Vergleichende Phylogenie der Gimpel (Aves: Fringillidae: Pyrrhula Brisson, 1760)

Mit dieser Arbeit wird am Beispiel der Gimpel der Gattung Pyrrhula (Aves: Fringillidae) eine vergleichende phylogenetische Methodik angewandt. Der dafür gewählte Untersuchungsansatz beinhaltet v.a. molekulargenetische und morphologische Methoden, deren Ergebnisse vor dem biogeographischen Hintergrund der Gattung analysiert werden. Diese Arbeit bestätigt die traditionelle Abgrenzung der Gimpel gegenüber den anderen Formen der Finkenfamilie. Die Gattung stellt eine monophyletische Gruppe dar und ist sowohl anhand molekulargenetischer als auch morphologischer Merkmale hervorragend umgrenzbar. Eine Vereinigung mit der Schwestergattung Pinicola ist demgegenüber nicht gerechtfertigt. Die mit klassischen Untersuchungsverfahren bestimmten Gruppierungen der Gattung lassen sich auch mit modernen Methoden bestätigen. Pyrrhula besteht aus drei Hauptverwandtschaftsgruppen: „Südostasiatische Gimpel“ (P. nipalensis und P. leucogenis), „Himalayagimpel“ (P. aurantiaca, P. erythaca, P. erythrocephala) und „Eurasische Gimpel“ (P. pyrrhula s.l.). Innerhalb von P. pyrrhula s.l. lassen sich drei genetisch und morphologisch unterschiedlich differenzierte Untergruppierungen mit eigenständige Merkmalskombinationen ausmachen: P. (p.) murina, P. (p.) cineracea und P. (p.) griseiventris. Das Entstehungszentrum von Pyrrhula befand sich vermutlich im südöstlichen Asien. Anhand der molekulargenetischen und biogeographischen Daten lassen sich ungefähre Ausbreitungs- und Diversifizierungsprozesse datieren. Vom Entstehungszentrum ging eine präpleistozäne Ausbreitungswelle aus, die die Aufspaltung der Stammlinienvertreter der Südostasiatischen Gimpel und später die der Himalayagimpel-Stammlinie zur Folge hatten. Etwa zeitgleich begann die Ausbreitung der Vorfahren der Eurasischen Gimpel bis ins westliche Südeuropa. Im frühen Pleistozän spalteten sich die Vorläufer des rezenten P. aurantica ab, gefolgt von der Trennung der südostasiatischen Stammlinie in die Vorfahren von P. nipalensis und P. leucogenis. Daraufhin folgten rasche spätpleistozäne Ausbreitungen und Diversifizierungen, die das Überdauern von Gimpeln in südostchinesischen bzw. mediterranen Glazialrefugien nahelegen. Dabei trennten sich die Stammlinien von P. erythrocephala und P. erythaca ungefähr gleichzeitig mit jenen der Stammlinien von P. pyrrhula s.str., P. (p.) murina und P. (p.) griseiventris. Die P. (p.) cineracea-Stammlinie folgte wiederum etwas später. Die Vorläufer der heutigen P. pyrrhula s.str. nahmen im späten Pleistozän mehrfach ostwärts gerichtete Ausbreitungen vor, während derer sie sich über weite Teile Eurasiens bis nach Kamtschatka verbreiteten. Die morphologischen Differenzierungen der einzelnen Formen wurden wahrscheinlich stark durch die geographischen Verhältnisse beeinflusst. Neben Isolationseffekten auf Inseln (murina) spielten vermutlich auch pleistozäne Refugialgebiete der Mandschurei und Japans für die Entstehung der heutigen griseiventris und das nordmongolische Refugium für cineracea eine große Rolle. Der gefiedermorphologische Geschlechtsmonomorphismus von P. nipalensis und P. leucogenis könnte dabei einen stammesgeschichtlich ancestralen Zustand darstellen, jener von murina ist dagegen sicher eine sekundäre Reduktionserscheinung. Auf Grundlage des Biospezieskonzeptes erlauben die erarbeiteten phylogenetischen Daten, die Gattung Pyrrhula entweder in sechs oder in neun Arten (inkl. zweier Superspezies) zu unterteilen. Der zahlenmäßige Unterschied entsteht dabei durch die unterschiedliche Klassifikation der Formen murina, cineracea und griseiventris, die entweder P. pyrrhula als Subspezies angeschlossen werden oder als Angehörige einer Superspezies P. [pyrrhula] Artrang erhalten.

