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Blackburn DC, Gray JA, Stanley EL. The only "lungless" frog has a glottis and lungs. Curr Biol 2024; 34:R492-R493. [PMID: 38772334 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Revised: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Blackburn et al. show using CT-scanning that the only previously reported "lungless" frog retains a glottis and lungs.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Blackburn
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA.
| | - Jaimi A Gray
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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2
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Kolencik S, Stanley EL, Punnath A, Grant AR, Doña J, Johnson KP, Allen JM. Parasite escape mechanisms drive morphological diversification in avian lice. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232665. [PMID: 38531401 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Organisms that have repeatedly evolved similar morphologies owing to the same selective pressures provide excellent cases in which to examine specific morphological changes and their relevance to the ecology and evolution of taxa. Hosts of permanent parasites act as an independent evolutionary experiment, as parasites on these hosts are thought to be undergoing similar selective pressures. Parasitic feather lice have repeatedly diversified into convergent ecomorphs in different microhabitats on their avian hosts. We quantified specific morphological characters to determine (i) which traits are associated with each ecomorph, (ii) the quantitative differences between these ecomorphs, and (iii) if there is evidence of displacement among co-occurring lice as might be expected under louse-louse competition on the host. We used nano-computed tomography scan data of 89 specimens, belonging to four repeatedly evolved ecomorphs, to examine their mandibular muscle volume, limb length and three-dimensional head shape data. Here, we find evidence that lice repeatedly evolve similar morphologies as a mechanism to escape host defences, but also diverge into different ecomorphs related to the way they escape these defences. Lice that co-occur with other genera on a host exhibit greater morphological divergence, indicating a potential role of competition in evolutionary divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stanislav Kolencik
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
- Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Glagoljaška 8, 6000 Koper, Slovenia
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Aswaj Punnath
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Avery R Grant
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada Reno, Reno, NV 89557, USA
| | - Jorge Doña
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Kevin P Johnson
- Illinois Natural History Survey, Prairie Research Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Champaign, IL 61820, USA
| | - Julie M Allen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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3
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Griffing AH, Stanley EL, Paluh DJ. The first report of preovipositional embryonic development in the legless gecko, Lialis burtonis (Gekkota: Pygopodidae). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024. [PMID: 38523432 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron H Griffing
- Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
- Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
- Milwaukee Public Museum, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Daniel J Paluh
- Department of Biology, University of Dayton, Dayton, Ohio, USA
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4
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Gray JA, Gignac PM, Stanley EL. The first full body diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography dataset and teaching materials for a member of the Testudines. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:535-548. [PMID: 37409685 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced Computed Tomography (diceCT) is now a widely used technique for imaging metazoan soft anatomy. Turtles present a particular challenge for anatomists; gross dissection is inherently destructive and irreversible, whereas their near complete shell of bony plates, covered with keratinous scutes, presents a barrier for iodine diffusion and significantly increases contrast-enhanced CT preparation time. Consequently, a complete dataset visualizing the internal soft anatomy of turtles at high resolution and in three dimensions has not yet been successfully achieved. Here we outline a novel method that augments traditional diceCT preparation with an iodine injection technique to acquire the first full body contrast-enhanced dataset for the Testudines. We show this approach to be an effective method of staining the soft tissues inside the shell. The resulting datasets were processed to produce anatomical 3D models that can be used in teaching and research. As diceCT becomes a widely employed method for nondestructively documenting the internal soft anatomy of alcohol preserved museum specimens, we hope that methods applicable to the more challenging of these, such as turtles, will contribute toward the growing stock of digital anatomy in online repositories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaimi A Gray
- Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Blackburn DC, Boyer DM, Gray JA, Winchester J, Bates JM, Baumgart SL, Braker E, Coldren D, Conway KW, Rabosky AD, de la Sancha N, Dillman CB, Dunnum JL, Early CM, Frable BW, Gage MW, Hanken J, Maisano JA, Marks BD, Maslenikov KP, McCormack JE, Nagesan RS, Pandelis GG, Prestridge HL, Rabosky DL, Randall ZS, Robbins MB, Scheinberg LA, Spencer CL, Summers AP, Tapanila L, Thompson CW, Tornabene L, Watkins-Colwell GJ, Welton LJ, Stanley EL. Increasing the impact of vertebrate scientific collections through 3D imaging: The openVertebrate (oVert) Thematic Collections Network. Bioscience 2024; 74:169-186. [PMID: 38560620 PMCID: PMC10977868 DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biad120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The impact of preserved museum specimens is transforming and increasing by three-dimensional (3D) imaging that creates high-fidelity online digital specimens. Through examples from the openVertebrate (oVert) Thematic Collections Network, we describe how we created a digitization community dedicated to the shared vision of making 3D data of specimens available and the impact of these data on a broad audience of scientists, students, teachers, artists, and more. High-fidelity digital 3D models allow people from multiple communities to simultaneously access and use scientific specimens. Based on our multiyear, multi-institution project, we identify significant technological and social hurdles that remain for fully realizing the potential impact of digital 3D specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Blackburn
- Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
- Blackburn served as the lead principal investigator for the oVert Thematic Collections Network
| | - Doug M Boyer
- Duke University, Durham, North Carolina, United States
| | - Jaimi A Gray
- Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
- Blackburn served as the lead principal investigator for the oVert Thematic Collections Network
| | | | - John M Bates
- Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Stephanie L Baumgart
- University of Chicago and University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
| | - Emily Braker
- University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, United States
| | - Daryl Coldren
- Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Kevin W Conway
- Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, United States
| | | | - Noé de la Sancha
- Chicago State University DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | | | - Jonathan L Dunnum
- Museum of Southwestern Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States
| | - Catherine M Early
- FLMNH Science Museum of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, United States
| | - Benjamin W Frable
- Scripps Institute of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, California, United States
| | - Matt W Gage
- Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
| | - James Hanken
- Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
| | | | - Ben D Marks
- Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Zachary S Randall
- Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
- Blackburn served as the lead principal investigator for the oVert Thematic Collections Network
| | | | | | - Carol L Spencer
- University of California, Berkeley, in Berkeley, California, United States
| | - Adam P Summers
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | - Leif Tapanila
- Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho, United States
| | | | - Luke Tornabene
- University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States
| | | | - Luke J Welton
- University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States
| | | | - Edward L Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History (FLMNH), University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States
- Blackburn served as the lead principal investigator for the oVert Thematic Collections Network
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Kircher BK, Stanley EL, Behringer RR. Anatomy of the female reproductive tract organs of the brown anole (Anolis sagrei). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:395-413. [PMID: 37506227 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Female reproduction in squamate reptiles (lizards and snakes) is highly diverse and mode of reproduction, clutch size, and reproductive tract morphology all vary widely across this group of ~11,000 species. Recently, CRISPR genome editing techniques that require manipulation of the female reproductive anatomy have been developed in this group, making a more complete understanding of this anatomy essential. We describe the adult female reproductive anatomy of the model reptile the brown anole (Anolis sagrei). We show that the brown anole female reproductive tract has three distinct anterior-to-posterior regions, the infundibulum, the glandular uterus, and the nonglandular uterus. The infundibulum has a highly ciliated epithelial lip, a region where the epithelium is inverted so that cilia are present on the inside and outside of the tube. The glandular uterus has epithelial ducts that are patent with a lumen as well as acinar structures with a lumen. The nonglandular uterus has a heterogeneous morphology from anterior to posterior, with a highly folded, ciliated epithelium transitioning to a stratified squamous epithelium. This transition is accompanied by a loss of keratin-8 expression and together, these changes are similar to the morphological and gene expression changes that occur in the mammalian cervix. We recommend that description of the nonglandular uterus include the regional sub-specification of a "cervix" and "vagina" as this terminology change more accurately describes the morphology. Our data extend histological studies of reproductive organ morphology in reptiles and expand our understanding of the variation in reproductive system anatomy across squamates and vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonnie K Kircher
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Richard R Behringer
- Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, USA
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Wolcott KA, Stanley EL, Gutierrez OA, Wuchty S, Whitlock BA. 3D pollination biology using micro-computed tomography and geometric morphometrics in Theobroma cacao. Appl Plant Sci 2023; 11:e11549. [PMID: 37915432 PMCID: PMC10617321 DOI: 10.1002/aps3.11549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Premise Imaging technologies that capture three-dimensional (3D) variation in floral morphology at micro- and nano-resolutions are increasingly accessible. In herkogamous flowers, such as those of Theobroma cacao, structural barriers between anthers and stigmas represent bottlenecks that restrict pollinator size and access to reproductive organs. To study the unresolved pollination biology of cacao, we present a novel application of micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) using floral dimensions to quantify pollinator functional size limits. Methods We generated micro-CT data sets from field-collected flowers and museum specimens of potential pollinators. To compare floral variation, we used 3D Slicer to place landmarks on the surface models and performed a geometric morphometric (GMM) analysis using geomorph R. We identified the petal side door (an opening between the petal hoods and filament) as the main bottleneck for pollinator access. We compared its mean dimensions with proposed pollinators to identify viable candidates. Results We identified three levels of likelihood for putative pollinators based on the number of morphological (body) dimensions that fit through the petal side door. We also found floral reward microstructures whose presence and location were previously unclear. Discussion Using micro-CT and GMM to study the 3D pollination biology of cacao provides new evidence for predicting unknown pollinators. Incorporating geometry and floral rewards will strengthen plant-pollinator trait matching models for cacao and other species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- Department of Natural HistoryFlorida Museum of Natural HistoryGainesvilleFloridaUSA
