毛冠菊属的系统学研究

　　毛冠菊属是菊科21个“有问题”属中的一个，主要分布于青藏高原地区。按照林镕、陈艺林的概念，它包含了Nannoglottis、．Stereosanthus、Vierhapperia、Senecio和Doronicum5个属的成员。它曾先后被放入旋覆花族、千里光族和紫菀族，在上述三族中的亚族位置也不确定。它的许多重要性状，如舌片颜色、染色体数目等等，人们所知甚少。由于缺乏野外工作以及看不到大多数名字的模式，林镕、陈艺林对该属的修订有待深入的研究。本文研究了该属的外部形态学、微形态学、解剖学、孢粉学、细胞学、生态学以及ITS序列，确定了毛冠菊属的分类位置，并建立了一个新的属下分类系统。 1．外部形态 在检查大量标本（包括大多数模式）和野外居群考察的基础上，分析了主要外部形态学性状的变异式样及其对划定物种范围的价值。共确认以下9个种：青海毛冠菊、厚毛毛冠菊、狭舌毛冠菊、虎克毛冠菊、宽苞毛冠菊、大果毛冠菊、毛冠菊、玉龙毛冠菊和云南毛冠菊。川西毛冠菊被处理成狭舌毛冠菊的异名。 2．微形态学 在光镜下检查了毛冠菊属9种和紫菀族2个代表属的花柱的形状、花药顶端不育附属物、花药基部、花药基部、花盘、花丝领、药室内壁细胞等微形态性状。除了花柱基外，其他的微形态学在属内一致。管状花的花柱形态支持将毛冠菊属放在紫菀族，但其药室内壁细胞两极加厚式样表明它和广义的旋覆花有某些联系。 3．叶表皮研究 在光镜和电镜下检查了毛冠菊属8个种的叶表皮特征。．所有种的气孔器都为不规则型。青海毛冠菊表皮细胞的为多边形，而其他种都为不规则型。青海毛冠菊表皮角质层的加厚方式也与其他种明显不同。 4．扫描电镜下的舌片和花柱分枝特征 在扫描电镜下观察毛冠菊属8种和紫菀族7个代表种的舌片近轴面表皮细胞。发现毛冠菊属的舌片近轴面表皮细胞都为板状，并且沿细胞中央特征性加厚，这与紫菀族类型的表皮细胞一致，但毛冠菊属表皮细胞的角质层主要是纵向条纹或皱纹，而紫菀族总是横向的条纹或皱纹，明显不同。 在扫描电镜下又检查了毛冠菊属8种和紫菀族8个代表种的管状花花柱分枝近轴面的结构，结果在毛冠菊属管状花花柱分枝的近轴面都发现了柱头毛状的突起，而在紫菀族8种中没有发现。从突起的形状和位置判断，它可能是残存的、未充分发育的柱头毛。这表明雌性不育管状花可能刚刚从两性管状花演化而来。 也在扫描电镜下观察了毛冠菊属6种和紫菀族8个代表种的舌状花和丝状花的花柱分枝的远轴面，结果在毛冠菊属4种中发现了类似扫集毛状的突起。从这种突起的位置和形状判断，它可能是残余的扫集毛。这种突起在除雏菊以外的其他紫菀族代表种中缺失。 5．细胞学 检查了毛冠菊属8种的细胞学性状。结果发现毛冠菊属所有种的染色体基数都为x -9。染色体长度大约4um-lOum。核型公式：毛冠菊、厚毛毛冠菊、狭舌毛冠菊、宽苞毛冠菊和云南毛冠菊都为2n=14m+2sm+2st;玉龙毛冠菊、大果毛冠菊和青海毛冠菊都为2n=12m+4sm+2st。A1、A2值在属内没有明显差异。所有种的核型都是2A型。这表明在物种形成的过程中没有多倍化参与，毛冠菊属宜放在紫菀族而不是千里光族。细胞学证据支持毛冠菊属为一单系类群。 6．分子生物学 测定了毛冠菊属7种的ITS序列，并从基因库里下载了46个ITS序列，涵盖紫菀族14个亚属和旋覆花族、春黄菊族、金盏菊族。以旋覆花族、春黄菊族、金盏菊族为外类群。简约性分析显示，毛冠菊属在紫菀族中，并有较高的bootstrap值，在紫菀族中处于基部位置。Olearia和Chiliotrichum两个Hinterhuberinae亚族的代表属与毛冠菊属密切相关。在属下系统发育分析中，Olearia和Chiliotrichum被选做外类群。652个性状中，共有7】个信息位点（31个在ITSI，33个在ITS2，7个在5.8S）。简约性分析时只获得一棵最简约树。树上有两个明显的进化支，一支仅有青海毛冠菊一种，另一支包含其他种类。这种分支方式也得到形态学和生态学证据的支持。 7．毛冠菊属的系统学 从上述结果可以看出，毛冠菊属宜放入紫菀族中，在紫菀族中处于基部位置，与Hinterhuberinae亚族关系密切。综合上述研究结果，提出一个新的属下 分类系统： 毛冠菊属的新系统 组I单头组Sect. Monocephala T.G.Gao et YL.Chen Sect nov. 青海毛冠菊Nannoglottis ravida (C.Winkl.)Y.L.Chen 组II毛冠菊组Sect. Nannoglottis 系1．长舌系Ser. Delavayanae Ling et YL.Chen 厚毛毛冠菊Nannoglottis delavayi(Franch.)Ling et Y.L.Chen 狭舌毛冠菊Nannoglottis gynura(C.Winkl.) Ling et YL.Chen 虎克毛冠菊Nannoglottis hookeri (C.B.Clarke ex Hook.f.)Kitam. 宽苞毛冠菊Nannoglottis latisquama Ling et Y.L.Chen 大果毛冠菊Nannoglottis macrocarpa Ling et YL.Chen 系2．短舌系Ser. Nannoglottis 毛冠菊Nannoglottis carpesioides Maxim. 玉龙毛冠菊Nannoglottis hieraciphylla (Hand.-Mzt.)Ling et YL.Chen 云南毛冠菊Nannoglottis yuennanensis (Hand.-Mzt.) Hand.-Mzt.

