structures. When analysing low taxonomic levels, where most variation is quantitative in nature, solving basic requirements like the choice of characters and the capacity of using continuous, integrated traits is of crucial importance in recovering wider phylogenetic information. This is particularly relevant when analysing extinct lineages, where available data are limited to fossilized structures. Here we show that when continuous, multivariant and modularized characters are treated as such, cladistic analysis successfully solves relationships among main Homo taxa. Our attempt is based on a combination of cladistics, evolutionary- development- derived selection of characters, and geometric morphometrics methods. In contrast with previous cladistic analyses of hominid phylogeny, our method accounts for the quantitative nature of the traits, and respects their morphological integration patterns. Because complex phenotypes are observable across different taxonomic groups and are potentially informative about phylogenetic relationships, future analyses should point strongly to the incorporation of these types of trait.

Coding behavioural data for cladistic analysis: using dynamic homology without parsimony

Many of the controversies around the concept of homology rest on the subjectivity inherent to primary homology propositions. Dynamic homology partially solves this problem, but there has been up to now scant application of it outside of the molecular domain. This is probably because morphological and behavioural characters are rich in properties, connections and qualities, so that there is less space for conflicting character delimitations. Here we present a new method for the direct optimization of behavioural data, a method that relies on the richness of this database to delimit the characters, and on dynamic procedures to establish character state identity. We use between-species congruence in the data matrix and topological stability to choose the best cladogram. We test the methodology using sequences of predatory behaviour in a group of spiders that evolved the highly modified predatory technique of spitting glue onto prey. The cladogram recovered is fully compatible with previous analyses in the literature, and thus the method seems consistent. Besides the advantage of enhanced objectivity in character proposition, the new procedure allows the use of complex, context-dependent behavioural characters in an evolutionary framework, an important step towards the practical integration of the evolutionary and ecological perspectives on diversity. (C) The Willi Hennig Society 2010.

A preliminary phylogenetic study of late Palaeozoic spiriferoid brachiopods using cladistic and Bayesian approaches

Abstract The brachiopod Superfamily Spiriferoidea diversified greatly and was widely distributed in the late Palaeozoic (Carboniferous–Permian), and yet its phylogeny has been seldom investigated with analytical methods. This is reflected in the current flux of very different classification schemes for this superfamily. This paper provides the first attempt to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of spiriferoid brachiopods through both cladistic and Bayesian analyses involving 24 discrete and continuous characters. The continuous characters, from morphometric data, have been separately discretized using the gap weighting method, and the ‘as such’ option in TNT. Our results highlight the potential significance of continuous characters in reconstructing and elucidating phylogenies, as much as qualitative characters. Building on the outcomes of the analyses, we also briefly evaluate existing classification schemes of Spiriferoidea. We found that none of the existing classifications fully reflect the phylogeny properly; major families within the superfamily, such as Spiriferidae, Choristitidae, and Trigonotretidae, turned out to be polyphyletic. Although this study is considered preliminary, due to the selection of and restriction to certain taxa, combined with the use of a relatively small number of characters, it nevertheless demonstrates that potentially the true phylogenetic relationships of spiriferoid taxa sharply contrast with any of the existing classification schemes. This highlights the need to develop an alternative scheme that takes into account a more comprehensive range of phylogenetic variables.