Zoologica Scripta

The beetle suborder Adephaga is traditionally divided into two sections on the basis of habitat, terrestrial Geadephaga and aquatic Hydradephaga. Monophyly of both groups is uncertain, and the relationship of the two groups has implications for inferring habitat transitions within Adephaga. Here we examine phylogenetic relationships of these groups using evidence provided by DNA sequences from all four suborders of beetles, including 60 species of Adephaga, four Archostemata, three Myxophaga, and ten Polyphaga. We studied 18S ribosomal DNA and 28S ribosomal DNA, aligned with consideration of secondary structure, as well as the nuclear protein-coding gene wingless. Independent and combined Bayesian, likelihood, and parsimony analyses of all three genes supported placement of Trachypachidae in a monophyletic Geadephaga, although for analyses of 28S rDNA and some parsimony analyses only if Coleoptera is constrained to be monophyletic. Most analyses showed limited support for the monophyly of Hydradephaga. Outside of Adephaga, there is support from the ribosomal genes for a sister group relationship between Adephaga and Polyphaga. Within the small number of sampled Polyphaga, analyses of 18S rDNA, wingless, and the combined matrix supports monophyly of Polyphaga exclusive of Scirtoidea. Unconstrained analyses of the evolution of habitat suggest that Adephaga was ancestrally aquatic with one transition to terrestrial. However, in analyses constrained to disallow changes from aquatic to terrestrial habitat, the phylogenies imply two origins of aquatic habit within Adephaga.

Elven, E., Bachmann, L. & Gusarov V. I. (2012) Molecular phylogeny of the Athetini–Lomechusini–Ecitocharini clade of aleocharine rove beetles (Insecta). —Zoologica Scripta, 41, 617–636. It has previously been shown that the Aleocharinae tribes Athetini and Lomechusini form a well-supported clade, which also includes the small Neotropical tribe Ecitocharini. However, neither Athetini nor Lomechusini were recovered as monophyletic. In this study, we addressed the basal phylogenetic relationships among the three tribes using sequence data from (i) a mitochondrial fragment covering the COI, Leu2 and COII genes; (ii) a mitochondrial fragment covering part of the 16S gene, the Leu1 gene and part of the NADH 1 gene; and (iii) a part of the nuclear 18S gene, for 68 Athetini, 33 Lomechusini and 2 Ecitocharini species, plus representatives from 10 other tribes. The athetine subtribe Geostibina was recovered as sister group to the ‘true Lomechusini’, which included the type genus Lomechusa. The two clades formed a sister group to the main Athetini clade, which also included Ecitocharini and the ‘false Lomechusini’, a group of New World genera normally placed in Lomechusini. The following changes in classification are proposed: (i) Geostibina Seevers, 1978 is raised to tribal rank, and 13 Athetini genera are placed in Geostibini; (ii) Ecitodonia Seevers, 1965; Ecitopora Wasmann, 1887, and Tetradonia Wasmann, 1894 are moved from Lomechusini to Athetini; (iii) Ecitocharini Seevers, 1965 is placed in synonymy with Athetini; (iv) Discerota Mulsant & Rey, 1874 is tentatively included in Oxypodini; (v) Actocharina Bernhauer, 1907 is placed in synonymy with Hydrosmecta Thomson, 1858.

A new genus and species of freshwater sponge, Clypeatula cooperensis, collected from three lakes in the Northern Rocky Mountains of Montana, USA, are described. The sponge grows as a hard, disc-shaped encrustation on the undersides of rocks and logs. It lacks microscleres and has amphioxeal megascleres that often show a slight midregion bulb and are usually covered with short, conical spines except at their tips. The sponge is also non-gemmulating, overwintering in a regressed state in which choanocyte chambers are reduced in number. Phylogenetic analyses of complete 18S rDNA sequences of C. cooperensis, Ephydatia muelleri, Spongilla lacustris and Eunapius fragilis suggest that C. cooperensis is more closely related to Ephydatia muelleri than to Spongilla lacustris or Eunapius fragilis. Our data, nonetheless, do not rule out the possibility that C. cooperensis is more closely related to the non-gemmulating sponges of Lake Baikal (Russia) than it is to Ephydatia muelleri. These phylogenetic analyses support the erection of a new genus, the monophyly of freshwater sponges belonging to the families Spongillidae and Lubomirskiidae, and the monophyly of demosponges.

Tectidrilus probus sp.n. and Tectidrilus profusus sp.n. are described from offshore localities in southern California. Both species appear closely related to T. diversus Ersëus, 1982, which occurs in the same area, but they differ from the latter by possessing small oesophageal diverticula; T. probus differs also by its very small spermathecal vestibules. Tectidrilus profusus is a highly apomorphic form with elaborate, partly muscular, male ducts and spermathecae. Monophyly of Tectidrilus is supported by the short clitellum and the unisetal ‘bundles’ in postclitellar segments. Patterns of apomorphic character states within the genus are analyzed under the principle of Camin-Sokal parsimony (irreversibility of character states), giving three equally parsimonious cladograms. In the strict consensus tree of these cladograms, eight of the twelve members of Tectidrilus form an apomorphic group defined by the papillated body wall, but the individual species within this group cannot be unequivocally resolved from each other.

The extant mammalian groups Monotremata, Marsupialia and Placentalia are, according to the ‘Theria’ hypothesis, traditionally classified into two subclasses. The subclass Prototheria includes the monotremes and subclass Theria marsupials and placental mammals. Based on some morphological and molecular data, an alternative proposition, the Marsupionta hypothesis, favours a sister group relationship between monotremes and marsupials to the exclusion of placental mammals. Phylogenetic analyses of single genes and even multiple gene alignments have not yet been able to conclusively resolve this basal mammalian divergence. We have examined this problem using one data set composed of expressed sequence tags (EST) and another containing 1 510 509 nucleotide (nt) sites from 1358 inferred cDNA genomic sequences. All analyses of the concatenated sequences unambiguously supported the Theria hypothesis. The Marsupionta hypothesis was rejected with high statistical confidence from both data sets. In spite of the strong support for Theria, a non-negligible number of single genes supported either of the two alternative hypotheses. The divergence between monotremes and therian mammals was estimated to have taken place 168–178 Mya, a dating compatible with the fossil record. Considering the long common evolutionary branch of therians, it is surprising that sequence data from many thousand amino acid sites were needed to conclusively resolve their relationship to monotremes. This finding draws attention to other mammalian divergences that have been taken as unequivocally settled based on much smaller alignments. EST data provide a comprehensive random sample of protein coding sequences and an economic way to produce large amounts of data for phylogenetic analysis of species for which genomic sequences are not yet available.

