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Sherlock MB, Streicher JW, Gower DJ, Maddock ST, Nussbaum RA, Oommen OV, Serra Silva A, Day JJ, Wilkinson M. Genomic SNPs resolve the phylogeny of an ancient amphibian island radiation from the Seychelles. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2024; 198:108130. [PMID: 38889862 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Unusually for oceanic islands, the granitic Seychelles host multiple lineages of endemic amphibians. This includes an ancient (likely ca. 60 million years) radiation of eight caecilian species, most of which occur on multiple islands.These caecilians have a complicated taxonomic history and their phylogenetic inter-species relationships have been difficult to resolve. Double-digest RAD sequencing (ddRADseq) has been applied extensively to phylogeography and increasingly to phylogenetics but its utility for resolving ancient divergences is less well established. To address this, we applied ddRADseq to generate a genome-wide SNP panel for phylogenomic analyses of the Seychelles caecilians, whose phylogeny has so far not been satisfactorily resolved with traditional DNA markers. Based on 129,154 SNPs, we resolved deep and shallow splits, with strong support. Our findings demonstrate the capability of genome-wide SNPs for evolutionary inference at multiple taxonomic levels and support the recently proposed synonymy of Grandisonia Taylor, 1968 with Hypogeophis Peters, 1879. We revealed three clades of Hypogeophis (large-, medium- and short-bodied) and identify a single origin of the diminutive, stocky-bodied and pointy-snouted phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda B Sherlock
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
| | | | - David J Gower
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Island Biodiversity and Conservation Centre, University of Seychelles, Mahé, Seychelles
| | - Simon T Maddock
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Island Biodiversity and Conservation Centre, University of Seychelles, Mahé, Seychelles; School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Ronald A Nussbaum
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1079, USA
| | - Oommen V Oommen
- Department of Zoology, University of Kerala, Kariavattom 695 581, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Ana Serra Silva
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK; School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Queens Road, Bristol BS8 1RL, UK
| | - Julia J Day
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Mark Wilkinson
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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2
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Roberts JR, Bernstein JM, Austin CC, Hains T, Mata J, Kieras M, Pirro S, Ruane S. Whole snake genomes from eighteen families of snakes (Serpentes: Caenophidia) and their applications to systematics. J Hered 2024; 115:487-497. [PMID: 38722259 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esae026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/21/2024] Open
Abstract
We present genome assemblies for 18 snake species representing 18 families (Serpentes: Caenophidia): Acrochordus granulatus, Aparallactus werneri, Boaedon fuliginosus, Calamaria suluensis, Cerberus rynchops, Grayia smithii, Imantodes cenchoa, Mimophis mahfalensis, Oxyrhabdium leporinum, Pareas carinatus, Psammodynastes pulverulentus, Pseudoxenodon macrops, Pseudoxyrhopus heterurus, Sibynophis collaris, Stegonotus admiraltiensis, Toxicocalamus goodenoughensis, Trimeresurus albolabris, and Tropidonophis doriae. From these new genome assemblies, we extracted thousands of loci commonly used in systematic and phylogenomic studies on snakes, including target-capture datasets composed of ultraconserved elements (UCEs) and anchored hybrid enriched loci (AHEs), as well as traditional Sanger loci. Phylogenies inferred from the two target-capture loci datasets were identical with each other and strongly congruent with previously published snake phylogenies. To show the additional utility of these non-model genomes for investigative evolutionary research, we mined the genome assemblies of two New Guinea island endemics in our dataset (S. admiraltiensis and T. doriae) for the ATP1a3 gene, a thoroughly researched indicator of resistance to toad toxin ingestion by squamates. We find that both these snakes possess the genotype for toad toxin resistance despite their endemism to New Guinea, a region absent of any toads until the human-mediated introduction of Cane Toads in the 1930s. These species possess identical substitutions that suggest the same bufotoxin resistance as their Australian congenerics (Stegonotus australis and Tropidonophis mairii) which forage on invasive Cane Toads. Herein, we show the utility of short-read high-coverage genomes, as well as improving the deficit of available squamate genomes with associated voucher specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson R Roberts
- Division of Zoology, Sternberg Museum of Natural History, Fort Hays State University, Hays, KS 67601, United States
- Division of Herpetology, Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States
| | - Justin M Bernstein
- Center for Genomics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66045, United States
- Department of Biology, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76010, United States
| | - Christopher C Austin
- Division of Herpetology, Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, United States
| | - Taylor Hains
- Committee on Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, United States
- Life Sciences Section, Negaunee Integrative Research Center, The Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL 60637, United States
| | - Joshua Mata
- Amphibian and Reptile Collection, The Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL 60605, United States
| | - Michael Kieras
- Iridian Genomes, Inc., Bethesda, MD 20817, United States
| | - Stacy Pirro
- Iridian Genomes, Inc., Bethesda, MD 20817, United States
| | - Sara Ruane
- Life Sciences Section, Negaunee Integrative Research Center, The Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL 60637, United States
- Amphibian and Reptile Collection, The Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, IL 60605, United States
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3
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Ledesma DT, Scarpetta SG, Jacisin JJ, Meza A, Kemp ME. Identification of Late Pleistocene and Holocene fossil lizards from Hall's Cave (Kerr County, Texas) and a primer on morphological variation in North American lizard skulls. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0308714. [PMID: 39146299 PMCID: PMC11326655 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Fossil identification practices have a profound effect on our interpretation of the past because these identifications form the basis for downstream analyses. Therefore, well-supported fossil identifications are necessary for examining the impact of past environmental changes on populations and communities. Here we apply an apomorphic identification framework in a case study identifying fossil lizard remains from Hall's Cave, a late Quaternary fossil site located in Central Texas, USA. We present images and descriptions of a broad comparative sample of North American lizard cranial elements and compile new and previously reported apomorphic characters for identifying fossil lizards. Our fossil identifications from Hall's Cave resulted in a minimum of 11 lizard taxa, including five lizard taxa previously unknown from the site. Most of the identified fossil lizard taxa inhabit the area around Hall's Cave today, but we reinforce the presence of an extirpated species complex of horned lizard. A main goal of this work is to establish a procedure for making well-supported fossil lizard identifications across North America. The data from this study will assist researchers endeavoring to identify fossil lizards, increasing the potential for novel discoveries related to North American lizards and facilitating more holistic views of ancient faunal assemblages.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T Ledesma
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Simon G Scarpetta
- Department of Integrative Biology, Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - John J Jacisin
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Antonio Meza
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas, United States of America
| | - Melissa E Kemp
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas, Austin, Texas, United States of America
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4
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Brennan IG, Chapple DG, Keogh JS, Donnellan S. Evolutionary bursts drive morphological novelty in the world's largest skinks. Curr Biol 2024:S0960-9822(24)00943-6. [PMID: 39137786 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.07.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Animal phenotypes evolve and diverge as a result of differing selective pressures and drift. These processes leave unique signatures in patterns of trait evolution, impacting the tempo and mode of morphological macroevolution. While there is a broad understanding of the history of some organismal traits (e.g., body size), there is little consensus about the evolutionary mode of most others. This includes the relative contribution of prolonged (Darwinian gradualist) and episodic (Simpsonian jump) changes toward the evolution of novel morphologies. Here, we use new exon-capture and linear morphological datasets to investigate the tempo and mode of morphological evolution in Australo-Melanesian Tiliquini skinks. We generate a well-supported time-calibrated phylogenomic tree from ∼400 nuclear markers for more than 100 specimens, including undescribed diversity, and provide unprecedented resolution of the rapid Miocene diversification of these lizards. By collecting a morphological dataset that encompasses the lizard body plan (19 traits across the head, body, limb, and tail), we are able to identify that most traits evolve conservatively, but infrequent evolutionary bursts result in morphological novelty. These phenotypic discontinuities occur via rapid rate increases along individual branches, inconsistent with both gradualistic and punctuated equilibrial evolutionary modes. Instead, this "punctuated gradualism" has resulted in the rapid evolution of blue-tongued giants and armored dwarves in the ∼20 million years since colonizing Australia. These results outline the evolutionary pathway toward new morphologies and highlight the heterogeneity of evolutionary tempo and mode, even within individual traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian G Brennan
- Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK; Australian National University, Division of Ecology & Evolution, Linnaeus Way, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia.
| | - David G Chapple
- Monash University, School of Biological Sciences, Wellington Road, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - J Scott Keogh
- Australian National University, Division of Ecology & Evolution, Linnaeus Way, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Stephen Donnellan
- The University of Adelaide, School of Biological Sciences, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia; Australian Museum, Australian Museum Research Institute, William Street, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
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5
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Gable SM, Bushroe NA, Mendez JM, Wilson A, Pinto BJ, Gamble T, Tollis M. Differential Conservation and Loss of Chicken Repeat 1 (CR1) Retrotransposons in Squamates Reveal Lineage-Specific Genome Dynamics Across Reptiles. Genome Biol Evol 2024; 16:evae157. [PMID: 39031594 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evae157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 07/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are repetitive DNA sequences which create mutations and generate genetic diversity across the tree of life. In amniote vertebrates, TEs have been mainly studied in mammals and birds, whose genomes generally display low TE diversity. Squamates (Order Squamata; including ∼11,000 extant species of lizards and snakes) show as much variation in TE abundance and activity as they do in species and phenotypes. Despite this high TE activity, squamate genomes are remarkably uniform in size. We hypothesize that novel, lineage-specific genome dynamics have evolved over the course of squamate evolution. To understand the interplay between TEs and host genomes, we analyzed the evolutionary history of the chicken repeat 1 (CR1) retrotransposon, a TE family found in most tetrapod genomes which is the dominant TE in most reptiles. We compared 113 squamate genomes to the genomes of turtles, crocodilians, and birds and used ancestral state reconstruction to identify shifts in the rate of CR1 copy number evolution across reptiles. We analyzed the repeat landscapes of CR1 in squamate genomes and determined that shifts in the rate of CR1 copy number evolution are associated with lineage-specific variation in CR1 activity. We then used phylogenetic reconstruction of CR1 subfamilies across amniotes to reveal both recent and ancient CR1 subclades across the squamate tree of life. The patterns of CR1 evolution in squamates contrast other amniotes, suggesting key differences in how TEs interact with different host genomes and at different points across evolutionary history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone M Gable
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Nicholas A Bushroe
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Jasmine M Mendez
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Adam Wilson
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Brendan J Pinto
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- Department of Zoology, Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Tony Gamble
- Department of Zoology, Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Marc Tollis
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
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Zhan L, Chen Y, He J, Guo Z, Wu L, Storey KB, Zhang J, Yu D. The Phylogenetic Relationships of Major Lizard Families Using Mitochondrial Genomes and Selection Pressure Analyses in Anguimorpha. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8464. [PMID: 39126033 PMCID: PMC11312734 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25158464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Anguimorpha, within the order Squamata, represents a group with distinct morphological and behavioral characteristics in different ecological niches among lizards. Within Anguimorpha, there is a group characterized by limb loss, occupying lower ecological niches, concentrated within the subfamily Anguinae. Lizards with limbs and those without exhibit distinct locomotor abilities when adapting to their habitats, which in turn necessitate varying degrees of energy expenditure. Mitochondria, known as the metabolic powerhouses of cells, play a crucial role in providing approximately 95% of an organism's energy. Functionally, mitogenomes (mitochondrial genomes) can serve as a valuable tool for investigating potential adaptive evolutionary selection behind limb loss in reptiles. Due to the variation of mitogenome structures among each species, as well as its simple genetic structure, maternal inheritance, and high evolutionary rate, the mitogenome is increasingly utilized to reconstruct phylogenetic relationships of squamate animals. In this study, we sequenced the mitogenomes of two species within Anguimorpha as well as the mitogenomes of two species in Gekkota and four species in Scincoidea. We compared these data with the mitogenome content and evolutionary history of related species. Within Anguimorpha, between the mitogenomes of limbless and limbed lizards, a branch-site model analysis supported the presence of 10 positively selected sites: Cytb protein (at sites 183 and 187), ND2 protein (at sites 90, 155, and 198), ND3 protein (at site 21), ND5 protein (at sites 12 and 267), and ND6 protein (at sites 72 and 119). These findings suggested that positive selection of mitogenome in limbless lizards may be associated with the energy requirements for their locomotion. Additionally, we acquired data from 205 mitogenomes from the NCBI database. Bayesian inference (BI) and Maximum Likelihood (ML) trees were constructed using the 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes (PCGs) and two rRNAs (12S rRNA and 16S rRNA) from 213 mitogenomes. Our phylogenetic tree and the divergence time estimates for Squamata based on mitogenome data are consistent with results from previous studies. Gekkota was placed at the root of Squamata in both BI and ML trees. However, within the Toxicofera clade, due to long-branch attraction, Anguimorpha and (Pleurodonta + (Serpentes + Acrodonta)) were closely related groupings, which might indicate errors and also demonstrate that mitogenome-based phylogenetic trees may not effectively resolve long-branch attraction issues. Additionally, we reviewed the origin and diversification of Squamata throughout the Mesozoic era, suggesting that Squamata originated in the Late Triassic (206.05 Mya), with the diversification of various superfamilies occurring during the Cretaceous period. Future improvements in constructing squamate phylogenetic relationships using mitogenomes will rely on identifying snake and acrodont species with slower evolutionary rates, ensuring comprehensive taxonomic coverage of squamate diversity, and increasing the number of genes analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lemei Zhan
