Betasyringophiloidus Skoracki, 2011 is a genus of quill mites (Prostigmata: Syringophilidae) that is believed to contain mono-, steno- and polyxenous parasites associated with a wide range of passerine birds (Passeriformes) across the world. In this work we applied the DNA-barcode marker (mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene fragment, COI) to verify whether Betasyringophiloidus schoeniclus (Skoracki, 2002) and Betasyringophiloidus seiuri (Clark, 1964) are actual steno- and polyxenous species associated with the currently recognised host ranges, or their populations are highly host-specific, cryptic species. Our results revealed that a population living on the Tristram's bunting Emberiza tristrami Swinhoe (Emberizidae) in Russia, so far classified as B. schoeniclus, is a new cryptic species Betasyringophiloidus emberizae sp. nov. Both topologies of the neighbor-joining and maximum likelihood phylogenetic trees as well as genetic distance (11.9% Kimura 2-parameter distance) (K2P) support species status of the mite population from E. tristrami. The same data support previously established conspecific status of B. seiuri found on the ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla (Linnaeus) (Parulidae) (type host) and the northern waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis (Gmelin) (Parulidae) and expand its range with a population found on a new host species Icterus pustulatus (Wagler) (Icteridae) with intraspecific K2P distance up to 1.9% and interpopulation distances ranging from 1.3 to 3.1%., Eliza Glowska, Lukasz Broda, Miroslawa Dabert., and Obsahuje bibliografii
The Sympetrum vulgatum (Linnaeus, 1758) complex is composed of the subspecies S. vulgatum vulgatum, S. vulgatum decoloratum (Selys, 1884) and S. vulgatum ibericum Ocharan, 1985 in the West Palaearctic. These taxa have parapatric distributions and noticeable morphological differences in colour and body size, and their taxonomic status is debated. Here we revise the systematics of this group using molecular taxonomy, including molecular analyses of mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, COI) and nuclear (internal transcribed spacer, ITS1) DNA taking into account known morphological differences. Each subspecies has a unique and differentiated COI haplotype, although divergences among them are low (0.4% maximum uncorrected p-distance). The subspecies are not differentiated by the nuclear marker ITS1. The genetic results for these taxa contrast with the deep divergence of the sister species S. striolatum (Charpentier, 1840). Given current evidence, we propose to maintain the subspecific status of the S. vulgatum complex and hypothesize their biogeographical history. It is likely that the three subspecies became isolated during one of the latest glacial periods, each in a different refugium: S. vulgatum ibericum possibly occupied the Iberian Peninsula, S. vulgatum vulgatum the Balkan Peninsula or territories further east and S. vulgatum decoloratum Anatolia., Joan C. Hinojosa, Ricard Martín, Xavier Maynou, Roger Vila., and Obsahuje bibliografii
It is commonly held that Central Europe harbours but a single harvester ant species, namely Messor structor. Recently discovered bionomic differences between two Central European populations, which may reflect interspecific variation, cast doubt on this assumption. In the present study we test alternative hypotheses - one versus two harvester ant species in Central Europe and adjacent regions - by investigating the genetic diversity of ants determined as M. structor or close to it ("M. cf. structor"). Sequences of the mitochondrial COI gene revealed two major lineages of different but partially overlapping geographic distributions, both occurring in Central Europe. The existence of a cryptic species within M. cf. structor is the most plausible interpretation, since the sequence divergence between the two major lineages equals those between M. capitatus, M. concolor and M. bouvieri. The phylogenetic analyses revealed a distinct substructuring for both of the detected major lineages and the possible existence of additional cryptic species.
Four new species of monoxenous kinetoplastid parasites are described from Brachycera flies, namely Wallaceina raviniae Votýpka et Lukeš, 2014 and Crithidia otongatchiensis Votýpka et Lukeš, 2014 from Ecuador, Leptomonas moramango Votýpka et Lukeš, 2014 from Madagascar, and Crithidia pragensis Votýpka, Klepetková et Lukeš, 2014 from the Czech Republic. The new species are described here based on sequence analysis of their spliced leader (SL) RNA, glycosomal glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gGAPDH) and small subunit (SSU) rRNA genes, as well as their morphology and ultrastructure. High-pressure freezing and Bernhard's EDTA regressive staining, used for the first time for monoxenous (one host) trypanosomatids, revealed the presence of viral particles with cytosolic localization in one and unique mitochondrial localization in another species. In accordance with previous observations, our results emphasize a discrepancy between morphology and molecular taxonomy of the family Trypanosomatidae. All four newly described species are represented by typical morphotypes (mainly choano- and promastigotes) and are virtually indistinguishable from other monoxenous trypanosomatids by morphology. Nevertheless, they all differ in their phylogenetic affinities. Whereas three of them grouped within the recently defined subfamily Leishmaniinae, which includes numerous representatives of the genera Leishmania Ross, 1903, Crithidia Léger, 1902 and Leptomonas Kent, 1880, the fourth species clusters together with the ''collosoma'' clade (named after ''Leptomonas'' collosoma Wallace, Clark, Dyer et Collins, 1960). Here we demonstrate that the ''collosoma'' group represents the elusive genus Wallaceina Podlipaev, Frolov et Kolesnikov, 1999. We redefine this genus in molecular terms based on similarities of the respective molecular markers and propose to use this taxon name for the group of species of the ''collosoma'' clade.
Mass releases of Trichogramma confusum Viggiani and T. maidis Pintureau & Voegele are widely used to control lepidopterous pests. They have long been considered to be the subspecies of T. chilonis Ishii and T. brassicae Bezdenko, respectively. To re-examine the taxonomic status of these closely related Trichogramma species, the internally transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) of ribosomal DNA was used as a molecular marker to detect between-species differences. The ITS2 regions of 7 different Trichogramma species collected from China, Germany and France were sequenced and the inter-species distances were calculated. To quantify within-species sequence variation, the ITS2 regions of 6 geographical populations of T. dendrolimi Matsumura collected from across China were sequenced and compared. The results show that the ITS2 sequences of T. confusum and T. maidis are sufficiently different from those of T. chilonis and T. brassicae, respectively, that it is difficult to group them as cryptic species, whereas there are only minor differences between the T. dendrolimi populations. The ITS2 sequences identified in this study, coupled with 67 ITS2 sequences from a wide geographical distribution retrieved from GenBank, were then used for phylogenetic analyses. The results support previous records of minor within-species ITS2 sequence divergence and distinct interspecies differences. The cladograms show the T. maidis sequence clustered within T. evanescens Westwood, while the ITS2 sequences of T. confusum and T. chilonis are clustered in different branches. Taken together, these data suggest that T. maidis is not T. brassicae, but a cryptic or sibling species of T. evanescens; T. confusum and T. chilonis are not cryptic species but two closely related sister species.