Wang, C. H., Kuo, C. H., Mok, H. K. & Lee, S. C. (2003). Molecular phylogeny of elopomorph fishes inferred from mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA sequences. — Zoologica Scripta, 32, 231–241. Fishes of the superorder Elopomorpha include tenpounders (Elops), tarpon (Megalops), bonefishes (Albula), spiny eels (Notacanthus), apodes, and gulper eels; despite highly diversified morphological features, all undergo a leptocephalus larval stage and are thus treated (although with some dissenting views) as monophyletic. Following analysis of 12S rRNA sequences we present results that confirm a monophyletic Elopomorpha clearly separated from Clupeomorpha. Elops and Megalops share a common ancestor and are clustered in a subclade at the bottom of Elopomorpha. Albula and Notacanthus share a common ancestor forming the sister group to Anguilliformes. Saccopharyngiformes is not a sister group of Anguilliformes, as the single species sequenced here is nested deeply within the latter. Neither the suborder Congroidei nor the superfamily Congroidea within Anguilliformes are monophyletic.

The present paper contains descriptions of 14 new species of dorvilleid polychaetes that are part of a highly diverse benthic infauna sampled on the U.S. Atlantic slope and rise between the Canadian border and South Carolina. Quantitative samples were taken with a Hessler-Sandia box core during 18 cruises between 1983 and 1987. Samples were sieved through screens having a mesh opening of 300 μ. The newly described species belong to the genera Ophryorrocha. Exallopus. Parophryotrocha and two new genera, Pseudophryotrocha gen.n. and Anchidorvillea gen.n. An emended generic diagnosis of Ophryotrocha is provided to accommodate some of the new species, but also to include a group of atypical species described earlier by several authors who had modified the generic concept of Ophryotrocha without providing a formal emendation. The genus Ophryotrocha is revised to contain 31 species helonging to two species groups. A comparison of a suite of morphologic characters, however. indicates that these species addressed in this paper are discussed in the context of the entire family Dorvilleidae.

A detailed study of morphological characters in populations of the collembolan genus Isotomurus from southern Europe is presented. Isotomurus is a cosmopolitan genus in which species diagnosis primarily relies on pigmentation patterns and chaetotaxy. Correct diagnosis is often complicated by the high variability of these characters. This has created confusion in the systematics of the genus and has led to descriptions of several varieties, colour forms and subspecies, the taxonomic value of which needs revision. Complete screening of pigmentation patterns and the study of sensorial chaetotaxy in specimens collected in 37 localities across south-western France, Italy and Switzerland have enabled 14 species to be distinguished; one taxon is elevated to the rank of species (Isotomurus prasinus) and four new species are described: I. hadriaticus, I. aetnensis, I. gallicus and I. pseudopalustris. The neotype for I. palustris is designated in order to clarify the taxonomic status and the type locality for this species whose topotypic material is lost. A redescription of previously known species on the basis of the newly introduced characters is also presented, together with a key to the south-western European species of Isotomurus. Following this study, the two species I. indipendente and I. italicus came to be junior synonyms of I. palustris and I. fucicolus, respectively. A cladistic analysis of 14 morphological characters provides a phylogenetic reconstruction which is largely concordant with previous taxonomic works.

Niphargus is the largest genus of freshwater amphipods. Its systematics from the species to the family level has always been problematic. This study is the first comprehensive phylogenetic treatment of the chiefly subterranean group in 160 years of its taxonomic history. It includes 103 niphargid species plus outgroups, representing about one-third of all nominal species. The samples originated mainly from type localities or adjacent sites and covered most of the morphological variability of the genus. Character sampling included nuclear 28S and mitochondrial 12S rDNA sequences, and 122 morphological characters. Quantitative morphological traits were coded using two alternative methods. The first one searches for gaps in the variability range of each character, while the second one uses absolute differences between the standardized raw data as weights. Different data sets yielded alternative topologies. All data support the monophyly of Niphargidae, while Niphargopsis— another niphargid genus — was consistently nested within Niphargus, loosing justification for its separate status. We predict a similar fate for all or most of the remaining six small niphargid genera, which were not yet scrutinized phylogenetically. Different topologies agreed in species composition of five large, well-supported clades, although the hierarchic relationships between them remain unresolved. These clades reject all previously proposed taxonomic subdivisions of Niphargus, implying a high degree of morphological homoplasy that renders any morphology-based groups questionable. The clade members are distributed within well-established zoogeographical regions that do not exceed 1300 km across the longest diagonal. These results provide a framework for future studies on niphargid systematics, the evolution of endemism and cryptic diversity in subterranean environments, the mechanisms leading to exceptional morphological heterogeneity, historical biogeography, and applied ecological issues.

Schander, C., Halanych, K. M., Dahlgren, T. & Sundberg, P. (2003) Test of the monophyly of Odostomiinae and Turbonilliinae (Gastropoda, Heterobranchia, Pyramidellidae) based on 16S mtDNA sequences. — Zoologica Scripta, 32, 243−254. While gastropod phylogeny has received much recent attention, relationships within some major gastropod clades have still not been studied. The Pyramidellidae is one such group, comprising more than 6000 named species in more than 350 genera. We sequenced part of the mitochondrial 16S gene from 32 species in an attempt to clarify pyramidellid phylogeny and employed a successive alignment approach that allowed us to maximize the phylogenetic signal of the data. Neighbour-joining, maximum parsimony and likelihood analyses recovered two distinct clades. One clade consisted of Noemiamea which nested within Odostomia (sensu stricto). The inclusion of Brachystomia, Megastomia, Jordaniella and Liostomia within Odostomia is not supported. The second clade comprised Spiralinella, Brachystomia, Boonea, Jordaniella, Liostomia and Parthenina. Our results further suggest that Turbonilla, as interpreted by most authors, is polyphyletic. This study shows that the 16S gene is useful in unravelling pyramidellid phylogeny but needs to be combined with other data (including molecular, morphological and developmental) to fully clarify the evolutionary relationships.

New sequences of the partial rDNA gene coding for the mitochondrial large ribosomal subunit, 16S, are derived from 47 diverse hydrozoan species and used to investigate phylogenetic relationships among families of the group Capitata and among species of the capitate family Corynidae. Our analyses identify a well-supported clade, herein named Aplanulata, of capitate hydrozoans that are united by the synapomorphy of undergoing direct development without the ciliated planula stage that is typical of cnidarians. Aplanulata includes the important model organisms of the group Hydridae, as well as species of Candelabridae, Corymorphidae, and Tubulariidae. The hypothesis that Hydridae is closely related to brackish water species of Moerisiidae is strongly controverted by 16S rDNA data, as has been shown for nuclear 18S rDNA data. The consistent phylogenetic signal derived from 16S and 18S data suggest that both markers would be useful for broad-scale multimarker analyses of hydrozoan relationships. Corynidae is revealed as paraphyletic with respect to Polyorchidae, a group for which information about the hydroid stage is lacking. Bicorona, which has been classified both within and outside of Corynidae, is shown to have a close relationship with all but one sampled species of Coryne. The corynid genera Coryne, Dipurena, and Sarsia are not revealed as monophyletic, further calling into question the morphological criteria used to classify them. The attached gonophores of the corynid species Sarsia lovenii are confirmed as being derived from an ancestral state of liberated medusae. Our results indicate that the 16S rDNA marker could be useful for a DNA-based identification system for Cnidaria, for which it has been shown that the commonly used cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene does not work.