Phylogenomische Analysen bei Metazoen - Zur Stellung der Xenoturbellida und Syndermata

Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Dissertation wurde die phylogenetischen Stellungen der Xenoturbellida (Deuterostomia) und der Syndermata (Protostomia) mit phylogenomischen Techniken untersucht. Auf methodischer Ebene konnte gezeigt werden, dass ribosomale Proteine aufgrund ihres mittleren bis hohen Konservierungsgrades, ihrer Häufigkeit in kleineren EST-Projekten, damit verbunden ihrer Häufigkeit in Datenbanken und ihres phylogenetischen Informationsgehalts nützliche Werkzeuge für phylogenetische Fragestellungen sind. Es konnte durch phylogenetische Rekonstruktionen und Hypothesentests auf Basis eines 11.912 Aminosäuren langen Datensatzes gezeigt werden, dass die Xenoturbellida innerhalb der Deuterostomia eine Schwestergruppenbeziehung zu den Ambulacraria eingehen. Diese Arbeit zeigt im Vergleich aller bisher durchgeführten Arbeiten die beste statistische Unterstützung für diese Topologie. Weiterhin konnte untermauert werden, dass die Urochordata vermutlich anstelle der Cephalochordata die Schwestergruppe der Vertebrata sind. Der Vergleich der publizierten Xenoturbella EST-Datensätze mit dem eigenen Datensatz ließ den Rückschluß zu, dass ESTs offenbar klar weniger anfällig gegen Kontaminationen mit Erbmaterial (DNA+RNA) anderer Spezies sind als PCR-Amplifikate genomischer oder mitochondrialer Gene. Allerdings bestimmt anscheinend der physiologische Zustand der Tiere die Repräsentation von Transkriptklassen wie Stressproteine und mitochondriale Transkripte. Die bakteriellen Transkripte in einem der EST-Datensätze stammen vermutlich von Chlamydien, die möglicherweise symbiontisch in Xenoturbella bocki leben. Im Bereich der Protostomia wurden drei EST-Projekte für Vertreter der Syndermata durchgeführt. Basierend auf drei verschiedenen Proteinalignment-Datensätzen von ca. 11.000 Aminosäuren Länge konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Syndermata innerhalb der Spiralia einzugruppieren sind und dass sie mit den Gnathostomulida das monophyletische Supertaxon Gnathifera bilden. Die genaue phylogenetische Position der Syndermata innerhalb der Spiralia konnte hingegen noch nicht eindeutig geklärt werden, ebenso wie kein kongruenter Beweis für die Existenz des Supertaxons Platyzoa gefunden werden konnte. Im Rahmen der Untersuchung der internen Phylogenie der Syndermata konnten drei der fünf konkurrierenden Hypothesen aufgrund der Paraphylie der Eurotatoria ausgeschlossen werden. Da keine Daten der Seisonidea in den Analysen implementiert waren, bleibt die Frage der internen Phylogenie der Syndermata letztlich offen. Klar ist jedoch, dass die Eurotatoria nicht wie bislang angenommen monophyletisch sind, da die räderorgantragenden Bdelloidea keinesfalls den morphologisch diesbezüglich ähnlichen Monogononta ähnlich sind, sondern den räderorganlosen Acanthocephala näher stehen. Die Abbildung der molekularen Phylogenie auf die morphologischen Verhältnisse zeigt, dass das Räderorgan (partiell oder komplett) offenbar kurz nach der Aufspaltung der Syndermata in Monogononta und Acanthocephala + Bdelloidea in der Acanthocephala + Bdelloidea-Linie reduziert wurde. Die Entstehung des einziehbaren hinteren Körperteils (Rostrum bei Bdelloidea bzw. Proboscis bei Acanthocephala) in der Acanthocephala + Bdelloidea-Linie könnte das Schlüsselereignis zur Entstehung des Endoparasitismus der Acanthocephala gewesen sein.