壳斗目的系统发育研究

本文采用来自三个基因组——叶绿体、线粒体和核基因组的六个DNA序列片段，对壳斗目的系统发育进行了重建，主要探讨了壳斗目八个科的科间系统演化关系及不同基因系统树间存在冲突的原因。在此基础上针对具体问题，进一步选用核光敏色素PHYC基因序列对杨梅科在壳斗目中的系统位置进行了更深入的探讨。在对壳斗目开展大量分子系统学研究的同时，还对胡桃科化香树属Platycarya的花形态发生过程进行了详细的扫描电镜观察，讨论了胡桃科单性花的起源和演化问题。主要内容包括： 1 基于四个叶绿体DNA序列的分析 以金缕梅属Hamamelis 和朴树属Celtis 为外类群，对壳斗目几乎所有属的代表共31种植物的trnL-F、matK、rbcL和atpB 序列进行了测定，通过四个序列单独和联合分析，得到如下结果：除rbcL基因树由于信息位点少而分辨率较低之外，壳斗目各科作为单系类群在各种分析中都得到了较强的bootstrap（BS）支持。壳斗目的八个科分为三支：南青冈科Nothofagaceae是基部分支;壳斗科Fagaceae接着分出;核心高等金缕梅类 (core “higher” hamamelids) 聚为一支, 这三支也都得到了强支持。基于不同序列构建的系统发育树，主要区别在于对核心高等金缕梅类六个科，即第三支内部分支关系分辨的不同。在trnL-F树上核心高等金缕梅类又分成两个亚支，一亚支是木麻黄科Casuarinaceae－(桦木科Betulaceae－核果桦科Ticodendraceae)，另一亚支是杨梅科Myricaceae－(胡桃科Juglandaceae－马尾树科Rhoipteleaceae);matK树上，杨梅科则与前一亚支，即木麻黄科和桦木科聚在了一起;atpB树上杨梅科又成了其他所有核心高等金缕梅类的姐妹群;基于四序列联合分析构建的系统发育树的拓扑结构基本上与matK基因树一致。胡桃科和马尾树科的亲缘关系在对不同序列的分析中都得到了较强的支持，但对杨梅科的聚类，支持率都很弱。 2 基于线粒体matR基因序列的分析 除南青冈科作为其他所有壳斗目类群的姐妹群得到强支持外，其余的壳斗目的科间系统发育关系都未得到很好的分辨。最简约树的严格一致树显示杨梅科和木麻黄科聚在一起得到的BS支持不强，另外桦木科和核果桦科，壳斗科和马尾树科分别聚在一起，但得到的支持都未超过50%。 3 基于核核糖体18S rDNA序列的分析 在18S rRNA基因最简约树的严格一致树上，壳斗目被分为两支，一支由壳斗科和南青冈科组成，另一支由核心高等金缕梅类组成，BS支持率均不高。核心高等金缕梅类又分成两个亚支，桦木科，核果桦科和木麻黄科组成的亚支得到了较强的支持，由胡桃科、马尾树科和杨梅科组成的另一亚支得到了更强的BS支持。