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Yuxin Chen
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Jingyi He
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Zhiqiang Guo
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Lian Wu
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Kenneth B. Storey
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S5B6, Canada
| | - Jiayong Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
- Key Laboratory of Wildlife Biotechnology, Conservation and Utilization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
| | - Danna Yu
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
- Key Laboratory of Wildlife Biotechnology, Conservation and Utilization of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua 321004, China
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7
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Fenker J, Melville J, Moritz C. Dragons in the tropics - Phylogeography and speciation in Diporiphora lizards and common geographic breaks in co-distributed taxa. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2024; 197:108090. [PMID: 38723791 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2024.108090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Co-distributed taxa can respond both similarly or differently to the same climatic and geological events, resulting in a range of phylogeographic patterns across the region. Using a nested approach on a taxonomically diverse yet morphologically conservative group of agamid lizards, we first aimed to evaluate more precisely the extent of phylogeographic structuring within the genus. Then, focusing on four lineages within the more widespread species, we assessed the impact of biogeographic barriers on phylogeographic structuring and demographic history of species, comparing to patterns previously observed in co-distributed taxa. These species occur in the Australian Monsoonal Tropics, a vast tropical savanna system with high richness and endemism associated with environmental heterogeneity and past climate fluctuations. The employment of genomic data helped to determine the relationships between specific taxa that were previously difficult to place. We found a local influence of biogeographic and climatic breaks on population dynamics, analogous to other species. We detected high levels of population structure in the West Kimberley and Arnhem Plateau, which are already known for high endemism. However, we also highlighted unique lineages in areas that have been overlooked until recently, in the South Kimberley and West Top End. Climatic and geographical features in the Arnhem Plateau act as a soft barrier between populations in the east and west regions of the Top End. These observations reflect patterns observed for other vertebrates across this rich biome, indicating how climatic variation, species' ecology, and landscape features interact to shape regional diversity and endemism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Fenker
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Acton 2601, Canberra, ACT, Australia; Department of Sciences, Museums Victoria, Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson StreetCarlton 3053, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
| | - Jane Melville
- Department of Sciences, Museums Victoria, Melbourne Museum, 11 Nicholson StreetCarlton 3053, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Craig Moritz
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, Acton 2601, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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8
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Weinell JL, Burbrink FT, Das S, Brown RM. Novel phylogenomic inference and 'Out of Asia' biogeography of cobras, coral snakes and their allies. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:240064. [PMID: 39113776 PMCID: PMC11303032 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.240064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 05/27/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024]
Abstract
Estimation of evolutionary relationships among lineages that rapidly diversified can be challenging, and, in such instances, inaccurate or unresolved phylogenetic estimates can lead to erroneous conclusions regarding historical geographical ranges of lineages. One example underscoring this issue has been the historical challenge posed by untangling the biogeographic origin of elapoid snakes, which includes numerous dangerously venomous species as well as species not known to be dangerous to humans. The worldwide distribution of this lineage makes it an ideal group for testing hypotheses related to historical faunal exchanges among the many continents and other landmasses occupied by contemporary elapoid species. We developed a novel suite of genomic resources, included worldwide sampling, and inferred a robust estimate of evolutionary relationships, which we leveraged to quantitatively estimate geographical range evolution through the deep-time history of this remarkable radiation. Our phylogenetic and biogeographical estimates of historical ranges definitively reject a lingering former 'Out of Africa' hypothesis and support an 'Out of Asia' scenario involving multiple faunal exchanges between Asia, Africa, Australasia, the Americas and Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey L. Weinell
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd, Lawrence, KS66045, USA
- Department of Herpetology, American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West, New York, NY10024, USA
| | - Frank T. Burbrink
- Department of Herpetology, American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West, New York, NY10024, USA
| | - Sunandan Das
- Ecological Genetics Research Unit, Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki00014, Finland
| | - Rafe M. Brown
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, 1345 Jayhawk Blvd, Lawrence, KS66045, USA
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Loréal E, Georgalis GL, Čerňanský A. Pseudopus pannonicus (Squamata), the largest known anguid lizard-Redescription of the type material and new specimens from the Neogene and Quaternary of Hungary and Poland. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024. [PMID: 38982846 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/11/2024]
Abstract
Herein, we revise the material of the extinct taxon Pseudopus pannonicus from Central Europe, the largest known anguid lizard and iconic member of herpetofaunas from the Upper Cenozoic of Europe. The geographical position of Polgárdi 2, the type locality of P. pannonicus, as well as several other closely located important localities make Central Europe a valuable area of high interest for studies regarding European Cenozoic palaeoherpetological assemblages. We clarified the nature of the type material of Pseudopus pannonicus, showing that it consisted not only of the five specimens originally figured. Instead, the syntype series also includes a considerable number of specimens from Polgárdi 2 that were only described or figured 12 years after the original description of P. pannonicus. Detailed osteological descriptions are provided for specimens from the type series and Polish specimens, with the aid of high-resolution imaging (SEM and μCT scanning), and intraspecific variability is discussed. The articular surface with the lappet of the parietal overlapping the frontal is discussed as a character potentially relevant for the diagnosis of P. pannonicus. We updated the identification of several specimens of P. pannonicus and discussed the biogeographic implications of such revisions. In Poland, P. pannonicus is an abundant component of Neogene and early Quaternary herpetofaunas, known with certainty from the Middle Miocene of Przeworno (the oldest known occurrence of the species globally), the Early-Late Pliocene of Węże I, the Late Pliocene of Rębielice Królewskie I, the Late Pliocene of Węże II, and the Early Pleistocene of Kadzielnia (one of the youngest occurrences documented globally). An indeterminate anguine with Anguis affinities is newly reported from Rębielice Królewskie II. The taxonomic status of other large anguids from the Neogene of Europe is discussed and we conclude that most are junior synonyms of P. pannonicus. We also show that another purported synonym, that is, Ophisaurus intermedius from the Early Pleistocene of Romania, is instead a nomen nudum. We conducted phylogenetic analyses (18 taxa, 65 characters) to understand the relationship of P. pannonicus relative to other anguid representatives and anguid-related group (i.e., glyptosaurids). A single most parsimonious tree (length: 134 steps) was recovered. The clade Pseudopus is stable, comprising the two distinct sister subclades [Pseudopus laurillardi + Pseudopus ahnikoviensis] and [Pseudopus pannonicus + Pseudopus apodus]. These phylogenetic results are in accordance with previously published works.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erwan Loréal
- Department of Ecology, Laboratory of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Georgios L Georgalis
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Andrej Čerňanský
- Department of Ecology, Laboratory of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
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10
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Daza JD, Stanley EL, Heinicke MP, Leah C, Doucet DS, Fenner KL, Arias JS, Smith RDA, Peretti AM, Aung NN, Bauer AM. Compound osteoderms preserved in amber reveal the oldest known skink. Sci Rep 2024; 14:15662. [PMID: 38977836 PMCID: PMC11231356 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-66451-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Scincidae is one of the most species-rich and cosmopolitan clades of squamate reptiles. Abundant disarticulated fossil material has also been attributed to this group, however, no complete pre-Cenozoic crown-scincid specimens have been found. A specimen in Burmite (99 MYA) is the first fossil that can be unambiguously referred to this clade. Our analyses place it as nested within extant skinks, supported by the presence of compound osteoderms formed by articulated small ostedermites. The specimen has a combination of dorsal and ventral compound osteoderms and overlapping cycloid scales that is limited to skinks. We propose that this type of osteoderm evolved as a response to an increased overlap of scales, and to reduced stiffness of the dermal armour. Compound osteoderms could be a key innovation that facilitated diversification in this megadiverse family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan D Daza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, 77341, USA.
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
| | | | - Chuck Leah
- Houston Museum of Natural Sciences, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Daniel S Doucet
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, 77341, USA
| | - Kelsey L Fenner
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - J Salvador Arias
- Laboratorio de Genética Evolutiva, Instituto de Biología Subtropical, CONICET-Universidad Nacional de Misiones, and Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Químicas y Naturales, 3300, Posadas, Misiones, Argentina
| | - Ru D A Smith
- Jabatan Geologi, University Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Adolf M Peretti
- Peretti Museum Foundation, Baumschulweg, 13, 6045, Meggen, Switzerland
| | - Nyi Nyi Aung
- Peretti Museum Foundation, Baumschulweg, 13, 6045, Meggen, Switzerland
- Myanmar Geosciences Society, Department of Geology, University of Yangon, Yangon, 11041, Myanmar
| | - Aaron M Bauer
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, 19085, USA
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11
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Tavares-Bastos L, Cunha LD, França FGR, Diele-Viegas LM, Vieira GHC, Santos MG, Vaqueiro AC, Gower DJ, Colli GR, Báo SN. Comparative electron microscopy study of spermatozoa in snakes (Lepidosauria, Squamata). Micron 2024; 182:103637. [PMID: 38688142 DOI: 10.1016/j.micron.2024.103637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The ultrastructure of snake sperm has received substantial attention primarily because snakes exhibit considerable variability in reproductive characteristics between species, with a wide range of mating systems and reproductive behaviors. Variability of sperm morphology among snake species may be associated with the reproductive strategies of each taxon, such as competition or sperm storage. We provide a detailed description of the sperm ultrastructure of nine snake species (Anilius scytale, Tropidophis paucisquamis, Bothrops jararaca, Oxyrhopus guibei, Dipsas mikanii, Micrurus corallinus, Xenopholis scalaris, Acrochordus javanicus, and Cylindrophis ruffus) and compared this with sperm data from the literature for the following taxa: Liotyphlops beui, Amerotyphlops reticulatus, Trilepida koppesi, Anilios waitii, Anilios endoterus, Aspidites melanochephalus, Boa constrictor amarali, Corallus hortulana, Epicrates cenchria, Boa constrictor occidentalis, Eryx jayakari, Micrurus corallinus, Micrurus surinamensis, Micrurus frontalis, Micrurus altirostris, Oxyuranus microlepidotus, Bothrops alternatus, Bothrops diporus, Crotalus durissus, Agkistrodon contortrix, Vipera aspis, Boiga irregularis, Zamenis schrenckii, Zamenis scalaris, Stegonotus cuculatus, Nerodia sipedon, Liodytes pygaea, and Myrrophis chinensis. We found twelve polymorphic characters in the ultrastructure of sperm among the described snakes. Our work supports the importance of ultrastructural analysis of sperm morphology to understand snake reproduction, and provides sperm-derived morphological characters for phylogenetic analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Tavares-Bastos
- Setor de Histologia e Embriologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Alagoas, Maceió, AL 57072-970, Brazil.
| | - L D Cunha
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular e Bioagentes Patogênicos, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - F G R França
- Centro de Ciências Aplicadas e Educação, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Rio Tinto, PB 58297-000, Brazil.
| | - L M Diele-Viegas
- Laboratório de (Bio)Diversidade no Antropoceno (BioDivA), Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Salvador, Bahia 40170-115, Brazil.
| | - G H C Vieira
- Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Centro de Ciências Exatas e da Natureza, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
| | - M G Santos
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF 70919-900, Brazil.
| | - A C Vaqueiro
- Pós-graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF 70919-900, Brazil.
| | - D J Gower
- Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK.
| | - G R Colli
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF 70919-900, Brazil.
| | - S N Báo
- Departamento de Biologia Celular, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF 70919-900, Brazil.
