Article

Molecular Phylogenetic Analysis of the Main Lineages of Nymphalinae (Nymphalidae: Lepidoptera) Based on the Partial Mitochondrial COI Gene

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Abstract

The phylogenetic relationships of the subfamily Nymphalinae (sensu Chou 1994) were analyzed based on 1 488 bp of mtDNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene sequence data obtained from 24 individuals, along with those of eight species obtained from GenBank. The base compositions of this COI fragment varied among the individuals as follows: T 39.9%, C 14.6%, A 32.2%, and G 13.4%, with a strong AT bias (72.1%), as usually found in insect mitochondrial genomes. The A + T contents of the third, second, and first codon positions of the COI fragments in this study was 92.4, 62.2, and 61.4%, respectively. The phylogenetic trees were reconstructed by neighbor-joining (NJ), maximum likelihood (ML), and Bayesian methods by using Byblia anvatara as outgroup. Phylogenetic analyses based on the COI gene sequence data created very similar topologies, which were producing trees with two main clades A and B, and five subclades. The data indicated that the tribes Nymphalini and Hypolimni (sensu Chou 1994) are not monophyletic groups, and the genus Junonia should be removed from Nymphalini to Hypolimni (= Junoniini). On the basis of the data, the Symbrenthia and Araschnia had a relative distant relationship with the rest of Nymphalini. The relationships of species in the Nymphalini were confirmed via the NJ, ML, and Bayesian methods, namely ((((Nymphalis + Kaniska) + Polygonia) + Aglais) + Vanessa) + (Symbrenthia + Araschnia). This investigation provides a little novel information for Chinese researches of butterflies.

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... For the sake of brevity, we will only present the maximum likelihood analysis (HKY model, 10 replicate heuristic searches with random number seeds, tree bisection, and reconnection branch swapping algorithm) [69]. Other previously published Junonia COI sequences were included in this phylogenetic analysis [23,24,51,57,[70][71][72][73][74]. We also conducted a maximum likelihood bootstrap analysis of this dataset (500 fast addition replicates, collapsing all notes with frequency less than 50%). ...
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Part of the mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase I gene was sequenced for seven species of Gonepteryx (Pieridac) butterflies. Four of the species are island endemics inhabiting the Canary Island archipelago and Madeira. The remaining three are European and African conspecifics. Sequence data were analysed phylogenetically by maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood methods. The resulting trees were used to deduce Canarian species' ancestry, sequential inter-island colonization and systematics. They suggest African ancestry for the Canary Island taxa and a colonization pattern, within the archipelago, compatible with the geological ages of the islands and other Canarian fauna: a colonization sequence from Africa to Tenerife and Gomera, followed by Tenerife to La Palma. The molecular phylogeny indicated that there are three Canarian endemics, G. cleobule, G. palmae and G. eversi from Tenerife, La Palma and Gomera, respectively.
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We report a cladistic analysis of 77 butterfly species of the tribe Melitaeini (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) based on mitochondrial DNA gene sequences. We sequenced ca. 536 bp from the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) and a 1422-bp sequence from the cytochrome oxidase I gene. Alignments are critical to statements of homology, especially when aligning rDNA sequences. We aligned the 16S sequences using conventional methods and direct optimization. We found that direct optimization of the sequences produced the best alignments and our preferred phylogenetic hypothesis. Our results suggest that many of the previously proposed genera are paraphyletic and we conclude that there are four monophyletic groups of species in our cladogram: the Euphydryas group, the Phyciodes group, the Chlosyne group, and the Melitaea group. The following genera are found to be paraphyletic: Castilia, Chlosyne, Didymaeformia, Eresia, Melitaea, and Thessalia. In addition, recognition of the monophyletic genera Cinclidia, Mellicta, and Telenassa would render other genera paraphyletic. Our phylogenetic hypothesis indicates that the melitaeines originated in the Nearctic and have colonized the Neotropics three times and the Palaearctic twice.
