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Figure 6 in Is mimicry a diversification-driver in ants? Biogeography, ecology, ethology, genetics and morphology define a second West-Palaearctic Colobopsis species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Figure 6. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree based on the barcode fragment of the mtCOI gene from the Colobopsis specimens sequenced.

Figure 4 in Is mimicry a diversification-driver in ants? Biogeography, ecology, ethology, genetics and morphology define a second West-Palaearctic Colobopsis species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Figure 4. Dendrogram comparing the results of 'kmeans', and 'hclust' in NC Clustering of Colobopsis morphometric raw data. Two samples (4.5% of the total) are misplaced by both the dendrogram and one of the partitioning analyses, NC-part. kmeans; partially different samples being affected in each of the three analyses. The other partitioning analysis, NC-part. hclust returned the same sample assignment as the LDA did.

Figure 3 in Is mimicry a diversification-driver in ants? Biogeography, ecology, ethology, genetics and morphology define a second West-Palaearctic Colobopsis species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Figure 3. Chromatic ratios calculated from pictures of the Colobopsis CSL and DQL patterns and from pictures of the two putative model species Cr. scutellaris and D. quadripunctatus (N = 2 0 for each species or chromatic form). Boxplots show mean and standard deviation, while whiskers represent minimum and maximum values. Dots correspond to measured individuals. Their dispersal on the X-axis is a randomized graphic effect to avoid overlaps.

Figure 2 in Is mimicry a diversification-driver in ants? Biogeography, ecology, ethology, genetics and morphology define a second West-Palaearctic Colobopsis species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Figure 2. Type material of the described West-Palaearctic Colobopsis, all showing to the 'D. quadripunctatus-like' pattern. A, holotype queen of Colobopsis truncata from Liguria, Italy, preserved at the Turin Natural History Museum (Italy). B, syntype worker of Colobopsis fuscipes from Austria (picture from AntWeb.org, FOCOL2496; photographer: Christiana Klingenberg), preserved at the Museum für Naturkunde der Humboldt-Universität Berlin (Berlin, Germany). Note that the queen's red colour in the anterior heavily sculptured part of the phragmotic head is not relevant to evaluating its chromatic pattern. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 11. Colobopsis imitans. A, B, E, F in Is mimicry a diversification-driver in ants? Biogeography, ecology, ethology, genetics and morphology define a second West-Palaearctic Colobopsis species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Figure 11. Colobopsis imitans. A, B, E, F, queen; C, D, G, male. Specimens from the type locality. Scale bars: 0.5 mm. Pictures also available on AntWeb.org database, specimen codes: ANTWEB1041483 and ANTWEB1041484.

Figure 8 in Is mimicry a diversification-driver in ants? Biogeography, ecology, ethology, genetics and morphology define a second West-Palaearctic Colobopsis species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Figure 8. Trail-following behaviour on Crematogaster scutellaris trails by other ants (indicated with arrows). On the left (A, C, E) CSL Colobopsis; on the right (B, D, F) Camponotus lateralis observed in the same locality performing the same behaviour (photos taken in Palermo (Sicily) during field surveys).

Figure 12 in Is mimicry a diversification-driver in ants? Biogeography, ecology, ethology, genetics and morphology define a second West-Palaearctic Colobopsis species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Figure 12. Male genitalia of Colobopsis imitans in ventral and dorsal view, specimen from the type locality. Scale bars = 0.25 mm.

Figure 1 in Is mimicry a diversification-driver in ants? Biogeography, ecology, ethology, genetics and morphology define a second West-Palaearctic Colobopsis species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

Figure 1. The model species and the two detected chromatic model patterns of Colobopsis: A, Crematogaster scutellaris; B, CSL Colobopsis from Sicily; C, Dolichoderus quadripunctatus from Tuscany; D, DQL Colobopsis from Tuscany.

opencc-zeroApr 2022View details →

Genetic composition and diversity of Arabica coffee in the crop's center of origin and its impact on four major fungal diseases

Conventional wisdom states that genetic variation reduces disease levels in plant populations. Nevertheless, crop species have been subject to a gradual loss of genetic variation through selection for specific traits during breeding, thereby increasing their vulnerability to biotic stresses such as pathogens. We explored how genetic variation in Arabica coffee sites in southwestern Ethiopia was related to the incidence of four major fungal diseases. Sixty sites were selected along a gradient of management intensity, ranging from nearly wild to intensively managed coffee stands. We used genotyping-by-sequencing of pooled leaf samples (pool-GBS) derived from 16 individual coffee shrubs in each of the sixty sites to assess the variation in genetic composition (multivariate: reference allele frequency) and genetic diversity (univariate: mean expected heterozygosity) between sites. We found that genetic composition had a clear spatial pattern and that genetic diversity was higher in less managed sites. The incidence of the four fungal diseases was related to the genetic composition of the coffee stands, but in a specific way for each disease. In contrast, genetic diversity was only related to the within-site variation of coffee berry disease, but not to the mean incidence of any of the four diseases across sites. Given that fungal diseases are major challenges of Arabica coffee in its native range, our findings that genetic composition of coffee sites impacted the major fungal diseases may serve as baseline information to study the molecular basis of disease resistance in coffee. Overall, our study illustrates the need to consider both host genetic composition and genetic diversity when investigating the genetic basis for variation in disease levels.

