skip to main content
US FlagAn official website of the United States government
dot gov icon
Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
https lock icon
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( lock ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.


Title: Phylogeny and biogeography of the northern temperate genus Dracocephalum s.l. (Lamiaceae)
Abstract The northern temperate genusDracocephalumconsists of approximately 70 species mainly distributed in the steppe‐desert biomes of Central and West Asia and the alpine region of the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Previous work has shown thatDracocephalumis not monophyletic and might includeHyssopusandLallemantia. This study attempts to clarify the phylogenetic relationships, diversification patterns, and the biogeographical history of the three genera (defined asDracocephalums.l.). Based on a sampling of 66 taxa comprising more than 80% from extant species ofDracocephalums.l., morphological, phylogenetic (maximum parsimony, likelihood, and Bayesian inference based on nuclear ITS and ETS, plastidrpl32‐trnL,trnL‐trnF,ycf1, andycf1‐rps15, and two low‐copy nuclear markersAT3G09060andAT1G09680), molecular dating, diversification, and ancestral range estimation analyses were carried out. Our results demonstrate that bothHyssopusandLallemantiaare embedded withinDracocephalumand nine well‐supported clades can be recognized withinDracocephalums.l. Analyses of divergence times suggest that the genus experienced an early rapid radiation during the middle to late Miocene with major lineages diversifying within a relatively narrow timescale. Ancestral area reconstruction analyses indicate thatDracocephalums.l. originated in Central and West Asia and southern Siberia, and dispersed from Central and West Asia into the QTP and adjacent areas twice independently during the Pliocene. The aridification of the Asian interior possibly promoted the rapid radiation ofDracocephalumwithin this region, and the uplift of the QTP appears to have triggered the dispersal and recent rapid diversification of the genus in the QTP and adjacent regions. Combining molecular phylogenetic and morphological evidence, a revised infrageneric classification ofDracocephalums.l. is proposed, which recognizes nine sections within the genus.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
1655611
PAR ID:
10445838
Author(s) / Creator(s):
 ;  ;  ;  ;  ;  
Publisher / Repository:
Wiley-Blackwell
Date Published:
Journal Name:
Cladistics
Volume:
38
Issue:
4
ISSN:
0748-3007
Page Range / eLocation ID:
p. 429-451
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
More Like this
  1. ABSTRACT AimThe aim of the current study is to conduct a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of the genusArbaciato elucidate the evolution and phylogenetic relationships among all extant species and reevaluate the presence of geographic structure within species that have wide, fragmented distributions. LocationSpecimens ofArbaciawere collected from 34 localities spanning the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and the Mediterranean Sea. MethodsWe obtained sequences from three mitochondrial markers (COI, 16S and the control region and adjacent tRNAs) and two nuclear markers (28S and 18S; the latter ultimately excluded from the final analyses). Phylogenetic trees were constructed using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference approaches. A time‐calibrated phylogenetic tree was inferred using a relaxed Bayesian molecular clock and three fossil calibration points. ResultsOur analysis supports the monophyly of the genusArbacia, including the speciesArbacia nigra(previously assigned to the monotypic genusTetrapygus). The new phylogenetic topology suggests an alternative biogeographic scenario of initial divergence between Atlantic and Pacific subclades occurring approximately 9 million years ago. The dispersal and subsequent diversification of the Pacific subclade to the southeast Pacific coincides with the onset of glacial and interglacial cycles in Patagonia. In the Atlantic subclade, the split betweenA. punctulataandA. lixulaoccurred 3.01–6.30 (median 3.74 million years ago), possibly associated with the strengthening of the Gulf Stream current connecting the western and eastern Atlantic. Our study also reveals significant genetic and phylogeographic structures within both Atlantic species, indicating ongoing differentiation processes between populations. Main ConclusionOur study provides valuable insights into the evolutionary history and biogeography of the genusArbaciaand highlights the complex interplay between historical climate changes and oceanic currents in shaping the distribution and diversification of echinoids in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. 
    more » « less
  2. Abstract PremiseTo date, phylogenetic relationships within the monogeneric Brunelliaceae have been based on morphological evidence, which does not provide sufficient phylogenetic resolution. Here we use target‐enriched nuclear data to improve our understanding of phylogenetic relationships in the family. MethodsWe used the Angiosperms353 toolkit for targeted recovery of exonic regions and supercontigs (exons + introns) from low copy nuclear genes from 53 of 70 species inBrunellia, and several outgroup taxa. We removed loci that indicated biased inference of relationships and applied concatenated and coalescent methods to inferBrunelliaphylogeny. We identified conflicts among gene trees that may reflect hybridization or incomplete lineage sorting events and assessed their impact on phylogenetic inference. Finally, we performed ancestral‐state reconstructions of morphological traits and assessed the homology of character states used to define sections and subsections inBrunellia. ResultsBrunelliacomprises two major clades and several subclades. Most of these clades/subclades do not correspond to previous infrageneric taxa. There is high topological incongruence among the subclades across analyses. ConclusionsPhylogenetic reconstructions point to rapid species diversification in Brunelliaceae, reflected in very short branches between successive species splits. The removal of putatively biased loci slightly improves phylogenetic support for individual clades. Reticulate evolution due to hybridization and/or incomplete lineage sorting likely both contribute to gene‐tree discordance. Morphological characters used to define taxa in current classification schemes are homoplastic in the ancestral character‐state reconstructions. While target enrichment data allows us to broaden our understanding of diversification inBrunellia, the relationships among subclades remain incompletely understood. 
