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2. geometric morphometric study of Central European species of the genus Micrasterias(Zygnematophyceae, Viridiplantae)
- Creator:
- Neustupa, Jiří and Šťastný, Jan
- Type:
- article and TEXT
- Subject:
- Micrasterias, geometric morphometrics, relative warps analysis, cluster analysis, Desmidiales, and Streptophyta
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- The relationships of 14 Central European species of the genus Micrasterias were analysed using landmark-based geometric morphometrics. The analysis of relative warps was used to depict the principal components of the variation in shape and cluster analysis to reveal the groupings of individual species within the genus. All the analysed cells were correctly placed in their appropriate species clusters on the basis of geometric morphometric data. The width of the polar lobe associated with depth of the incisions between lateral lobules is the dominant morphological trend in the data investigated.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
3. Geometric morphometrics and qualitative patterns in the morphological variation of five species of Micrasterias (Zygnemophyceae, Viridiplantae)
- Creator:
- Neustupa, Jiří and Škaloud, Pavel
- Type:
- article and TEXT
- Subject:
- Desmidiales, geometric morphometrics, Micrasterias, molecular phylogeny, morphological variation, and Streptophyta
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Geometric morphometric analyses were conducted on cultured populations of five Micrasterias species (M. crux-melitensis, M. papillifera, M. rotata, M. thomasiana, M. truncata). The patterns in the morphological variation measured using the morphospaces spanned by a PCA of morphometric data for individual populations were compared. In addition, the 18S rDNA sequences of these species are reported. The phenetic comparisons demonstrated the overall great similarity of morphometric indicators extracted from isolated polar lobe data and 18S rDNA genetic distances, and also indicated that the morphometric data of complete semicells were less well correlated with 18S rDNA distances. The phylogenetic analysis revealed clustering of the Micrasterias sequences into two clades, which correspond to qualitative patterns in the morphological variation of isolated polar lobe data. We propose that patterns of variation in the polar lobes of Micrasterias should be used in phenotype analyses of morphologically closely similar or cryptic species.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
4. Male genital variation in a moth Pammene luedersiana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae)
- Creator:
- Mutanen, Marco, Rytkönen, Seppo, Lindén, Jari, and Sinkkonen, Janne
- Type:
- article, model:article, and TEXT
- Subject:
- Lepidoptera, Tortricidae, geographic variation, geometric morphometrics, genital evolution, genitalia, genital variation, and Pammene luedersiana
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Insect genital characters are extensively used in species level taxonomy, and their value in species delimitation is great. Based on the lock-and-key hypothesis and that genital differences function as a mechanical isolation system between species, the value of genital characters has been thought to be superior to non-genital characters. Although geographical and other kind of intraspecific variation of genitalia is often assumed very moderate, its real extent is insufficiently investigated. We examined patterns of morphological variation in the male genitalia of the tortricid moth Pammene luedersiana, using geometric morphometric tools including thin-plate spline deformation grids, and found significant variation. This variation is continuous both within and between populations. No systematic shape variation was observed between populations, but genital size showed some geographic variability. The results suggest that genital morphology is not constant and should therefore be used with caution in lepidopteran taxonomy.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
5. Sexual and age size variation in the western Palaearctic populations of Miniopterus bats (Chiroptera: Miniopteridae)
- Creator:
- Šrámek, Jan and Benda, Petr
- Type:
- article, model:article, and TEXT
- Subject:
- Miniopterus, western Palaearctic, geometric morphometrics, morphology, sexual dimorphism, and age variation
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Among populations of the Miniopterus bats of western Palaearctic, intraspecific variation has not been well documented. Herein we investigate sexual and age variation of these populations using two approaches – linear and geometric morphometrics. We analysed Moroccan (M. maghrebesnis), western and eastern European (M. schreibersii), Levantine (M. schreibersii), and east-Afghanistani (M. cf. fuliginosus) specimens; variation was compared between sexes of the particular specimen sets of three above mentioned Miniopterus spp. and between four age cohorts of M. schreibersii samples. The results showed in all examined population sets males to be generally larger in size than females, the exception being the east-European animals. Significatly the most divergent sexes were those from eastern Afghanistan, the Levant and eastern Europe. The differences found between sexes in as well as between examined population sets can be attributed to different life histories and/or to food competition. Weak correlations between patterns of sexual dimorphism and the newly proposed western Palaearctic classification of the Miniopterus bats suggest only a limited contribution of sexual variation to morphological variation in general. Certain aspects of age variaton were found in all examined morphological characters except the non-metric traits, which in turn indicates the importance of these traits for identification of the particular taxon across age categories.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ and policy:public
6. Shell shape and size variation in the Egyptian tortoise Testudo kleinmanni (Testudinidae, Testudines)
- Creator:
- Macale, Daniele, Venchi, Alberto, and Scalici, Massimiliano
- Type:
- article and TEXT
- Subject:
- geometric morphometrics, sexual dimorphism, ontogenesis, and allometry