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12
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Brownstein CD, Near TJ. Colonization of the ocean floor by jawless vertebrates across three mass extinctions. BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:79. [PMID: 38867201 PMCID: PMC11170801 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02253-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The deep (> 200 m) ocean floor is often considered to be a refugium of biodiversity; many benthic marine animals appear to share ancient common ancestry with nearshore and terrestrial relatives. Whether this pattern holds for vertebrates is obscured by a poor understanding of the evolutionary history of the oldest marine vertebrate clades. Hagfishes are jawless vertebrates that are either the living sister to all vertebrates or form a clade with lampreys, the only other surviving jawless fishes. RESULTS We use the hagfish fossil record and molecular data for all recognized genera to construct a novel hypothesis for hagfish relationships and diversification. We find that crown hagfishes persisted through three mass extinctions after appearing in the Permian ~ 275 Ma, making them one of the oldest living vertebrate lineages. In contrast to most other deep marine vertebrates, we consistently infer a deep origin of continental slope occupation by hagfishes that dates to the Paleozoic. Yet, we show that hagfishes have experienced marked body size diversification over the last hundred million years, contrasting with a view of this clade as morphologically stagnant. CONCLUSION Our results establish hagfishes as ancient members of demersal continental slope faunas and suggest a prolonged accumulation of deep sea jawless vertebrate biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase Doran Brownstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA.
| | - Thomas J Near
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
- Yale Peabody Museum, Yale University, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
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13
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Waller SJ, Butcher RG, Lim L, McInnes K, Holmes EC, Geoghegan JL. The radiation of New Zealand's skinks and geckos is associated with distinct viromes. BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:81. [PMID: 38872095 PMCID: PMC11170836 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02269-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND New Zealand is home to over 120 native endemic species of skinks and geckos that radiated over the last 20-40 million years, likely driven by the exploitation of diverse habitats formed during the Miocene. The recent radiation of animal hosts may facilitate cross-species virus transmission, likely reflecting their close genetic relationships and therefore relatively low barriers for viruses to emerge in new hosts. Conversely, as animal hosts adapt to new niches, even within specific geographic locations, so too could their viruses. Consequently, animals that have niche-specialised following radiations may be expected to harbour genetically distinct viruses. Through a metatranscriptomic analysis of eight of New Zealand's native skink and gecko species, as well as the only introduced lizard species, the rainbow skink (Lampropholis delicata), we aimed to reveal the diversity of viruses in these hosts and determine whether and how the radiation of skinks and geckos in New Zealand has impacted virus diversity and evolution. RESULTS We identified a total of 15 novel reptilian viruses spanning 11 different viral families, across seven of the nine species sampled. Notably, we detected no viral host-switching among the native animals analysed, even between those sampled from the same geographic location. This is compatible with the idea that host speciation has likely resulted in isolated, niche-constrained viral populations that have prevented cross-species transmission. Using a protein structural similarity-based approach, we further identified a highly divergent bunya-like virus that potentially formed a new family within the Bunyavirales. CONCLUSIONS This study has broadened our understanding of reptilian viruses within New Zealand and illustrates how niche adaptation may limit viral-host interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie J Waller
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Richelle G Butcher
- Tāwharau Ora, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, University Avenue, Fitzherbert, Palmerston North, 4442, New Zealand
| | - Lauren Lim
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - Kate McInnes
- Department of Conservation, P.O. Box 10420, Wellington, 6143, New Zealand
| | - Edward C Holmes
- School of Medical Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Jemma L Geoghegan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand.
- Institute of Environmental Science and Research, Wellington, New Zealand.
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14
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Brennan IG, Singhal S, Al Bkhetan Z. pipesnake: generalized software for the assembly and analysis of phylogenomic datasets from conserved genomic loci. Bioinformatics 2024; 40:btae195. [PMID: 38597877 PMCID: PMC11082421 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btae195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Phylogenetics has moved into the era of genomics, incorporating enormous volumes of data to study questions at both shallow and deep scales. With this increase in information, phylogeneticists need new tools and skills to manipulate and analyze these data. To facilitate these tasks and encourage reproducibility, the community is increasingly moving toward automated workflows. RESULTS Here we present pipesnake, a phylogenomics pipeline written in Nextflow for the processing, assembly, and phylogenetic estimation of genomic data from short-read sequences. pipesnake is an easy to use and efficient software package designed for this next era in phylogenetics. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION pipesnake is publicly available on GitHub at https://github.com/AusARG/pipesnake and accompanied by documentation and a wiki/tutorial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian G Brennan
- Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Sonal Singhal
- Department of Biology, California State University, Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA 90747, United States
| | - Ziad Al Bkhetan
- Australian BioCommons, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
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15
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Myers EA, Rautsaw RM, Borja M, Jones J, Grünwald CI, Holding ML, Grazziotin F, Parkinson CL. Phylogenomic discordance is driven by wide-spread introgression and incomplete lineage sorting during rapid species diversification within rattlesnakes (Viperidae: Crotalus and Sistrurus). Syst Biol 2024:syae018. [PMID: 38695290 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syae018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Phylogenomics allows us to uncover the historical signal of evolutionary processes through time and estimate phylogenetic networks accounting for these signals. Insight from genome-wide data further allows us to pinpoint the contributions to phylogenetic signal from hybridization, introgression, and ancestral polymorphism across the genome. Here we focus on how these processes have contributed to phylogenetic discordance among rattlesnakes (genera Crotalus and Sistrurus), a group for which there are numerous conflicting phylogenetic hypotheses based on a diverse array of molecular datasets and analytical methods. We address the instability of the rattlesnake phylogeny using genomic data generated from transcriptomes sampled from nearly all known species. These genomic data, analyzed with coalescent and network-based approaches, reveal numerous instances of rapid speciation where individual gene trees conflict with the species tree. Moreover, the evolutionary history of rattlesnakes is dominated by incomplete speciation and frequent hybridization, both of which have likely influenced past interpretations of phylogeny. We present a new framework in which the evolutionary relationships of this group can only be understood in light of genome-wide data and network-based analytical methods. Our data suggest that network radiations, like seen within the rattlesnakes, can only be understood in a phylogenomic context, necessitating similar approaches in our attempts to understand evolutionary history in other rapidly radiating species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward A Myers
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
- Department of Herpetology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA
| | - Rhett M Rautsaw
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | - Miguel Borja
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universdad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Av. Universidad s/n. Fracc. Filadelfia, Gómez Palacio, Durango., Mex
| | - Jason Jones
- Herp.mx A.C. C.P. 28989, Villa de Álvarez, Colima, Mexico
| | - Christoph I Grünwald
- Herp.mx A.C. C.P. 28989, Villa de Álvarez, Colima, Mexico
- Biodiversa A.C., Avenida de la Ribera #203, C.P. 45900, Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico
| | - Matthew L Holding
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Felipe Grazziotin
- Laboratório Especial de Coleções Zoológicas, Instituto Butantan, Avenida Vital Brasil, São Paulo, 05503-900, Brazil
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16
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Gallardo CR, Stewart JR, Bidwell JR. Developmental energetics in the oviparous corn snake, Pantherophis guttatus, confirms a conservative evolutionary pattern in snakes. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2024; 291:111592. [PMID: 38302008 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2024.111592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Eggs of oviparous reptiles are ideal models for studying evolutionary patterns of embryonic metabolism since they allow tracking of energy allocation during development. Analyzing oxygen consumption of whole eggs throughout development indicates three patterns among reptiles. Embryos initially grow and consume oxygen exponentially, but oxygen consumption slows, or drops before hatching in some species. Turtles, crocodilians, and most lizards follow curves with initial exponential increases followed by declines, whereas embryonic snakes that have been studied exhibit a consistently exponential pattern. This study measured oxygen consumption of corn snake, Pantherophis guttatus, embryos to determine if this species also exhibits an exponential increase in oxygen consumption. Individual eggs, sampled weekly from oviposition to hatching, were placed in respirometry chambers for 24-h during which oxygen consumption was recorded. Embryos were staged and carcasses and yolk were weighed separately. Results indicate steady inclines in oxygen consumption during early stages of development, with a rapid increase prior to hatching. The findings support the hypothesis that embryonic oxygen consumption of snakes differs from most other non-avian reptiles. Total energy required for development was determined based on calorimetry of initial yolk compared to hatchlings and residual yolk and by integration of the area under the curve plotting oxygen consumption versus age of embryos. The cost of development estimates based on these two methods were 6.4 and 10.0 kJ, respectively. Our results emphasize the unique physiological aspects of snake embryogenesis and illustrate how the study of physiological characteristics can contribute to the broader understanding of reptilian evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Celeste R Gallardo
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States
| | - James R Stewart
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States
| | - Joseph R Bidwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, United States.
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17
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Wilenzik IV, Barger BB, Pyron RA. Fossil-informed biogeographic analysis suggests Eurasian regionalization in crown Squamata during the early Jurassic. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17277. [PMID: 38708352 PMCID: PMC11067913 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Squamata (lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians) is a Triassic lineage with an extensive and complex biogeographic history, yet no large-scale study has reconstructed the ancestral range of early squamate lineages. The fossil record indicates a broadly Pangaean distribution by the end- Cretaceous, though many lineages (e.g., Paramacellodidae, Mosasauria, Polyglyphanodontia) subsequently went extinct. Thus, the origin and occupancy of extant radiations is unclear and may have been localized within Pangaea to specific plates, with potential regionalization to distinct Laurasian and Gondwanan landmasses during the Mesozoic in some groups. Methods We used recent tectonic models to code extant and fossil squamate distributions occurring on nine discrete plates for 9,755 species, with Jurassic and Cretaceous fossil constraints from three extinct lineages. We modeled ancestral ranges for crown Squamata from an extant-only molecular phylogeny using a suite of biogeographic models accommodating different evolutionary processes and fossil-based node constraints from known Jurassic and Cretaceous localities. We hypothesized that the best-fit models would not support a full Pangaean distribution (i.e., including all areas) for the origin of crown Squamata, but would instead show regionalization to specific areas within the fragmenting supercontinent, likely in the Northern Hemisphere where most early squamate fossils have been found. Results Incorporating fossil data reconstructs a localized origin within Pangaea, with early regionalization of extant lineages to Eurasia and Laurasia, while Gondwanan regionalization did not occur until the middle Cretaceous for Alethinophidia, Scolecophidia, and some crown Gekkotan lineages. While the Mesozoic history of extant squamate biogeography can be summarized as a Eurasian origin with dispersal out of Laurasia into Gondwana, their Cenozoic history is complex with multiple events (including secondary and tertiary recolonizations) in several directions. As noted by previous authors, squamates have likely utilized over-land range expansion, land-bridge colonization, and trans-oceanic dispersal. Tropical Gondwana and Eurasia hold more ancient lineages than the Holarctic (Rhineuridae being a major exception), and some asymmetries in colonization (e.g., to North America from Eurasia during the Cenozoic through Beringia) deserve additional study. Future studies that incorporate fossil branches, rather than as node constraints, into the reconstruction can be used to explore this history further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian V. Wilenzik
- Department of Biology, George Washington University, Washington D.C., United States of America
| | - Benjamin B. Barger
- Department of Biology, George Washington University, Washington D.C., United States of America
| | - R. Alexander Pyron
- Department of Biology, George Washington University, Washington D.C., United States of America
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18
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Roese-Miron L, Jones MEH, Ferreira JD, Hsiou AS. Virtual endocasts of Clevosaurus brasiliensis and the tuatara: Rhynchocephalian neuroanatomy and the oldest endocranial record for Lepidosauria. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:1366-1389. [PMID: 36951279 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the origins of the vertebrate brain is fundamental for uncovering evolutionary patterns in neuroanatomy. Regarding extinct species, the anatomy of the brain and other soft tissues housed in endocranial spaces can be approximated by casts of these cavities (endocasts). The neuroanatomical knowledge of Rhynchocephalia, a reptilian clade exceptionally diverse in the early Mesozoic, is restricted to the brain of its only living relative, Sphenodon punctatus, and unknown for fossil species. Here, we describe the endocast and the reptilian encephalization quotient (REQ) of the Triassic rhynchocephalian Clevosaurus brasiliensis and compare it with an ontogenetic series of S. punctatus. To better understand the informative potential of endocasts in Rhynchocephalia, we also examine the brain-endocast relationship in S. punctatus. We found that the brain occupies 30% of its cavity, but the latter recovers the general shape and length of the brain. The REQ of C. brasiliensis (0.27) is much lower than S. punctatus (0.84-1.16), with the tuatara being close to the mean for non-avian reptiles. The endocast of S. punctatus is dorsoventrally flexed and becomes more elongated throughout ontogeny. The endocast of C. brasiliensis is mostly unflexed and tubular, possibly representing a more plesiomorphic anatomy in relation to S. punctatus. Given the small size of C. brasiliensis, the main differences may result from allometric and heterochronic phenomena, consistent with suggestions that S. punctatus shows peramorphic anatomy compared to Mesozoic rhynchocephalians. Our results highlight a previously undocumented anatomical diversity among rhynchocephalians and provide a framework for future neuroanatomical comparisons among lepidosaurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lívia Roese-Miron
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Animal, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Marc Emyr Huw Jones
- Science Group: Fossil Reptiles, Amphibians and Birds Section, Natural History Museum, London, UK
- Research Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - José Darival Ferreira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Animal, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Annie Schmaltz Hsiou
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
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19
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Yurchenko A, Pšenička T, Mora P, Ortega JAM, Baca AS, Rovatsos M. Cytogenetic Analysis of Satellitome of Madagascar Leaf-Tailed Geckos. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:429. [PMID: 38674364 PMCID: PMC11049218 DOI: 10.3390/genes15040429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Satellite DNA (satDNA) consists of sequences of DNA that form tandem repetitions across the genome, and it is notorious for its diversity and fast evolutionary rate. Despite its importance, satDNA has been only sporadically studied in reptile lineages. Here, we sequenced genomic DNA and PCR-amplified microdissected W chromosomes on the Illumina platform in order to characterize the monomers of satDNA from the Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko U. henkeli and to compare their topology by in situ hybridization in the karyotypes of the closely related Günther's flat-tail gecko U. guentheri and gold dust day gecko P. laticauda. We identified seventeen different satDNAs; twelve of them seem to accumulate in centromeres, telomeres and/or the W chromosome. Notably, centromeric and telomeric regions seem to share similar types of satDNAs, and we found two that seem to accumulate at both edges of all chromosomes in all three species. We speculate that the long-term stability of all-acrocentric karyotypes in geckos might be explained from the presence of specific satDNAs at the centromeric regions that are strong meiotic drivers, a hypothesis that should be further tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alona Yurchenko
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic; (A.Y.); (T.P.)