Revision of Trogulidae Sundevall, 1833 (Arachnida: Opiliones)

The relationship and phylogeny of the western Palearctic harvestmen family Trogulidae is investigated. The traditional system of seven genera and approximately 40 species appeared to be artificially composed but a phylogenetic approach and a comprehensive revision has long been sought after. Species are poorly characterised due to their uniform morphology and species evaluation is furthermore complicated by the variability of the few characters used for species delineation. To meet these demands a molecular genetic analysis is accomplished using the nuclear 28S rRNA gene and the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene. This analysis incorporates most genera and species of Trogulidae as well as a comprehensive set of Nemastomatidae and Dicranolasmatidae as outgroup taxa. Phylogenetic results of Bayesian analysis, Maximum Parsimony, Maximum Likelihood and Neighbor Joining are compared with distributional data, morphological characters and results of canonical discriminant analysis of morphometric characters and general congruence of these data sets is shown. To demonstrate the applicability of this method the revision of two species-groups within Trogulus is set out in detail. The Trogulus hirtus species-group and the Trogulus coriziformis species-group are revised. The former is in the central and north-western Balkan Peninsula. T. tricarinatus ssp. hirtus is raised to species level and four new species are described (T. karamanorum [man.n.], T. melitensis [man.n.], T. pharensis [man.n]; T. thaleri [man.n.]). The Trogulus coriziformis species-group is confined to the western Mediterranean area. T. coriziformis, T. aquaticus are re-described, T. cristatus and T. lusitanicus are re-established and four species are described as new (T. balearicus, T. huberi, T. prietoi, T. pyrenaicus). In both species-groups two further cryptic species probably exist but were not described. The species groups are shown to represent different phylogenetic levels and this information is used for the revisional work on the genus Trogulus as well as for the generic system of Trogulidae. Family status of Dicranolasmatidae is rejected and Dicranolasma is shown to be best incorporated within Trogulidae. Calathocratus, Platybessobius and Trogulocratus appear to be polyphyletic and are best to be united within Calathocratus, the oldest name of this set. The cryptic diversity within Trogulidae, especially in Trogulus and the composed genus Calathocratus rates to 150-235% and is thereby remarkably high for a group of the generally well researched European fauna. Genetic features of the group such as heteroplasmy, the possibility of major gene rearrangements and usability of the cytochrome b gene for phylogenetic studies in Opiliones are outlined.

Molecular phylogenetic inferences on the position of the Mollusca within the Lophotrochozoa