Article
We infer for the first time the phylogenetic relationships of genera and tribes in the ecologically and evolutionarily well-studied subfamily Nymphalinae using DNA sequence data from three genes: 1450 bp of cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) (in the mitochondrial genome), 1077 bp of elongation factor 1-alpha (EF1-) and 400–403 bp of wingless (both in the nuclear genome). We explore the influence of each gene region on the support given to each node of the most parsimonious tree derived from a combined analysis of all three genes using Partitioned Bremer Support. We also explore the influence of assuming equal weights for all characters in the combined analysis by investigating the stability of clades to different transition/transversion weighting schemes. We find many strongly supported and stable clades in the Nymphalinae. We are also able to identify ‘rogue’ taxa whose positions are weakly supported (the different gene regions are in conflict with each other) and unstable. Our main conclusions are: (1) the tribe Coeini as currently constituted is untenable, and Smyrna, Colobura and Tigridia are part of Nymphalini; (2) ‘Kallimini’ is paraphyletic with regard to Melitaeini and should be split into three tribes: Kallimini s.s., Junoniini and Victorinini; (3) Junoniini, Victorinini, Melitaeini and the newly circumscribed Nymphalini are strongly supported monophyletic groups, and (4) Precis and Junonia are not synonymous or even sister groups. The species Junonia coenia, a model system in developmental biology, clearly belongs in the genus Junonia. A dispersal-vicariance analysis suggests that dispersal has had a major effect on the distributions of extant species, and three biotic regions are identified as being centres of diversification of three major clades: the Palaearctic for the Nymphalis-group, the Afrotropics for Junoniini and the Nearctic for Melitaeini. © 2005 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2005, 86, 227–251.
Article
Despite the fact that Bicyclus anynana has become an important model species for wing-pattern developmental biology and studies of phenotypic plasticity, little is known of the evolutionary history of the genus Bicyclus and the position of B. anynana. Understanding the evolution of development as well as the evolution of plasticity can be attempted in this species-rich genus that displays a large range of wing patterns with variable degrees of phenotypic responses to the environment. A context to guide extrapolations from population genetic studies within B. anynana to those between closely related species has been long overdue. A phylogeny of 54 of the 80 known Bicyclus species is presented based on the combined 3000-bp sequences of two mitochondrial genes, cytochrome oxidase I and II, and the nuclear gene, elongation factor 1α. A series of tree topologies, constructed either from the individual genes or from the combined data, using heuristic searches under a variety of weighting schemes were compared under the best maximum-likelihood models fitted for each gene separately. The most likely tree topology to have generated the three data sets was found to be a tree resulting from a combined MP analysis with equal weights. Most phylogenetic signal for the analysis comes from silent substitutions at the third position, and despite the faster rate of evolution and higher levels of homoplasy of the mitochondrial genes relative to the nuclear gene, the latter does not show substantially stronger support for basal clades. Finally, moving branches from the chosen tree topology to other positions on the tree so as to comply better with a previous morphological study did not significantly affect tree length.
Article
The striking impression obtained from reviewing the cancer literature is how difficult it is to analyze the data for answers to many important biologic, behavioral, prognostic, and therapeutic questions about squamous cell carcinoma of the skin. This article addresses current concepts, controversies, and management of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (excluding the lip and oral mucosa).
Article
We reviewed all studies since 1940 on the prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the skin and lip. The following variables are correlated with local recurrence and metastatic rates: (1) treatment modality, (2) prior treatment, (3) location, (4) size, (5) depth, (6) histologic differentiation, (7) histologic evidence of perineural involvement, (8) precipitating factors other than ultraviolet light, and (9) host immunosuppression. Local recurrences occur less frequently when SCC is treated by Mohs micrographic surgery. This local recurrence rate differential in favor of Mohs micrographic surgery holds true for primary SCC of the skin and lip (3.1% vs 10.9%), for ear SCC (5.3% vs 18.7%), for locally recurrent (previously treated) SCC (10% vs 23.3%), for SCC with perineural involvement (0% vs 47%), for SCC of size greater than 2 cm (25.2% vs 41.7%), and for SCC that is poorly differentiated (32.6% vs 53.6%).
Article
A metachronous skeletal muscle secondary from a primary squamous cell carcinoma on the back of the hand manifested as an area of cellulitis of the forearm. Such clinical behaviour does not appear to have been previously described.