| | - Tomáš Pšenička
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic; (A.Y.); (T.P.)
| | - Pablo Mora
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, E-23071 Jaen, Spain; (P.M.); (J.A.M.O.); (A.S.B.)
| | - Juan Alberto Marchal Ortega
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, E-23071 Jaen, Spain; (P.M.); (J.A.M.O.); (A.S.B.)
| | - Antonio Sánchez Baca
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Experimental Sciences, University of Jaén, Campus Las Lagunillas s/n, E-23071 Jaen, Spain; (P.M.); (J.A.M.O.); (A.S.B.)
| | - Michail Rovatsos
- Department of Ecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, 128 44 Prague, Czech Republic; (A.Y.); (T.P.)
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20
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Mezzasalma M, Macirella R, Odierna G, Brunelli E. Karyotype Diversification and Chromosome Rearrangements in Squamate Reptiles. Genes (Basel) 2024; 15:371. [PMID: 38540430 PMCID: PMC10970613 DOI: 10.3390/genes15030371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Karyotype diversification represents an important, yet poorly understood, driver of evolution. Squamate reptiles are characterized by a high taxonomic diversity which is reflected at the karyotype level in terms of general structure, chromosome number and morphology, and insurgence of differentiated simple or multiple-sex-chromosome systems with either male or female heterogamety. The potential of squamate reptiles as unique model organisms in evolutionary cytogenetics has been recognised in recent years in several studies, which have provided novel insights into the chromosome evolutionary dynamics of different taxonomic groups. Here, we review and summarize the resulting complex, but promising, general picture from a systematic perspective, mapping some of the main squamate karyological characteristics onto their phylogenetic relationships. We highlight how all the major categories of balanced chromosome rearrangements contributed to the karyotype evolution in different taxonomic groups. We show that distinct karyotype evolutionary trends may occur, and coexist, with different frequencies in different clades. Finally, in light of the known squamate chromosome diversity and recent research advances, we discuss traditional and novel hypotheses on karyotype evolution and propose a scenario of circular karyotype evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Mezzasalma
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 4/B, 87036 Rende, Italy; (R.M.); (E.B.)
| | - Rachele Macirella
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 4/B, 87036 Rende, Italy; (R.M.); (E.B.)
| | - Gaetano Odierna
- Independent Researcher, Via Michelangelo 123, 81031 Aversa, Italy;
| | - Elvira Brunelli
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 4/B, 87036 Rende, Italy; (R.M.); (E.B.)
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Title PO, Singhal S, Grundler MC, Costa GC, Pyron RA, Colston TJ, Grundler MR, Prates I, Stepanova N, Jones MEH, Cavalcanti LBQ, Colli GR, Di-Poï N, Donnellan SC, Moritz C, Mesquita DO, Pianka ER, Smith SA, Vitt LJ, Rabosky DL. The macroevolutionary singularity of snakes. Science 2024; 383:918-923. [PMID: 38386744 DOI: 10.1126/science.adh2449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Snakes and lizards (Squamata) represent a third of terrestrial vertebrates and exhibit spectacular innovations in locomotion, feeding, and sensory processing. However, the evolutionary drivers of this radiation remain poorly known. We infer potential causes and ultimate consequences of squamate macroevolution by combining individual-based natural history observations (>60,000 animals) with a comprehensive time-calibrated phylogeny that we anchored with genomic data (5400 loci) from 1018 species. Due to shifts in the dynamics of speciation and phenotypic evolution, snakes have transformed the trophic structure of animal communities through the recurrent origin and diversification of specialized predatory strategies. Squamate biodiversity reflects a legacy of singular events that occurred during the early history of snakes and reveals the impact of historical contingency on vertebrate biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal O Title
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
- Environmental Resilience Institute, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47408, USA
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Sonal Singhal
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biology, California State University, Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA 90747, USA
| | - Michael C Grundler
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Gabriel C Costa
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University at Montgomery, Montgomery, AL 36117, USA
| | - R Alexander Pyron
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20560, USA
| | - Timothy J Colston
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, 20560, USA
- Biology Department, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez, Mayagüez 00680, Puerto Rico
| | - Maggie R Grundler
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Ivan Prates
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Natasha Stepanova
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Marc E H Jones
- Science Group: Fossil Reptiles, Amphibians and Birds Section, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
- Research Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia
| | - Lucas B Q Cavalcanti
- Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Paraíba 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Guarino R Colli
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, Distrito Federal 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Nicolas Di-Poï
- Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Craig Moritz
- Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia
| | - Daniel O Mesquita
- Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, Paraíba 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Eric R Pianka
- Department of Integrative Biology, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
| | - Stephen A Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Laurie J Vitt
- Sam Noble Museum and Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Daniel L Rabosky
- Museum of Zoology and Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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22
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Gable SM, Bushroe N, Mendez J, Wilson A, Pinto B, Gamble T, Tollis M. Differential Conservation and Loss of CR1 Retrotransposons in Squamates Reveals Lineage-Specific Genome Dynamics across Reptiles. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.09.579686. [PMID: 38405926 PMCID: PMC10888918 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.09.579686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Transposable elements (TEs) are repetitive DNA sequences which create mutations and generate genetic diversity across the tree of life. In amniotic vertebrates, TEs have been mainly studied in mammals and birds, whose genomes generally display low TE diversity. Squamates (Order Squamata; ~11,000 extant species of lizards and snakes) show as much variation in TE abundance and activity as they do in species and phenotypes. Despite this high TE activity, squamate genomes are remarkably uniform in size. We hypothesize that novel, lineage-specific dynamics have evolved over the course of squamate evolution to constrain genome size across the order. Thus, squamates may represent a prime model for investigations into TE diversity and evolution. To understand the interplay between TEs and host genomes, we analyzed the evolutionary history of the CR1 retrotransposon, a TE family found in most tetrapod genomes. We compared 113 squamate genomes to the genomes of turtles, crocodilians, and birds, and used ancestral state reconstruction to identify shifts in the rate of CR1 copy number evolution across reptiles. We analyzed the repeat landscapes of CR1 in squamate genomes and determined that shifts in the rate of CR1 copy number evolution are associated with lineage-specific variation in CR1 activity. We then used phylogenetic reconstruction of CR1 subfamilies across amniotes to reveal both recent and ancient CR1 subclades across the squamate tree of life. The patterns of CR1 evolution in squamates contrast other amniotes, suggesting key differences in how TEs interact with different host genomes and at different points across evolutionary history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone M. Gable
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Nicholas Bushroe
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Jasmine Mendez
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Adam Wilson
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
| | - Brendan Pinto
- Center for Evolution and Medicine, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
- Department of Zoology, Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Tony Gamble
- Department of Zoology, Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
- Bell Museum of Natural History, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN, USA
| | - Marc Tollis
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA
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23
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Weghorst F, Torres Marcén M, Faridi G, Lee YCG, Cramer KS. Deep Conservation and Unexpected Evolutionary History of Neighboring lncRNAs MALAT1 and NEAT1. J Mol Evol 2024; 92:30-41. [PMID: 38189925 PMCID: PMC10869381 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-023-10151-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have begun to receive overdue attention for their regulatory roles in gene expression and other cellular processes. Although most lncRNAs are lowly expressed and tissue-specific, notable exceptions include MALAT1 and its genomic neighbor NEAT1, two highly and ubiquitously expressed oncogenes with roles in transcriptional regulation and RNA splicing. Previous studies have suggested that NEAT1 is found only in mammals, while MALAT1 is present in all gnathostomes (jawed vertebrates) except birds. Here we show that these assertions are incomplete, likely due to the challenges associated with properly identifying these two lncRNAs. Using phylogenetic analysis and structure-aware annotation of publicly available genomic and RNA-seq coverage data, we show that NEAT1 is a common feature of tetrapod genomes except birds and squamates. Conversely, we identify MALAT1 in representative species of all major gnathostome clades, including birds. Our in-depth examination of MALAT1, NEAT1, and their genomic context in a wide range of vertebrate species allows us to reconstruct the series of events that led to the formation of the locus containing these genes in taxa from cartilaginous fish to mammals. This evolutionary history includes the independent loss of NEAT1 in birds and squamates, since NEAT1 is found in the closest living relatives of both clades (crocodilians and tuataras, respectively). These data clarify the origins and relationships of MALAT1 and NEAT1 and highlight an opportunity to study the change and continuity in lncRNA structure and function over deep evolutionary time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Forrest Weghorst
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, USA
| | - Martí Torres Marcén
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, USA
| | - Garrison Faridi
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, USA
| | - Yuh Chwen G Lee
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, USA
| | - Karina S Cramer
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, University of California, Irvine, USA.