The piprids (manakins) are small-bodied Neotropical birds characterized by sexual dimorphism of the plumage and elaborate courtship rituals. The phylogenetic relationships of some of piprid genera, in particular Pipra, are not well defined. Recently, Pipra was divided into three distinct groups, and the recognition of two new genera — Lepidothrix and Dixiphia— was suggested, based on the characteristic of the syringial morphology. In the present study, we analyse the phylogenetic relationships among these genera on the basis of data from the mitochondrial genes rRNA 16S and cytochrome b. Bayesian Inference (BI), Maximum Parsimony (MP) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) methods of analyses produced phylogenetic trees with very similar topologies with regard to the groupings formed by the species representing the three genera. These results indicate that the genera Pipra, Lepidothrix and Dixiphia do not constitute a single monophyletic clade, and support the current hypothesis of polyphyletism for the former representatives of the genus Pipra. However, the topologies presented do not coincide exactly with the phylogeny suggested by the morphological data with regard to the relationship between these three groups and the remaining piprid genera analysed here, emphasizing the need for further studies of this group of birds. The agreement between the molecular data presented here and the biogeographical information available for some of the species analysed appears to confirm the potential of using segments of the mitochondrial genome for the study of phylogeographical patterns in this group of organisms.

The identification of species using molecular characters is a promising approach in alpha taxonomy and in any discipline depending on reliable assignment of specimens. Previous studies have shown the feasibility of the method, but considerable controversy persists. In this study, we use pholcid spiders in an effort to address two main issues. First, we evaluate and calibrate molecular species (re-)identification within a closely related group of organisms by using specimens that are morphologically unambiguously either conspecific or not. Species limits hypothesized a priori based on morphology were almost universally reconstructed by both mitochondrial markers used. Second, we focus on species identification methodology in a morphology-calibrated scenario, i.e. on how to assess the quality of a dataset and of the method used to obtain distance estimates (e.g. choice of markers, alignment strategy, type of distance data). We develop a number of statistical estimators permitting the measurement and communication of the clarity of species boundaries in a dataset and discuss their benefits and drawbacks. We propose that box plots rather than histograms are the superior tool for graphically illustrating taxonomic signal and that the median is a more appropriate measure of central tendency than the mean. Applying the suggested tools to our data, we propose that in molecular species identification, indel-related alignment uncertainties may often be even advantageous (by accentuating taxonomy-relevant information) and we conclude that — at least for our dataset — 16S is better suited to taxonomy than CO1.

The spermatids are connected to a central cytophore by cytoplasmic bridges and are polarized in the sequence: “empty cytoplasm”; uncondensed nucleus; mitochondria which surround the distal region of the nucleus and the centrioles; axoneme; posterolateral to the base of the axoneme, the Golgi apparatus and (when secreted) the acrosomal rudiment. The dome-shaped acrosome vesicle elongates progressively as it migrates to the tip of the elongating and condensing nucleus; subacrosomal material gives rise to an almost equally long, tubular, thick-walled perforatorium. After the acrosome has greatly elongated, the mitochondria are reduced to two, which lose their rounded form and invest the growing axoneme to give a very elongate midpiece. Transfer of materials from nucleus to mitochondria is discussed. Microtubules surrounding the acrosome and nucleus disappear by maturity, but those internal to the mitochrondria apparently persist as the accessory microtubules, unique in the Annelida, which surround the 9 + 2 axoneme. Microvilli of the egg envelope, which have tetrads of terminal branches (epivitelline projections) resembling epicuticular projections, are less than 1 μm long, whereas the mature acrosome exceeds 5 μm. This suggests that the correlation seen in oligochaetes is absent.

The reproductive system of the type specimens of Distoma macrostomum and D. ringens Rudolphi, 1819, has been reinvestigated. The shape and position of the cirrus, cirrus pouch, metraterm, “vesicula seminalis”, gonads, vitellaria and uterus arrangements are given. This shows that the arrangement of the reproductive system in D. macrostomum (syn. D. ringens) differs from that of the members of the genera Leucochloridium Carus, 1835 (sensu Kagan 1952) and Neoleucochloridium Kagan, 1951. It confirms as correct to place D. macrostomum as a separate genus, Urogonimus Monticelli, 1888.

Whitish and brownish specimens of what has commonly been identified as Dendronotus frondosus (Ascanius, 1774) from the fjord Gullmaren on the Swedish west coast are shown by allozyme electrophoresis to be genetically isolated from each other, and are thus considered to represent two separate species. The brownish specimens are regarded nominally as representing D. frondosus. Dendrontus lacteus (Thompson: 1840) is reinstated for the whitish specimens, and the species is redescribed. (C) 1998 The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.

Eucyclops serrulatus (Fischer, 1851), the type species of the genus Eucyclops, is redescribed from specimens found in the St. Petersburg area, Russia (type locality) and compared with specimens from Siberia, western Europe and North Africa. A neotype is selected. Cultures were set up, and interpopulation hybridization as well as hybridization with related species was attempted. The classical description of external body morphology was combined with pore signature mapping and with DNA nuclear small subunit (18S) ribosomal gene sequence analysis. Comparisons with E. dumonti Alekseev, 2000, E. hadjebensis Kiefer, E. speratus Lilljeborg, E. turcomanus Lindberg, and E. pectinifer (Cragin, 1883) were carried out. A phylogenetic tree based on molecular information shows that E. serrulatus and E. speratus should be regarded as separate species. E. dumonti also deserves species status, but not E. hadjebensis. A cladistic tree based on the pore pattern of the cephalosome agrees well with a tree based on the sequence of the 18S rDNA gene. Cephalosome (and probably metasome) pore patterns seem useful to elucidate relationships within genera, while urosomal pore patterns better reflect the relationship between genera. E. serrulatus occurs in three morphological forms over most of its range; one of these (C) might be a rare (‘recessive’) morphotype, while forms A and B differ in microhabitat choice, but hybridize when living together. The same polymorphism also occurs in an American species (E. prionophorus), and therefore two hypotheses regarding its origin are advanced: either forms A and B evolved during the glacial episode (Pleistocene origin), separately on both sides of the Atlantic, or the polymorphism was already present in the ancestor of the serrulatus-group, and was later lost in some but not in all species (Pliocene origin.)

This paper redescribes Lineus atrocaeruleus (Schmarda, 1859), a species common on the coast of Chile. It contains new information about anatomy and geographical distribution. The material obtained in the present study proves to be conspecific with L. atrocaeruleus sensu Bürger (1896) and Friedrich (1970).