| | - Osman A. Gutierrez
- Subtropical Horticultural Research StationUnited States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service (USDA‐ARS)MiamiFlorida33158USA
| | - Stefan Wuchty
- Department of BiologyUniversity of MiamiCoral GablesFlorida33124USA
- Department of Computer ScienceUniversity of MiamiCoral GablesFlorida33146USA
- Institute of Data Science and ComputingUniversity of MiamiCoral GablesFlorida33146USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer CenterUniversity of MiamiMiamiFlorida33136USA
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9
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Tharakan S, Shepherd N, Gower DJ, Stanley EL, Felice RN, Goswami A, Watanabe A. High-Density Geometric Morphometric Analysis of Intraspecific Cranial Integration in the Barred Grass Snake ( Natrix helvetica) and Green Anole ( Anolis carolinensis). Integr Org Biol 2023; 5:obad022. [PMID: 37397233 PMCID: PMC10311474 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obad022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
How do phenotypic associations intrinsic to an organism, such as developmental and mechanical processes, direct morphological evolution? Comparisons of intraspecific and clade-wide patterns of phenotypic covariation could inform how population-level trends ultimately dictate macroevolutionary changes. However, most studies have focused on analyzing integration and modularity either at macroevolutionary or intraspecific levels, without a shared analytical framework unifying these temporal scales. In this study, we investigate the intraspecific patterns of cranial integration in two squamate species: Natrix helvetica and Anolis carolinensis. We analyze their cranial integration patterns using the same high-density three-dimensional geometric morphometric approach used in a prior squamate-wide evolutionary study. Our results indicate that Natrix and Anolis exhibit shared intraspecific cranial integration patterns, with some differences, including a more integrated rostrum in the latter. Notably, these differences in intraspecific patterns correspond to their respective interspecific patterns in snakes and lizards, with few exceptions. These results suggest that interspecific patterns of cranial integration reflect intraspecific patterns. Hence, our study suggests that the phenotypic associations that direct morphological variation within species extend across micro- and macroevolutionary levels, bridging these two scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Tharakan
- Department of Anatomy, New York Institute of Technology, College of Osteopathic Medicine, 100 Northern Boulevard, Old Westbury, NY 11568, USA
| | - N Shepherd
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - D J Gower
- Life Sciences Division, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
| | - E L Stanley
- Digital Imaging Division, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0001, USA
| | - R N Felice
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Life Sciences Division, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
- Centre for Integrative Anatomy, Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - A Goswami
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Life Sciences Division, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, UK
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10
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Essner RL, Pereira REE, Blackburn DC, Singh AL, Stanley EL, Moura MO, Confetti AE, Pie MR. Semicircular canal size constrains vestibular function in miniaturized frogs. Sci Adv 2022; 8:eabn1104. [PMID: 35704574 PMCID: PMC9200278 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn1104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Miniaturization has evolved repeatedly in frogs in the moist leaf litter environments of rainforests worldwide. Miniaturized frogs are among the world's smallest vertebrates and exhibit an array of enigmatic features. One area where miniaturization has predictable consequences is the vestibular system, which acts as a gyroscope, providing sensory information about movement and orientation. We investigated the vestibular system of pumpkin toadlets, Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae), a clade of miniaturized frogs from Brazil. The semicircular canals of miniaturized frogs are the smallest recorded for adult vertebrates, resulting in low sensitivity to angular acceleration due to insufficient displacement of endolymph. This translates into a lack of postural control during jumping in Brachycephalus and represents a physical constraint resulting from Poiseuille's law, which governs movement of fluids within tubes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard L. Essner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville , Edwardsville, IL, USA
| | - Rudá E. E. Pereira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - David C. Blackburn
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, , Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Amber L. Singh
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, , Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, , Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Mauricio O. Moura
- Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
- Mater Natura—Instituto de Estudos Ambientais, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - André E. Confetti
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Marcio R. Pie
- Department of Biology, Edge Hill University, Ormskirk, Lancashire, UK
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Čerňanský A, Stanley EL, Daza JD, Bolet A, Arias JS, Bauer AM, Vidal-García M, Bevitt JJ, Peretti AM, Aung NN, Evans SE. A new Early Cretaceous lizard in Myanmar amber with exceptionally preserved integument. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1660. [PMID: 35102237 PMCID: PMC8803969 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05735-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We here report on a well-preserved juvenile lizard specimen in Albian amber (ca. 110 mya) from the Hkamti site (Myanmar). This new taxon is represented by an articulated skull and the anterior portion of the trunk, including the pectoral girdle and forelimbs. The scleral ossicles and eyelid are also visible, and the specimen exhibits pristine detail of the integument (of both head and body). In a combined molecular and morphological analysis, it was consistently recovered as a scincoid lizard (Scinciformata), as sister to Tepexisaurus + Xantusiidae. However, the phylogenetic position of the new taxon should be interpreted with caution as the holotype is an immature individual. We explored the possibility of miscoding ontogenetically variable characters by running alternative analyses in which these characters were scored as missing data for our taxon. With the exception of one tree, in which it was sister to Amphisbaenia, the specimen was recovered as a Pan-xantusiid. Moreover, we cannot rule out the possibility that it represents a separate lineage of uncertain phylogenetic position, as it is the case for many Jurassic and Cretaceous taxa. Nonetheless, this fossil offers a rare opportunity to glimpse the external appearance of one group of lizards during the Early Cretaceous.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Čerňanský
- Department of Ecology, Laboratory of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Mlynská dolina, 84215, Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Juan D Daza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, USA
| | - Arnau Bolet
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - J Salvador Arias
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (CONICET, Fundación Miguel Lillo), San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Aaron M Bauer
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
| | - Marta Vidal-García
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Joseph J Bevitt
- Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Sydney, Australia
| | - Adolf M Peretti
- GRS Gemresearch Swisslab AG, Baumschulweg 13, 6045, Meggen, Switzerland.,Peretti Museum Foundation, Baumschulweg 13, 6045, Meggen, Switzerland
| | - Nyi Nyi Aung
- Peretti Museum Foundation, Baumschulweg 13, 6045, Meggen, Switzerland.,Myanmar Geosciences Society, c/o Department of Geology, University of Yangon, 11041, Yangon, Myanmar
| | - Susan E Evans
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
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12
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Paluh DJ, Dillard WA, Stanley EL, Fraser GJ, Blackburn DC. Re-evaluating the morphological evidence for the re-evolution of lost mandibular teeth in frogs. Evolution 2021; 75:3203-3213. [PMID: 34674263 PMCID: PMC9299036 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Dollo's law of irreversibility states that once a complex structure is lost, it cannot be regained in the same form. Several putative exceptions to Dollo's law have been identified using phylogenetic comparative methods, but the anatomy and development of these traits are often poorly understood. Gastrotheca guentheri is renowned as the only frog with teeth on the lower jaw. Mandibular teeth were lost in the ancestor of frogs more than 200 million years ago and subsequently regained in G. guentheri. Little is known about the teeth in this species despite being a frequent example of trait “re‐evolution,” leaving open the possibility that it may have mandibular pseudoteeth. We assessed the dental anatomy of G. guentheri using micro‐computed tomography and histology and confirmed the longstanding assumption that true mandibular teeth are present. Remarkably, the mandibular teeth of G. guentheri are nearly identical in gross morphology and development to upper jaw teeth in closely related species. The developmental genetics of tooth formation are unknown in this possibly extinct species. Our results suggest that an ancestral odontogenic pathway has been conserved but suppressed in the lower jaw since the origin of frogs, providing a possible mechanism underlying the re‐evolution of lost mandibular teeth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Paluh
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611.,Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611
| | - Wesley A Dillard
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611
| | - Gareth J Fraser
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611
| | - David C Blackburn
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611
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13
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Pinheiro PDP, Blotto BL, Ron SR, Stanley EL, Garcia PCA, Haddad CFB, Grant T, Faivovich J. Prepollex diversity and evolution in Cophomantini (Anura: Hylidae: Hylinae). Zool J Linn Soc 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Several species of Cophomantini are known to have an enlarged prepollex, commonly modified as an osseous spine. We surveyed the osteology and myology of the prepollex and associated elements of 94 of the 190 species of Cophomantini, sampling all genera, except Nesorohyla. Two distinct prepollex morphologies were found: a blade-shaped and a spine-shaped morphology. We described the observed variation in 17 discrete characters to study their evolution in the most inclusive phylogenetic hypothesis for Cophomantini. Both morphologies evolved multiple times during the evolutionary history of this clade, but the origin of the spine-shaped distal prepollex in Boana and Bokermannohyla is ambiguous. The articulation of metacarpal II with the prepollex through a medial expansion of the metacarpal proximal epiphysis is a synapomorphy for Boana. The shape of the curve of the spine, and a large post-articular process of the distal prepollex, are synapomorphies for the Boana pulchella group, the latter being homoplastic in the Bokermannohyla martinsi group. Muscle character states associated with the spine-shaped prepollex are plesiomorphic for Cophomantini. We discuss evolution, function, behaviour and sexual dimorphism related to the prepollical elements. A bony spine is associated with fights between males, but forearm hypertrophy could be more related with habitat than with territorial combat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo D P Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Anfíbios, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Boris L Blotto
- Laboratório de Anfíbios, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Herpetologia e Centro de Aquicultura (CAUNESP), Departamento de Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Santiago R Ron
- Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Biología, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Paulo C A Garcia
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Célio F B Haddad
- Laboratório de Herpetologia e Centro de Aquicultura (CAUNESP), Departamento de Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Taran Grant
- Laboratório de Anfíbios, Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Julián Faivovich
- División Herpetología, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales ‘Bernardino Rivadavia’ – CONICET, Angel Gallardo 470, C1405DJR, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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14