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24
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Daza JD, Rock AA, Stanley EL. The palatal gland of dibamid lizards. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:233-237. [PMID: 37485577 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Juan D Daza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, USA
| | - Andrew A Rock
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, USA
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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25
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Scarpetta SG. A Palaeogene stem crotaphytid ( Aciprion formosum) and the phylogenetic affinities of early fossil pleurodontan iguanians. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:221139. [PMID: 38204790 PMCID: PMC10776235 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Pleurodonta is an ancient, diverse clade of iguanian lizard distributed primarily in the Western Hemisphere. Although the clade is a frequent subject of systematic research, phylogenetic resolution among the major pleurodontan clades is elusive. That uncertainty has complicated the interpretations of many fossil pleurodontans. I describe a fossil skull of a pleurodontan lizard from the Palaeogene of Wyoming that was previously allocated to the puzzling taxon Aciprion formosum, and provide an updated morphological matrix for iguanian lizards. Phylogenetic analyses using Bayesian inference demonstrate that the fossil skull is the oldest and first definitive stem member of Crotaphytidae (collared and leopard lizards), establishing the presence of that clade in North America during the Palaeogene. I also discuss new or revised hypotheses for the relationships of several early pleurodontans. In particular, I examine potential evidence for crown-Pleurodonta in the Cretaceous of Mongolia (Polrussia), stem Pleurodonta in the Cretaceous of North America (Magnuviator) and a stem anole in the Eocene of North America (Afairiguana). I suggest that the placement of the fossil crotaphytid is stable to the uncertain phylogeny of Pleurodonta, but recognize the dynamic nature of fossil diagnosis and the potential for updated systematic hypotheses for the other fossils analysed here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon G. Scarpetta
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California Berkeley, 3101 UC Berkeley Road, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA
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26
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Guerra-Fuentes RA, de Sousa RG, da Costa Prudente AL. Embryonic development of the pelvic girdle and hindlimb skeletal elements in Anilius scytale (Linnaeus, 1758) (Serpentes: Aniliidae). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:66-80. [PMID: 37365957 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
Anilius scytale is the sister lineage of all other alethinophidian snakes. Morphology of the hind limb complex in adult A. scytale (Aniliidae) has been documented. We herein, for the first time, describe the embryology of the skeletal elements of its hind limb and pelvic girdle and contextualize the evolution of these structures. We identified pregnant females of A. scytale in the Herpetology Collection of the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi and separated 40 embryos. The embryos were sequentially staged using external and internal anatomy, collectively comprising a developmental series representing six stages. We cleared-stained one specimen of stages 31, 34, 36, and 37. Using the embryological information gleaned from A. scytale, we reinterpret evidence relating to the ossification of the pelvis and hindlimbs. In A. scytale hindlimb buds develop as transient structures that developed before Stage 30 and regresses in subsequent stages. There is no external or internal evidence of the forelimb or scapular girdle. From Stage 31 onwards the ischium, pubis, ilium, femur and zeugopodial cartilages are visible. Pubis and femur ossify towards the end of embryonic life, and cloacal spurs do not develop in the embryo. Skeletal elements of the hindlimb and pelvic girdle develop initially in the ventral zone of the cloaca-tail region. In subsequent stages the hindlimb and pelvic girdle elements migrate dorsally, with the pubis/ischium positioned medial to the ribs. A similar process may be associated with the achievement of the condition of the pelvic girdle in adults of scolecophidians, pythonids and boids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Arturo Guerra-Fuentes
- Faculdade de Ciências Naturais, Campus Universitário do Tocantins-Cametá, Universidade Federal do Pará, Travessa Padre Antônio Franco, Cametá, Pará, Brazil
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Romário Gemaque de Sousa
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Evolução, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Ana Lúcia da Costa Prudente
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Evolução, Departamento de Zoologia, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém, Pará, Brazil
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27
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Meyer D, Brownstein CD, Jenkins KM, Gauthier JA. A Morrison stem gekkotan reveals gecko evolution and Jurassic biogeography. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20232284. [PMID: 38018104 PMCID: PMC10685121 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Geckos are a speciose and globally distributed clade of Squamata (lizards, including snakes and amphisbaenians) that are characterized by a host of modifications for nocturnal, scansorial and insectivorous ecologies. They are among the oldest divergences in the lizard crown, so understanding the origin of geckoes (Gekkota) is essential to understanding the origin of Squamata, the most species-rich extant tetrapod clade. However, the poor fossil record of gekkotans has obscured the sequence and timing of the assembly of their distinctive morphology. Here, we describe the first North American stem gekkotan based on a three-dimensionally preserved skull from the Morrison Formation of western North America. Despite its Late Jurassic age, the new species already possesses several key characteristics of the gekkotan skull along with retained ancestral features. We show that this new stem gekkotan, and several previously named species of uncertain phylogenetic relationships, comprise a widespread clade of early crown lizards, substantiating faunal homogeneity in Laurasia during the Late Jurassic that extended across disparate ecological, body-size and physiological classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dalton Meyer
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06506520-8109, USA
| | - Chase D. Brownstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8106, USA
- Stamford Museum and Nature Center, Stamford, CT 06903, USA
| | - Kelsey M. Jenkins
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06506520-8109, USA
- Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven, CT 06520-8118, USA
| | - Jacques A. Gauthier
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06506520-8109, USA
- Yale Peabody Museum, New Haven, CT 06520-8118, USA
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28
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Hamdan B, Seixas VC, Nunes GL, Oliveira G, Bonatto SL, Vidal A, Pires ES, Zingali RB. The Brazilian Atlantic Bushmaster Lachesis (Linnaeus, 1766) Mitogenome With Insights On Snake Evolution And Divergence (Serpentes: Viperidae: Crotalinae). AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2023; 95:e20220973. [PMID: 37909566 DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202320220973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This study presents the first complete mitogenome of the Brazilian Atlantic bushmaster Lachesis with insights into snake evolution. The total length was 17,177 bp, consisting of 13 PCGs, 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs and a duplicate control region (CRs). Almost all genes were encoded by the heavy-strand, except for the ND6 gene and eight tRNAs (tRNA-Gln, Ala, Asn, Cys, Tyr, Ser[TGA anticodon], Glu, Pro). Only ATG, ATA, and ATC were starting codons for protein-coding sequences. Stop codons mainly were TAA, AGA, AGG, and TAG; whereas ND1, ND3, and CYTB terminated with incomplete stop codons. Phylogeny retrieved Lachesis within the Crotalinae as the sister group of Agkistrodon; and the Lachesis+Agkistrodon clade as the sister group of (Sistrurus+Crotalus)+Bothrops. The tree supports Crotalinae, Viperinae, and Azemiopinae in the Viperidae family, being sister taxa of Colubridae+(Elapidae+Psammophiidae). The mean genetic distance across 15 snake families and 57 nucleotide sequences was 0.37. The overall mean value of genetic distance across the Crotalinae was 0.23, with Lachesis muta exhibiting the shortest distance of 0.2 with Agkistrodon piscivorus, Protobothrops dabieshanensis and P. flavoviridis and the greatest 0.25 with Gloydius blomhoffii, Trimeresurus albolabris, S. miliarius, and Deinagkistrodon acutus. The complete Atlantic L. muta mitogenome presented herein is only the third annotated mitogenome from more than 430 described Brazilian snake species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Breno Hamdan
- Instituto Vital Brazil, Diretoria Científica, Laboratório de Coleções Biológicas e Biodiversidade, Rua Maestro José Botelho, 64, 24230-410 Niterói, RJ, Brazil
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Laboratório de Hemostase e Venenos, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, CCS/UFRJ, Bloco H, 2º andar, sala 08, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Victor C Seixas
- Universidade Federal Fluminense, Instituto de Biologia, Laboratório de Ecologia e Evolução Molecular, Departamento de Biologia Marinha, Rua Vital Brasil, 64, 24230-340 Niterói, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gisele L Nunes
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale, Desenvolvimento Sustentável, Rua Boaventura da Silva, 955, Umarizal, 66055-090 Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Oliveira
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale, Desenvolvimento Sustentável, Rua Boaventura da Silva, 955, Umarizal, 66055-090 Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Sandro L Bonatto
- Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Av. Ipiranga, 668, 90619-900 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Amanda Vidal
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale, Desenvolvimento Sustentável, Rua Boaventura da Silva, 955, Umarizal, 66055-090 Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Eder S Pires
- Instituto Tecnológico Vale, Desenvolvimento Sustentável, Rua Boaventura da Silva, 955, Umarizal, 66055-090 Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Russolina B Zingali
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Laboratório de Hemostase e Venenos, Av. Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, CCS/UFRJ, Bloco H, 2º andar, sala 08, Cidade Universitária, Ilha do Fundão, 21941-902 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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29
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Taft JM, Tolley KA, Alexander GJ, Geneva AJ. De Novo Whole Genome Assemblies for Two Southern African Dwarf Chameleons (Bradypodion, Chamaeleonidae). Genome Biol Evol 2023; 15:evad182. [PMID: 37847614 PMCID: PMC10603767 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evad182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
A complete and high-quality reference genome has become a fundamental tool for the study of functional, comparative, and evolutionary genomics. However, efforts to produce high-quality genomes for African taxa are lagging given the limited access to sufficient resources and technologies. The southern African dwarf chameleons (Bradypodion) are a relatively young lineage, with a large body of evidence demonstrating the highly adaptive capacity of these lizards. Bradypodion are known for their habitat specialization, with evidence of convergent phenotypes across the phylogeny. However, the underlying genetic architecture of these phenotypes remains unknown for Bradypodion, and without adequate genomic resources, many evolutionary questions cannot be answered. We present de novo assembled whole genomes for Bradypodion pumilum and Bradypodion ventrale, using Pacific Biosciences long-read sequencing data. BUSCO analysis revealed that 96.36% of single copy orthologs were present in the B. pumilum genome and 94% in B. ventrale. Moreover, these genomes boast scaffold N50 of 389.6 and 374.9 Mb, respectively. Based on a whole genome alignment of both Bradypodion genomes, B. pumilum is highly syntenic with B. ventrale. Furthermore, Bradypodion is also syntenic with Anolis lizards, despite the divergence between these lineages estimated to be nearly 170 Ma. Coalescent analysis of the genomic data also suggests that historical changes in effective population size for these species correspond to notable shifts in the southern African environment. These high-quality Bradypodion genome assemblies will support future research on the evolutionary history, diversification, and genetic underpinnings of adaptation in Bradypodion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jody M Taft
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Claremont, South Africa
| | - Krystal A Tolley
- South African National Biodiversity Institute, Kirstenbosch Research Centre, Claremont, South Africa
- Centre for Ecological Genomics and Wildlife Conservation, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Graham J Alexander
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Anthony J Geneva
- Department of Biology, Center for Computational and Integrative Biology, Rutgers University–Camden, Camden, New Jersey, USA
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30
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Brownstein CD, Simões TR, Caldwell MW, Lee MSY, Meyer DL, Scarpetta SG. The affinities of the Late Triassic Cryptovaranoides and the age of crown squamates. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:230968. [PMID: 37830017 PMCID: PMC10565374 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Most living reptile diversity is concentrated in Squamata (lizards, including snakes), which have poorly known origins in space and time. Recently, †Cryptovaranoides microlanius from the Late Triassic of the United Kingdom was described as the oldest crown squamate. If true, this result would push back the origin of all major lizard clades by 30-65 Myr and suggest that divergence times for reptile clades estimated using genomic and morphological data are grossly inaccurate. Here, we use computed tomography scans and expanded phylogenetic datasets to re-evaluate the phylogenetic affinities of †Cryptovaranoides and other putative early squamates. We robustly reject the crown squamate affinities of †Cryptovaranoides, and instead resolve †Cryptovaranoides as a potential member of the bird and crocodylian total clade, Archosauromorpha. Bayesian total evidence dating supports a Jurassic origin of crown squamates, not Triassic as recently suggested. We highlight how features traditionally linked to lepidosaurs are in fact widespread across Triassic reptiles. Our study reaffirms the importance of critically choosing and constructing morphological datasets and appropriate taxon sampling to test the phylogenetic affinities of problematic fossils and calibrate the Tree of Life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase D. Brownstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
- Stamford Museum and Nature Center, Stamford, CT 06903, USA
| | - Tiago R. Simões
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology & Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
| | - Michael W. Caldwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Michael S. Y. Lee
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide 5001, Australia
- Earth Sciences Section, South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide 5000, Australia
| | - Dalton L. Meyer
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Simon G. Scarpetta
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94117, USA
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31
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Wang Z, Peng C, Wu W, Yan C, Lv Y, Li JT. Developmental regulation of conserved non-coding element evolution provides insights into limb loss in squamates. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2023; 66:2399-2414. [PMID: 37256419 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2362-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Limb loss shows recurrent phenotypic evolution across squamate lineages. Here, based on three de novo-assembled genomes of limbless lizards from different lineages, we showed that divergence of conserved non-coding elements (CNEs) played an important role in limb development. These CNEs were associated with genes required for limb initiation and outgrowth, and with regulatory signals in the early stage of limb development. Importantly, we identified the extensive existence of insertions and deletions (InDels) in the CNEs, with the numbers ranging from 111 to 756. Most of these CNEs with InDels were lineage-specific in the limbless squamates. Nearby genes of these InDel CNEs were important to early limb formation, such as Tbx4, Fgf10, and Gli3. Based on functional experiments, we found that nucleotide mutations and InDels both affected the regulatory function of the CNEs. Our study provides molecular evidence underlying limb loss in squamate reptiles from a developmental perspective and sheds light on the importance of regulatory element InDels in phenotypic evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeng Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & h Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Changjun Peng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & h Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wei Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & h Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Chaochao Yan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & h Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yunyun Lv
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & h Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China
- College of Life Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang, 641100, China
| | - Jia-Tang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & h Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, 610041, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
- Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yezin Nay Pyi Taw, 05282, Myanmar.
