Search results for "synapomorphy"

Morphometrics and Cladistics: Measuring Phylogeny in the Sea Urchin Echinocardium

1996

A phylogenetic approach to the study of evolutionary patterns is based on taxic homologies (synapomorphies). In contrast, the recognition of evolutionary processes (namely heterochronies) involves analysis of the entire morphology. Recent developments in geometric morphometry permit analysis of morphological similarities grounded in operational homologies. Such morphometric techniques are explored (1) at the level of evolutionary processes, and (2) as a complement in exploration of phylogenetic relationships. To examplify this, we perform a two-part study of the ontogeny and phylogeny of the spatangoid sea urchin Echinocardium. First, a phylogenetic analysis of ten Recent species in the gen…

Re-examining the rare and the lost : a review of fossil Tortricidae (Lepidoptera)

2018

We re-evaluate eleven fossils that have previously been assigned to the family Tortricidae, describe one additional fossil, and assess whether observable morphological features warrant confident assignment of these specimens to this family. We provide an overview of the age and origin of the fossils and comment on their contribution towards understanding the phylogeny of the Lepidoptera. Our results show that only one specimen, Antiquatortia histuroides Brown & Baixeras gen. and sp. nov., shows a character considered synapomorphic for the family. Six other fossils ( Electresia zalesskii Kusnezov, 1941; Tortricidrosis inclusa Skalski, 1973; Tortricites skalskii Kozlov, 1988; Tortricibaltia d…

Evolutionary insight on localization of 18S, 28S rDNA genes on homologous chromosomes in Primates genomes

2018

Abstract We explored the topology of 18S and 28S rDNA units by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in the karyotypes of thirteen species representatives from major groups of Primates and Tupaia minor (Günther, 1876) (Scandentia), in order to expand our knowledge of Primate genome reshuffling and to identify the possible dispersion mechanisms of rDNA sequences. We documented that rDNA probe signals were identified on one to six pairs of chromosomes, both acrocentric and metacentric ones. In addition, we examined the potential homology of chromosomes bearing rDNA genes across different species and in a wide phylogenetic perspective, based on the DAPI-inverted pattern and their synteny t…

Morphological and molecular characterization of three new parastenocarididae (Copepoda: Harpacticoida) from caves in Southern Italy

2020

We describe three new parastenocaridid: Cottarellicaris sanctiangeli Bruno & Cottarelli sp. nov., Stammericaris vincentimariae Bruno & Cottarelli sp. nov. and Proserpinicars specincola Bruno & Cottarelli sp. nov., collected in the pools of five different caves located in Calabria (Southern Italy). We conducted a phylogenetic analysis based on the mitochondrial COI and ribosomal 18S sequences of C. sanctiangeli sp. nov. and S. vincentimariae sp. nov., and of four more species of Stammericaris and one Proserpinicaris available from literature. Based on the molecular study, the specimens of C. sanctiangeli sp. nov. are clearly separated from the species belonging to the closely-rel…

2014

Large prosomal scent glands constitute a major synapomorphic character of the arachnid order Opiliones. These glands produce a variety of chemicals very specific to opilionid taxa of different taxonomic levels, and thus represent a model system to investigate the evolutionary traits in exocrine secretion chemistry across a phylogenetically old group of animals. The chemically best-studied opilionid group is certainly Laniatores, and currently available chemical data allow first hypotheses linking the phylogeny of this group to the evolution of major chemical classes of secretion chemistry. Such hypotheses are essential to decide upon a best-fitting explanation of the distribution of scent-g…

Rapid radiation of North American desert genera of the Papaveraceae: Evidence from restriction site mapping of PCR-amplified chloroplast DNA fragments

1995

Phylogenetic relationships of a group of North American desert genera of the Papaveraceae subfam. Papaveroideae and Platystemonoideae were investigated with an RFLP analysis of three PCR-amplified chloroplast genome regions. In agreement with earlier results it was found that subfam. Platystemonoideae is nested within subfam. Papaveroideae. The group under study is characterized by a large number of generic autapomorphies but only few informative synapomorphies. This is interpreted as strong evidence for a rapid radiation event caused by major climatic changes in the past. Poor phylogenetic resolution seems to reflect biological reality and not to be an experimental artifact. There is also …

What a New Model of Skeletal Homologies Tells Us About Asteroid Evolution1

2000

The Extraxial-Axial Theory (EAT) is applied to the body wall homologies of asteroids. Attempts to characterize major plate systems of asteroids as axial or extraxial, particularly those that are highly organized into series, can be problematic. However, the Optical Plate Rule (OPR) is instrumental in establishing that ambulacrals and terminals are axial. It is equally clear that the region aboral to the marginal frame is a part of the perforate extraxial body wall (with the possible exception of the centrodorsal, which is likely imperforate extraxial). Previously established EAT criteria, particularly those strongly rooted in the embryologically expressed boundary between axial and extraxia…

Are homalozoans echinoderms? An answer from the extraxial-axial theory

2000

Homalozoans include four classes of non-pentamerous Paleozoic echinoderms: Homostelea (cinctans), Ctenocystoidea (ctenoid-bearing homalozoans), Homoiostelea (solutes), and Stylophora (cornutes and mitrates). Their atypical morphologies have historically made it difficult to relate them to other classes. Therefore, their systematic positions have been represented by two hypotheses (H): as stem taxa to echinoderms (H1) or as stem taxa to chordates (H2). These conclusions rest on previous inability to recognize synapomorphies with more crownward echinoderms, resulting in a forcing of the homalozoans down the phylogenetic tree that is more artifactual than evolutionary. The Extraxial-Axial Theo…

A new capitosaur from the Middle Triassic of Spain and the relationships within the Capitosauria

2011

Ajuts: this research was supported by Synthesys (European Union−funded Integrated Activities) grant DE−TAF−5309 to JF. Capitosaurs were the largest and homogeneous group of Triassic temnospondyl amphibians with cosmopolitan distribution. However, their interrelationships are debated. The first capitosaur cranial remains found in the Iberian Peninsula were assigned to Parotosuchus; herein, a re−description of this material, together with information on other remains recovered from the same site, enables us to classify them as a new genus: Calmasuchus acri gen. et sp. nov. (Amphibia: Temnospondyli) from the early−to−middle Anisian (early Middle Triassic). This capitosaur had a combination of …

Phylogeny and origin of Jurassic irregular echinoids (Echinodermata: Echinoidea).

2006

27 pages; International audience; A phylogenetic analysis of Jurassic irregular echinoids is realized to explore the origin and early evolution of this important subset of echinoids. The phylogeny is based on 39 characters and considers data from apical system architecture, the corona including tuberculation and spines, Aristotle's lantern, and general test shape. Results corroborate the monophyly of Irregularia, and clarify the phylogenetic interrelationships existing between the main groups of irregular echinoids. Specializations of the Aristotle's lantern, spines, tubercles and phyllodes constitute the apomorphies for different taxa, as for the whole of Irregularia. The phylogenetic sign…