The adult male of Cyclestheria hislopi, sole member of the spinicaudate conchostracan clam shrimp family Cyclestheriidae and a species of potential phylogenetic importance, is described for the first time. Several previously unknown features are revealed. Among these are (1) the morphology of the dorsal organ, which is roughly similar in shape to the supposedly homologous structure in other clam shrimps but bears a relatively large, centrally located pore unique to the species; (2) an anterior cuticular pore presumably leading to the ‘internal’ space surrounding the compound eyes, and thereby homologous to the same pore in other clam shrimps and in the Notostraca; (3) the spination and setation of the antennae and thoracopods, and (4) the mature male first thoracopods (claspers). The male claspers are paired and essentially equal in size and shape on right and left sides of the body. The second pair of thoracopods are not modified as claspers, a situation different from all other spinicaudate families but shared (plesiomorphic we propose) with the laevicaudatans and most cladocerans. The claspers bear a field of special spine-like setae on the extremity of the ‘palm’; this setal type, previously unrecognized, is unique to Cyclestheria. The palm of the clasper also bears two palps (one very small), as in other conchostracan species (both laevicaudatans and spinicaudatans). The movable finger of the clasper, modified from the thoracopod endopod, bears a row of long setae along its outer extremity, also unique. Cyclestheria exhibits a mixture of characters, some unique and others typical of the Spinicaudata (Conchostraca). Cladoceran clasper types are briefly reviewed. as are the claspers in the Spinicaudata and Laevicaudata (Conchostraca). Morphology of the clasper of Cyclestheria shows typical spinicaudate characters. It is suggested that claspers on the first thoracopods may be a synapomorphy for the Conchostraca and the Cladocera. The possible role of Cyclestheria or a Cyclestheria-like ancestor in cladoceran phylogeny is briefly discussed in light of recent suggestions (Martin and Cash-Clark, 1995) of cladoceran monophyly and possible ancestral relationships with this genus. Some possibilities concerning the phylogenetic position of Cyclestheria–either as a sister group to the rest of the Spinicaudata or as a sister group to the Cladocera—are discussed.

Both sexes of Ameira hyalina (Noodt, 1952) and A. parasimulans Lang, 1965 are redescribed. The genus Psammameira Noodt, 1952 previously regarded as a junior subjective synonym of Ameira. is reinstated to accommodate these two species and a revised diagnosis for the genus is presented. Examination of the type material of Psammameira reducta Wells, 1967 and P. gradis (Nicholls, 1939) revealed that they should be removed from the genus. The possible relationships of two species of doubtful affinity, A. esigun T. Scott, 1894 and A. simulans T. Scott, 1912 are reconsidered. The phylogenetic position of Psammameira within the Ameiridae is briefly discussed.

A new genus Filexilia, is established to accommodate the A. renella-group of Ameira Boeck. 1865 (Harpacticoida, Ameiridae), comprising A. attenuata Thompson, 1893; A. renella Sars, 1907; A. longicaudara Nicholls, 1939; A. brevipes Kunz, 1954; A. pestae Petkovski, 1955; A. longifurca Bodin, 1964; A. gravellicola Guille & Soyer, 1966; A. intermedia Galhano, 1970; A. hrevipes pesrat Petkovski. 1955 sensu Marinov (1971); A. brevipes Kunz, 1954 sensu Apostolov (1977); and A. renella Sars, 1907 sensu Kunz (1983).

A historical review of the systematics of Paracanthonchus caecus (Bastian, 1865) and a comparison of specimens from different localities show that this “species” in fact comprises four distinct species. Paracanthonchus caecus Micoletzky, 1924 nec P. caecus (Bastian, 1865) is designated as the valid type species of the genus Paracanthonchus. P. heterodontus (Schulz, 1932) and P. thaumasius (Schulz, 1932) are re-established. P. caecm sensu Gerlach 1965 is considered as a distinct species: P. gerlachi sp.n. P. canadensis sp.n. is described and is very close to P. caecus Micoletzky, 1924. The subspecies P. caecus opthalmophorus (Steiner, 1921), different from the typical caecus by the presence of ocelli, is considered as a different species; we therefore propose P.ophthalmophorus (Steiner, 1921) stat.n. The genus Paracanthonchus is redefined.

Metacer-cariae, found in the body-cavities of Trochochaeta multisetosa (Oersted) (Trochochaetidae, Polychaeta sedentaria) are described and identified as belonging to Zoogonoides viviparus (Olsson, 1868) Odhner, 1902. A combination of these observations with the Résults of investigations, made by previous authors, on the biology of the cercariae, gives the outlines of a life cycle for Z. viviparus.

The material collected in 1875 and determined by L. Koch has been revised. The material from 1876 has been determined and a list of 197 species from Russia, Novaya Zemlya and Siberia represented in the two collections is given and in addition 14 species collected by the 1875 expedition in Northern Norway. Hybauchenidium gen.n. of the fam. Erigonidae is established with Erigone aquilonaris L. Koch, 1879, as type species. Eboria sibirica sp.n. (Erigonidae), and Diplocephalus cristatus angustieeps subsp.n. (Erigonidae) are described. A list of the species described and recorded by L. Koch in 1879 with the actual names is given.

A new molecular phylogeny is presented for the highly diverse, bivalve molluscan subclass Heterodonta. The study, the most comprehensive for heterodonts to date, used new sequences of 18S and 28S rRNA genes for 103 species from 49 family groups with species of Palaeoheterodonta (Trigoniidae, Margaritiferidae and Unionidae) as outgroups. Results confirm previous analyses that the Carditidae/Astartidae/Crassatellidae clade is basal to all other heterodonts including Anomalodesmata (often classified as a separate subclass or order). Thyasiroidea occupy a near basal position between the Crassatelloidea and Anomalodesmata. Lucinidae form a well-supported monophyletic group distinct from Thyasiridae and Ungulinidae. The Solenoidea and Hiatelloidea link as sister groups distant from the Tellinoidea and Myoidea, respectively, where they had been previously associated. The position of the Gastrochaenidae is unstable but does not group with myoidean taxa. Species of four families of Galeommatoidea form a clade that also includes Sportellidae of the Cyamioidea. The Cardioidea and Tellinoidea form highly supported, long branched, individual clades but group as sister taxa. A major clade including Veneroidea, Mactroidea, Myoidea and other families is given the unranked name Neoheterodontei. There is no support for a separate order Myoida (Myoidea and Pholadoidea). Dreissenidae group within the clade including Myidae, Corbulidae, Pholadidae and Teredinidae. The Corbiculoidea is confirmed as polyphyletic with the Sphaeriidae and Corbiculidae forming separate clades within the Neoheterodontei; Corbiculidae grouping with the Glauconomidae. Hemidonacidae are unrelated to the Cardiidae, as previously proposed, but nest within the Neoheterodontei. The Gaimardiidae group near to the Ungulinidae and not with Cyamioidea where most recently classified. The family Ungulinidae, previously classified in the Lucinoidea, forms a well-supported clade within the Neoheterodontei and is elevated to superfamily rank — Ungulinoidea. The monophyletic status of Glossoidea, Arcticoidea and Veneroidea is unconfirmed. A brief review of the fossil record of the heterodonts indicates that the basal clades of Crassatelloidea, Anomalodesmata and Lucinoidea diverged very early in the Lower Palaeozoic. Other groups such as the Hiatelloidea, Solenoidea, Gastrochaenidae probably were of late Palaeozoic origins. The Cardioidea and Tellinoidea originated in the Triassic while major groups of Neoheterodontei radiated in the Late Mesozoic. The phylogenetic position of the Thyasiroidea and Galeommatoidea suggests a longer fossil history than has so far been recognized.