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Di Nicola MR, Pozzi AV, Mezzadri S, Faraone FP, Russo G, Dorne JLMC, Minuti G. The Endangered Sardinian Grass Snake: Distribution Update, Bioclimatic Niche Modelling, Dorsal Pattern Characterisation, and Literature Review. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1867. [PMID: 37763271 PMCID: PMC10533143 DOI: 10.3390/life13091867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The Sardinian grass snake, Natrix helvetica cetti, is an endangered endemic snake subspecies with a restricted and highly fragmented geographic distribution. Information on its ecology and detailed geographic distribution are scarce and may negatively impact on its conservation status. Therefore, a literature review on its taxonomy, morphology, ecology, and conservation is presented here. Moreover, field records from the authors, citizen science and the existing literature provide an updated geographic distribution highlighting its presence within 13 new and 7 historic 10 × 10 km cells. Bioclimatic niche modelling was then applied to explore patterns of habitat suitability and phenotypic variation within N. h. cetti. The geographic distribution of the species was found to be positively correlated with altitude and precipitation values, whereas temperature showed a negative correlation. Taken together, these outcomes may explain the snake's presence, particularly in eastern Sardinia. In addition, analysis of distribution overlap with the competing viperine snake (N. maura) and the urodeles as possible overlooked trophic resources (Speleomantes spp. and Euproctus platycephalus) showed overlaps of 66% and 79%, respectively. Finally, geographical or bioclimatic correlations did not explain phenotypic variation patterns observed in this highly polymorphic taxon. Perspectives on future research to investigate N. h. cetti's decline and support effective conservation measures are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Riccardo Di Nicola
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathobiology, Pharmacology and Zoological Medicine, Wildlife Health Ghent, Ghent University, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium
- Unit of Dermatology and Cosmetology, IRCCS San Raffaele Hospital, Via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy
- Asociación Herpetológica Española, Apartado de Correos 191, 28911 Leganés, Spain
| | - Andrea Vittorio Pozzi
- Molecular Ecology and Evolution Group, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK;
| | - Sergio Mezzadri
- Independent Researcher, Via Palmerio, 29121 Piacenza, Italy;
| | - Francesco Paolo Faraone
- Dipartimento Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche e Farmaceutiche, University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 18, 90123 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Giorgio Russo
- VIB-VUB Center for Structural Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Jean Lou M. C. Dorne
- Methodology and Scientific Support Unit, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Via Carlo Magno 1A, 43126 Parma, Italy;
| | - Gianmarco Minuti
- Ecology & Biodiversity Research Unit, Department of Biology, Vrije Universiteit Brussels, 1090 Brussels, Belgium;
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33
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Li YD, Engel MS, Tihelka E, Cai C. Phylogenomics of weevils revisited: data curation and modelling compositional heterogeneity. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230307. [PMID: 37727076 PMCID: PMC10509570 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Weevils represent one of the most prolific radiations of beetles and the most diverse group of herbivores on land. The phylogeny of weevils (Curculionoidea) has received extensive attention, and a largely satisfactory framework for their interfamilial relationships has been established. However, a recent phylogenomic study of Curculionoidea based on anchored hybrid enrichment (AHE) data yielded an abnormal placement for the family Belidae (strongly supported as sister to Nemonychidae + Anthribidae). Here we reanalyse the genome-scale AHE data for Curculionoidea using various models of molecular evolution and data filtering methods to mitigate anticipated systematic errors and reduce compositional heterogeneity. When analysed with the infinite mixture model CAT-GTR or using appropriately filtered datasets, Belidae are always recovered as sister to the clade (Attelabidae, (Caridae, (Brentidae, Curculionidae))), which is congruent with studies based on morphology and other sources of molecular data. Although the relationships of the 'higher Curculionidae' remain challenging to resolve, we provide a consistent and robust backbone phylogeny of weevils. Our extensive analyses emphasize the significance of data curation and modelling across-site compositional heterogeneity in phylogenomic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan-Da Li
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Michael S. Engel
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024-5192, USA
| | - Erik Tihelka
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Chenyang Cai
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, People's Republic of China
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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34
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Khannoon ER, Alvarado C, Poveda R, de Bellard ME. Description of trunk neural crest migration and peripheral nervous system formation in the Egyptian cobra Naja haje haje. Differentiation 2023; 133:40-50. [PMID: 37473561 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2023.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
The neural crest is a stem cell population that forms in the neurectoderm of all vertebrates and gives rise to a diverse set of cells such as sensory neurons, Schwann cells and melanocytes. Neural crest development in snakes is still poorly understood. From the point of view of evolutionary and comparative anatomy is an interesting topic given the unique anatomy of snakes. The aim of the study was to characterize how trunk neural crest cells (TNCC) migrate in the developing elapid snake Naja haje haje and consequently, look at the beginnings of development of neural crest derived sensory ganglia (DRG) and spinal nerves. We found that trunk neural crest and DRG development in Naja haje haje is like what has been described in other vertebrates and the colubrid snake strengthening our knowledge on the conserved mechanisms of neural crest development across species. Here we use the marker HNK1 to follow the migratory behavior of TNCC in the elapid snake Naja haje haje through stages 1-6 (1-9 days postoviposition). We observed that the TNCC of both snake species migrate through the rostral portion of the somite, a pattern also conserved in birds and mammals. The development of cobra peripheral nervous system, using neuronal and glial markers, showed the presence of spectrin in Schwann cell precursors and of axonal plexus along the length of the cobra embryos. In conclusion, cobra embryos show strong conserved patterns in TNCC and PNS development among vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eraqi R Khannoon
- Biology Department, College of Science, Taibah University, Al-Madinah Al-Munawwarah, 344, Saudi Arabia; Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Fayoum, 63514, Egypt
| | - Christian Alvarado
- California State University Northridge, Biology Dept., MC 8303, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA, 91330, USA
| | - Rafael Poveda
- Department of Biology. Moorpark College, Moorpark, CA, 93021, USA
| | - Maria Elena de Bellard
- California State University Northridge, Biology Dept., MC 8303, 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA, 91330, USA.
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Burbrink FT, Harrington SM, Bobo D, Myers EA. Considering admixture when producing draft genomes: an example in North American ratsnakes (Pantherophis alleghaniensis/Pantherophis obsoletus). G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2023; 13:jkad113. [PMID: 37228097 PMCID: PMC10411579 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkad113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The number of reference genomes of snakes lags behind several other vertebrate groups (e.g. birds and mammals). However, in the last two years, a concerted effort by researchers from around the world has produced new genomes of snakes representing members from several new families. Here, we present a high-quality, annotated genome of the central ratsnake (Pantherophis alleghaniensis), a member of the most diverse snake lineage, Colubroidea. Pantherophis alleghaniensis is found in the central part of the Nearctic, east of the Mississippi River. This genome was sequenced using 10X Chromium synthetic long reads and polished using Illumina short reads. The final genome assembly had an N50 of 21.82 Mb and an L50 of 22 scaffolds with a maximum scaffold length of 82.078 Mb. The genome is composed of 49.24% repeat elements dominated by long interspersed elements. We annotated this genome using transcriptome assemblies from 14 tissue types and recovered 28,368 predicted proteins. Finally, we estimated admixture proportions between two species of ratsnakes and discovered that this specimen is an admixed individual containing genomes from the western (Pantherophis obsoletus) and central ratsnakes (P. alleghaniensis). We discuss the importance of considering interspecific admixture in downstream approaches for inferring demography and phylogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank T Burbrink
- Department of Herpetology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA
| | - Sean M Harrington
- Department of Herpetology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA
- INBRE Data Science Core, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Dean Bobo
- Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA
| | - Edward A Myers
- Department of Herpetology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
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36
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Sánchez KI, Diaz Huesa EG, Breitman MF, Avila LJ, Sites JW, Morando M. Complex Patterns of Diversification in the Gray Zone of Speciation: Model-Based Approaches Applied to Patagonian Liolaemid Lizards (Squamata: Liolaemus kingii clade). Syst Biol 2023; 72:739-752. [PMID: 37097104 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syad019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
In this study we detangled the evolutionary history of the Patagonian lizard clade Liolaemus kingii, coupling dense geographic sampling and novel computational analytical approaches. We analyzed nuclear and mitochondrial data (restriction site-associated DNA sequencing and cytochrome b) to hypothesize and evaluate species limits, phylogenetic relationships, and demographic histories. We complemented these analyses with posterior predictive simulations to assess the fit of the genomic data to the multispecies coalescent model. We also employed a novel approach to time-calibrate a phylogenetic network. Our results show several instances of mito-nuclear discordance and consistent support for a reticulated history, supporting the view that the complex evolutionary history of the kingii clade is characterized by extensive gene flow and rapid diversification events. We discuss our findings in the contexts of the "gray zone" of speciation, phylogeographic patterns in the Patagonian region, and taxonomic outcomes. [Model adequacy; multispecies coalescent; multispecies network coalescent; phylogenomics; species delimitation.].
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin I Sánchez
- Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IPEEC-CONICET), Puerto Madryn, U9120ACD, Argentina
| | - Emilce G Diaz Huesa
- Instituto de Diversidad y Evolución Austral, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IDEAus-CONICET), Puerto Madryn, U9120ACD, Argentina
| | - María F Breitman
- Department of Biology and Environmental Science, Auburn University at Montgomery, Montgomery, 36117, USA
| | - Luciano J Avila
- Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IPEEC-CONICET), Puerto Madryn, U9120ACD, Argentina
| | - Jack W Sites
- Department of Biology, Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, 37044, USA
| | - Mariana Morando
- Instituto Patagónico para el Estudio de los Ecosistemas Continentales, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (IPEEC-CONICET), Puerto Madryn, U9120ACD, Argentina
- Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco (UNPSJB), Puerto Madryn, U9120ACD, Argentina
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Tiatragul S, Brennan IG, Broady ES, Keogh JS. Australia's hidden radiation: Phylogenomics analysis reveals rapid Miocene radiation of blindsnakes. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 185:107812. [PMID: 37207892 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarin Tiatragul
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra 2601, ACT, Australia.
| | - Ian G Brennan
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra 2601, ACT, Australia.
| | - Elizabeth S Broady
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra 2601, ACT, Australia.
| | - J Scott Keogh
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra 2601, ACT, Australia.
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38
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Brownstein CD. A late-surviving phytosaur from the northern Atlantic rift reveals climate constraints on Triassic reptile biogeography. BMC Ecol Evol 2023; 23:33. [PMID: 37460985 PMCID: PMC10351158 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-023-02136-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The origins of all major living reptile clades, including the one leading to birds, lie in the Triassic. Following the largest mass extinction in Earth's history at the end of the Permian, the earliest definite members of the three major living reptile clades, the turtles (Testudines), crocodylians and birds (Archosauria), and lizards, snakes, amphisbaenians, and Tuatara (Lepidosauria) appeared. Recent analyses of the Triassic reptile fossil record suggest that the earliest diversifications in all three of these clades were tightly controlled by abrupt paleoclimate fluctuations and concordant environmental changes. Yet, this has only been preliminarily tested using information from evolutionary trees. Phytosauria consists of superficially crocodylian-like archosaurs that either form the sister to the crown or are the earliest divergence on the crocodylian stem and are present throughout the Triassic, making this clade an excellent test case for examining this biogeographic hypothesis. RESULTS Here, I describe a new phytosaur, Jupijkam paleofluvialis gen. et sp. nov., from the Late Triassic of Nova Scotia, Canada, which at that time sat in northern Pangaea near the northern terminus of the great central Pangean rift. As one of the northernmost occurrences of Phytosauria, J. paleofluvialis provides critical new biogeographic data that enables revised estimations of phytosaur historical biogeography along phylogenies of this clade built under multiple methodologies. Reconstructions of phytosaur historical biogeography based on different phylogenies and biogeographic models suggest that phytosaurs originated in northern Pangaea, spread southward, and then dispersed back northward at least once more during the Late Triassic. CONCLUSIONS The results presented in this study link phytosaur biogeography to major changes to Triassic global climate and aridity. Together with the earliest dinosaurs and several other reptile lineages, phytosaur diversification and migration appear to have been restricted by the formation and loss of arid belts across the Pangean supercontinent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chase Doran Brownstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Stamford Museum and Nature Center, Stamford, CT, USA.