Die phylogenetische Position der Mollusken innerhalb der Trochozoa sowie die interne Evolution der Klassen der Mollusca sind weitgehend unbekannt und wurden in meiner Arbeit anhand molekularer Merkmale untersucht. Phylogenomische Analysen zeigten in der Vergangenheit eine gute Auflösung für ursprüngliche Speziationsereignisse. Daher wurden hier drei neue EST Datensätze generiert: für Sipunculus nudus (Sipuncula), Barentsia elongata (Kamptozoa) und Lepidochitona cinerea, (Polyplacophora, Mollusca). Zusätzlich wurden gezielt Gene verschiedener Mollusken mittels RT-PCR amplifiziert. rnSowohl Kamptozoen als auch Sipunculiden wurden aufgrund morphologischer Kriterien bisher als mögliche Schwestergruppe der Mollusken gehandelt, aber die hier erzielten Ergebnisse zur Evolution der Hämerythrine, Gen-Anordnungen der mitochondrialen Genome und phylogenetische Analysen der ribosomalen und der mitochondriellen Proteine stützen diese Hypothese nicht. Die Position der Kamptozoa erwies sich hier generell als unbeständig; phylogenomische Analysen deuten eine Nähe zu den Bryozoen an, aber diese Position wird stark durch die Auswahl der Taxa beeinflusst. Dagegen weisen meine Analysen klar auf eine nähere Beziehung zwischen Annelida und Sipuncula hin. Die ribosomalen Proteine zeigen Sipuncula (und Echiura) sogar als Subtaxa der Anneliden. Wie den Mollusken fehlt den Sipunculiden jegliche Segmentierung und meine Ergebnisse legen hier die Möglichkeit des Verlusts dieses Merkmals innerhalb der Anneliden bei den Sipunculiden nahe. Innerhalb der Mollusken wurden die Solenogastren bereits als Schwestergruppe aller rezenten Mollusken vorgeschlagen. Im Rahmen meiner Arbeit wurden von drei verschiedenen Solenogastren-Arten die ersten zuverlässigen 18S rRNA-Sequenzen ermittelt, und es zeigte sich, dass alle bisher veröffentlichten 18S-Sequenzen dieser Molluskenklasse höchst unvollständig oder fehlerhaft sind. rnRibosomale Proteine sind gute phylogenetische Marker und hier wurden die Auswahl und Anzahl dieser Gene für phylogenetische Analysen optimiert. Über Sonden-basierte Detektion wurde eine sampling-Strategie getestet, die im Vergleich mit standard-phylogenomischen Ansätzen zukünftige molekulare Stammbaumrekonstruktionen mit größerem Taxonsampling ermöglicht.rn

Systematics, phylogeny and biogeography of Juncaginaceae

I investigated the systematics, phylogeny and biogeographical history of Juncaginaceae, a small family of the early-diverging monocot order Alismatales which comprises about 30 species of annual and perennial herbs. A wide range of methods from classical taxonomy to molecular systematic and biogeographic approaches was used. rnrnIn Chapter 1, a phylogenetic analysis of the family and members of Alismatales was conducted to clarify the circumscription of Juncaginaceae and intrafamilial relationships. For the first time, all accepted genera and those associated with the family in the past were analysed together. Phylogenetic analysis of three molecular markers (rbcL, matK, and atpA) showed that Juncaginaceae are not monophyletic. As a consequence the family is re-circumscribed to exclude Maundia which is pro-posed to belong to a separate family Maundiaceae, reducing Juncaginaceae to include Tetroncium, Cycnogeton and Triglochin. Tetroncium is weakly supported as sister to the rest of the family. The reinstated Cycnogeton (formerly included in Triglochin) is highly supported as sister to Triglochin s.str. Lilaea is nested within Triglochin s. str. and highly supported as sister to the T. bulbosa complex. The results of the molecular analysis are discussed in combination with morphological characters, a key to the genera of the family is given, and several new combinations are made.rnrnIn Chapter 2, phylogenetic relationships in Triglochin were investigated. A species-level phylogeny was constructed based on molecular data obtained from nuclear (ITS, internal transcribed spacer) and chloroplast sequence data (psbA-trnH, matK). Based on the phylogeny of the group, divergence times were estimated and ancestral distribution areas reconstructed. The monophyly of Triglochin is confirmed and relationships between the major lineages of the genus were resolved. A clade comprising the Mediterranean/African T. bulbosa complex and the American T. scilloides (= Lilaea s.) is sister to the rest of the genus which contains two main clades. In the first, the widespread T. striata is sister to a clade comprising annual Triglochin species from Australia. The second clade comprises T. palustris as sister to the T. maritima complex, of which the latter is further divided into a Eurasian and an American subclade. Diversification in Triglochin began in the Miocene or Oligocene, and most disjunctions in Triglochin were dated to the Miocene. Taxonomic diversity in some clades is strongly linked to habitat shifts and can not be observed in old but ecologically invariable lineages such as the non-monophyletic T. maritima.rnrnChapter 3 is a collaborative revision of the Triglochin bulbosa complex, a monophyletic group from the Mediterranean region and Africa. One new species, Triglochin buchenaui, and two new subspecies, T. bulbosa subsp. calcicola and subsp. quarcicola, from South Africa were described. Furthermore, two taxa were elevated to species rank and two reinstated. Altogether, seven species and four subspecies are recognised. An identification key, detailed descriptions and accounts of the ecology and distribution of the taxa are provided. An IUCN conservation status is proposed for each taxon.rnrnChapter 4 deals with the monotypic Tetroncium from southern South America. Tetroncium magellanicum is the only dioecious species in the family. The taxonomic history of the species is described, type material is traced, and a lectotype for the name is designated. Based on an extensive study of herbarium specimens and literature, a detailed description of the species and notes on its ecology and conservation status are provided. A detailed map showing the known distribution area of T. magellanicum is presented. rnrnIn Chapter 5, the flower structure of the rare Australian endemic Maundia triglochinoides (Maundiaceae, see Chapter 1) was studied in a collaborative project. As the morphology of Maundia is poorly known and some characters were described differently in the literature, inflorescences, flowers and fruits were studied using serial mictrotome sections and scanning electron microscopy. The phylogenetic placement, affinities to other taxa, and the evolution of certain characters are discussed. As Maundia exhibits a mosaic of characters of other families of tepaloid core Alismatales, its segregation as a separate family seems plausible.