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Bell CJ, Daza JD, Stanley EL, Laver RJ. Unveiling the elusive: X-rays bring scolecophidian snakes out of the dark. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 304:2110-2117. [PMID: 34473414 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Scolecophidian snakes have long posed challenges for scholars interested in elucidating their anatomy. The importance, and relative paucity, of high-quality anatomical data pertaining to scolecophidians was brought into sharp focus in the late 20th century as part of a controversy over the phylogeny and ecological origin of snakes. The basal position of scolecophidians in the phylogeny of snakes makes their anatomy, behavior, ecology, and evolution especially important for such considerations. The depauperate fossil record for the group meant that advances in understanding their evolutionary history were necessarily tied to biogeographic distributions and anatomical interpretations of extant taxa. Osteological data, especially data pertaining to the skull and mandible, assumed a dominant role in shaping historical and modern perspectives of the evolution of scolecophidians. Traditional approaches to the exploration of the anatomy of these snakes relied heavily upon serial-sectioned specimens and cleared-and-stained specimens. The application of X-ray computed tomography (CT) to the study of scolecophidians revolutionized our understanding of the osteology of the group, and now, via diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography (diceCT), is yielding data sets on internal soft anatomical features as well. CT data sets replicate many aspects of traditional anatomical preparations, are readily shared with a global community of scholars, and now are available for unique holotype and other rare specimens. The increasing prevalence and relevance of CT data sets is a strong incentive for the establishment and maintenance of permanent repositories for digital data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Bell
- Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
| | - Juan D Daza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, USA
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Rebecca J Laver
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
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15
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Laver RJ, Daza JD, Ellis RJ, Stanley EL, Bauer AM. Underground Down Under: Skull anatomy of the southern blind snake Anilios australis Gray, 1845 (Typhlopidae: Serpentes: Squamata). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 304:2215-2242. [PMID: 34167172 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The cranial anatomy of blindsnakes has been markedly understudied, with the small size and relative rarity of encountering these subterranean reptiles being significant limiting factors. In this article, we re-visit the skull anatomy of the Australian southern blind snake Anilios australis Gray, 1845 using microCT data, and produce the first complete atlas for the cranial anatomy of a representative of this speciose typhlopid genus. The skull is formed by 18 paired and four unpaired elements. We here produce a bone-by-bone description of each element as well as an inner ear endocast for each of two specimens differing in skull size. This approach has revealed the presence of a highly perforated dorsal plate on the septomaxilla-a structure convergent with the cribriform plate of the mammalian ethmoid bone-and a feature previously unknown for typhlopid snakes. This detailed anatomical study will facilitate ongoing taxonomic and systematic studies in the genus Anilios as well as provide comparative data for future studies on blindsnake anatomy more broadly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca J Laver
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Juan D Daza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas, USA
| | - Ryan J Ellis
- Biologic Environmental Survey, East Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,Collections and Research, Western Australian Museum, Welshpool, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Aaron M Bauer
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, USA
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16
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Bolet A, Stanley EL, Daza JD, Arias JS, Čerňanský A, Vidal-García M, Bauer AM, Bevitt JJ, Peretti A, Evans SE. Unusual morphology in the mid-Cretaceous lizard Oculudentavis. Curr Biol 2021; 31:3303-3314.e3. [PMID: 34129826 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.05.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Oculudentavis khaungraae was described based on a tiny skull trapped in amber. The slender tapering rostrum with retracted narial openings, large eyes, and short vaulted braincase led to its identification as the smallest avian dinosaur on record, comparable to the smallest living hummingbirds. Despite its bird-like appearance, Oculudentavis showed several features inconsistent with its original phylogenetic placement. Here, we describe a more complete specimen that demonstrates Oculudentavis is actually a bizarre lizard of uncertain position. The new specimen is described as a new species within the genus Oculudentavis. The new interpretation and phylogenetic placement highlight a rare case of convergent evolution in skull proportions but apparently not in morphological characters. Our results re-affirm the importance of Myanmar amber in yielding unusual taxa from a forest ecosystem rarely represented in the fossil record.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnau Bolet
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Juan D Daza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, USA.
| | - J Salvador Arias
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (CONICET - Fundación Miguel Lillo), San Miguel, de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Andrej Čerňanský
- Department of Ecology, Laboratory of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Marta Vidal-García
- Department of Cell Biology & Anatomy, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Aaron M Bauer
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
| | - Joseph J Bevitt
- Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Adolf Peretti
- GRS Gemresearch Swisslab AG and Peretti Museum Foundation, Meggen, Switzerland
| | - Susan E Evans
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
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17
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Paluh DJ, Riddell K, Early CM, Hantak MM, Jongsma GFM, Keeffe RM, Magalhães Silva F, Nielsen SV, Vallejo-Pareja MC, Stanley EL, Blackburn DC. Rampant tooth loss across 200 million years of frog evolution. eLife 2021; 10:e66926. [PMID: 34060471 PMCID: PMC8169120 DOI: 10.7554/elife.66926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Teeth are present in most clades of vertebrates but have been lost completely several times in actinopterygian fishes and amniotes. Using phenotypic data collected from over 500 genera via micro-computed tomography, we provide the first rigorous assessment of the evolutionary history of dentition across all major lineages of amphibians. We demonstrate that dentition is invariably present in caecilians and salamanders, but teeth have been lost completely more than 20 times in frogs, a much higher occurrence of edentulism than in any other vertebrate group. The repeated loss of teeth in anurans is associated with a specialized diet of small invertebrate prey as well as shortening of the lower jaw, but it is not correlated with a reduction in body size. Frogs provide an unparalleled opportunity for investigating the molecular and developmental mechanisms of convergent tooth loss on a large phylogenetic scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel J Paluh
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
- Department of Biology, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
| | - Karina Riddell
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
| | - Catherine M Early
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
- Biology Department, Science Museum of MinnesotaSaint PaulUnited States
| | - Maggie M Hantak
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
| | - Gregory FM Jongsma
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
| | - Rachel M Keeffe
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
- Department of Biology, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
| | - Fernanda Magalhães Silva
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Pará, Museu Paraense Emilio GoeldiBelémBrazil
| | - Stuart V Nielsen
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
| | - María Camila Vallejo-Pareja
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
- Department of Biology, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
| | - David C Blackburn
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States
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18
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Bardua C, Fabre AC, Clavel J, Bon M, Das K, Stanley EL, Blackburn DC, Goswami A. Size, microhabitat, and loss of larval feeding drive cranial diversification in frogs. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2503. [PMID: 33947859 PMCID: PMC8096824 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22792-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Habitat is one of the most important factors shaping organismal morphology, but it may vary across life history stages. Ontogenetic shifts in ecology may introduce antagonistic selection that constrains adult phenotype, particularly with ecologically distinct developmental phases such as the free-living, feeding larval stage of many frogs (Lissamphibia: Anura). We test the relative influences of developmental and ecological factors on the diversification of adult skull morphology with a detailed analysis of 15 individual cranial regions across 173 anuran species, representing every extant family. Skull size, adult microhabitat, larval feeding, and ossification timing are all significant factors shaping aspects of cranial evolution in frogs, with late-ossifying elements showing the greatest disparity and fastest evolutionary rates. Size and microhabitat show the strongest effects on cranial shape, and we identify a "large size-wide skull" pattern of anuran, and possibly amphibian, evolutionary allometry. Fossorial and aquatic microhabitats occupy distinct regions of morphospace and display fast evolution and high disparity. Taxa with and without feeding larvae do not notably differ in cranial morphology. However, loss of an actively feeding larval stage is associated with higher evolutionary rates and disparity, suggesting that functional pressures experienced earlier in ontogeny significantly impact adult morphological evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Bardua
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
- Department of Genetics, Evolution & Environment, University College London, London, UK
| | - Anne-Claire Fabre
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
- Paläontologisches Institut und Museum, Universität Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Julien Clavel
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
- Univ Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Margot Bon
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Kalpana Das
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institut für Evolutions und Biodiversitätsforschung, Berlin, Germany
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - David C Blackburn
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Anjali Goswami
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London, UK.
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19
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Daza JD, Stanley EL, Bolet A, Bauer AM, Arias JS, Čerňanský A, Bevitt JJ, Wagner P, Evans SE. Enigmatic amphibians in mid-Cretaceous amber were chameleon-like ballistic feeders. Science 2020; 370:687-691. [DOI: 10.1126/science.abb6005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Juan D. Daza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, USA
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- Department of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Arnau Bolet
- Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Aaron M. Bauer
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
| | - J. Salvador Arias
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo, CONICET - FML, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Andrej Čerňanský
- Department of Ecology, Laboratory of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Joseph J. Bevitt
- Australian Centre for Neutron Scattering, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Philipp Wagner
- Department of Research and Conservation, Allwetterzoo Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Susan E. Evans
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London, UK
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20
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Singer RA, Moore JA, Stanley EL. Retraction Note: Novel life history strategy in a deep sea fish challenges assumptions about reproduction in extreme environments. Sci Rep 2020; 10:19041. [PMID: 33122785 PMCID: PMC7596072 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75408-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Randal A Singer
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, USA.