Article
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) arising in actinically damaged skin, unassociated with chronic inflammation or injury, are generally regarded as nonaggressive lesions. These tumors occasionally recur or metastasize, however, as do de novo SCC. The authors reviewed 63 patients with cutaneous SCC of the trunk or extremities, excluding lesions that developed in known high risk settings, in order to explore the potential of histologic microstaging as a prognostic indicator. Fifty-four patients (86%) were free of recurrence following primary surgical therapy. Nine patients (14%) had either local recurrence or metastases; five of these (8% of the entire series) died of their tumors. Tumor behavior correlated best with the level of dermal invasion and the vertical tumor thickness. All tumors that recurred were 4 mm or more thick and involved the deep half of the dermis or deeper structures. All tumors that proved fatal were at least 10 mm in maximum thickness, and the four lethal lesions that could be evaluated for level of invasion extended into subcutaneous tissue or deeper structures. The thickness and level of invasion of cutaneous SCC appear to represent important prognostic factors and may be relevant indicators for wide field resection and/or elective lymph node dissection.
Article
In summary, MR imaging is the preferred modality for the evaluation of a soft tissue mass after plain films have been taken. The radiologic appearance of certain soft tissue tumors or tumorlike processes such as myositis ossificans, benign fatty tumors, intramuscular hemangiomas, pigmented villonodular synovitis, and certain hematomas may be sufficiently unique to allow a strong presumptive radiologic diagnosis. It must be emphasized that MR cannot reliably distinguish between benign and malignant lesions, and when radiologic evaluation is nonspecific, one is ill advised to suggest a lesion is benign or malignant solely on the basis of its MR appearance. CT may be useful in specific instances for the identification of subtle soft tissue mineralization in those patients in whom lesions are not adequately evaluated by radiographs. Ultrasonography may be useful in the assessing of recurrent disease as well as in establishing tumor vascularity.
Article
The acquisition of an invasive or metastatic phenotype in malignant neoplasms is often correlated with reduced cellular adhesiveness. We investigated the expression of the adhesion-associated cytoplasmic protein, vinculin, in normal and neoplastic human squamous epithelia, as well as in metastases of squamous cell carcinomas, and correlated the results with invasiveness and metastatic potential. Tissue samples from various tumors were examined, including basal cell carcinomas (BCC), keratoacanthomas, and squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). In addition, lymph node metastases from nine of the SCC were tested in this study. Our results indicate that most BCC, keratoacanthomas, and in situ SCC display strong positive staining for vinculin. The level of immunolabeling for vinculin and its pattern of distribution in the low malignant, nonmetastasizing lesions was similar to those observed in normal squamous epithelia. In contrast, in SCC, which are invasive and possess metastatic potential, as well as in their metastases, vinculin labeling was negative or poor, irrespective of their degree of differentiation. In conclusion, poor vinculin labeling in tumors of squamous epithelial origin examined here appears to be related to the metastatic potential of the tumor. Vinculin immunostaining of primary tumors originating in stratified squamous epithelia may thus be of value in helping to determine the metastatic potential of these neoplasms.
Article
We studied second primary cancer among 25,947 patients diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma of the skin (SCC) in Sweden between 1958 and 1992. In total, 5,706 patients developed a second primary cancer at any site, compared with an expected number of 2,651 [standardized incidence ratio (SIR) = 2.15; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.10-2.21]. Men below 60 years of age at diagnosis of SCC had higher SIR (2.5; CI = 2.2-2.8) with the highest risk during the first year of follow-up (SIR = 9.2; CI = 6.9-12.2). If second primary SCC was excluded, the SIR was reduced to 1.30 (CI = 1.25-1.34); the relationships by sex, age and time since diagnosis remained similar. For skin cancer, the SIR for second SCC was markedly elevated (SIR = 15.6) and the risk of malignant melanoma was elevated 3-fold. Significantly increased risks were found for most second cancers in squamous cell epithelium: lip (SIR = 5.2), respiratory organs (SIR = 1.7), esophagus (SIR = 1.5), cervix uteri (SIR = 2.2), and vulva including vagina (SIR = 2.3). There was a generally increased risk of almost 2-fold for second cancer in hematopoietic or lymphoproliferative tissues. Slightly increased rates (SIR = 1.0-1.5) were seen for second tumors in digestive tissues. Finally, a high SIR (SIR = 5.5) was observed for second primary cancer in salivary glands. In conclusion, patients with SCC are at increased risk to develop new primary cancer, especially in skin, squamous cell epithelial and tobacco-related tissues. Common risk factors among the tumor types might explain our findings, however, an intrinsic susceptibility among SCC patients to develop cancer is also possible.