胡桃科和桦木科的单系性都得到了分辨，虽然BS支持率不高。 4 六个DNA序列的联合分析 通过对六个DNA序列的单独和联合分析，探讨了引起基因树间拓扑结构冲突的可能原因。分别用MP法、NJ法和贝叶斯推论对壳斗目进行了系统发育重建，联合分析提供了分辨率最好、支持率最高的壳斗目谱系关系图： 1、 南青冈科是壳斗目其余类群的姐妹群;2、各科的单系性得到很好支持;3、壳斗科是核心高等金缕梅类的姐妹群;4、核心高等金缕梅类分为两个亚支，一亚支包含桦木科、核果桦科和木麻黄科;另一亚支由胡桃科、马尾树科和杨梅科组成，杨梅科是胡桃科和马尾树科的姐妹群，这一亚支的BS支持率仍然很弱。胡桃科和壳斗科的属间关系未得到很好分辨，多数分支的BS支持率和后验概率值都不高。 5 基于核PHYC基因序列证据对杨梅科系统位置的分析 用壳斗科的栎属Quercus和南青冈科的南青冈属Nothofagus做外类群，核心高等金缕梅类分为两支。桦木科和木麻黄科聚在一起，胡桃科和马尾树科为姐妹群再与杨梅科构成一支，这两个分支都得到很强的BS支持。核基因分析支持六个序列联合分析对核心高等金缕梅类各科间关系的分辨。 6 化香树的花器官发生 在扫描电镜下系统地研究了柔荑花序类植物化香树的雄花、雌花和两性花的发生和发育过程。结果表明：该植物雄花和两性花中小苞片和花被片缺乏;雄蕊轮状发生，成熟阶段雄蕊的不规则排列是由于花托的延伸且和苞片的基部融合后造成的;雌花中存在环状的花被片结构但极度退化，雌花两侧的小苞片和花被片的侧面部分构成小坚果的翅;化香树的两性花向心发生，雄蕊先发生，然后雌蕊发生。胡桃科中的单性花是由两性花退化而来。 本研究的主要发现和结论如下： 1第一次用来自不同基因组的多个DNA 序列探讨了壳斗目八科的系统发育关系;取样包括了所有科的几乎所有的属;所得到的系统树具有较高的分辨率和置信度。主要结论是壳斗目的八个科分为三支，南青冈科是最基部的分支，壳斗科做为核心高等金缕梅类的姐妹群第二个分出，核心高等金缕梅类聚在一起，并进一步分为两个亚支：第一亚支包括桦木科、核果桦科和木麻黄科;另一亚支则由胡桃科、马尾树科和杨梅科组成，杨梅科是胡桃科和马尾树科的姐妹群。 2用核光敏色素PHYC基因较好的解决了杨梅科的系统位置，尽管造成杨梅科在叶绿体基因树和核基因树上具有不同系统位置的原因尚需要进一步探讨。在PHYC基因树上桦木科和木麻黄科聚在一起，胡桃科和马尾树科为姐妹群再与杨梅科构成一支，这两个分支都得到很强的支持。 3首次在壳斗目植物中用扫描电镜观察到了雄花的发生过程和两性花的发生方式，澄清了在化香树属植物中关于雄蕊排列方式、花被式样、以及果翅来源等问题的疑惑或争论。