| | - Jon A Moore
- Florida Atlantic University, Wilkes Honors College, 5353 Parkside Drive, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7800, USA
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21
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Nielsen SV, Conradie W, Ceríaco LMP, Bauer AM, Heinicke MP, Stanley EL, Blackburn DC. A new species of Rain Frog (Brevicipitidae, Breviceps) endemic to Angola. Zookeys 2020; 979:133-160. [PMID: 33192134 PMCID: PMC7609483 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.979.56863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent molecular phylogenetic work has found that Breviceps Merrem, 1820 comprises two major clades, one of which, the B. mossambicus group, is widely distributed across southern sub-Saharan Africa. This group is notable for harboring abundant cryptic diversity. Of the four most recently described Breviceps species, three are members of this group, and at least five additional lineages await formal description. Although Breviceps has long been known to occur in Angola, no contemporary material has been collected until recently. The three most widespread taxa, B. adspersus, B. mossambicus, and B. poweri, may all occur in Angola, but accurate species assignment remains challenging given the rampant morphological similarity between these taxa, and, until recently, the lack of genetic resources. Phylogenetic, morphological, and acoustic analyses of recently collected samples from disparate localities within Angola provide evidence for an undescribed species that is sister to B. poweri. The new species can be diagnosed from its sister taxon by lacking pale spots along the flanks, a pale patch above the vent, and a short, dark band below the nares (all present in B. poweri). Additionally, the male advertisement call differs from the three other Breviceps that might occur in Angola in having both a longer interval between consecutive calls and a higher average dominant frequency. We here describe this lineage as a distinct species, currently only known from Angola, and discuss the presence of other Breviceps taxa within Angola.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart V. Nielsen
- University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, Michigan, USAUniversity of MichiganDearbornUnited States of America
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USAUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States of America
- Marquette University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USAMarquette UniversityMilwaukeeUnited States of America
| | - Werner Conradie
- Port Elizabeth Museum (Bayworld), Humewood, Republic of South AfricaPort Elizabeth MuseumPort ElizabethSouth Africa
- Nelson Mandela University, George, Republic of South AfricaNelson Mandela UniversityGeorgeSouth Africa
- National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project, Wild Bird Trust, Republic of South AfricaNational Geographic Okavango Wilderness ProjectNASouth Africa
| | - Luis M. P. Ceríaco
- Museu de História Natural e da Ciência da Universidade do Porto, Porto, PortugalMuseu de História Natural e da Ciência da Universidade do PortoPortoPortugal
- Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Lisboa, PortugalMuseu Nacional de História Natural e da CiênciaLisboaPortugal
| | - Aaron M. Bauer
- Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, USAVillanova UniversityVillanovaUnited States of America
| | - Matthew P. Heinicke
- University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, Michigan, USAUniversity of MichiganDearbornUnited States of America
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USAUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States of America
| | - David C. Blackburn
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USAUniversity of FloridaGainesvilleUnited States of America
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22
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Blackburn DC, Nielsen SV, Barej MF, Doumbia J, Hirschfeld M, Kouamé NG, Lawson D, Loader S, Ofori‐Boateng C, Stanley EL, Rödel M. Evolution of the African slippery frogs (Anura:
Conraua
), including the world’s largest living frog. ZOOL SCR 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/zsc.12447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- David C. Blackburn
- Department of Natural History Florida Museum of Natural History University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
| | - Stuart V. Nielsen
- Department of Natural History Florida Museum of Natural History University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
- Department of Biological Sciences Marquette University Milwaukee WI USA
| | - Michael F. Barej
- Museum für Naturkunde ‐ Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science Berlin Germany
| | | | - Mareike Hirschfeld
- Museum für Naturkunde ‐ Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science Berlin Germany
| | | | - Dwight Lawson
- Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden Oklahoma City OK USA
| | | | | | - Edward L. Stanley
- Department of Natural History Florida Museum of Natural History University of Florida Gainesville FL USA
| | - Mark‐Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde ‐ Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science Berlin Germany
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23
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Heinicke MP, Titus-McQuillan JE, Daza JD, Kull EM, Stanley EL, Bauer AM. Phylogeny and evolution of unique skull morphologies in dietary specialist African shovel-snouted snakes (Lamprophiidae: Prosymna). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blaa076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Prosymna is a specialized African snake genus lacking close relatives. The evolutionary relationships and history within Prosymna are poorly understood. Here we assembled a multi-gene data set including representatives for 11 of 16 species to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of this group. Our analyses support the monophyly of Prosymna and are congruent with species groups previously recognized on the basis of external morphology. Divergences among extant Prosymna began in the mid-Cenozoic, with the earliest divergence splitting northern from southern lineages. High-resolution computed tomography scans confirm that a specialized skull morphology is found across the genus and was probably present in the common ancestor of Prosymna. This specialization is exemplified by dentition featuring reduced anterior but greatly enlarged, blade-like posterior maxillary teeth and an unusually high degree of fusion of cranial bones. One species, P. visseri, has a hammer-like maxilla unlike that of any other known snake. Evidence for oophagy in Prosymna and the possible roles of morphological specializations in egg-slitting or egg-crushing feeding mechanisms are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew P Heinicke
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI, USA
| | - James E Titus-McQuillan
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA
| | - Juan D Daza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Kull
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX, USA
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Aaron M Bauer
- Department of Biology and Center for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Stewardship, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
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24
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Bardua C, Fabre A, Bon M, Das K, Stanley EL, Blackburn DC, Goswami A. Evolutionary integration of the frog cranium. Evolution 2020; 74:1200-1215. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.13984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carla Bardua
- Department of Genetics, Evolution, and EnvironmentUniversity College London London WC1E 6BT United Kingdom
- Department of Life SciencesNatural History Museum London SW7 5BD United Kingdom
| | - Anne‐Claire Fabre
- Department of Life SciencesNatural History Museum London SW7 5BD United Kingdom
| | - Margot Bon
- Department of Life SciencesNatural History Museum London SW7 5BD United Kingdom
| | - Kalpana Das
- Museum für NaturkundeLeibniz‐Institut für Evolutions‐ und Biodiversitätsforschung Berlin 10115 Germany
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- Department of HerpetologyFlorida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida Gainesville Florida 32610
| | - David C. Blackburn
- Department of Natural HistoryFlorida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida Gainesville Florida 32611
| | - Anjali Goswami
- Department of Life SciencesNatural History Museum London SW7 5BD United Kingdom
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25
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Bates MF, Stanley EL. A taxonomic revision of the south-eastern dragon lizards of the Smaug warreni (Boulenger) species complex in southern Africa, with the description of a new species (Squamata: Cordylidae). PeerJ 2020; 8:e8526. [PMID: 32257631 PMCID: PMC7102504 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.8526] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A recent multilocus molecular phylogeny of the large dragon lizards of the genus Smaug Stanley et al. (2011) recovered a south-eastern clade of two relatively lightly-armoured, geographically-proximate species (Smaug warreni (Boulenger, 1908) and S. barbertonensis (Van Dam, 1921)). Unexpectedly, S. barbertonensis was found to be paraphyletic, with individuals sampled from northern Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) being more closely related to S. warreni than to S. barbertonensis from the type locality of Barberton in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Examination of voucher specimens used for the molecular analysis, as well as most other available museum material of the three lineages, indicated that the 'Eswatini' lineage-including populations in a small area on the northern Eswatini-Mpumalanga border, and northern KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa-was readily distinguishable from S. barbertonensis sensu stricto (and S. warreni) by its unique dorsal, lateral and ventral colour patterns. In order to further assess the taxonomic status of the three populations, a detailed morphological analysis was conducted. Multivariate analyses of scale counts and body dimensions indicated that the 'Eswatini' lineage and S. warreni were most similar. In particular, S. barbertonensis differed from the other two lineages by its generally lower numbers of transverse rows of dorsal scales, and a relatively wider head. High resolution Computed Tomography also revealed differences in cranial osteology between specimens from the three lineages. The 'Eswatini' lineage is described here as a new species, Smaug swazicus sp. nov., representing the ninth known species of dragon lizard. The new species appears to be near-endemic to Eswatini, with about 90% of its range located there. Our study indicates that S. barbertonensis sensu stricto is therefore a South African endemic restricted to an altitudinal band of about 300 m in the Barberton-Nelspruit-Khandizwe area of eastern Mpumalanga Province, while S. warreni is endemic to the narrow Lebombo Mountain range of South Africa, Eswatini and Mozambique. We present a detailed distribution map for the three species, and a revised diagnostic key to the genus Smaug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael F Bates
- Department of Herpetology, National Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa.,Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Singer RA, Moore JA, Stanley EL. Novel life history strategy in a deep sea fish challenges assumptions about reproduction in extreme environments. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3649. [PMID: 32107446 PMCID: PMC7046657 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60534-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The deep ocean is frequently assumed to be a homogeneous system lacking the same diverse life history strategies found in shallower waters. However, as our methods for exploring the deep ocean improve, common assumptions about dispersal, reproduction and behavior are constantly being challenged. Fishes exhibit the most diverse reproductive strategies among vertebrates. Understanding life history strategies in deep-sea environments is lacking for many species of fishes. Here, we report a novel reproductive strategy where a fish (Parazen pacificus) provides parental care via mouth brooding. This behavior is observed from a specimen collected with eggs present in the buccal cavity, along with other specimens exhibiting pre-brooding morphologies. This is the first description of this unique life history trait in a deep-sea fish and fills in a gap in the larval literature for this family of fishes and prompts further investigation into other novel reproductive modes of deep-sea fauna.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randal A Singer
- University of Michigan Museum of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, USA.