opencc-zeroApr 2022View details →

Genetic imprints of Brosimum alicastrum (Moraceae) in Mexico

PREMISE: Mechanisms generating the geographical distributions of genetic diversity are a central matter in evolutionary biology. The amount of genetic diversity and its distribution are controlled by several factors, including dispersal abilities, physical barriers and environmental and climatic changes. We investigated the patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation among populations of the widespread species Brosimum alicastrum in Mexico. METHODS: Using nuclear DNA microsatellite data, we determined the current state of genetic diversity and its distribution to determine if the genetic structure was consistent with geographical settings of Mexico and to infer the role of past events in the genetic diversity patterns. RESULTS: Our results suggested that Mexican B. alicastrum is well differentiated into three main lineages. Patterns of the genetic structure at a finer scale did not entirely correspond with the present-day geographic barriers to gene flow. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that differentiation patterns might reflect: 1) an ancient differentiation that occurred in Central America and South America; 2) the effects of past climatic changes, and 3) the action of some physical barriers to gene flow. This study provides insights into the possible mechanisms underlying the geographic genetic variation of B. alicastrum along a moisture gradient in tropical lowland forests.

FIGURE 5 in Low morphological and genetic variation within the glass-perchlet Parambassis siamensis (Teleostei: Ambassidae) in Peninsular Malaysia

FIGURE 5. Photographs of specimens of Parambassis siamensis showing body pigmentation and body shape variations. A) Holotype of Chanda punctulata (BMNH 1931.7.20.56); B) Specimen from Lake Bera (Pahang River basin) having dense melanophore coverage (SL: 36.6 mm); C) Specimen from Bera River (Pahang River basin) having very light melanophore coverage (SL: 37.0 mm); D) Holotype of Parambassis siamensis (ANSP 68233); E) Specimen from Lake Muda (Muda River basin) having deeper body depth (SL: 38.2 mm); F) Specimen from Bukit Merah (Kurau River basin) having slender body depth (SL: 29.0 mm).

FIGURE 3 in Low morphological and genetic variation within the glass-perchlet Parambassis siamensis (Teleostei: Ambassidae) in Peninsular Malaysia

FIGURE 3. Scatterplots of the sheared first and second principal component scores (PC1 versus PC2) of 20 morphometric variables comparing six populations of Parambassis siamensis. Color code: light blue (Bera River); blue (Lake Bera); green (Bukit Merah); yellow (Lake Bersia); red (Lake Muda); purple (Bangkok).

FIGURE 2 in Low morphological and genetic variation within the glass-perchlet Parambassis siamensis (Teleostei: Ambassidae) in Peninsular Malaysia

FIGURE 2. Illustration of the point-to-point morphological measurements and meristic counts examined in this study. Each measurement description is given in Tables S1 and S2. Counted scales are highlighted in blue.

FIGURE 1 in Low morphological and genetic variation within the glass-perchlet Parambassis siamensis (Teleostei: Ambassidae) in Peninsular Malaysia

FIGURE 1. Geographic distribution of Parambassis siamensis in Southeast Asia. Insert map of Peninsular Malaysia indicates the sampling localities. Red star indicates the estimated type locality of P. siamensis and C. punctulata; black circles represent the known distribution of P. siamensis. Raw data was extracted from GBIF database (https://www.gbif.org/). Open stars indicate the populations examined using the morphological and molecular approaches; open circles indicate the populations examined using only the molecular approach.

FIGURE 4. A in Low morphological and genetic variation within the glass-perchlet Parambassis siamensis (Teleostei: Ambassidae) in Peninsular Malaysia

FIGURE 4. A) Maximum Likelihood (ML) tree of Parambassis siamensis from Peninsular Malaysia based on COI sequences as inferred using RaxML-HPC2 and the model of sequence evolution GTR + G. Branch lengths are proportional to the number of substitutions. Numbers at nodes are Bootstrap Proportion (shown in % when>80%). This tree is rooted with a specimen of Parambassis ranga. B) Unrooted network of Parambassis siamensis from Peninsular Malaysia based on COI haplotypes inferred with the software PopArt and a median-joining algorithm.