黄杉属的分子系统发育与生物地理学

松科植物的叶绿体和线粒体基因分别为父系和母系遗传，二者的联合分析为系统发育重建，特别是揭示网状进化过程提供了便利条件。此外，松科中的多个属（如黄杉属、铁杉属等）呈洲际间断分布，是研究生物地理学问题的良好试材。 本文选择来自于叶绿体和线粒体基因组的5个DNA片段，通过序列分析对黄杉属的所有8个种进行了系统发育重建;同时结合已有的对黄杉属的各方面研究，讨论了该属典型的东亚-北美间断分布式样的形成过程。主要结果如下： (1) 叶绿体DNA片段trnfM-trnS、rpl20和trnP的序列分析 无论叶绿体基因两两组合分析还是3个叶绿体片段的联合分析均强烈支持东亚的6种黄杉属植物聚为一支（支持率>96%），其中日本黄杉位于最基部，其他分布于中国的5个种聚在一起。 (2) 线粒体基因nad5和cox1的序列分析 线粒体基因序列的进化速率较慢，信息位点相对较少，因此分辨率较低。本文中线粒体DNA序列在黄杉属的东亚物种间几乎没有分辨率，但是仍以>60%的Bootstrap支持率将该属分为东亚与北美两个姐妹支。 (3) 5个DNA片段的联合分析 5个细胞质DNA片段(trnfM-trnS, rpl20, trnP, nad5, cox1)的联合数据矩阵长4351 bp，其中含变异位点129个（3.0%），信息位点109个（2.5%）。利用最大简约法进行的系统发育分析表明：黄杉属分成北美和东亚两支，与地理分布相吻合，并分别得到了66%和100%的支持;中国的5个物种形成一个单系分支，该分支与日本黄杉为姐妹群关系。 根据上述叶绿体和线粒体DNA片段的序列分析结果，并结合前人的研究资料，我们认为黄杉属通过白令陆桥扩散后，在北美和东亚独立进化，但该属的起源地尚需要进一步研究。

Phylogenetic relationships of the macaques (Cercopithecidae : Macaca), inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences

To study the phylogenetic relationships of the macaques, five gene fragments were sequenced from 40 individuals of eight species: Macaca mulatta, M. cyclopis, M. fascicularis, M. arctoides, M. assamensis, M. thibetana, M. silenus, and M. leonina. In addition, sequences of M. sylvanus were obtained from Genbank. A baboon was used as the outgroup. The phylogenetic trees were constructed using maximum-parsimony and Bayesian methods. Because five gene fragments were from the mitochondrial genome and were inherited as a single entity without recombination, we combined the five genes into a single analysis. The parsimony bootstrap proportions we obtained were higher than those from earlier studies based on the combined mtDNA dataset. Excluding M. arctoides, our results are generally consistent with the classification of Delson (1980). Our phylogenetic analyses agree with earlier studies suggesting that the mitochondrial lineages of M. arctoides share a close evolutionary relationship with the mitochondrial lineages of the fascicularis group of macaques (and M. fascicularis, specifically). M. mulatta (with respect to M. cyclopis), M. assamensis assamensis (with respect to M. thibetana), and M. leonina (with respect to M. silenus) are paraphyletic based on our analysis of mitochondrial genes.

Parallel and Convergent Evolution of the Dim-Light Vision Gene RH1 in Bats (Order: Chiroptera)