| | - Jon A Moore
- Florida Atlantic University, Wilkes Honors College, 5353 Parkside Drive, Jupiter, FL, 33458, USA
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-7800, USA
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Abstract
Although our inventory of Earth’s biodiversity remains incomplete, we still require analyses using the Tree of Life to understand evolutionary and ecological patterns. Because incomplete sampling may bias our inferences, we must evaluate how future additions of newly discovered species might impact analyses performed today. We describe an approach that uses taxonomic history and phylogenetic trees to characterize the impact of past species discoveries on phylogenetic knowledge using patterns of branch-length variation, tree shape, and phylogenetic diversity. This provides a framework for assessing the relative completeness of taxonomic knowledge of lineages within a phylogeny. To demonstrate this approach, we use recent large phylogenies for amphibians, reptiles, flowering plants, and invertebrates. Well-known clades exhibit a decline in the mean and range of branch lengths that are added each year as new species are described. With increased taxonomic knowledge over time, deep lineages of well-known clades become known such that most recently described new species are added close to the tips of the tree, reflecting changing tree shape over the course of taxonomic history. The same analyses reveal other clades to be candidates for future discoveries that could dramatically impact our phylogenetic knowledge. Our work reveals that species are often added non-randomly to the phylogeny over multiyear time-scales in a predictable pattern of taxonomic maturation. Our results suggest that we can make informed predictions about how new species will be added across the phylogeny of a given clade, thus providing a framework for accommodating unsampled undescribed species in evolutionary analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- D C Blackburn
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - G Giribet
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - D E Soltis
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - E L Stanley
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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Čerňanský A, Stanley EL. The atlas-axis complex in Dibamidae (Reptilia: Squamata) and their potential relatives: The effect of a fossorial lifestyle on the morphology of this skeletal bridge. J Morphol 2019; 280:1777-1797. [PMID: 31566797 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
We report on the first detailed study of the atlas-axis complex in the lizard clade Dibamidae, a family of poorly known fossorial squamates distributed in tropical or subtropical climates. This skeletal bridge is characterized by several features, such as the complete absence of the first intercentrum or the appearance of the first free cervical rib on the axis (usually less developed in Dibamus relative to that in Anelytropsis). Our study shows morphological differences of the atlas-axis complex in the Mexican blind lizard Anelytropsis relative to those of Asian Dibamus, the only two known extant genera of this clade. With regard to taxonomy and phylogenetic topology of the Dibamidae within Squamata, a huge conflict exists between morphology versus molecules. The morphology of the atlas-axis complex is therefore compared with several potential sister clades + Sphenodon. Dibamids share several features with limbless Gekkota, Scincoidea, and Amphisbaenia. The complete absence of the first intercentrum is observed in Rhineura floridana and in Ateuchosaurus chinensis as well, and the free rib associated with the synapophyses of the axis is also present in Acontias meleagris. However, some of these features may result from a limbless, burrowing ecology and thus could represent homoplastic characters. In any case, the morphology of the atlas-axis shows that dibamids share most character states with skinks. Although the atlas-axis complex forms only an additional source of information, this conclusion is consistent with most morphological rather than molecular tree topologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrej Čerňanský
- Department of Ecology, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
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Holovacs NT, Daza JD, Guerra C, Stanley EL, Montero R. You Can't Run, but You Can Hide: The Skeleton of the Sand-Swimmer Lizard Calyptommatus leiolepis (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae). Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2019; 303:1305-1326. [PMID: 31469501 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2019] [Revised: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Squamates exhibit a vast diversity of body plans, which directly determines habitat use and preference. Here the skeleton of the sand-swimmer burrower gymnophthalmid, Calyptommatus leiolepis, is analyzed to investigate how its peculiar fossorial locomotion affects its osteology. Calyptommatus leiolepis is a limb-reduced, short-intermediate tailed lizard. Although there are other studies on its general anatomy, we performed a detailed description of its skeleton. Using high-resolution computer tomography, each bone element within the skeleton was digitally segmented and a detailed description rendered. Anatomical features related to burrowing include the head having a shovel-like snout with a well-developed horizontal soft tissue ridge, nasal cartilages that exclude sand from the nostrils, reduced eyes covered by a brille, lack of forelimbs, extreme reduction of hind limbs, and imbricated scales among others. The genus Calyptommatus has unique features such as a triradiate jugal (with digit-like posterior projections), a reduced pectoral girdle and forelimbs, parasternal processes that interconnect the ribs, and a single digit in the hind limbs. When comparing this species with other gymnophthalmid lizards including, fossorial species, it is clear that Calyptommatus exhibits the highest number of structural modifications within the family. Despite its specialized morphology, it still retains characters that link this genus to other members of Gymnophthalmidae when included in a phylogeny based solely on phenotypic data. Anat Rec, 303:1305-1326, 2020. © 2019 American Association for Anatomy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas T Holovacs
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas
| | - Juan D Daza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas
| | - Cecilia Guerra
- Cátedra Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Instituto de Herpetología, Fundación Miguel Lillo, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, Florida
| | - Ricardo Montero
- Cátedra Vertebrados, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Instituto de Herpetología, Fundación Miguel Lillo, Tucumán, Argentina
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Marques MP, Ceríaco LMP, Stanley EL, Bandeira SA, Agarwal I, Bauer AM. A new species of Girdled Lizard (Squamata: Cordylidae) from the Serra da Neve Inselberg, Namibe Province, southwestern Angola. Zootaxa 2019; 4668:zootaxa.4668.4.4. [PMID: 31716607 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4668.4.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
A new species of rupicolous girdled lizard is described from Serra da Neve Inselberg, Namibe Province, southwestern Angola. We sequenced two mitochondrial gene regions (16S and ND2) for the new species and compared these data with those previously published for other Cordylus species. The new species is genetically divergent from the closely related Cordylus machadoi and C. namakuiyus and morphologically distinguished by head scale arrangement, coloration, and osteological characters. Serra da Neve is the second highest peak in Angola and one of the most understudied areas of the country. The discovery of this new species highlights the importance of this inselberg for regional endemism and emphasizes the high conservation importance of the area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana P Marques
- Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO), Research Network in Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology (InBIO), University of Porto, Rua Padre Armando Quintas 7, Vairão, 4485-661 Porto, Portugal Departamento de Zoologia e Antropologia (Museu Bocage), Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua da Escola Politécnica, 58, 1269-102 Lisboa, Portugal.
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Evans BJ, Gansauge MT, Stanley EL, Furman BLS, Cauret CMS, Ofori-Boateng C, Gvoždík V, Streicher JW, Greenbaum E, Tinsley RC, Meyer M, Blackburn DC. Xenopus fraseri: Mr. Fraser, where did your frog come from? PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220892. [PMID: 31509539 PMCID: PMC6738922 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive, accurate, and revisable alpha taxonomy is crucial for biodiversity studies, but is challenging when data from reference specimens are difficult to collect or observe. However, recent technological advances can overcome some of these challenges. To illustrate this, we used modern approaches to tackle a centuries-old taxonomic enigma presented by Fraser’s Clawed Frog, Xenopus fraseri, including whether X. fraseri is different from other species, and if so, where it is situated geographically and phylogenetically. To facilitate these inferences, we used high-resolution techniques to examine morphological variation, and we generated and analyzed complete mitochondrial genome sequences from all Xenopus species, including >150-year-old type specimens. Our results demonstrate that X. fraseri is indeed distinct from other species, firmly place this species within a phylogenetic context, and identify its minimal geographic distribution in northern Ghana and northern Cameroon. These data also permit novel phylogenetic resolution into this intensively studied and biomedically important group. Xenopus fraseri was formerly thought to be a rainforest endemic placed alongside species in the amieti species group; in fact this species occurs in arid habitat on the borderlands of the Sahel, and is the smallest member of the muelleri species group. This study illustrates that the taxonomic enigma of Fraser’s frog was a combined consequence of sparse collection records, interspecies conservation and intraspecific polymorphism in external anatomy, and type specimens with unusual morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J. Evans
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Marie-Theres Gansauge
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Benjamin L. S. Furman
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
- Department of Zoology, Beaty Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | | | - Václav Gvoždík
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, National Museum, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - Eli Greenbaum
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, United States of America
| | - Richard C. Tinsley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | - Matthias Meyer
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz, Leipzig, Germany
| | - David C. Blackburn
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
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Li Y, Ruan YY, Stanley EL, Skelton J, Hulcr J. Plasticity of mycangia in Xylosandrus ambrosia beetles. Insect Sci 2019; 26:732-742. [PMID: 29571219 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.12590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Insects that depend on microbial mutualists evolved a variety of organs to transport the microsymbionts while dispersing. The ontogeny and variability of such organs is rarely studied, and the microsymbiont's effects on the animal tissue development remain unknown in most cases. Ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae or Platypodinae) and their mutualistic fungi are an ideal system to study the animal-fungus interactions. While the interspecific diversity of their fungus transport organ-mycangia-is well-known, their developmental plasticity has been poorly described. To determine the ontogeny of the mycangium and the influence of the symbiotic fungus on the tissue development, we dissected by hand or scanned with micro-CT the mycangia in various developmental stages in five Xylosandrus ambrosia beetle species that possess a large, mesonotal mycangium: Xylosandrus amputatus, Xylosandrus compactus, Xylosandrus crassiusculus, Xylosandrus discolor, and Xylosandrus germanus. We processed 181 beetle samples from the United States and China. All five species displayed three stages of the mycangium development: (1) young teneral adults had an empty, deflated and cryptic mycangium without fungal mass; (2) in fully mature adults during dispersal, the pro-mesonotal membrane was inflated, and most individuals developed a mycangium mostly filled with the symbiont, though size and symmetry varied; and (3) after successful establishment of their new galleries, most females discharged the bulk of the fungal inoculum and deflated the mycangium. Experimental aposymbiotic individuals demonstrated that the pronotal membrane invaginated independently of the presence of the fungus, but the fungus was required for inflation. Mycangia are more dynamic than previously thought, and their morphological changes correspond to the phases of the symbiosis. Importantly, studies of the fungal symbionts or plant pathogen transmission in ambrosia beetles need to consider which developmental stage to sample. We provide illustrations of the different stages, including microphotography of dissections and micro-CT scans.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Li