Article
Metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the soft tissue is extremely rare. We report two patients with soft tissue metastasis from squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix in one and scalp in another. Case 1: A 63-year-old black woman with a history of cervical cancer presented with a painful mass over the right scapula. An incisional biopsy revealed squamous cell carcinoma. She underwent radiation treatment followed by wide local excision with en bloc resection and a myocutaneous flap closure. Case 2: A 46-year-old white man with a history of squamous cell carcinoma of the scalp and two kidney transplantations requiring long-term immunosuppression presented with a 2-month history of a left proximal arm mass. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed that the mass was within the triceps muscle and fixed to the humerus. Biopsy revealed squamous cell carcinoma. He underwent a shoulder disarticulation for tumor invasion into the adjacent humerus and neurovascular bundles. The patients remain disease-free at 12 and 8 months, respectively. To our knowledge there are no reports of soft tissue squamous cell carcinoma metastatic from the cervix and only rare cases from the lung, head, and neck. The optimal mode of treatment and prognosis is undefined in these patients because of its rare incidence. Surgery and radiation with curative intent were used.
Article
Phylogenetic relationships among Cotesia Cameron (Braconidae) species parasitising Melitaeini butterflies were examined using DNA sequence data (mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I and NADH1 dehydrogenase genes, nuclear ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer region) as well as 12 microsatellite loci. Molecular data were available from ostensibly six species of Cotesia from 16 host butterfly species in Europe, Asia, and North America. Analysis of the combined sequence data using both maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood revealed two distinct Cotesia clades. In one clade (C. acuminata (Reinhard); C. bignellii (Marshall)) host ranges are apparently narrow and, although Euphydryas (s. lato) is well-utilised, permeation of Melitaea (s. lato) has been slight. In the other clade (C. melitaearum (Wilkinson); C. lycophron (Nixon); C. cynthiae (Nixon)) host utilization across the Melitaeini as a whole is more extensive and the data are consistent with more recent, or active, speciation processes. Neighbour-joining trees calculated separately for the two main clades based on chord distance (DCE) of microsatellite allele frequencies were consistent with phylogenetic trees obtained from the sequence data. Our analysis strongly suggests the presence of several additional, previously unrecognised, Cotesia species parasitising this group of butterflies.
Article
The Euptychiina is one of the more diverse lineages of satyrine butterflies, represented by over 300 species. The first phylogenetic analyses of the subtribe is presented based on 2506 aligned nucleotide sequences obtained from 69 individuals spanning 28 ingroup genera and nine outgroup genera. Two genes were used, the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase 1 (1268 bp) and the nuclear gene elongation factor-1alpha (1238 bp). The subtribe is never recovered as monophyletic in analyses using parsimony, maximum likelihood, or Bayesian inference. Several euptychiine genera are placed basal to the ingroup, but support is found only for Euptychia and Oressinoma. Three main lineages within the ingroup were clearly defined and many taxonomic groupings within the clades strongly supported. The majority of genera tested were paraphyletic or polyphyletic. Based on results presented here and novel host use, a close relationship of Euptychia to the Indo-Australian tribe Ragadiini is hypothesized. Origins of the group remain unclear, but the basal position of most of the Nearctic genera is discussed.
Article
The history of the development of statistical hypothesis testing in time series analysis is reviewed briefly and it is pointed out that the hypothesis testing procedure is not adequately defined as the procedure for statistical model identification. The classical maximum likelihood estimation procedure is reviewed and a new estimate minimum information theoretical criterion (AIC) estimate (MAICE) which is designed for the purpose of statistical identification is introduced. When there are several competing models the MAICE is defined by the model and the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters which give the minimum of AIC defined by AIC = (-2)log-(maximum likelihood) + 2(number of independently adjusted parameters within the model). MAICE provides a versatile procedure for statistical model identification which is free from the ambiguities inherent in the application of conventional hypothesis testing procedure. The practical utility of MAICE in time series analysis is demonstrated with some numerical examples.