Rhodopsin, encoded by the gene Rhodopsin (RH1), is extremely sensitive to light, and is responsible for dim-light vision. Bats are nocturnal mammals that inhabit poor light environments. Megabats (Old-World fruit bats) generally have well-developed eyes, while microbats (insectivorous bats) have developed echolocation and in general their eyes were degraded, however, dramatic differences in the eyes, and their reliance on vision, exist in this group. In this study, we examined the rod opsin gene (RH1), and compared its evolution to that of two cone opsin genes (SWS1 and M/LWS). While phylogenetic reconstruction with the cone opsin genes SWS1 and M/LWS generated a species tree in accord with expectations, the RH1 gene tree united Pteropodidae (Old-World fruit bats) and Yangochiroptera, with very high bootstrap values, suggesting the possibility of convergent evolution. The hypothesis of convergent evolution was further supported when nonsynonymous sites or amino acid sequences were used to construct phylogenies. Reconstructed RH1 sequences at internal nodes of the bat species phylogeny showed that: (1) Old-World fruit bats share an amino acid change (S270G) with the tomb bat; (2) Miniopterus share two amino acid changes (V104I, M183L) with Rhinolophoidea; (3) the amino acid replacement I123V occurred independently on four branches, and the replacements L99M, L266V and I286V occurred each on two branches. The multiple parallel amino acid replacements that occurred in the evolution of bat RH1 suggest the possibility of multiple convergences of their ecological specialization (i.e., various photic environments) during adaptation for the nocturnal lifestyle, and suggest that further attention is needed on the study of the ecology and behavior of bats.

Ribosomal DNA gene and phylogenetic relationships of Diplura and lower Hexapods

The monophyly of Diplura and its phylogenetic relationship with other hexapods are important for understanding the phylogeny of Hexapoda. The complete 18SrRNA gene and partial 28SrRNA gene (D3-D5 region) from 2 dipluran species (Campodeidae and Japygidae), 2 proturan species, 3 collembolan species, and 1 locust species were sequenced. Combining related sequences in GenBank, phylogenetic trees of Hexapoda were constructed by MP method using a crustacean Artemia salina as an outgroup. The results indicated that: (i) the integrated data of 18SrDNA and 28SrDNA could provide better phylogenetic information, which well supported the monophyly of Diplura; (ii) Diplura had a close phylogenetic relationship to Protura with high bootstrap support.

Diversity, abundance distribution and secondary production of intertidal and subtidal benthic macrofauna of Bushehr Province with emphasis on annelida groups

The present investigation was undertaken to establish a reference situation for future use, to identify temporal and spatial composition of macrofauna and estimate some ecological indices in the sub tidal waters along the Bushehr coastal waters in Persian Gulf. Six transects were selected including Genaveh, Farakeh, Shif, Bandargah, Rostami and Asalouyeh, at each transect 3 station were sampled in depths of zero, 5 and 10 metres. Sampling was seasonally carried out by a VAN VEEN grab 0.0225 m2, during summer 2008 until spring 2009. Samples were wet sieved immediately using 0.5 mm mesh size sieves and sediment retained in the sieve was preserved in 4% buffered formalin solution. Macrofauna specimen were separated from the sediments using decantation and elutriation methods, enumerated and identified up to the Genus level. Environmental factors such as temperature. pH, and salinity were recorded in field using sensitive probs and refractometer (for salinity) and also sediment samples were taken for TOM and grain size analysis in all the stations. 5611 specimens belonging to 66 genera were collected during the present study. Polychaetes were dominant both in terms of genus number (31) and relative abundance (74 % of total macrofaunal abundance). The other dominant groups were Artheropoda, (16.1%), Molusca (2.8%), Echinodermata (1.29%) and others including Nematoda, Nemertina, Echiura and Turbellaria (5.8%). Thirty one Genera belong of 27 families of polychaeta, one genus and family of Subphylum Chlicerata,19 genera belong to 14 families of Crustacea, 8 genera belong to 6 families of Molusca, were indentified in the studied region. 1 family (Polygordidae) and 3 genera (Flabeligera, Pilargis and Polygordius) of Polychaeta, 1 family (Nymphonidae) and genus (Nymphon) of Chelicerata, 1 Family (Nematoplanidae) and genus (Nematoplana) of Turbellaria, were identified for the first time in Persian Gulf area. The result indicated that macrofauna organism have strong relationship with the grain size characteristics of the sediments they inhabit. The most surface deposit feeder specimens such as Prionospio and Cossura were found in zero meters depth of Genaveh, Farakeh, Bandargah, Rostami and Asalouyeh stations with sandy substratum, however the most burrowing deposit feeder and scavenger specimens such as Capitella and Petaloproctus were collected in 5 and 10 meter depths of stations with silty–clay substratum. The annual mean abundance, Shanon- weiner diversity and evenness of macrofauna were estimated1152.73 N/ m² , 2.72 and 0.792 respectively .The annual average biomass and secondary production were computed 1.797 gDW m² and 3.594 gDW m² y-1 .The average of water temperature, salinity, pH and oxygen concentration were recorded between 16.37-36.05 °C, 38-42 g/l, 7.89-8.76 and 4.23-8.23 mg/l, respectively during this study in 6 studied region. Among of investigated stations Asalouyeh adjacent of effluent canal of Gas and petrochemical industry sewage and Farakeh regions adjacent the Helleh estuary had the lowets and the highest community indices. The average of diversity and density in 5 meters depth stations with moderate of sand, silt and clay were slightly more than 2 other depths stations, it seems that 5 meters stations are made a transition habitats between 2 sandy and clay habitats, that can be used by 2 groups of surface and borrowing deposit feeders. Based on the data provided in this survey, the temperature variation, sediment texture, TOM, type habitat and manmade factors of Gas and petrochemical industries have had the most effect on the macrofauna community structure in the studied region during sampling periods.