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Yong-Ying Ruan
- School of Applied Chemistry and Biological Technology, Postdoctoral Innovation Practice Base, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - James Skelton
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
| | - Jiri Hulcr
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Griffing AH, Sanger TJ, Daza JD, Nielsen SV, Pinto BJ, Stanley EL, Gamble T. Embryonic development of a parthenogenetic vertebrate, the mourning gecko (
Lepidodactylus lugubris
). Dev Dyn 2019; 248:1070-1090. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.72] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 06/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Aaron H. Griffing
- Department of Biological SciencesMarquette University Milwaukee Wisconsin
| | - Thomas J. Sanger
- Department of BiologyLoyola University in Chicago Chicago Illinois
| | - Juan D. Daza
- Department of Biological SciencesSam Houston State University Huntsville Texas
| | - Stuart V. Nielsen
- Department of HerpetologyFlorida Museum of Natural History Gainesville Florida
| | - Brendan J. Pinto
- Department of Biological SciencesMarquette University Milwaukee Wisconsin
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- Department of HerpetologyFlorida Museum of Natural History Gainesville Florida
| | - Tony Gamble
- Department of Biological SciencesMarquette University Milwaukee Wisconsin
- Milwaukee Public Museum Milwaukee Wisconsin
- Bell Museum of Natural HistoryUniversity of Minnesota Saint Paul Minnesota
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Camaiti M, Villa A, Wencker LCM, Bauer AM, Stanley EL, Delfino M. Descriptive osteology and patterns of limb loss of the European limbless skink Ophiomorus punctatissimus (Squamata, Scincidae). J Anat 2019; 235:313-345. [PMID: 31125128 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The limbless skink Ophiomorus punctatissimus is a cryptozoic species found in the Peloponnese region of Greece and on the Greek island Kythira. To provide the first thorough description of the cranial and postcranial osteology of this species, both disarticulated specimens and X-ray computed tomographies of wet-preserved specimens were examined in detail. Resulting from this, an anatomical atlas of this species is provided. Two separate considerations, an evolutionary and an ecomorphological one, are made based on the observed adaptations related to limb loss in this skink. The structure of the girdles shows a particular pattern of reduction: whereas the pelvic girdle is mostly vestigial, the pectoral girdle is instead well developed, with all the elements typical of limbed lizards except for the actual limbs. This led us to hypothesize an asynchronous pattern of limb reduction during the evolution of this species, in which the hindlimbs regressed earlier than the forelimbs. Furthermore, considerations based on overall body morphology, osteology and the structure of the inner ear led to the recognition of this species as a burrowing ecomorph. In contrast to the morphology normally displayed in this ecomorph, O. punctatissimus is characterized by the retention of autotomic vertebrae in its tail. This is consistent with the habitats in which it lives, where active burrowing would be difficult because of the hard, rocky terrain. Instead, this skink hides among rocks on the surface and is, therefore, subject to greater predation risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Camaiti
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Torino, Turin, Italy.,School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrea Villa
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Torino, Turin, Italy.,Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie, München, Germany
| | | | - Aaron M Bauer
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, PA, USA
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Massimo Delfino
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Università di Torino, Turin, Italy.,Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Portillo F, Stanley EL, Branch WR, Conradie W, Rödel MO, Penner J, Barej MF, Kusamba C, Muninga WM, Aristote MM, Bauer AM, Trape JF, Nagy ZT, Carlino P, Pauwels OSG, Menegon M, Ineich I, Burger M, Zassi-Boulou AG, Mazuch T, Jackson K, Hughes DF, Behangana M, Greenbaum E. Evolutionary history of burrowing asps (Lamprophiidae: Atractaspidinae) with emphasis on fang evolution and prey selection. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0214889. [PMID: 30995262 PMCID: PMC6469773 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0214889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Atractaspidines are poorly studied, fossorial snakes that are found throughout Africa and western Asia, including the Middle East. We employed concatenated gene-tree analyses and divergence dating approaches to investigate evolutionary relationships and biogeographic patterns of atractaspidines with a multi-locus data set consisting of three mitochondrial (16S, cyt b, and ND4) and two nuclear genes (c-mos and RAG1). We sampled 91 individuals from both atractaspidine genera (Atractaspis and Homoroselaps). Additionally, we used ancestral-state reconstructions to investigate fang and diet evolution within Atractaspidinae and its sister lineage (Aparallactinae). Our results indicated that current classification of atractaspidines underestimates diversity within the group. Diversification occurred predominantly between the Miocene and Pliocene. Ancestral-state reconstructions suggest that snake dentition in these taxa might be highly plastic within relatively short periods of time to facilitate adaptations to dynamic foraging and life-history strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frank Portillo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States of America
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - William R. Branch
- Port Elizabeth Museum, Humewood, South Africa
- Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
| | - Werner Conradie
- Port Elizabeth Museum, Humewood, South Africa
- School of Natural Resource Management, George Campus, Nelson Mandela University, George, South Africa
| | - Mark-Oliver Rödel
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Johannes Penner
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Wildlife Management, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Michael F. Barej
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Berlin, Germany
| | - Chifundera Kusamba
- Laboratoire d’Herpétologie, Département de Biologie, Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles, Lwiro, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Wandege M. Muninga
- Laboratoire d’Herpétologie, Département de Biologie, Centre de Recherche en Sciences Naturelles, Lwiro, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Mwenebatu M. Aristote
- Institut Supérieur d'Écologie pour la Conservation de la Nature, Katana Campus, South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Aaron M. Bauer
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, Villanova, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jean-François Trape
- Laboratoire de Paludologie et Zoologie Médicale, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Dakar, Senegal
| | | | - Piero Carlino
- Museo di Storia naturale del Salento, Calimera, Italy
| | - Olivier S. G. Pauwels
- Département des Vertébrés Récents, Institut Royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Michele Menegon
- Division of Biology and Conservation Ecology, School of Science and the Environment, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - Ivan Ineich
- Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Sorbonne Universités, Département Systématique et Evolution (Reptiles), ISyEB (Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité), Paris, France
| | - Marius Burger
- African Amphibian Conservation Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
- Flora Fauna & Man, Ecological Services Ltd. Tortola, British Virgin Islands
| | | | | | - Kate Jackson
- Department of Biology, Whitman College, Walla Walla, Washington, United States of America
| | - Daniel F. Hughes
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States of America
| | - Mathias Behangana
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Eli Greenbaum
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States of America
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Vijayakumar SP, Pyron RA, Dinesh KP, Torsekar VR, Srikanthan AN, Swamy P, Stanley EL, Blackburn DC, Shanker K. A new ancient lineage of frog (Anura: Nyctibatrachidae: Astrobatrachinae subfam. nov.) endemic to the Western Ghats of Peninsular India. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6457. [PMID: 30881763 PMCID: PMC6419720 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Western Ghats (WG) is an escarpment on the west coast of Peninsular India, housing one of the richest assemblages of frogs in the world, with three endemic families. Here, we report the discovery of a new ancient lineage from a high-elevation massif in the Wayanad Plateau of the southern WG. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that the lineage belongs to Natatanura and clusters with Nyctibatrachidae, a family endemic to the WG/Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot. Based on geographic distribution, unique morphological traits, deep genetic divergence, and phylogenetic position that distinguishes the lineage from the two nyctibatrachid subfamilies Nyctibatrachinae Blommers-Schlösser, 1993 and Lankanectinae Dubois & Ohler, 2001, we erect a new subfamily Astrobatrachinae subfam. nov. (endemic to the WG, Peninsular India), and describe a new genus Astrobatrachus gen. nov. and species, Astrobatrachus kurichiyana sp. nov. The discovery of this species adds to the list of deeply divergent and monotypic or depauperate lineages with narrow geographic ranges in the southern massifs of the WG. The southern regions of the WG have long been considered geographic and climatic refugia, and this new relict lineage underscores their evolutionary significance. The small range of this species exclusively outside protected areas highlights the significance of reserve forest tracts in the WG in housing evolutionary novelty. This reinforces the need for intensive sampling to uncover new lineages and advance our understanding of the historical biogeography of this ancient landmass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seenapuram Palaniswamy Vijayakumar
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Robert Alexander Pyron
- Department of Biological Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - K. P. Dinesh
- Western Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India, Pune, Maharashtra, India
| | - Varun R. Torsekar
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Priyanka Swamy
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - David C. Blackburn
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kartik Shanker
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
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Li Y, Ruan Y, Kasson MT, Stanley EL, Gillett CPDT, Johnson AJ, Zhang M, Hulcr J. Structure of the Ambrosia Beetle (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Mycangia Revealed Through Micro-Computed Tomography. J Insect Sci 2018; 18:5125956. [PMID: 30304508 PMCID: PMC6181196 DOI: 10.1093/jisesa/iey096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Ambrosia beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae and Platypodinae) rely on a symbiosis with fungi for their nutrition. Symbiotic fungi are preserved and transported in specialized storage structures called mycangia. Although pivotal in the symbiosis, mycangia have been notoriously difficult to study, given their minute size and membranous structure. We compared the application of novel visualization methods for the study of mycangia, namely micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) and laser ablation tomography (LATscan) with traditional paraffin sectioning. Micro-CT scanning has shown the greatest promise in new organ discovery, while sectioning remains the only method with sufficient resolution for cellular visualization. All three common types of mycangia (oral, mesonotal, and pronotal) were successfully visualized and presented for different species of ambrosia beetles: Ambrosiodmus minor (Stebbing) 1909, Euplatypus compositus (Say) 1823, Premnobius cavipennis Eichhoff 1878, Scolytoplatypus raja Blandford 1893, Xylosandrus crassiusculus (Motschulsky) 1866 and X. amputatus (Blandford) 1894. A reconstruction of the mycangium and the surrounding musculature in X. amputatus is also presented. The advantages of micro-CT compared to the previously commonly used microtome sectioning include the easy visualization and recording of three-dimensional structures, their position in reference to other internal structures, the ability to distinguish natural aberrations from technical artifacts, and the unprecedented visualizations of the anatomic context of mycangia enabled by the integrated software.