The basal relationships of the hyperdiverse insect order Coleoptera (beetles) have proven difficult to resolve. Examination of beetle suborder relationships using 18S ribosomal DNA reveals a previously unproposed relationship among the four major lineages: [(Archostemata(Myxophaga(Adephaga, Polyphaga)))]. Adding representatives of most other insect orders results in a non-monophyletic Coleoptera. However, constraining Coleoptera and its suborders to be monophyletic, in analyses of beetle and outgroup sequences, also results in the above beetle relationships, with the root placed between Archostemata and the remaining suborders.

We performed a comparative study of partial rDNA sequences from a variety of Coleoptera taxa to construct an annotated alignment based on secondary structure information, which in turn, provides improved rRNA structure models useful for phylogenetic reconstruction. Subsequent phylogenetic analysis was performed to test monophyly and interfamilial relationships of the megadiverse plant feeding beetle group known as ‘Phytophaga’ (Curculionoidea and Chrysomeloidea), as well as to discover their closest relatives among the Cucujiformia. Parsimony and Bayesian analyses were performed based on the structural alignment of segments of 18S rRNA (variable regions V4-V5, V7-V9) and 28S rRNA (expansion segment D2). A total of 104 terminal taxa of Coleoptera were included: 96 species of Cucujiformia beetles, representing the families and most ‘subfamilies’ of weevils and chrysomeloids (Phytophaga), as well as several families of Cleroidea, Tenebrionoidea and Cucujoidea, and eight outgroups from three other polyphagan series: Scarabaeiformia, Elateriformia and Bostrichiformia. The results from the different methods of analysis agree — recovering the monophyly of the ‘Phytophaga’, including Curculionoidea and Chrysomeloidea as sister groups. The curculionoid and chrysomeloid phylogeny recovered from the aligned 18S and 28S rDNA segments, which is independent of morphological data, is in agreement with recent hypotheses or concepts based on morphological evidence, particularly with respect to familial relationships. Our results provide clues about the evolutionary origin of the phytophagan beetles within the megaclade Cucujiformia, suggesting that the sister group of ‘Curculionoidea + Chrysomeloidea’ is a clade of the ‘Cucujoidea’, represented in this study by species in Boganiidae, Erotylidae, Nitidulidae, Cucujidae and Silvanidae. The Coccinellidae and Endomychidae are not grouped with the latter, and the remaining terminal taxa are nested in Tenebrionoidea and Cleroidea. We propose that the combination of structurally aligned ribosomal RNA gene regions 18S (V4-V5, V7-V9) and 28S (D2) are useful in testing monophyly and resolving relationships among beetle superfamilies and families.

Phylogenetic analyses of partial sequences spanning approximately 450 nucleotides near the 5’end of the 18s rDNA strongly support the monophyly of Apogastropoda and its constituent clades, Caenogastropoda and Heterobranchia. Representatives of the architaenioglossan groups Cyclophoroidea, Ampullariidae and Viviparidae invariably emerge within Caenogastropoda in all analyses. While the Cyclophoroidea and Ampullariidae are monophyletic, the varying position of Viviparidae in all outcomes contradicts its hypothesized sister group relationship with Ampullariidae, and thus the monophyly of Ampullarioidea. Because of the position of Viviparidae, Architaenioglossa does not emerge as a clade in any of our analyses. Campanile consistently emerges between Cyclophoroidea and Cerithioidea, or in a clade with Cyclophoroidea and Ampullariidae, a position not predicted by previous morphological studies. Maximum parsimony analyses of sequence data show Caenogastropoda to comprise a series of sequentially diverging higher taxa. However, maximum likelihood analyses as well as maximum parsimony analyses using only trans-versions divide Caenogastropoda into two clades, one containing the architaenioglossan taxa, Campaniloidea and Cerithioidea, the other containing the higher caenogastropod taxa included in Eucaenogastropoda (Haszprunar, 1988) [= Hypsogastropoda (Ponder & Lindberg 1997)l. Denser taxon sampling revealed insertions to be present in the 18s rDNA gene of several caenogastropod taxa. Earlier reports (Harasewych et al. 1997b) of reduced sequence divergence levels in Caenogastropoda are shown to be restricted to Hypsogastropoda. Based on a broader taxonomic sampling, divergence levels within Caenogastropoda are comparable to those found within Heterobranchia.

The phylogeny of Clitellata was analysed using 18S rDNA sequences of a selection of species representing Hirudinida, Acanthobdellida, Branchiobdellida and 10 oligochaetous families. Eleven new 18S sequences of Capilloventridae (one), Haplotaxidae (one), Propappidae (one), Enchytraeidae (two), Lumbricidae (one), Almidae (one), Megascolecidae (two), Lumbriculidae (one), and Phreodrilidae (one) are reported and aligned together with corresponding sequences of 28 previously studied clitellate taxa. Twelve polychaete species were used as an outgroup. The analysis supports an earlier hypothesis based on morphological features that Capilloventridae represents a basal clade of Clitellata; in the 18S tree it shows a sister-group relationship to all other clitellates. The remaining clitellate taxa form a basal dichotomy, one clade containing Tubificidae (including the former ‘Naididae’), Phreodrilidae, Haplotaxidae, and Propappidae, the other clade with two subgroups: (1) Lumbriculidae together with all leech-like taxa (Acanthobdellida, Branchiobdellida and Hirudinida), and (2) Enchytraeidae together with a monophyletic group of all earthworms included in the study (Lumbricidae, Almidae and Megascolecidae). These earthworms are members of the taxon Crassiclitellata, the monophyly of which is thus supported by the data. The tree also shows support for the hypothesis that the first clitellates were aquatic. The position of the single species representing Haplotaxidae is not as basal as could have been expected from earlier morphology-based conclusions about the ancestral status of this family. However, if Haplotaxidae is indeed a paraphyletic assemblage of relict taxa, a higher number of representatives will be needed to resolve its exact relationships with the other clitellates.

Marcus, Eveline du Bois-Reymond (Caixa Postal 6994, 01000 Sao Paulo, Brazil). A toxonomic survey of the genus Toledonia (Opisthobranchia, Diaphanidae). Zool. Scr. 5 (1): 25–33, 1976.—Nineteen species certainly or probably belonging to the genus Toledonia Dall have been listed and discussed with regard to their anatomy, taxonomy and zoogeography. A complete specimen of Aceton bullatus (Gould, 1847) was studied. On the basis of the radula and the retractile penis the species was transferred to the diaphanid genus Toledonia Dall. Own studies were also carried out on material of T. limnaeoides (Odhner, 1914).