Antennal courtship and functional morphology of tyloids in the parasitoid wasp Syrphoctonus tarsatorius (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Diplazontinae)

Courtship behaviour and associated morphological characters are believed to evolve under diversifying sexual selection. In Hymenoptera, sexually dimorphic antennal structures, the 'tyloids', show a large variability. Although crucial for functional interpretation, the link between tyloid morphology and courtship behaviour has gained only limited attention. Here, we investigate antennal morphology and antennal courtship in the parasitoid wasp Syrphoctonus tarsatorius (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Diplazontinae). We confirm the glandular nature of the tyloids by light and scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, we report a new form of antennation during courtship, antennal double-coiling, which links morphology and behaviour by bringing the tyloids in direct contact with the antennae of the female, thus probably facilitating the transfer of a contact pheromone. We show that a change in haemolymph pressure is the activator of the antennal movement and that it can be reproduced in the laboratory using amputated antennae. Investigations of antennal structure and movement in three additional hymenopteran species suggest that the number and location of tyloids coincide with the modality of antennal coiling. Our method for simulating antennal movement will enable retrieving information about courtship behaviour from museum specimens, thus leading to a better understanding of the evolution of courtship behaviour in Hymenoptera.

Ecotypes and genetic structure of Rhinanthus alectorolophus (Orobanchaceae) in southwestern Germany

European annual species of the genus Rhinanthus often exhibit seasonal ecotypic variation, a phenomenon also known from related genera of hemiparasitic Orobanchaceae. Populations with different flowering times exist, correlated with differences in a number of morphological characters. The present study evaluates the correlation of morphological characters and genetic differentiation of populations of Rhinanthus alectorolophus. Thirty-nine populations of three different subspecies from southwestern Germany were sampled. A total of 798 individuals were used for morphological analyses and 187 of these for AFLP analyses. Principal component analysis showed that morphological variation is mostly continuous. In a discriminant analysis based on morphological characters, only 89.7 % of all individuals were correctly assigned to their previously determined subspecies, indicating that subspecies identification is ambiguous for some populations. Using AFLP data and Bayesian assignment analysis, the sampled individuals could be grouped in three genetic clusters which do not correspond to the three subspecies. Instead, the clustering shows a clear geographic pattern and a Mantel test likewise revealed a significant correlation between genetic and geographic distances. Correlations of genetic distances with differences in morphological characters were weak and mostly insignificant. The results indicate that the subspecies of R. alectorolophus do not form discrete entities and that the character combinations distinguishing them are homoplastic.