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Affiliation(s)
- You Li
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Yongying Ruan
- School of Applied Chemistry and Biological Technology, Postdoctoral Innovation Practice Base, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Matthew T Kasson
- Division of Plant and Soil Sciences, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Conrad P D T Gillett
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Andrew J Johnson
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
| | - Mengna Zhang
- School of Applied Chemistry and Biological Technology, Postdoctoral Innovation Practice Base, Shenzhen Polytechnic, Shenzhen, Guangdong, China
| | - Jiri Hulcr
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
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Ceríaco LMP, Marques MP, Bandeira S, Agarwal I, Stanley EL, Bauer AM, Heinicke MP, Blackburn DC. A new earless species of Poyntonophrynus (Anura, Bufonidae) from the Serra da Neve Inselberg, Namibe Province, Angola. Zookeys 2018:109-136. [PMID: 30127660 PMCID: PMC6093966 DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.780.25859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
African pygmy toads of the genus Poyntonophrynus are some of the least known species of African toads. The genus comprises ten recognized species endemic to sub-Saharan Africa, five of which are restricted to southwestern Africa. Recent field research in Angola provided new material for three species of Poyntonophrynus, including a morphologically distinctive population from the Serra da Neve Inselberg. Based on a combination of external morphology, high-resolution computed tomography scanning, and molecular phylogenetic analysis, the Serra da Neve population is described as new species that is nested within the genus. The most striking character that differentiates the newly described species from its congeners is the lack of a tympanic middle ear, a condition common in the family Bufonidae, but so far not known for Poyntonophrynus. The description of this new species from southwestern Angola reinforces the biogeographic importance of the region and further suggests that southwestern Africa is the cradle of diversity for this genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis M P Ceríaco
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Michigan-Dearborn, 4901 Evergreen Road, Dearborn, Michigan 48128, USA University of Michigan-Dearborn Dearborn United States of America.,Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085-1699, USA Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal.,Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua da Escola Politécnica, 58, 1269-102 Lisboa, Portugal Villanova University Villanova United States of America
| | - Mariana P Marques
- Museu Nacional de História Natural e da Ciência, Universidade de Lisboa, Rua da Escola Politécnica, 58, 1269-102 Lisboa, Portugal Villanova University Villanova United States of America.,Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (CIBIO), InBIO, University of Porto, Rua Padre Armando Quintas 7, Vairão, 4485-661 Porto, Portugal University of Porto Porto Portugal
| | - Suzana Bandeira
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085-1699, USA Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal.,Instituto Nacional da Biodiversidade e Áreas de Conservação (INBAC), Ministério do Ambiente de Angola, Centralidade do Kilamba, Rua 26 de Fevereiro, Quarteirão Nimi Ya Lukemi, edifício Q11, 3° andar, Angola Ministério do Ambiente de Angola Luanda Angola
| | - Ishan Agarwal
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085-1699, USA Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA University of Florida Gainsville United States of America
| | - Aaron M Bauer
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, Pennsylvania 19085-1699, USA Universidade de Lisboa Lisbon Portugal
| | - Matthew P Heinicke
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Michigan-Dearborn, 4901 Evergreen Road, Dearborn, Michigan 48128, USA University of Michigan-Dearborn Dearborn United States of America
| | - David C Blackburn
- Department of Natural History, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611, USA University of Florida Gainsville United States of America
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Kim BG, Kim YH, Stanley EL, Garrido-Martin EM, Lee YJ, Oh SP. CXCL12-CXCR4 signalling plays an essential role in proper patterning of aortic arch and pulmonary arteries. Cardiovasc Res 2018; 113:1677-1687. [PMID: 29016745 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvx188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 09/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aims Chemokine CXCL12 (stromal derived factor 1: SDF1) has been shown to play important roles in various processes of cardiovascular development. In recent avian studies, CXCL12 signalling has been implicated in guidance of cardiac neural crest cells for their participation in the development of outflow tract and cardiac septum. The goal of this study is to investigate the extent to which CXCL12 signalling contribute to the development of aortic arch and pulmonary arteries in mammals. Methods and results Novel Cxcl12-LacZ reporter and conditional alleles were generated. Using whole mount X-gal staining with the reporter allele and vascular casting techniques, we show that the domain branching pattern of pulmonary arteries in Cxcl12-null mice is completely disrupted and discordant with that of pulmonary veins and airways. Cxcl12-null mice also displayed abnormal and superfluous arterial branches from the aortic arch. The early steps of pharyngeal arch remodelling in Cxcl12-null mice appeared to be unaffected, but vertebral arteries were often missing and prominent aberrant arteries were present parallel to carotid arteries or trachea, similar to aberrant vertebral artery or thyroid ima artery, respectively. Analysis with computed tomography not only confirmed the results from vascular casting studies but also identified abnormal systemic arterial supply to lungs in the Cxcl12-null mice. Tie2-Cre mediated Cxcr4 deletion phenocopied the Cxcl12-null phenotypes, indicating that CXCR4 is the primary receptor for arterial patterning, whereas Cxcl12 or Cxcr4 deletion by Wnt1-Cre did not affect aortic arch patterning. Conclusion CXCL12-CXCR4 signalling is essential for the correct patterning of aortic arches and pulmonary arteries during development. Superfluous arteries in Cxcl12-null lungs and the aortic arch infer a role of CXCL12 in protecting arteries from uncontrolled sprouting during development of the arterial system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Gyeong Kim
- Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, 155 Gaetbeol-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21999, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Hwan Kim
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, 1600 SW Archer Road, Room CG-20B, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Department of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Eva M Garrido-Martin
- Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, 1600 SW Archer Road, Room CG-20B, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Young Jae Lee
- Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, 155 Gaetbeol-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21999, Republic of Korea
| | - S Paul Oh
- Lee Gil Ya Cancer and Diabetes Institute, Gachon University, 155 Gaetbeol-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21999, Republic of Korea.,Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, College of Medicine, University of Florida, 1600 SW Archer Road, Room CG-20B, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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40
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Ribeiro LF, Blackburn DC, Stanley EL, Pie MR, Bornschein MR. Two new species of the Brachycephalus pernix group (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from the state of Paraná, southern Brazil. PeerJ 2017; 5:e3603. [PMID: 28761788 PMCID: PMC5534166 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/28/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We describe two new species of miniaturized toadlet in the B. pernix group of Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from the Atlantic Forest of the state of Paraná, southern Brazil. The first new species is distinguished from all congeners by the pale red coloration from the head to the pelvic region, with sides of the body and thighs dorsally yellowish green. It is known only from the type locality in a cloud forest at altitudes ranging between 1,144–1,228 m a.s.l. The second species, although more closely related to B. izecksohni, is morphologically similar to B. brunneus in its overall brown coloration, but distinct from that species in the color of the iris (black with conspicuous golden spots, instead of entirely black). It was found on three mountains, at altitudes between 1,095–1,320 m a.s.l., and in vegetation types including cloud forest, montane forest, and secondary forest. The two new species exhibit neither vertebral fusions nor osteoderms, but one has both a distinct neopalatine and well-developed odontoids on the maxillae. We discuss the conservation status of both species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiz F Ribeiro
- Escola de Ciências da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.,Mater Natura-Instituto de Estudos Ambientais, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - David C Blackburn
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States of America
| | - Marcio R Pie
- Mater Natura-Instituto de Estudos Ambientais, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.,Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Marcos R Bornschein
- Mater Natura-Instituto de Estudos Ambientais, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil.,Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São Vicente, São Paulo, Brazil
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Stanley EL, Eatroff AE. Hypocobalaminaemia as a cause of bone marrow failure and pancytopenia in a cat. Aust Vet J 2017; 95:156-160. [DOI: 10.1111/avj.12570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2015] [Revised: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- EL Stanley
- Internal Medicine Department, The Animal Medical Center; New York USA
| | - AE Eatroff
- Internal Medicine Department, The Animal Medical Center; New York USA
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42
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Bateman C, Huang YT, Simmons DR, Kasson MT, Stanley EL, Hulcr J. Ambrosia beetle Premnobius cavipennis (Scolytinae: Ipini) carries highly divergent ascomycotan ambrosia fungus, Afroraffaelea ambrosiae gen. nov. et sp. nov. (Ophiostomatales). FUNGAL ECOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.funeco.2016.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Bornschein MR, Ribeiro LF, Blackburn DC, Stanley EL, Pie MR. A new species of Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) from Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2629. [PMID: 27812425 PMCID: PMC5088579 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A new species of Brachycephalus (Anura: Brachycephalidae) is described from the Atlantic Forest of northeastern state of Santa Catarina, southern Brazil. Nine specimens (eight adults and a juvenile) were collected from the leaf litter of montane forests 790-835 m above sea level (a.s.l.). The new species is a member of the pernix group by its bufoniform shape and the absence of dermal co-ossification and is distinguished from all its congeners by a combination of its general coloration (dorsal region of head, dorsum, legs, arms, and flanks light, brownish green to dark, olive green, with darker region in the middle of the dorsum and a white line along the vertebral column in most specimens) and by its smooth dorsum. The geographical distribution of the new species is highly reduced (extent of occurrence estimated as 25.04 ha, or possibly 34.37 ha). In addition, its habitat has experienced some level of degradation, raising concerns about the future conservation of the species. Preliminary density estimates suggest one calling individual every 3-4 m2 at 815-835 m a.s.l. and every 100 m2 at 790 m a.s.l. Together with the recently described B. boticario and B. fuscolineatus, the new species is among the southernmost species of Brachycephalus known to date.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos R Bornschein
- Campus do Litoral Paulista, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São Vicente, São Paulo, Brazil; Mater Natura - Instituto de Estudos Ambientais, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Luiz F Ribeiro
- Mater Natura - Instituto de Estudos Ambientais, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil; Escola de Ciências da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - David C Blackburn
- University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History , Gainesville , FL , USA