Morphological and molecular studies have been inconclusive in assessing monophyly of the Pleuroceridae s.l and the affinity of western North American Juga to Asian members of the family currently grouped in the Semisulcospirinae. In part, this has been hampered by the rarity of anatomical accounts for Asian pleurocerids (s.l.). The present study provides a comprehensive anatomical description of ‘Melania’jacqueti— a Vietnamese species of uncertain generic placement forgotten in the scientific literature for over 100 years. This investigation confirmed that ‘Melania’jacqueti and Juga possess a number of features that differentiate them from eastern North American species, including features of the kidney, prostate and pallial oviduct. However, comparative data remain inadequate to allow phylogenetic analysis based on morphological data alone. Consequently, a data set of partial mitochondrial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequences for 51 pleurocerids (s.l.) and five outgroups (Melanopsidae, Thiaridae), was assembled. Parsimony, Bayesian and Maximum Likelihood analyses are largely congruent and support monophyly of the Pleuroceridae s.l., and of two large clades: (i) a clade of eastern North American species, and (ii) an Asian–American clade with ‘Melania’jacqueti as the critical basal offshoot, decisively anchoring Juga within the Semisulcospirinae as sister to all remaining Asian forms. Given the morphological disparity between these two clades, this result is consistent with restriction of the concept of Pleuroceridae s.s. to eastern North American species, and elevation of the Asian–American clade to the rank of family — the Semisulcospiridae. Examination of available genus-group names for Oriental semisulcospirids supports placement of ‘Melania’jacqueti in the genus Hua. Molecular calibration of the basal split between Semisulcospiridae and Pleuroceridae suggests they diverged in the Cretaceous (approximately 90 million years ago). The origin and diversification of these clades are roughly coincident with the subdivision of Laurasia by epicontinental seas and the opening of the Atlantic basin, consistent with a primarily vicariant explanation for their modern biogeographical distributions modified by dispersal in Juga.

Hydra braueri Bedot, 1912, described 100 years ago by August Brauer, has influenced the development of hydra taxonomy but it has been observed rarely and its characters are puzzling. Hydra braueri has some characters normally associated with H. circumcincta Schulze, 1914 and others associated with H. oligactis Pallas, 1766. We show that the original description of H. braueri was derived from a mixture of these two species. This conclusion is based on an analysis of the original descriptions, on the succeeding literature on the animal, on examination of some of the early specimens still preserved in museums, and from study of other species of European hydra. Thus, H. braueri is a junior synonym of H. circumcincta, but some of the characters associated with the name H. braueri represent H. oligactis.

Morphological and morphometric studies of the holotype of Elachyglossa gyldenstolpeiAndersson 1916, and comparison with specimens of the genus-group taxa Limnonectes (Limnonectes), Limnonectes (Bourretia), Limnonectes (Fejervarya), Phrynoglossus and Occidozyga, provide evidence that the genus-group name ElachyglossaAndersson (1916) is a senior subjective synonym of BourretiaDubois (1987)| and that the species-group name Elachyglossa gyldenstolpei is a senior subjective synonym of Rana pileataBoulenger 1916. This case study supports the statement that univariate (non-parametric Kruskal–Wallis, Tukey type b analysis) and multivariate (discriminant analysis) data analysis can support taxonomic decision, particularly in the case of taxa known by a single specimen (holotype).

Jensen, P. (Marine Biological Laboratory, University of Copenhagen, DK-3000 Helsingor, Denmark). Redescription of the marine nematode Pandolaimus latilaimus (Allgén, 1929), its synonyms and relationships to the Oncholaimidae. Zool. Scr. 5 (6): 257–263, 1976.—A redescription of Pandolaimus latilaimus (Allgén, 1929) from the North Sea (Belgian Coast and German Bight) and the Øresund (Denmark) is given. Pandolaimus Allgén, 1929 is synonymized with Allgenia Strand, 1934, Filipjeviella Allgén, 1935 and Metapelagonema Sergeeva, 1972. Pandolaimus latilaimus is considered synonymous with Allgenia kornoeensis (Allgén, 1929) and Filipjeviella liscosa Allgén, 1935. Pandolaimus is transferred from Lin-homoeidae (Monhysterida) to Anoplostomatidae (Enoplida). The genus is most closely related to Anophstoma Bütschli, 1874 (cephalic sense organs 6 — 6 — 4, buccal cavity consisting of three plates, oesophageal glands opening behind the buccal cavity and caudal glands in front of the anus) and gives further evidence that the Anoplostomatidae have a position outside the Oncholaimoidea among the more basic Tripyloidea. —Thalassogenus Andrassy, 1973 described as member of Pelagonema-tidae from freshwater, does not belong to Oncholaimoidea.

Hardy, D. E. (Department of Entomology, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, Hi., USA.) Pipunculidae (Diptera) of the 1934 Swedish expedition to Burma. Zool. Scripta 1(3–4): 121–138, 1972.–The collection of Pipunculidae made in Burma by Rene Malaise contained approximately forty species in five genera and four subgenera and is probably a thorough sampling of the species which occur in the Kambaiti area of N.E. Burma. Eleven new species are being described: Dorylomorpha latifrons sp.n., D. stenozona sp.n., Pipunculus (Cephalops) dolosus sp.n., P. (Cephalops) fimbriatus sp.n., P. (Cephalops) validus sp.n., P. (Cephalosphaera) reduncus sp.n., P. (Cephalosphaera) tingens sp.n., P. (Eudorylas) burmanicus sp.n., P. (Eudorylas) colossus sp.n., P. (Eudorylas) giganteus sp.n., and P. (Eudorylas) malaisei sp.n. Several other species, probably new ones, are indicated but not being described until further specimens can be studied. The majority of the species are new records for Burma.

Remarks arc given on taxonomy, structure and distribution of 38 species of Kalyptorhynchia, incompletely described (in part nomina nuda) in part I of ‘Turbellaria (Strudclwürmer)’ in Tierwelt der Nord-und Ostsee (Meixncr 1938). The remarks are based mainly on the existing parts of the basic material for Meixner's study in the collections of the Zoological Institution in Graz, Austria, including incomplete proof sheets of the unpublished part II. Available information on the species published after 1938 has been taken into account.

This paper discusses the systematics and phylogeny of the genus Tambja Burn, 1962 throughout tropical and temperate areas in the Atlantic, eastern Pacific and Indo-Pacific. The phylogenetic relationships within Tambja are unknown and a comprehensive taxonomic revision is necessary in order to construct a phylogeny of the genus. To date, Tambja comprises 28 nominal species, 22 of which have been examined morphologically based on newly collected and type material. The reproductive systems of four species (T. limaciformis (Eliot, 1908), T. sagamiana (Baba, 1955), T. amakusana, Baba, 1987 and T. olivaria, Yonow, 1993) were studied for the first time and two species previously considered as valid, Tambja morosa (Bergh, 1877) and Tambja kushimotoensis Baba, 1987, are here synonymized. Of the remaining six nominal species, no additional material has been found since their original description. The holotypes of three (T. diaphana (Bergh, 1877), T. gratiosa (Bergh, 1890) and T. marbellensis Schick & Cervera, 1998) have been re-examined and the original descriptions improved. Tambja diaphana is regarded as nomen dubium. Tambja amitina (Eliot, 1905), T. divae (Marcus, 1958) and T. anayana Ortea, 1989 remain as valid species until further comparison with new specimens can be made. New structures are also described for several taxa. Morphological and anatomical data from 22 nominal Tambja species have been used to construct a phylogeny. The phylogenetic analysis rejects the monophyly of Tambja and shows its preliminary relationships within the subfamily Nembrothinae.