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Mongiardino Koch N, Tilic E, Miller AK, Stiller J, Rouse GW. Confusion will be my epitaph: genome-scale discordance stifles phylogenetic resolution of Holothuroidea. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230988. [PMID: 37434530 PMCID: PMC10336381 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Sea cucumbers (Holothuroidea) are a diverse clade of echinoderms found from intertidal waters to the bottom of the deepest oceanic trenches. Their reduced skeletons and limited number of phylogenetically informative traits have long obfuscated morphological classifications. Sanger-sequenced molecular datasets have also failed to constrain the position of major lineages. Noteworthy, topological uncertainty has hindered a resolution for Neoholothuriida, a highly diverse clade of Permo-Triassic age. We perform the first phylogenomic analysis of Holothuroidea, combining existing datasets with 13 novel transcriptomes. Using a highly curated dataset of 1100 orthologues, our efforts recapitulate previous results, struggling to resolve interrelationships among neoholothuriid clades. Three approaches to phylogenetic reconstruction (concatenation under both site-homogeneous and site-heterogeneous models, and coalescent-aware inference) result in alternative resolutions, all of which are recovered with strong support and across a range of datasets filtered for phylogenetic usefulness. We explore this intriguing result using gene-wise log-likelihood scores and attempt to correlate these with a large set of gene properties. While presenting novel ways of exploring and visualizing support for alternative trees, we are unable to discover significant predictors of topological preference, and our efforts fail to favour one topology. Neoholothuriid genomes seem to retain an amalgam of signals derived from multiple phylogenetic histories.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ekin Tilic
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Marine Zoology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Museum, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Allison K. Miller
- Anatomy Department, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Josefin Stiller
- Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Greg W. Rouse
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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Peng C, Wu DD, Ren JL, Peng ZL, Ma Z, Wu W, Lv Y, Wang Z, Deng C, Jiang K, Parkinson CL, Qi Y, Zhang ZY, Li JT. Large-scale snake genome analyses provide insights into vertebrate development. Cell 2023; 186:2959-2976.e22. [PMID: 37339633 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2023.05.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
Snakes are a remarkable squamate lineage with unique morphological adaptations, especially those related to the evolution of vertebrate skeletons, organs, and sensory systems. To clarify the genetic underpinnings of snake phenotypes, we assembled and analyzed 14 de novo genomes from 12 snake families. We also investigated the genetic basis of the morphological characteristics of snakes using functional experiments. We identified genes, regulatory elements, and structural variations that have potentially contributed to the evolution of limb loss, an elongated body plan, asymmetrical lungs, sensory systems, and digestive adaptations in snakes. We identified some of the genes and regulatory elements that might have shaped the evolution of vision, the skeletal system and diet in blind snakes, and thermoreception in infrared-sensitive snakes. Our study provides insights into the evolution and development of snakes and vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changjun Peng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Dong-Dong Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Jin-Long Ren
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China
| | - Zhong-Liang Peng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhifei Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yunyun Lv
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China; College of Life Science, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang, Sichuan 641100, China
| | - Zeng Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Cao Deng
- Departments of Bioinformatics, DNA Stories Bioinformatics Center, Chengdu 610000, China
| | - Ke Jiang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China
| | | | - Yin Qi
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China
| | - Zhi-Yi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China
| | - Jia-Tang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization & Ecological Restoration and Biodiversity Conservation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610040, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; Southeast Asia Biodiversity Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yezin, Nay Pyi Taw 05282, Myanmar.
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41
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Chu Z, Wang Z, Zheng Y, Xia Y, Guo X. Sex-Linked Loci on the W Chromosome in the Multi-Ocellated Racerunner ( Eremias multiocellata) Confirm Genetic Sex-Determination Stability in Lacertid Lizards. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2180. [PMID: 37443978 DOI: 10.3390/ani13132180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 06/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The multi-ocellated racerunner, Eremias multiocellata, was considered to have temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD), as its sex ratio can be influenced at different temperatures. However, such an observation contrasts with recent findings that suggest TSD is less common than previously thought. Here, a genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) approach was employed to identify sex-linked markers in the E. multiocellata, for which the mechanism choice of TSD or GSD is still controversial. We preliminarily identified 119 sex-linked markers based on sex-associated sex-specific sequences, 97% of which indicated female heterogamety. After eliminating the false positives, 38 sex-linked markers were recognized, all of which showed the ZW/ZZ system. Then, eight of the novel markers were verified by PCR amplification from 15 populations of E. multiocellata, which support the GSD in E. multiocellata without geographic variation. To test the conservation of sex chromosome in Eremias, the eight markers were further cross-tested by PCR amplification in 10 individuals of the Mongolian racerunner (Eremias argus), two of which exhibited cross-utility. The novel sex-linked markers could be mapped on the W chromosome of the sand lizard (Lacerta agilis). Our finding that the sex-linked markers are shared in closely related species, along with a conserved synteny of the W chromosome, further supports the homology and conservation of sex chromosomes in the lacertid lizards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhangqing Chu
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ziwen Wang
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuchi Zheng
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yun Xia
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xianguang Guo
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610041, China
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Gable SM, Mendez JM, Bushroe NA, Wilson A, Byars MI, Tollis M. The State of Squamate Genomics: Past, Present, and Future of Genome Research in the Most Speciose Terrestrial Vertebrate Order. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1387. [PMID: 37510292 PMCID: PMC10379679 DOI: 10.3390/genes14071387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Squamates include more than 11,000 extant species of lizards, snakes, and amphisbaenians, and display a dazzling diversity of phenotypes across their over 200-million-year evolutionary history on Earth. Here, we introduce and define squamates (Order Squamata) and review the history and promise of genomic investigations into the patterns and processes governing squamate evolution, given recent technological advances in DNA sequencing, genome assembly, and evolutionary analysis. We survey the most recently available whole genome assemblies for squamates, including the taxonomic distribution of available squamate genomes, and assess their quality metrics and usefulness for research. We then focus on disagreements in squamate phylogenetic inference, how methods of high-throughput phylogenomics affect these inferences, and demonstrate the promise of whole genomes to settle or sustain persistent phylogenetic arguments for squamates. We review the role transposable elements play in vertebrate evolution, methods of transposable element annotation and analysis, and further demonstrate that through the understanding of the diversity, abundance, and activity of transposable elements in squamate genomes, squamates can be an ideal model for the evolution of genome size and structure in vertebrates. We discuss how squamate genomes can contribute to other areas of biological research such as venom systems, studies of phenotypic evolution, and sex determination. Because they represent more than 30% of the living species of amniote, squamates deserve a genome consortium on par with recent efforts for other amniotes (i.e., mammals and birds) that aim to sequence most of the extant families in a clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone M Gable
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Jasmine M Mendez
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Nicholas A Bushroe
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Adam Wilson
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Michael I Byars
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Marc Tollis
- School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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Zhao M, Kurtis SM, White ND, Moncrieff AE, Leite RN, Brumfield RT, Braun EL, Kimball RT. Exploring Conflicts in Whole Genome Phylogenetics: A Case Study Within Manakins (Aves: Pipridae). Syst Biol 2023; 72:161-178. [PMID: 36130303 PMCID: PMC10452962 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syac062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Some phylogenetic problems remain unresolved even when large amounts of sequence data are analyzed and methods that accommodate processes such as incomplete lineage sorting are employed. In addition to investigating biological sources of phylogenetic incongruence, it is also important to reduce noise in the phylogenomic dataset by using appropriate filtering approach that addresses gene tree estimation errors. We present the results of a case study in manakins, focusing on the very difficult clade comprising the genera Antilophia and Chiroxiphia. Previous studies suggest that Antilophia is nested within Chiroxiphia, though relationships among Antilophia+Chiroxiphia species have been highly unstable. We extracted more than 11,000 loci (ultra-conserved elements and introns) from whole genomes and conducted analyses using concatenation and multispecies coalescent methods. Topologies resulting from analyses using all loci differed depending on the data type and analytical method, with 2 clades (Antilophia+Chiroxiphia and Manacus+Pipra+Machaeopterus) in the manakin tree showing incongruent results. We hypothesized that gene trees that conflicted with a long coalescent branch (e.g., the branch uniting Antilophia+Chiroxiphia) might be enriched for cases of gene tree estimation error, so we conducted analyses that either constrained those gene trees to include monophyly of Antilophia+Chiroxiphia or excluded these loci. While constraining trees reduced some incongruence, excluding the trees led to completely congruent species trees, regardless of the data type or model of sequence evolution used. We found that a suite of gene metrics (most importantly the number of informative sites and likelihood of intralocus recombination) collectively explained the loci that resulted in non-monophyly of Antilophia+Chiroxiphia. We also found evidence for introgression that may have contributed to the discordant topologies we observe in Antilophia+Chiroxiphia and led to deviations from expectations given the multispecies coalescent model. Our study highlights the importance of identifying factors that can obscure phylogenetic signal when dealing with recalcitrant phylogenetic problems, such as gene tree estimation error, incomplete lineage sorting, and reticulation events. [Birds; c-gene; data type; gene estimation error; model fit; multispecies coalescent; phylogenomics; reticulation].
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhao
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Sarah M Kurtis
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Noor D White
- Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair Laboratory, National Eye Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20560, USA
| | - Andre E Moncrieff
- Department of Biological Sciences and Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USAand
| | - Rafael N Leite
- Graduate Program in Ecology, National Institute of Amazonian Research, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Robb T Brumfield
- Department of Biological Sciences and Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USAand
| | - Edward L Braun
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Rebecca T Kimball
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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Brownstein CD. Syngnathoid Evolutionary History and the Conundrum of Fossil Misplacement. Integr Org Biol 2023; 5:obad011. [PMID: 37251781 PMCID: PMC10210065 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obad011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Seahorses, pipefishes, trumpetfishes, shrimpfishes, and allies are a speciose, globally distributed clade of fishes that have evolved a large number of unusual body plans. The clade that includes all these forms, Syngnathoidei, has become a model for the study of life history evolution, population biology, and biogeography. Yet, the timeline of syngnathoid evolution has remained highly contentious. This debate is largely attributable to the nature of the syngnathoid fossil record, which is both poorly described and patchy for several major lineages. Although fossil syngnathoids have been used to calibrate molecular phylogenies, the interrelationships of extinct species and their affinities to major living syngnathoid clades have scarcely been quantitatively tested. Here, I use an expanded morphological dataset to reconstruct the evolutionary relationships and clade ages of fossil and extant syngnathoids. Phylogenies generated using different analytical methodologies are largely congruent with molecular phylogenetic trees of Syngnathoidei but consistently find novel placements for several key taxa used as fossil calibrators in phylogenomic studies. Tip-dating of the syngnathoid phylogeny finds a timeline for their evolution that differs slightly from the one inferred using molecular trees but is generally congruent with a post-Cretaceous diversification event. These results emphasize the importance of quantitatively testing the relationships of fossil species, particularly when they are critical to assessing divergence times.