Study morphologic, phylogenic relationships DNA barcoding of of identified decapod group (Crustacean) of Persian Gulf and Oman Sea.

Phylogenetic relationships among all described species (total of 12 taxa) of the decapoda, were examined with nucleotide sequence data from portions of mitochondrial gene and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI). The previous works on phylogeny proved that the mitochondrial COI gene in crustacean is a good discriminative marker at both inter- and intra-specific levels. We provide COI barcode sequences of commertial decapoda of Oman Sea, Persian Gulf, Iran. Industrial activities, ecologic considerations, and goals of the decapoda Barcode of Life campaign make it crucial that species of the south costal be identified. The reconstruction of evolut phylogeny of these species are crucial for revealing stock identity that can be used for the management of fisheries industries in Iran. Mitochondrial DNA sequences were used to reconstruct the phylogeny of the Penaeus species of marine shrimp. For this purpose, DNA was extracted using phenol- chloroform well as CTAB method. The evolutionary relationships among 12 species of the decapoda were examined using 610 bp of mitochondrial (mt) DNA from the cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene. Finally the cladograms were compared and the resulted phylogenetic trees confirmed that the Iran's species origin is Indo-west pacific species. Iran's species, which were not grouped with the other decapoda taxa seem to always form a sister clade with Indo-west pacific species with strong bootstrap support 100%. The result completely agrees with the previously defined species using morphological characters.However, we still lack any comprehensive and clear understanding of phylogenetic relationships in this group.

中国灵猫科的支序系统学分析

选取分布于中国境内的8属9种灵猫科动物的88个骨骼性状、31个外部形态性状和1个行为性状,运用替代外群法分别以赤狐(犬科狐属)和青鼬(鼬科貂属)共同或单独作为外群进行支序分析,得出10个支序图(其步长(TL)为106--136,一致性指数(CI)为0.581--0.660,保留指数(RI)为0.610--0.714。经合意分析得到4个相似的支序图,其TL为41--136,CI为0.581--0.732,RI为0.610--0.818,结果支持:(1)斑灵狸、大灵猫、小灵猫构成一个单系群,与传统分类一致(均属灵猫亚科);(2)椰子狸、花面狸、熊狸构成一个单系群,与传统分类一致(均属长尾狸亚科);(3)红颊meng、食蟹meng与灵猫科其他种为姐妹关系(Bootstrap检验支持率100%),建议meng类为一亚科;(4)长颌带狸拥有较多自近裔性状如三个门齿孔,是一个高度特化的种类,其系统地位有待进一步研究。

中鲤亚属的分支系统学分析

基于外部形态特征和内部骨骼特征对鲤科鲤属中鲤亚属进行了分支系统学分析。内群包括中鲤亚属的全部5种和鲤亚属的2种鱼类，外群采用乌原鲤。在鲤属鱼类和外群间共有48个性状存在变化。系统发育分析采用PAUP~(*)软件的Parsimony和Bootstrap两种方式的Branch-and-Bound算法。排除不能极化的特征和特有离征之后，还有28个特征可用，由这28个特征可得到唯一的系统树，树长69，一致性系数0.7246，排除无用特征的一致性系数0.6122，保留系数0.6346。由5种中鲤组成的中鲤亚属明显不构成一个单系群。结果表明：中鲤亚属是一个复系群，该类元应该被撤销。