Imported diphyllobothriasis in Switzerland: molecular methods to define a clinical case of Diphyllobothrium infection as Diphyllobothrium dendriticum, August 2010

Following a first clinical case of infection by Diphyllobothrium dendriticum in Switzerland in 2006, we report a second case in the country. The species was identified by molecular methods. In the Swiss, French and Italian subalpine regions, human diphyllobothriasis has seen a comeback since the late 1980's, and Diphyllobothrium latum is usually considered the causative agent of the disease. In addition, several locally acquired and imported clinical infections due to allochthonous Diphyllobothrium species have been documented in the last years. Due to the colonisation potential of these parasites and their probably underestimated presence in the human population, there is a need for discriminating them at the medical laboratory level. Because the morphological characters are very similar among the different taxa, a correct identification requires the use of molecular methods. Molecular identification would improve diagnosis and help monitor the distribution of Diphyllobothrium species in Europe.

Phylogeography of silver pheasant (Lophura nycthemera L.) across China: aggregate effects of refugia, introgression, and riverine barriers

The role of Pleistocene glacial cycles in forming the contemporary genetic structure of organisms has been well studied in China with a particular focus on the Tibetan Plateau. However, China has a complex topography and diversity of local climates, and how glacial cycles may have shaped the subtropical and tropical biota of the region remains mostly unaddressed. To investigate the factors that affected the phylogeography and population history of a widely distributed and nondeciduous forest species, we analysed morphological characters, mitochondrial DNA sequences and nuclear microsatellite loci in the Silver Pheasant (Lophura nycthemera). In a pattern generally consistent with phenotypic clusters, but not nominal subspecies, deeply divergent mitochondrial lineages restricted to different geographic regions were detected. Coalescent simulations indicated that the time of main divergence events corresponded to major glacial periods in the Pleistocene and gene flow was only partially lowered by drainage barriers between some populations. Intraspecific cytonuclear discordance was revealed in mitochondrial lineages from Hainan Island and the Sichuan Basin with evidence of nuclear gene flow from neighbouring populations into the latter. Unexpectedly, hybridization was revealed in Yingjiang between the Silver Pheasant and Kalij Pheasant (Lophura leucomelanos) with wide genetic introgression at both the mtDNA and nuclear levels. Our results highlight a novel phylogeographic pattern in a subtropical area generated from the combined effects of climate oscillation, partial drainage barriers and interspecific hybridization. Cytonuclear discordance combined with morphological differentiation implies that complex historical factors shaped the divergence process in this biodiversity hot spot area of southern China.

The evolution of host associations in the parasitic wasp genus Ichneumon (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae): convergent adaptations to host pupation sites