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- We examined 126 wild tortoises to evaluate the shell changes due to sexual dimorphism and ontogenesis by the geometric morphometrics. Adult body shape varies substantially in males and females; adults showed different ontogenetic patterns between sexes: in females the posterior portion of the carapace narrows in the dorsal view, the carapace tends to assume a pyriform shape in the lateral view, and the plastron tends to lengthen of the midline and shows a slight lateral enlargement. Male shape changes towards the posterior portion of the carapace, a bending of the seam between marginal and pleural scutes, allowing the body to assume a hemispherical shape, and ventrally, the plastron narrows strongly, posteriorly. The latter feature was mainly due to the shortening of the anal scutes, probably facilitating copulation by allowing more space to move the long tail. A wider posterior in male angulate tortoises may convey greater stability in male-to-male combat. All the ontogenetic changes suggest a modification of the plastron formula, an important feature for chelonian systematics and taxonomy.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
7. There is no diploid apomict among Czech Sorbus species: a biosystematic revision of S. eximia and discovery of S. barrandienica
- Creator:
- Vít, Petr, Lepší, Martin, and Lepší, Petr
- Type:
- article, model:article, and TEXT
- Subject:
- apomixis, Czech Republic, endemic, geometric morphometrics, hybridization, karyology, multivariate morphometrics, Rosaceae, Sorbus latifolia agg., SSR markers, and taxonomy
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- Sorbus eximia Kovanda, a hybridogenous species that originated from the parental combination S. torminalis and S. aria s.l., is thought to be an apomictic species, which includes diploid and tetraploid individuals. The present study confirmed the existence of only triploid individuals. A new tentatively apomictic triploid (2n = 3x = 51) species from the S. latifolia group: S. barrandienica P. Vít, M. Lepší et P. Lepší is described based on a revision of S. eximia. This species is assumed to have originated from a cross between S. danubialis or S. aria s.l. and S. torminalis. A wide palette of biosystematic techniques, including molecular (nuclear microsatellite markers) and karyological analyses (chromosome counts, DAPI flow cytometry) as well as multivariate morphometric and elliptic Fourier analyses, were used to assess the variation in this species and justify its independent taxonomic status. Allopatric occurrences of both species were recorded east of the town of Beroun in the Český kras, central Bohemia (Bohemian Karst). A distribution map of the two species is provided. Sorbus eximia occurs at four localities (the total number of adults and juveniles is 100 and 200, respectively) in basiphilous thermophilous oak forests (Quercion pubescenti-petraeae), mesic oak forests (Melampyro nemorosi-Carpinetum), woody margins of dry grasslands (Festucion valesiacae) and pine plantations. Sorbus barrandienica has so far been recorded at 10 localities (ca 50 adults). Recent field studies failed to verify two of these localities. It is mainly found growing on the summits of hills, usually in thermophilous open forests (Primulo veris-Carpinetum, Melampyro nemorosi-Carpinetum, Quercion pubescenti-petraeae) and woody margins of dry grassland. Its populations exhibit minimal genetic variation and are phenotypically homogeneous and well separated from other Bohemian hybridogenous Sorbus species. The epitype of S. eximia is designated here, and a photograph of the specimen is included. Photographs of the type specimens and in situ individuals, and line drawings of both species are presented.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ and policy:public
8. Variation in the Melampyrum sylvaticum group in the Carpathian and Hercynian region
- Creator:
- Těšitel, Jakub, Malinová, Tamara, Štěch, Milan, and Herbstová, Miroslava
- Type:
- article and TEXT
- Subject:
- Carpathians, geometric morphometrics, haplotype lineage, Melampyrum, molecular variation, phylogeography, and refuge
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- We investigated variation in the Melampyrum sylvaticum group in the Carpathian and Hercynian regions using morphological and molecular tools. The aim of our study was to examine differences in the pattern of variation between the Eastern Carpathians and region of theWestern Carpathians and the Hercynian Massif. We also tested correlations between putatively taxonomically important variation in corolla colour present in the Melampyrum sylvaticum group in the Eastern Carpathian region and other morphological and molecular traits. Samples were collected from populations of the M. sylvaticum group in the Hercynian Massif and the Eastern and Western Carpathians. Morphometric analyses of the size and shape of the corolla (based on thin plate spline with sliding semilandmarks), length of the anthers and especially molecular analyses based on sequencing the nuclear ITS and trnL-trnT regions of chloroplast DNA, confirmed that the populations occurring on the opposite sides of the Eastern-Western Carpathian biogeographic boundary are very different. It is likely that the eastern and western lineages have been isolated for a long time and the extant pattern of variation with character disagreement within the border zone, originated from hybridization and introgression. The differences in corolla colour did not coincide with the variation in morphological traits or molecular markers within the North-Eastern Carpathian region. In addition, the geographical distribution of the populations with contrasting corolla colours lacked any pattern and there are populations with both corolla colours as well as plants with transitional pale-yellow flowers. Therefore, it is suggested that M. saxosum and M. herbichii, microspecies delimited on the basis of corolla colour, are conspecific. The high level of molecular variation and its pattern indicate that the M. sylvaticum group may have survived in or near the Eastern Carpathians during the Weichselian Ice Age. This hypothesis is supported by several recent phytogeographical and palaeoecological studies, which indicate the existence of a glacial refuge in the Eastern Carpathian region. Molecular uniformity of theWestern Carpathian and Hercynian populations might in contrast indicate recent (Holocene) migration from assumed perialpine refuges.