    more » « less
  3. Abstract The terrestrial isopod genusLigidiumincludes 58 species from Europe, Asia, and North America. In Eastern North America four species are recognized:L. floridanumandL. mucronatum, known just from their type localities in Florida and Louisiana respectively,L. blueridgensis, endemic to the southern Appalachians, andL. elrodii, widespread from Georgia to Ontario. The genus shows a marked morphological conservatism, and species are differentiated mostly by small morphological differences; it is not always easy to determine if such variability represents inter‐ or intraspecific variation. Here, we explore the diversity ofLigidiumfrom the southern Appalachian Mountains, exploring the congruence of morphologically defined groups with multilocus phylogenetic reconstructions and molecular species delimitation methods. We have studied a total of 130 specimens from 37 localities, mostly from the southern Appalachians, and analysed mtDNA (Cox1) and nuclear (28S, NaK) sequences. Morphologically, we recognized eight morphotypes, most of them assignable to current concepts ofL.elrodiiandL.blueridgensis. Phylogenetic analyses supported the evolutionary independence of all morphotypes, and suggest the existence of 8–9 species, including limited cryptic diversity. Single‐locus delimitation analyses based on mtDNA data suggest the existence of a much higher number of species than the multilocus analyses. The estimated age of the ancestors of sampled lineages indicates a long presence of the genus in eastern North America and old speciation events through the Miocene. Our results indicate a higher diversity than previously thought among theLigidiumpopulations present in the southern Appalachian Mountains, with several species to be described. 
    more » « less
  4. Abstract— Antennaria are dioecious perennial herbs distributed mainly in the Holarctic Region, with their major center of diversity in the Rocky Mountains of Western North America. The genus comprises 33 known sexual diploid/tetraploid species and at least five polyploid agamic complexes which mostly reproduce by forming asexual seeds. We performed a phylogenetic reconstruction of the 31 sexually-reproducing Antennaria species using a novel target enrichment method that employs custom capture probes designed to work across Asteraceae. Both concatenated and coalescent-based analyses of DNA sequence data from hundreds of nuclear loci recovered Antennaria as a monophyletic group except for the long-disputed species, Antennaria linearifolia , which was recovered outside of the genus. Antennaria was further resolved into three distinct, major lineages. Analysis of ancestral state reconstruction of 12 taxonomically important morphological characters elucidated patterns of character evolution throughout the genus. Estimations of ancestral geographic ranges and molecular dating analyses demonstrated the Rocky Mountain region, including the Vancouverian Province, as the center of origin for the genus Antennaria, around 5.8 MYA. Subsequent dispersals of Antennaria into the Arctic and Appalachian provinces, Canadian provinces, and Eurasia took place roughly 3.2 MYA, 2.4 MYA, and 1.6 MYA, respectively. Biogeographical stochastic mapping indicated that 51.4% of biogeographical events were based on within-area speciation. The remaining 48.6% of the events were divided into two types of dispersals: 1) range expansion dispersals (anagenic, 37%), and 2) founder/jump dispersals (cladogenic, 11.6%). Our results provide a framework for future evolutionary studies of Antennaria, including speciation, origin(s) of polyploidy, and agamospermy in the genus. 
    more » « less
  5. Abstract Sunda-Papuan keelback snakes (Serpentes: Natricidae: Tropidonophis Jan 1863) include 20 species distributed from the Philippines south-east through the Moluccas to New Guinea and Australia. Diversity of this insular snake lineage peaks on the island of New Guinea. Previous phylogenetic studies incorporating Tropidonophis have been limited to multi-locus Sanger-sequenced datasets with broad squamate or family-level focus. We used a targeted-sequence capture approach to sequence thousands of nuclear ultraconserved elements (UCEs) to construct the most comprehensive sequence-based phylogenetic hypothesis for this genus and estimate ancestral biogeography. Phylogenies indicate the genus is monophyletic given recent taxonomic reassignment of Rhabdophis spilogaster to Tropidonophis. All UCE phylogenies recovered a monophyletic Tropidonophis with reciprocally monophyletic Philippine and New Guinean clades. Divergence dating and ancestral range estimation suggest dispersal to New Guinea from the Philippines to have occurred during the Mid-Miocene via the Oceanic Arc Terranes. From Late Miocene into the Pliocene the genus experienced rapid diversification from orogeny of the New Guinean Central Cordillera from Oceanic Arc Terrane accretion on the northern boundary of the Sahul Shelf. Future collecting of missing taxa from the Moluccas and Indonesian Papua will better the understanding of non-volant faunal biogeography and diversification in this tectonically complex Pacific arena. 
    more » « less