opencc-zeroApr 2022View details →

Contrasting genetic responses to habitat fragmentation for two Lycaenid butterfly species

Biodiversity is currently declining at the global scale. Apart from species declines and lowered abundances, the loss of genetic diversity is equally concerning as it may undermine fitness and the potential to adapt to future environmental change. We compared genetic diversity of historical and recent Alpine populations of two butterfly species, Lycaena helle and L. hippothoe, over a period of about 10 years. Using microsatellite markers, we found no changes over time in L. helle, while genetic diversity decreased, and differentiation increased in L. hippothoe. Lycaena helle inhabits peat bogs and wetland fallows with populations being strongly isolated, while L. hippothoe used to occur in population networks on hay meadows, with the latter being strongly exposed to agricultural intensification. We conclude that currently L. hippothoe populations are strongly declining due to changes in land use, resulting in genetic erosion potentially due to the collapse of population networks.

opencc-zeroMay 2022View details →

Do habitat and elevation promote hybridization during secondary contact between three genetically distinct groups of warbling vireo (Vireo gilvus)?

Following postglacial expansion, secondary contact can occur between genetically distinct lineages. These genetic lineages may be associated with specific habitat or environmental variables and therefore, their distributions in secondary contact could reflect such conditions within these areas. Here we used mtDNA, microsatellite, and morphological data to study three genetically distinct groups of warbling vireo (Vireo gilvus) and investigate the role that elevation and habitat play in their distributions. We studied two main contact zones and within each contact zone, we examined two separate transects. Across the Great Plains contact zone, we found that hybridization between eastern and western groups occurs along a habitat and elevational gradient, whereas hybridization across the Rocky Mountain contact zone was not as closely associated with habitat or elevation. Hybrids in the Great Plains contact zone were more common in transitional areas between deciduous and mixed-wood forests, and at lower elevations (<1000 m). Hybridization patterns were similar along both Great Plains transects indicating that habitat and elevation play a role in hybridization between distinct eastern and western genetic groups. The observed patterns suggest adaptation to different habitats, perhaps originating during isolation in multiple Pleistocene refugia, is facilitating hybridization in areas where habitat types overlap.

opencc-zeroMay 2022View details →

Reduced genetic diversity of freshwater amphipods in rivers with increased levels of anthropogenic organic micropollutants

Anthropogenic chemicals in freshwater environments contribute majorly to ecosystem degradation and biodiversity decline. In particular, anthropogenic organic micropollutants (AOM), a diverse group of compounds including pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and industrial chemicals, can significantly impact freshwater organisms. AOM were found to impact the genetic diversity of freshwater species, however, the degree to which AOM cause changes in population genetic structure and allelic richness of freshwater macroinvertebrates remains poorly understood. Here, the impact of AOM on the genetic diversity of the common amphipod Gammarus pulex (Linnaeus, 1758) (clade E) was investigated on a regional scale. The site-specific AOM levels and their toxic potentials were determined in water and G. pulex tissue sample extracts for 34 sites along six rivers impacted by wastewater effluents and agricultural run-off in central Germany. Population genetic parameters were determined for G. pulex from the sampling sites by genotyping 16 microsatellite loci. Genetic differentiation among G. pulex from the studied rivers was strongly associated with geographic distance between sites, but also with differences in site-specific concentrations of AOM. Thus, genetic diversity parameters of G. pulex were found to be related to site-specific AOM levels; allelic richness was significantly negatively correlated to levels of AOM in G. pulex tissue (p < 0.003) and was reduced by up to 22% at sites with increased levels of AOM. This was seen despite a positive relationship between allelic richness and the presence of waste-water effluent. In addition, the inbreeding coefficient of G. pulex from sites with toxic AOM levels was up to 2.5 times higher than in G. pulex from more pristine sites. These results indicate that AOM levels commonly found in European rivers significantly contribute to changes in the genetic diversity of an ecologically relevant indicator species.

Figure 5 in Genetic, bioacoustic and morphological analyses reveal cryptic speciation in the warbling vireo complex (Vireo gilvus: Vireonidae: Passeriformes)

Figure 5. Example song spectrograms and photos for each of the three warbling vireo genetic groups used in our DFA of songs. The colours of the outlines of the spectrograms and photos correspond to DFA results in Figure 4. Photos were taken by the first author.

Figure 4 in Genetic, bioacoustic and morphological analyses reveal cryptic speciation in the warbling vireo complex (Vireo gilvus: Vireonidae: Passeriformes)

Figure 4. Plots of the first two canonical axes based on DFA of warbling vireo songs. Colours and shapes correspond to three of the four microsatellite genetic groups (Black Hills are not included): eastern (red/circle), north-western (green/ square) and south-western (blue/triangle). The largest shape represents the mean centroid for each genetic group.