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/
9. Variation in the morphology of the wings of the endangered grass-feeding butterfly Coenonympha oedippus (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) in response to contrasting habitats
- Creator:
- Jugovic, Jure, Zupan, Sara, Bužan, Elena, and Čelik, Tatjana
- Format:
- print, počítač, and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- motýli, babočkovití, křídla (zoologie), adaptace (biologie), butterflies, Nymphalidae, wings (zoology), adaptation (biology), Lepidoptera, Coenonympha oedippus, False Ringlet, classical morphometrics, geometric morphometrics, environmental heterogeneity, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- At the southern limit of its range the endangered butterfly Coenonympha oedippus inhabits grasslands (wet, dry) that differ significantly in the abundance of its larval hostplants (wet > dry) and mean annual air temperature (wet < dry). We determined the difference in the wing morphology of individuals in the two contrasting habitats to test whether and how traits associated with wing size, shape and eye like spots vary in the sexes and two ecotypes. We show that sexual dimorphism follows the same (wing size and shape, number of eyespots on forewing) or different (relative area of eyespots on hindwings) patterns in the two contrasting habitats. Irrespective of ecotype, females had larger, longer and narrower wings, and more forewing eyespots than males. Sexual dimorphism in the relative area of eyespots on hindwing was female-biased in the wet, but male-biased in the dry ecotype. Ecotype dimorphism in wing size and the relative area of eyespots on the hindwing is best explained by mean annual air temperature and abundance of host-plants. While ecotype dimorphism in wing size did not differ between sexes, neither in direction (wet > dry) or in degree, in the two sexes the relative area of eyespots on hindwing had opposite patterns (males: dry > wet; females: wet > dry) and was more pronounced in males than in females. The differences in wing shape between ecotypes were detected only in the hindwings of males, with more rounded apex in the dry than in the wet ecotype. We discuss the life-history traits, behavioural strategies and selection mechanisms, which largely account for the sex- and ecotype-specific variation in wing morphology., Jure Jugovic, Sara Zupan, Elena Bužan, Tatjana Čelik., and Obsahuje bibliografii
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public
10. Wing morphometric variability of the malaria vector Anopheles (Cellia) epiroticus Linton et Harbach (Diptera: Culicidae) for the duration of the rainy season in coastal areas of Samut Songkhram, Thailand
- Creator:
- Chaiphongpachara, Tanawat and Laojun, Sedthapong
- Format:
- print, počítač, and online zdroj
- Type:
- model:article and TEXT
- Subject:
- mikroevoluce, microevolution, Thajsko, Thailand, Mosquito, coastal environment, morphological variability, geometric morphometrics, 2, and 59
- Language:
- English
- Description:
- In Thailand, Anopheles (Cellia) epiroticus Linton et Harbach (Diptera: Culicidae) is the secondary vector of human malaria along coastal regions. While there are some studies of phenotypic variability and population structure of A. epiroticus, more information on morphological variation would enhance epidemiological understanding of medically important mosquito vectors. This research examined morphological variation at three different distances from coastlines of Samut Songkhram Province, Thailand, using landmark-based geometric morphometrics. Wing shape of A. epiroticus was significantly different in the area 0.2 km away from the sea compared to areas 2 and 4 km away from the sea (p < 0.05). Phenotypic variability in wing shape is associated with distance from the sea. Morphological variations in the area closest to the sea were most pronounced, showing a relationship between A. epiroticus and the ecosystem that affects wing geometry. These results provide important information to understand morphological variation of A. epiroticus in coastal areas., Tanawat Chaiphongpachara and Sedthapong Laojun., and Obsahuje bibliografii
- Rights:
- http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/ and policy:public