ANALYTICAL DEVICE FOR TEST FLUIDS, COMPRISES A CONDUCTIVE POLYMER COMPOSITION

A sensor for chemical species or biological species or radiation presenting to test fluid a polymer composition comprises polymer and conductive filler metal, alloy or reduced metal oxide and having a first level of electrical conductance when quiescent and being convertible to a second level of conductance by change of stress applied by stretching or compression or electric field, in which the polymer composition is characterised by at least one of the features in the form of particles at least 90% w/w held on a 100 mesh sieve; and/or comprising a permeable body extending across a channel of fluid flow; and/or affording in-and-out diffusion of test fluid and/or mechanically coupled to a workpiece of polymer swellable by a constituent of test fluid.

Variation patterns of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene with secondary structure constraints and their application to phylogeny of cyprinine fishes (Teleostei : Cypriniformes)

The mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequences from 93 cyprinid fishes were examined to reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships within the diverse and economically important subfamily Cyprininae. Within the subfamily a biased nucleotide composition (A > T, C > G) was observed in the loop regions of the gene, and in stem regions apparent selective pressures of base pairing showed a bias in favor of G over C and T over A. The bias may be associated with transition-transversion bias. Rates of nucleotide substitution were lower in stems than in loops. Analysis of compensatory substitutions across these taxa demonstrates 68% covariation in the gene and a logical weighting factor to account for dependence in mutations for phylogenetic inference should be 0.66. Comparisons of varied stem-loop weighting schemes indicate that the down-weightings for stem regions could improve the phylogenetic analysis and the degree of non-independence of stem substitutions was not as important as expected. Bayesian inference under four models of nucleotide substitution indicated that likelihood-based phylogenetic analyses were more effective in improving the phylogenetic performance than was weighted parsimony analysis. In Bayesian analyses, the resolution of phylogenies under the 16-state models for paired regions, incorporating GTR + G + I models for unpaired regions was better than those under other models. The subfamily Cyprininae was resolved as a monophyletic group, as well as tribe Labein and several genera. However, the monophyly of the currently recognized tribes, such as Schizothoracin, Barbin, Cyprinion + Onychostoma lineages, and some genera was rejected. Furthermore, comparisons of the parsimony and Bayesian analyses and results of variable length bootstrap analysis indicates that the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene should contain important character variation to recover well-supported phylogeny of cyprinid taxa whose divergences occurred within the recent 8 MY, but could not provide resolution power for deep phylogenies spanning 10-19 MYA. (c) 2008 Published by Elsevier Inc.

Phylogeny and speciation of the eastern Asian cyprinid genus Sarcocheilichthys

The genus Sarcocheilichthys is a group of small cyprinid fishes comprising 10 species/sub-species widely distributed in East Asia, which represents a valuable model for understanding the speciation of freshwater fishes in East Asia. In the present study, the molecular phylogenetic relationship of the genus Sarcocheilichthys was investigated using a 1140 bp section of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. Two different tree-building methods, maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian methods, yielded trees with almost the same topology, yielding high bootstrap values or posterior probabilities. The results showed that the genus Sarcocheilichthys consists of two large clades, clades I and II. Clade I contains Sarcocheilichthys lacustris, Sarcocheilichthys sinensis and Sarcocheilichthys parvus, with S. parvus at a basal position. In clade II, Sarcocheilichthys variegatus microoculus is at a basal position; samples of the widespread species, Sarcocheilichthys nigripinnis, form a large subclade containing another valid species Sarcocheilichthys czerskii. Sarcocheilichthys kiangsiensis is retained at an intermediate position. Since S. czerskii is a valid species in the S. nigripinnis clade, remaining samples of S. nigripinnis form a paraphyly. This speciation process is attributed to geographical isolation and special environmental conditions experienced by S. czerskii and stable environments experienced by the other S. nigripinnis populations. This type of speciation process was suggested to be very common. Samples of Sarcocheilichthys sinensis sinensis and Sarcocheilichthys sinensis fukiensis that did not form their own monophyletic groups suggest an early stage of speciation and support their sub-species status. Molecular clock analysis indicates that the two major lineages of the genus Sarcocheilichthys, clades I and II diverged c. 8.89 million years ago (mya). Sarcocheilichthys v. microoculus from Japan probably diverged 4.78 mya from the Chinese group. The northern-southern clades of S. nigripinnis began to diverge c. 2.12 mya, while one lineage of S. nigripinnis evolved into a new species, S. czerski, c. 0.34 mya. (C) 2008 The Authors Journal compilation (C) 2008 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