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Schuett GW, Peterson KH, Powell AR, Taylor JD, Alexander JR, Lappin AK. Female-female aggression in the Gila monster ( Heloderma suspectum). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:221466. [PMID: 37181791 PMCID: PMC10170349 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.221466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Historically, the role of aggression in the social lives of animals overwhelmingly focused on males. In recent years, however, female-female aggression in vertebrates, particularly lizards, has received increasing attention. This growing body of literature shows both similarities and differences to aggressive behaviours between males. Here, we document female-female aggression in captive Gila monsters (Heloderma suspectum). Based on four unique dyadic trials (eight adult female subjects), we developed a qualitative ethogram. Unexpected and most intriguing were the prevalence and intensity of aggressive acts that included brief and sustained biting, envenomation, and lateral rotation (i.e. rolling of body while holding onto opponent with closed jaws). Given specific behavioural acts (i.e. biting) and the results of bite-force experiments, we postulate that osteoderms (bony deposits in the skin) offer some degree of protection and reduce the likelihood of serious injury during female-female fights. Male-male contests in H. suspectum, in contrast, are more ritualized, and biting is rarely reported. Female-female aggression in other lizards has a role in territoriality, courtship tactics, and nest and offspring guarding. Future behavioural research on aggression in female Gila monsters is warranted to test these and other hypotheses in the laboratory and field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gordon W. Schuett
- Department of Biology | Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
- Chiricahua Desert Museum, Rodeo, NM, USA
| | | | - Anthony R. Powell
- Biological Sciences Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - John D. Taylor
- Biological Sciences Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer R. Alexander
- Biological Sciences Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, USA
| | - A. Kristopher Lappin
- Biological Sciences Department, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, USA
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Yang S, Savitzky AH, Gower DJ, Deepak V, Mori A, Khot R, Shi J, Ding L, Hou M, Xu H, Wang Q, Zhu G. Identity of the holotype and type locality of Rhabdophis leonardi (Wall, 1923) (Colubridae: Natricinae), with notes on the morphology and natural history of the species in southwestern China. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10032. [PMID: 37153019 PMCID: PMC10154373 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The original description of Natrix leonardi (currently Rhabdophis leonardi) by Frank Wall in 1923, based on a specimen from the "Upper Burma Hills," lacked important morphological details that have complicated the assignment of recently collected material. Furthermore, although the holotype was never lost, its location has been misreported in one important taxonomic reference, leading to further confusion. We report the correct repository of the holotype (Natural History Museum, London), together with its current catalog number. We also describe key features of that specimen that were omitted from the original description, and provide new details on the morphology of the species, including sexual dichromatism unusual for the genus, based upon specimens from southern Sichuan, China. Rhabdophis leonardi is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: 15 or 17 DSR at midbody and 6 supralabials; distinct annulus around the neck, broad and red in males, and narrow and orange with a black border in females; dorsal ground color light green or olive; some lateral and dorsal scales possessing black edges, the frequency of black edges gradually increasing from anterior to posterior, forming irregular and ill-defined transverse black bands; eye with prominent green iris; black ventral spots with a red edge, most numerous at midbody but extending halfway down the length of the tail. In southwestern China, this species is frequently found at 1730-2230 m elevation. It has been documented to prey upon anuran amphibians, including toads. A recently published phylogenetic analysis showed this species to be deeply nested with the genus Rhabdophis, as a member of the R. nuchalis Group. That analysis also revealed the existence of two closely related but geographically distinct subclades in the molecular analysis, one of which may represent an unnamed taxon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi‐Jun Yang
- College of Life ScienceSichuan Agricultural UniversityYa'anChina
| | | | | | - V. Deepak
- Senckenberg Natural History CollectionsDresdenGermany
| | - Akira Mori
- Department of Zoology, Graduate School of ScienceKyoto UniversitySakyoKyotoJapan
| | - Rahul Khot
- Bombay Natural History SocietyFort, MumbaiIndia
| | - Jing‐Song Shi
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins of Chinese Academy of SciencesInstitute of Vertebrate Paleontology and PaleoanthropologyChinese Academy of ScienceBeijingChina
| | - Li Ding
- Chengdu Institute of BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesChengduChina
| | - Mian Hou
- Sichuan Normal UniversityChengduChina
| | - Hai‐Yuan Xu
- College of Life ScienceSichuan Agricultural UniversityYa'anChina
| | - Qin Wang
- College of Life ScienceSichuan Agricultural UniversityYa'anChina
| | - Guang‐Xiang Zhu
- College of Life ScienceSichuan Agricultural UniversityYa'anChina
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47
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Wu YH, Hou SB, Yuan ZY, Jiang K, Huang RY, Wang K, Liu Q, Yu ZB, Zhao HP, Zhang BL, Chen JM, Wang LJ, Stuart BL, Chambers EA, Wang YF, Gao W, Zou DH, Yan F, Zhao GG, Fu ZX, Wang SN, Jiang M, Zhang L, Ren JL, Wu YY, Zhang LY, Yang DC, Jin JQ, Yin TT, Li JT, Zhao WG, Murphy RW, Huang S, Guo P, Zhang YP, Che J. DNA barcoding of Chinese snakes reveals hidden diversity and conservation needs. Mol Ecol Resour 2023. [PMID: 36924341 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
DNA barcoding has greatly facilitated studies of taxonomy, biodiversity, biological conservation, and ecology. Here, we establish a reliable DNA barcoding library for Chinese snakes, unveiling hidden diversity with implications for taxonomy, and provide a standardized tool for conservation management. Our comprehensive study includes 1638 cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences from Chinese snakes that correspond to 17 families, 65 genera, 228 named species (80.6% of named species) and 36 candidate species. A barcode gap analysis reveals gaps, where all nearest neighbour distances exceed maximum intraspecific distances, in 217 named species and all candidate species. Three species-delimitation methods (ABGD, sGMYC, and sPTP) recover 320 operational taxonomic units (OTUs), of which 192 OTUs correspond to named and candidate species. Twenty-eight other named species share OTUs, such as Azemiops feae and A. kharini, Gloydius halys, G. shedaoensis, and G. intermedius, and Bungarus multicinctus and B. candidus, representing inconsistencies most probably caused by imperfect taxonomy, recent and rapid speciation, weak taxonomic signal, introgressive hybridization, and/or inadequate phylogenetic signal. In contrast, 43 species and candidate species assign to two or more OTUs due to having large intraspecific distances. If most OTUs detected in this study reflect valid species, including the 36 candidate species, then 30% more species would exist than are currently recognized. Several OTU divergences associate with known biogeographic barriers, such as the Taiwan Strait. In addition to facilitating future studies, this reliable and relatively comprehensive reference database will play an important role in the future monitoring, conservation, and management of Chinese snakes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-He Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Shao-Bing Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
- Kunming College of Life Science, University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650204, China
| | - Zhi-Yong Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Ke Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Ru-Yi Huang
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, 201306, China
| | - Kai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Qin Liu
- Faculty of Agriculture, Forest and Food Engineering, Yibin University, Yibin, Sichuan, 644007, China
| | - Zhong-Bin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Hai-Peng Zhao
- School of Life Science, Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan, 475001, China
| | - Bao-Lin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Jin-Min Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Li-Jun Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, Hainan, 571158, China
| | - Bryan L Stuart
- Section of Research & Collections, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27601, USA
| | - E Anne Chambers
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, California, 94720, USA
| | - Yu-Fan Wang
- Zhejiang Forest Resource Monitoring Center, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310020, China
| | - Wei Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Da-Hu Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
- College of Science, Tibet University, Lhasa, Tibet, 850000, China
| | - Fang Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Gui-Gang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Zhong-Xiong Fu
- Yunnan Senye Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan, 666100, China
| | - Shao-Neng Wang
- Bureau of Guangxi Mao'er Mountain Nature Reserve, Guilin, Guangxi, 541316, China
| | - Ming Jiang
- Gongshan Bureau of Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve, Gongshan, Yunnan, 650224, China
| | - Liang Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Animal Conservation and Resource Utilization, Institute of Zoology, Guangdong Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510260, China
| | - Jin-Long Ren
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Ya-Yong Wu
- Faculty of Agriculture, Forest and Food Engineering, Yibin University, Yibin, Sichuan, 644007, China
| | - Lu-Yang Zhang
- Beijing Mountains & Seas Eco Technology Co. Ltd, Beijing, 101100, China
| | - Dian-Cheng Yang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resource, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, 241000, China
| | - Jie-Qiong Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Ting-Ting Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Jia-Tang Li
- Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Wen-Ge Zhao
- College of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Normal University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150025, China
| | - Robert W Murphy
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
- Reptilia Zoo and Education Centre, Vaughn, Ontario, L4K 2N6, Canada
| | - Song Huang
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resource, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu, Anhui, 241000, China
| | - Peng Guo
- Faculty of Agriculture, Forest and Food Engineering, Yibin University, Yibin, Sichuan, 644007, China
| | - Ya-Ping Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
| | - Jing Che
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution & Yunnan Key Laboratory of Biodiversity and Ecological Conservation of Gaoligong Mountain, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, Yunnan, 650223, China
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Mezzasalma M, Brunelli E, Odierna G, Guarino FM. Evolutionary and Genomic Diversity of True Polyploidy in Tetrapods. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13061033. [PMID: 36978574 PMCID: PMC10044425 DOI: 10.3390/ani13061033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
True polyploid organisms have more than two chromosome sets in their somatic and germline cells. Polyploidy is a major evolutionary force and has played a significant role in the early genomic evolution of plants, different invertebrate taxa, chordates, and teleosts. However, the contribution of polyploidy to the generation of new genomic, ecological, and species diversity in tetrapods has traditionally been underestimated. Indeed, polyploidy represents an important pathway of genomic evolution, occurring in most higher-taxa tetrapods and displaying a variety of different forms, genomic configurations, and biological implications. Herein, we report and discuss the available information on the different origins and evolutionary and ecological significance of true polyploidy in tetrapods. Among the main tetrapod lineages, modern amphibians have an unparalleled diversity of polyploids and, until recently, they were considered to be the only vertebrates with closely related diploid and polyploid bisexual species or populations. In reptiles, polyploidy was thought to be restricted to squamates and associated with parthenogenesis. In birds and mammals, true polyploidy has generally been considered absent (non-tolerated). These views are being changed due to an accumulation of new data, and the impact as well as the different evolutionary and ecological implications of polyploidy in tetrapods, deserve a broader evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Mezzasalma
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 4/B, 87036 Rende, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (E.B.)
| | - Elvira Brunelli
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Earth Science, University of Calabria, Via P. Bucci 4/B, 87036 Rende, Italy
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (E.B.)
| | - Gaetano Odierna
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy (F.M.G.)
| | - Fabio Maria Guarino
- Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cinthia 26, 80126 Naples, Italy (F.M.G.)
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Phylogenomics of Anguis and Pseudopus (Squamata, Anguidae) indicates Balkan-Apennine mitochondrial capture associated with the Messinian event. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2023; 180:107674. [PMID: 36543275 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2022.107674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
A dated phylogenetic hypothesis on the evolutionary history of the extant taxa of the Western Palearctic lizards Anguis and Pseudopus is revised using genome-wide nuclear DNA and mitogenomes. We found overall concordance between nuclear and mitochondrial DNA phylogenies, with one significant exception - the Apennine A. veronensis. In mitochondrial DNA, this species forms a common clade with the earliest diverging lineage, the southern Balkan endemic A. cephallonica, while it clusters together with A. fragilis in nuclear DNA. The nuclear phylogeny conforms to the morphology, which is relatively similar between A. veronensis and A. fragilis. The most plausible explanation for the mitonuclear discordance is ancient mitochondrial capture from the Balkan ancestor of A. cephallonica to the Apennine population of the A. fragilis-veronensis ancestor. We hypothesize that this capture occurred only in a geographically restricted population. The dating of this presumed mitochondrial introgression and capture coincides with the Messinian event, when the Balkan and Apennine Peninsulas were presumably largely connected. The dated nuclear phylogenomic reconstruction estimated the divergence of A. cephallonica around 12 Mya, while the sister clade representing the A. fragilis species complex consisting of the sister species A. fragilis-A. veronensis and A. colchica-A. graeca further diversified around 7 Mya. The depth of nuclear divergence among the evolutionary lineages of Pseudopus (0.5-1.2 Mya) supports their subspecies status.
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LeBlanc ARH, Palci A, Anthwal N, Tucker AS, Araújo R, Pereira MFC, Caldwell MW. A conserved tooth resorption mechanism in modern and fossil snakes. Nat Commun 2023; 14:742. [PMID: 36765054 PMCID: PMC9918488 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36422-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Whether snakes evolved their elongated, limbless bodies or their specialized skulls and teeth first is a central question in squamate evolution. Identifying features shared between extant and fossil snakes is therefore key to unraveling the early evolution of this iconic reptile group. One promising candidate is their unusual mode of tooth replacement, whereby teeth are replaced without signs of external tooth resorption. We reveal through histological analysis that the lack of resorption pits in snakes is due to the unusual action of odontoclasts, which resorb dentine from within the pulp of the tooth. Internal tooth resorption is widespread in extant snakes, differs from replacement in other reptiles, and is even detectable via non-destructive μCT scanning, providing a method for identifying fossil snakes. We then detected internal tooth resorption in the fossil snake Yurlunggur, and one of the oldest snake fossils, Portugalophis, suggesting that it is one of the earliest innovations in Pan-Serpentes, likely preceding limb loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- A R H LeBlanc
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. .,Centre for Oral, Clinical & Translational Sciences, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - A Palci
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - N Anthwal
- Centre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - A S Tucker
- Centre for Craniofacial & Regenerative Biology, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - R Araújo
- Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - M F C Pereira
- CERENA, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - M W Caldwell
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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