The following species are described: Q. papillata sp.n., characterized by its head-shape with broad truncated anterior end and in males by the possession of 2 single short, stout ventral genital papillae situated anterior to the middle of the body; Q. lizardiensis sp.n., closely related to Q. papillata but distinguished from the latter by its head-shape with a pronounced distally widened anterior border and the absence of genital papillae in the male; Q. freudenhammeri sp.n., characterized by its head-shape with an anteriorly tapering naked front part with thickened, sclerotized cuticle and a rounded posterior part covered with thin cuticle and by the stoma with cheilorhabdia; Q. noffsingerae sp.n., characterized by its head-shape with widened truncated anterior border surrounding 6 sometimes protruding lips, each with a tube-like papilla and by the position of the ocelli situated along the posterior half of the long cylindrical oesophagus.

Over hundred specimens of Desmoscolex were found in samples from Yonge Reef, Lizard Island and Nymphe Island (Great Barrier Reef, Australia). In the present paper four new species are described: D. brevisetosussp.n., characterised by the absence of subventral setae on the 2nd main ring and the presence of short subdorsal setae on the 16th main ring: D. dimorphussp.n. characterized by the presence of sexual dimorphism (absence of sub-ventral setae on the 14th main ring, short subdorsal setae on the 16th main ring and smaller amphids in females); D. geraerti sp.n. and D. nymphianus sp.n. with the typical setal pattern and elongated laterally shifted subdorsal setae on the 13th, 16th and 17th main ring but the former species characterized by large bipartite amphids, cephalated spicules and trough-shaped gubernaculum; the latter species by the smaller rounded amphids with their posterior margin coinciding with that of the amphidial pore and by the short straight spicules.

Three new species of Desmoscolex, found in samples from Yonge Reef, Lizard Island, Nymphe Island and between One Tree Isles and Wistari Reef are described: D. australiens sp.n., characterized by the head-shape with naked semi-circular anterior part, by the jointed cephalic setae inserted close to the anterior extremity and by the shape of the gubernaculum with less sclerotized proximal part; D. membranosas sp.n. close to D. granulatus Decraemer, 1974, but differing from it by the presence of a partly disconnected circumoral membrane and by the oval amphids not reaching the extreme anterior end; D. yongei sp.n. resembling D. americanus Chitwood, 1936, but differing from it by the longer and more slender spicules, by the presence of fine spines on the secondary rings, by the head-shape without a truncated anterior end and by the almost circular amphids.

The hypothesis of higher-level relationships among extinct and extant hymenopterans presented by Rasnitsyn in 1988 is widely cited but the evidence has never been presented in the form of a character matrix or analysed cladistically. We review Rasnitsyn’s morphological work and derive a character matrix for fossil and recent hymenopterans from it. Parsimony analyses of this matrix under equal weights and implied weights show that there is little support for Rasnitsyn’s biphyletic hypothesis, postulating a sister-group relationship between tenthredinoids and macroxyelines. Instead, the data favour the conventional view that Hymenoptera excluding the Xyelidae are monophyletic. Higher-level symphytan relationships are well resolved and, except for the basal branchings, largely agree with the tree presented by Rasnitsyn. There is little convincing support for any major divisions of the Apocrita but the Microhymenoptera and the Ichneumonoidea + Aculeata appear as monophyletic groups in some analyses and require only a few extra steps in the others. The Evaniomorpha appear as a paraphyletic grade of basal apocritan lineages and enforcing monophyly of this grouping requires a considerable increase in tree length. The Ceraphronoidea are placed in the Proctotrupomorpha, close to Chalcidoidea and Platygastroidea. This signal is not entirely due to loss characters that may have evolved independently in these taxa in response to a general reduction in size. The analyses suggest that the Proctotrupomorpha may be monophyletic if the ceraphronoids are included. The Chrysidoidea are resolved in good agreement with relationships proposed by Brothers and Carpenter in 1993 but in conflict with the tree presented by Rasnitsyn. Rasnitsyn’s data are largely uninformative about relationships among the Aculeata sensu stricto. The results are compared with those of other recent analyses of higher-level hymenopteran relationships.

Evidence for the hypothesis that Platygastroidea and (Chalcidoidea + Mymarommatoidea) are sister groups is reviewed and an alternate hypothesis of relationships is proposed for Platygastroidea. Platygastroidea is postulated to form a monophyletic group with Pelecinidae, Proctotrupoidea and Vanhorniidae based on common possession of an annular pronotum and a mesopleural-mesotrochanteral muscle. Hypotheses of character-state transformation are illustrated diagrammatically to explain distribution of the mesotrochanteral depressor muscle and relative structure of the pronotum, mesothoracic spiracle, prepectus, and pronotal-mesepisternal attachment throughout the nonaculeate Apocrita. The states of 16 characters are defined in one table and another table summarises the distribution of the states in Orussidae and Apocrita. Retention of an independent prepectus and a mesotergal-mesotrochanteral depressor muscle indicates that Chalcidoidea + Mymarommatoidea are a relatively early clade of Apocrita but does not indicate exact relationships. Chalcidoidea + Mymarommatoidea are indicated as possibly being more closely related to Diapriidae or Ceraphronoidea based on other characters. It is postulated that structure of the mesocoxal articulation of taxa assigned to the Evaniomorpha may represent a retained symplesiomorphy rather than a synapomorphy. Mesocoxal articulatory structure is illustrated by scanning electron photomicrographs.

Ronquist et al. (1999) recoded Rasnitsyn’s (1988) analysis to effect an explicit numerical cladistic analysis of his data. Here we examine their analysis and reveal that much of the resolution obtained for apocritan relationships is dependant on reductional wing characters. The wing characters in their matrix are replaced with a revised set of wing characters and reanalysed using strict parsimony. For apocritan taxa the resulting strict consensus tree is considerably less resolved, but perhaps preferable as a more conservative starting point in the continuing investigation of higher level hymenopteran relationships.