Non-monophyly of fish in the Sinipercidae (Perciformes) as inferred from cytochrome b gene

The sinipercids represent a group of 12 species of freshwater percoid fish, including nine in Siniperca and three species in Coreoperca. Despite several classification attempts and a preliminary molecular phylogeny, the phylogenetic relationships and systematic position of sinipercids remained still unsolved. The complete cytochrome b gene sequences from nine sinipercid species four non-sinipercid fish species were cloned, and a total of 12 cyt b sequences from 10 species of sinipercids and 11 cyt b sequences from 10 species of non-sinipercid fish also in Perciformes were included in the phylogenetic analysis. As expected, the two genera Siniperca and Coreoperca within sinipercids are recovered as monophyletic. However, nine species representing Moronidae, Serranidae, Centropomidae, Acropomatidae, Emmelichtyidae, Siganidae and Centrarchidae included in the present study are all nested between Coreoperca and Siniperca, which provides marked evidence for a non-monophyly of sinipercid fishes. Coreoperca appears to be closest to Centrachus representing the family Centrarchidae. Coreoperca whiteheadi and C. herzi are sibling species, which together are closely related to C. kawamebari. In the Siniperca, the node between S. roulei and the remaining species is the most ancestral, followed by that of S. fortis. S. chuatsi and S. kneri are sibling species, sister to S. obscura. However, the sinipercids do not seem to have a very clear phylogenetic history, for different methods of phylogenetic reconstruction result in different tree topologies, and the only conclusive result in favor of a paraphyletic origin of the two sinipercid genera is the parametric bootstrap test. The paraphyly of Sinipercidae may suggest that the "synapomorphs" such as cycloid scales, upon which this family is based, were independently derived at least twice within sinipercid fishes, and further study should be carried out to include the other two Siniperca species and to incorporate other genes.

Molecular and morphological data suggest that Spinibarbus caldwelli (Nichols) (Teleostei : Cyprinidae) is a valid species

The taxonomic problem of the cyprinid species of genus Spinibarbus, occurring in southern China and northern Vietnam, was resolved on the basis of molecular and morphological analyses. Spinibarbus caldwelli and Spinibarbus hollandi have a smooth posterior edge of the last unbranched dorsal fin ray among species in the genus. Spinibarbus caldwelli is currently regarded as a junior synonym of S. hollandi because of ambiguities in diagnostic characters. In this article, 11 mtDNA cytochrome b sequences of Spinibarbus specimens were analyzed together with Barbodes gonionotus and Puntius conchonius as outgroups. Our results showed that specimens identified as S. hollandi from Taiwan were different from those from the Asian mainland at a high level of genetic divergence (0.097-0.112), which is higher than that between the two valid species, S. sinensis and S. yunnanensis ( 0.089), and suggested that Taiwan specimens should be considered as a different species from the Asian mainland one. In a molecular phylogenetic analysis, the sister-group relationship between Taiwan specimens and the Asian mainland specimens was supported strongly by a high confidence level ( 100% in bootstrap value). Further analysis of morphological characters showed that overlap of diagnostic characters is much weaker than previously suggested. Taiwan specimens had 8 branched rays in the dorsal fin, whereas those from the mainland had almost 9-10. The molecular and morphological differences suggest S. caldwelli to be valid. The molecular divergence shows the genetic speciation of S. hollandi and S. caldwelli might have occurred 5.6-4.9 million years ago; the former could be a relict species in Taiwan, and the latter dispersed in the Asian mainland.