Background: The diversification of organisms with a parasitic lifestyle is often tightly linked to the evolution of their host associations. If a tight host association exists, closely related species tend to attack closely related hosts; host associations are less stable if associations are determined by more plastic traits like parasitoid searching and oviposition behaviour. The pupal-parasitoids of the genus Ichneumon attack a variety of macrolepidopteran hosts.They are either monophagous or polyphagous, and therefore offer a promissing system to investigate the evolution of host associations. Ichneumon was previously divided into two groups based on general body shape; however, a stout shape has been suggested as an adaptation to buried host pupation sites, and might thus not represent a reliable phylogenetic character. Results: We here reconstruct the first molecular phylogeny of the genus Ichneumon using two mitochondrial (CO1 and NADH1) and one nuclear marker (28S). The resulting phylogeny only supports monophyly of Ichneumon when Ichneumon lugens Gravenhorst, 1829 (formerly in Chasmias, stat. rev.) and Ichneumon deliratorius Linnaeus, 1758 (formerly Coelichneumon) are included. Neither parasitoid species that attack hosts belonging to one family nor those attacking butterflies (Rhopalocera) form monophyletic clades. Ancestral state reconstructions suggest multiple transitions between searching for hosts above versus below ground and between a stout versus elongated body shape. A model assuming correlated evolution between the two characters was preferred over independent evolution of host-searching niche and body shape. Conclusions: Host relations, both in terms of phylogeny and ecology, evolved at a high pace in the genus Ichneumon. Numerous switches between hosts of different lepidopteran families have occurred, a pattern that seems to be the rule among idiobiont parasitoids. A stout body and antennal shape in the parasitoid female is confirmed as an ecological adaptation to host pupation sites below ground and has evolved convergently several times. Morphological characters that might be involved in adaptation to hosts should be avoided as diagnostic characters for phylogeny and classification, as they can be expected to show high levels of homoplasy.

Phylogenetic Relationships of Clawed Lobster Genera (Decapoda : Nephropidae) Based on Mitochondrial 16S rRNA Gene Sequences

Approximately 350 base pairs (bp) of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene were used to study the phylogenetic relationships among 5 genera of the clawed lobster family Nephropidae (infraorder Astacidea), including Homarus, Homarinus, Metanephrops, Nephrops, and Nephropsis. Maximum-parsimony analysis, using a hermit crab, Pagurus pollicaris (infraorder Anomura), as an outgroup. produced a tree topology in which Homarus and Nephrops formed a well-supported clade that excluded Homarinus. The same tree topology was obtained from both neighbor-joining and maximum-likelihood analyses, Some morphological characters that appear synapomorphic for Nephrops and Metanephrops may be due to convergence rather than symplesiomorphy. The current taxonomy, therefore, does not reflect the phylogeny of this group as suggested by the molecular data. More molecular data and studies using homologous morphological characters me needed to reach a better understanding of the phylogenetic history of clawed lobsters.

Planktonic foraminifera in late Eocene to Pleistocene sediments of ODP Hole 120-747A and 120-749B

Late Eocene to Pleistocene planktonic foraminifers from Leg 120 Holes 747A and 749B on the Kerguelen Plateau were quantitatively analyzed. Microperforate tenuitellid forms dominate the Oligocene to middle Miocene, and 17 species (including the new species Tenuitella jamesi and Tenuitellinata selleyi) are recorded. A lineage zonation of tenuitellid foraminifers is proposed as an alternative scheme for refinement of the Oligocene-Miocene biostratigraphy in high latitudes. Progressive or abrupt alterations in morphological characters within this lineage, producing different morphotypes or species, coincided with prolonged or sudden changes in paleoclimate. These microperforate planktonic foraminifers thus appear to have potential as indicators of cold-water masses and temperature fluctuations in post-Eocene oceans.

Physicochemical properties and fish occurrence in 35 Icelandic lakes housing Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus)

The common occurrence of parallel phenotypic patterns suggests that a strong relationship exists between ecological dynamics and micro-evolution. Comparative studies from a large number of populations under varying sets of ecological drivers could contribute to a better understanding of this relationship. We used data on morphology of arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) and ecological factors from 35 Icelandic lakes to test the hypothesis that morphological patterns among monomorphic charr populations from different lakes are related to interlake variation in ecological characteristics. There is extensive phenotypic diversity among populations of Icelandic charr, and populations are easily distinguished based on overall body morphology. The results obtained in the present study showed that the morphological diversity of charr was related to large-scale diversity in lake ecology. Variation in charr morphology was related to water origin (e.g. spring fed versus run-off), bedrock age, and fish community structure. The present study shows how various ecological factors can shape the biological diversity that we observe.