Goswami, A. & Upchurch, P. (2010). The dating game: a reply to Heads (2010). —Zoologica Scripta, 39, 406–409.In a recent paper, Heads (2010) argued for the use of continental break-up dates as calibration points for molecular clocks when the taxon of interest is widely distributed but dispersal across open oceans is considered improbable. Using this method, he estimated that the placental mammal clade Primates originated in the Early Jurassic, requiring a 130 million year ghost lineage before the first euprimate fossils appear in the record. We demonstrate that this argument is flawed for several reasons: 1) Heads's description of the “transmogrification” of fossil calibration dates is inaccurate; 2) the dispersal abilities of primates are not known or estimated in any way; 3) transoceanic barriers can form over long periods, and modern ocean current regimes do not necessarily, or often, reflect past conditions; 4) continental breakup times are more poorly constrained than fossil occurrences; and 5) Heads's descriptions of the mammalian fossil record, the affinities of several fossil mammals, and evolutionary rates are erroneous. While we agree that palaeogeography is a valuable subject for evolutionary studies, the methodology described by Heads is problematic and unlikely to improve the accuracy of divergence time estimates. Consequently, Heads' conclusions concerning primate evolution are unsubstantiated and probably incorrect.

From the time of Linnaeus forward, it has been appreciated that collections, not least marine biological collections, are fundamental to the understanding of the biodiversity of life on earth, especially when they contain type specimens which define individual species. Historical collections are particularly rich in types and also represent a model of the biodiversity of marine life at the time of the collection, often centuries ago. The taxonomic and systematic importance of collections is well appreciated, as is the significance of time series of data in this period of anthropogenic environmental change. The application of new techniques increases the value of collected material even further, for example, molecular biology techniques allowing the recognition of new (often cryptic) taxa and their distributions, and stable isotope analyses releasing information on past and present ontogenies, geographical distributions and diets. Moreover the new era of information technology with associated digitization enables the release of the information stored in the collections to the scientists of the world.

An attempt has been made to reconcile a hitherto unknown, nonocular, orbital muscle in the embryology of the North American actinopterygian fish, Amia calva L. with the basic morphological theme which pervades the cephalic division of craniate animals. It is concluded, among other things, that this somatic muscle innervated by the oculomotor nerve represents the basicranial muscle of the second, or premandibular, metamere and that it is homologous with the eye stalk in elasmobranchs as well as with the basiorbital in embryonic lampreys. Un essai est tenté pour expliquer la présence d'un muscle orbitaire non-oculaire jusqu'alors inconnu. dans l'embryologie du poisson Actinoptérygien nord-américain Amia calva L., à la lumière du thème morphologique fondamental qui régit la division céphalique des animaux Craniotes. II en est conclus, entre autre, que ce muscle somatiqué innerve par le nerf oculomoteur commun représente la muscle basicranien du second métamère, ou métamère prémandibulaire, et qu'il est l'homologue du pédoncule oculaire des Elasmobranches ainsi que du basiorbitaire de l'embryon des Lamproies.

Phylogenetic relationships in Scolytinae were reconstructed from 107 DNA sequences that spanned the D2 and D3 expansion segments, and related core regions of the nuclear large ribosomal subunit (28S). Sequences were analysed by parsimony and Bayesian analyses of aligned sequences aided by a new secondary structure model for the D2–D3 domains. Direct optimization was performed on ambiguous alignment regions in combination with fixed states optimization of unambiguous regions, but performed poorly compared to the Bayesian and parsimony analyses. Generally, the phylogenetic signal mainly resolved relationships within tribes, while deeper divergences were either not resolved or received marginal support. In addition to confirming several previously established clades, we found that Micracini formed the sister group to Cactopinus, a group of mainly cactus feeding scolytine beetles. Furthermore, Ipini was monophyletic with Pseudips and Acanthotomicus subtending to the most basal node of that clade. The monophyly of Corthylini, which consists of the bark and cone feeding Pityophtorina and the ambrosia fungus-feeding Corthylina, was supported in some of the analyses. A close relationship was found between Phloeotribus and the two Phloeosinini genera Chramesus and Pseudochramesus, suggesting an evolutionary trajectory for the origin of a lamellate antennal club in Phloeotribus.

A molecular phylogeny of the Scleractinia is reconstructed from approximately 700 nucleotides of the 5′end of the 28S rDNA obtained from 40 species. A comparison of molecular phylogenic trees with biomineralization patterns of coral septa suggests that at least five clades are corroborated by both types of data. Agaricidae and Dendrophylliidae are found to be monophyletic, that is supported by microstructural data. Conversely, Faviidae and Caryophylliidae are found to be paraphyletic: Cladocora should be excluded from the faviids, whereas Eusmilia should be excluded from the caryophylliids. The conclusion is also supported by the positions, sizes and shapes of centres of calcification. The traditional Guyniidae are diphyletic, corroborating Stolarski's hypothesis ‘A’. Some results from our most parsimonious trees are not strongly statistically supported but corroborated by other molecular studies and microstructural observations. For example, in the scleractinian phylogenetic tree, there are several lines of evidence (including those from our data) to distinguish a Faviidae–Mussidae lineage and a Dendrophylliidae–Agaricidae–Poritidae–Siderastreidae lineage. From a methodological standpoint, our results suggest that co-ordinated studies creating links between biomineralization patterns and molecular phylogeny may provide an efficient working approach for a re-examination of scleractinian classification. This goal is important because in the evolutionary scheme proposed by Wells that presently remains the basic framework in coral studies, patterns of septal microstructures are involved. Validating from molecular phylogenies a given microstructural character state as a potential synapomorphy for a clade is the only way to include fossils in the coral classification, an approach that should allow the unity of coral classification to be maintained up to the origin of the phylum in the Triassic times.

The present analyses employ the almost complete sequence of the 28S rRNA gene to investigate phylogenetic relationships among Pancrustacea, placing special emphasis on the position of basal hexapod lineages. This study utilizes a greater number of characters and taxa of Protura, Collembola and Diplura than previous analyses to focus on conflicts in the reconstruction of the early steps in hexapod evolution. Phylogenetic trees are mainly based on Bayesian approaches, but likewise include analyses with Maximum Likelihood and Maximum Parsimony. Different analyses, including the application of a mixed DNA/RNA substitution model, were performed to narrow possible misleading effects of non-stationarity of nucleotide frequencies, saturation and character independence down to a minimum. This is the first time that a mixed DNA/RNA model is applied to analyse 28S rRNA sequences of basal hexapods. All methods yielded strong support for the monophyly of Collembola, Diplura, Dicondylia and Insecta s.str., as well as for a cluster composed of Diplura and Protura (‘Nonoculata-hypothesis’). However, the last cluster may be an artifact caused by a shared GC bias of the 28S sequences between these orders, in combination with a long branch effect. The instability of the position of the ‘Nonoculata’ within Pancrustacea further bears out the misleading effect of non-stationarity of nucleotide frequencies. Protura and Diplura either form the sister-group to Collembola (Entognatha) or cluster with branchiopod crustaceans. Overall, the phylogenetic signal of the complete sequences of the 28S rRNA gene favours monophyly of Hexapoda over paraphyly. However, further corroboration from independent data is needed to rule out the competing hypothesis of mutually paraphyletic Crustacea and Hexapoda.