| | - Edward L Stanley
- University of Florida, Florida Museum of Natural History , Gainesville , FL , USA
| | - Marcio R Pie
- Mater Natura - Instituto de Estudos Ambientais, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil; Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Brazil
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Blackburn DC, Boix C, Greenbaum E, Fabrezi M, Meirte D, Plumptre AJ, Stanley EL. The distribution of the Bururi Long-fingered Frog (Cardioglossa cyaneospila, family Arthroleptidae), a poorly known Albertine Rift endemic. Zootaxa 2016; 4170:355-364. [PMID: 27701267 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4170.2.8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The species diversity of the frog genus Cardioglossa (family Arthroleptidae) is concentrated in the Lower Guinean Forest Zone of Central Africa with most of the 19 species occurring in Cameroon and neighboring countries (Amiet 1972a,b; Blackburn 2008; Hirschfeld et al. 2015). These small leaf-litter frogs are typically found in primary or secondary forest, have shrill whistling calls, are characterized by a variety of color patterns, and lay terrestrial eggs that hatch and develop into elongate, stream-adapted tadpoles (Amiet 1972a,b, 1973; Rödel et al. 2001; Hirschfeld et al. 2012). One of the most poorly known species-the Bururi Long-fingered Frog Cardioglossa cyaneospila Laurent, 1950-is also among the most geographically peripheral to the rest of the species diversity. To date, it is known only from two locations in Burundi and four in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, regions in which armed conflicts have long hampered scientific research. In this short contribution, we (1) document both new and long unpublished records of C. cyaneospila, associate these with known museum records, and extend its geographic range, (2) highlight fruitful areas for future field surveys based on predicting an environmental envelope for this species, and (3) summarize what little is known of its natural history.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Blackburn
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.;
| | | | - Eli Greenbaum
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968.;
| | - Marissa Fabrezi
- Instituto de Bio y Geociencias del NOA (IBIGEO-CONICET) CCT-Salta. Rosario de Lerma-440. República Argentina.;
| | - Danny Meirte
- African Zoology, Royal Museum of Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium.;
| | - Andrew J Plumptre
- Wildlife Conservation Society, P.O. Box 7487, Kampala, Uganda. Conservation Science Group, Dept of Zoology, Cambridge Conservation Initiative, Cambridge University, UK;
| | - Edward L Stanley
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.;
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Daza JD, Stanley EL, Wagner P, Bauer AM, Grimaldi DA. Mid-Cretaceous amber fossils illuminate the past diversity of tropical lizards. Sci Adv 2016; 2:e1501080. [PMID: 26973870 PMCID: PMC4783129 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1501080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Modern tropical forests harbor an enormous diversity of squamates, but fossilization in such environments is uncommon and little is known about tropical lizard assemblages of the Mesozoic. We report the oldest lizard assemblage preserved in amber, providing insight into the poorly preserved but potentially diverse mid-Cretaceous paleotropics. Twelve specimens from the Albian-Cenomanian boundary of Myanmar (99 Ma) preserve fine details of soft tissue and osteology, and high-resolution x-ray computed tomography permits detailed comparisons to extant and extinct lizards. The extraordinary preservation allows several specimens to be confidently assigned to groups including stem Gekkota and stem Chamaleonidae. Other taxa are assignable to crown clades on the basis of similar traits. The detailed preservation of osteological and soft tissue characters in these specimens may facilitate their precise phylogenetic placement, making them useful calibration points for molecular divergence time estimates and potential keys for resolving conflicts in higher-order squamate relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan D. Daza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sam Houston State University, 1900 Avenue I, Lee Drain Building Suite 300, Huntsville, TX 77341, USA
- Corresponding author. E-mail:
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- Department of Herpetology, Florida Museum of Natural History, 3215 Hull Road, Gainesville, FL 31611, USA
- Department of Herpetology, California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118, USA
| | - Philipp Wagner
- Zoologische Staatssammlung München, Münchhausenstraße 21, 81247 Munich, Germany
| | - Aaron M. Bauer
- Department of Biology, Villanova University, 800 Lancaster Avenue, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
| | - David A. Grimaldi
- Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024–5192, USA
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Evans BJ, Carter TF, Greenbaum E, Gvoždík V, Kelley DB, McLaughlin PJ, Pauwels OSG, Portik DM, Stanley EL, Tinsley RC, Tobias ML, Blackburn DC. Genetics, Morphology, Advertisement Calls, and Historical Records Distinguish Six New Polyploid Species of African Clawed Frog (Xenopus, Pipidae) from West and Central Africa. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0142823. [PMID: 26672747 PMCID: PMC4682732 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0142823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 10/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
African clawed frogs, genus Xenopus, are extraordinary among vertebrates in the diversity of their polyploid species and the high number of independent polyploidization events that occurred during their diversification. Here we update current understanding of the evolutionary history of this group and describe six new species from west and central sub-Saharan Africa, including four tetraploids and two dodecaploids. We provide information on molecular variation, morphology, karyotypes, vocalizations, and estimated geographic ranges, which support the distinctiveness of these new species. We resurrect Xenopus calcaratus from synonymy of Xenopus tropicalis and refer populations from Bioko Island and coastal Cameroon (near Mt. Cameroon) to this species. To facilitate comparisons to the new species, we also provide comments on the type specimens, morphology, and distributions of X. epitropicalis, X. tropicalis, and X. fraseri. This includes significantly restricted application of the names X. fraseri and X. epitropicalis, the first of which we argue is known definitively only from type specimens and possibly one other specimen. Inferring the evolutionary histories of these new species allows refinement of species groups within Xenopus and leads to our recognition of two subgenera (Xenopus and Silurana) and three species groups within the subgenus Xenopus (amieti, laevis, and muelleri species groups).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J. Evans
- Department of Biology, Life Sciences Building Room 328 McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Timothy F. Carter
- Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eli Greenbaum
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas, United States of America
| | - Václav Gvoždík
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Kvetna 8, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, National Museum, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Darcy B. Kelley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Patrick J. McLaughlin
- Department of Biology, Papadakis Integrated Sciences Building, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Olivier S. G. Pauwels
- Département des Vertébrés Récents, Instítut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Daniel M. Portik
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Edward L. Stanley
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Richard C. Tinsley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, United Kingdom
| | | | - David C. Blackburn
- California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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Stanley EL, Bates MF. Here be dragons: a phylogenetic and biogeographical study of theSmaug warrenispecies complex (Squamata: Cordylidae) in southern Africa. Zool J Linn Soc 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/zoj.12187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Edward L. Stanley
- Department of Herpetology; California Academy of Science; 55 Music Concourse Drive San Francisco CA 94118 USA
- Richard Gilder Graduate School; American Museum of Natural History; Central Park West at 79th Street New York 10024 USA
| | - Michael F. Bates
- Department of Herpetology; National Museum; 36 Aliwal Street Bloemfontein 9301 Free State South Africa
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Greenbaum E, Stanley EL, Kusamba C, Moninga WM, Goldberg SR, Bursey CR. A new species ofCordylus(Squamata: Cordylidae) from the Marungu Plateau of south-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. AFR J HERPETOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1080/21564574.2012.666505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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Abstract
Thyroid hormones are involved in the regulation of fetal lung development, and maturation is accelerated in animal models by antepartum exposure to raised concentrations of the receptor-active thyroid hormone triiodothyronine and glucocorticoids. It is essential that the nature of the regulation of the spatial and temporal metabolism of iodothyronines in the human fetus and infant is known before effective therapies can be developed to modify human lung maturation. Thyroid hormone bioavailability to the human fetus is regulated in part by enzymatic deiodination and reversible sulfation of iodothyronines, with contributions from other factors such as fetomaternal and fetoamniotic hormone transfers, fetal thyroid gland production, and the activities of plasma membrane transporters mediating uptake of iodothyronines from plasma into tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Hume
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, UK.
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Stanley EL, Hume R, Visser TJ, Coughtrie MW. Differential expression of sulfotransferase enzymes involved in thyroid hormone metabolism during human placental development. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2001; 86:5944-55. [PMID: 11739469 DOI: 10.1210/jcem.86.12.8081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Thyroid hormone is essential for normal human development, and disruption of thyroid hormone homeostasis at critical developmental stages can result in severe and often long-term effects on crucial organs such as the brain and lungs. Numerous factors control the bioavailability of receptor active thyroid hormone T(3). Sulfation, catalyzed by sulfotransferase enzymes (SULTs), is an important pathway of thyroid hormone metabolism by which T(4) is irreversibly converted to inactive reverse T(3) rather than active T(3). The human fetus and neonate have high levels of circulating sulfated iodothyronines, although the source of these is not clear. The placenta forms the link between the fetus and its mother and is involved in transfer of thyroid hormone early in pregnancy, although its capacity for sulfation is unknown. We therefore examined expression of the SULTs involved in iodothyronine metabolism during human placental development. SULT activity was measured in human placental cotyledon and membranes (amnion, chorion, and decidua basalis) from 13-42 wk of gestation, and Western blot analysis was employed to verify enzyme activity data. Phenol and catecholamine sulfotransferases were expressed at the highest levels and were generally higher in the villous than membranous tissues. SULT1A1 activity showed significant correlation with sulfation of 3,3'-T(2), suggesting that this enzyme is primarily responsible for placental T(2) sulfation. Estrogen sulfotransferase was present at extremely low levels during early pregnancy, although in mid- and late gestation increased expression in the (predominantly maternal-derived) decidual component of the placenta was observed. Hydroxysteroid sulfotransferase, T(3), reverse T(3), and T(4) SULT activities were also low in all tissues examined, and expression of SULTs 1B1 and 1C2 were essentially undetectable by Western blot analysis. The results highlight a tissue-specific regulation of SULT expression during placental development, demonstrate very low sulfation of iodothyronines suggesting that the placenta is not a major source of circulating sulfated iodothyronines in the fetus.
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Affiliation(s)
- E L Stanley
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, University of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, United Kingdom
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