The Experts below are selected from a list of 63 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform
Peng Zhang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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higher level salamander relationships and divergence dates inferred from complete mitochondrial genomes
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2009Co-Authors: Peng Zhang, David B. WakeAbstract:Phylogenetic relationships among the salamander families have been difficult to resolve, largely because the window of time in which major lineages diverged was very short relative to the subsequently long evolutionary history of each family. We present seven new complete mitochondrial genomes representing five salamander families that have no or few mitogenome records in GenBank in order to assess the phylogenetic relationships of all salamander families from a mitogenomic perspective. Phylogenetic analyses of two data sets—one combining the entire mitogenome sequence except for the D-loop, and the other combining the deduced amino acid sequences of all 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes—produce nearly identical well-resolved topologies. The monophyly of each family is supported, including the controversial Proteidae. The internally fertilizing salamanders are demonstrated to be a clade, concordant with recent results using nuclear genes. The internally fertilizing salamanders include two well-supported clades: one is composed of Ambystomatidae, Dicamptodontidae, and Salamandridae, the other Proteidae, Rhyacotritonidae, Amphiumidae, and Plethodontidae. In contrast to results from nuclear loci, our results support the conventional morphological hypothesis that Sirenidae is the sister-group to all other salamanders and they statistically reject the hypothesis from nuclear genes that the suborder Cryptobranchoidea (Cryptobranchidae + Hynobiidae) branched earlier than the Sirenidae. Using recently recommended fossil calibration points and a ‘‘soft bound” calibration strategy, we recalculated evolutionary timescales for tetrapods with an emphasis on living salamanders, under a Bayesian framework with and without a rate-autocorrelation assumption. Our dating results indicate: (i) the widely used rate-autocorrelation assumption in relaxed clock analyses is problematic and the accuracy of molecular dating for early lissamphibian evolution is questionable; (ii) the initial diversification of living amphibians occurred later than recent estimates would suggest, from the Late Carboniferous to the Early Permian (�294 MYA); (iii) living salamanders originated during the Early Jurassic (�183 MYA), and (iv) most salamander families had diverged from each other by Late Cretaceous. A likelihood-based ancestral area reconstruction analysis favors a distribution throughout Laurasia in the Early Jurassic for the common ancestor of all living salamanders.
Allan Larson - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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A Molecular Phylogenetic Perspective on the Evolutionary Radiation of the Salamander Family Salamandridae
Systematic Biology, 1995Co-Authors: Tom A. Titus, Allan LarsonAbstract:?Phylogenetic relationships were examined within the salamander family Salamandridae using 18 species representing 14 salamandrid genera and six outgroup taxa from the families Ambystomatidae, Dicamptodontidae, Plethodontidae, and Proteidae. Mitochondrial DNA sequences encoding the 12S and 16S ribosomal RNA and the intervening valine transfer RNA provided 431 phylogenetically informative nucleotide sequence positions from a multiple align? ment of approximately 1,000 bases per species. This variation was analyzed in conjunction with 44 previously reported morphological characters representing primarily hyobranchial myology and osteology, cranial osteology, and reproductive biology The molecular and morphological character sets were highly congruent, with only 2.8% of the total character incongruence attrib? utable to conflict between them. Parsimony analysis of the combined molecular and morphological data produced a single most-parsimonious tree whose topology was identical to that of the mostparsimonious tree derived from the molecular data alone. This tree suggests that the "true" sal? amanders (Chioglossa, Mertensiella, and Salamandra) form a monophyletic sister group to the newts (all remaining salamandrid genera). Within the newts, the first phylogenetic split separates Salamandrina from the remaining genera, within which Pleurodeles and Tylototriton form a monophy? letic sister group to the remaining taxa. The genus Triturus appears not to be monophyletic. Using a phylogenetic reconstruction of character changes, we tested hypotheses of adaptation in the evolution of aquatic suction feeding and terrestrial feeding featuring tongue protrusion. Phylo? genetic trends in the evolution of salamandrid courtship behavior were also examined. [Salamandridae; molecular phylogenetics; mitochondrial DNA; congruence; feeding morphology; court? ship.] Reconstruction of phylogeny is funda? mental to an understanding of the evolu? tion of biological diversity because phylo? genetic trees provide the historical maps along which character evolution is traced. Historical analysis is important for testing hypotheses of adaptive evolution (Baum and Larson, 1991) and for revealing pat? terns of homoplasy that indicate the action of natural selection and developmental constraints (Alberch, 1988; Wake, 1991). Salamanders are a particularly good group for phylogenetic studies of the interactions of design limitations, heterochrony, and se? lection (Wake and Larson, 1987; Wake, 1991). The family Salamandridae exhibits con? siderable morphological and behavioral di? versity. It contains 15 genera and 53 rec? ognized species and is distributed 1 Present address: Department of Biology, Univer? sity of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon 97403, USA. E-mail: titus@darkwing.uoregon.edu. throughout the Holarctic, with the greatest diversity in Europe (seven genera) and Asia (four genera) (Frost, 1985). Salaman? drid evolution has been studied from a va? riety of aspects, including courtship be? havior (Salthe, 1967; Halliday, 1977; Arntzen and Sparreboom, 1989), antipredator behavior (reviewed by Brodie, 1983), tox? icity (Brodie et al., 1974), morphology (Ozeti and Wake, 1969; Wake and zeti, 1969; Zhao and Hu, 1988; Sever, 1992), karyology (reviewed by Macgregor et al., 1990), pro? tein variation (Hedgecock and Ayala, 1974; Rafinski and Arntzen, 1987; Hayashi and Matsui, 1989; Reilly, 1990), and mitochon? drial DNA (Wallis, 1987; Wallis and Arntz? en, 1989, Caccone et al., 1994). Phylogenetic relationships within the Salamandridae have been a source of much conflict. Monophyly of the Salamandridae, although generally accepted, relies largely on interpretation of a single character, the frontosquamosal arch. This character is not present in all salamandrids, and its ab-
David B. Wake - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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higher level salamander relationships and divergence dates inferred from complete mitochondrial genomes
Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 2009Co-Authors: Peng Zhang, David B. WakeAbstract:Phylogenetic relationships among the salamander families have been difficult to resolve, largely because the window of time in which major lineages diverged was very short relative to the subsequently long evolutionary history of each family. We present seven new complete mitochondrial genomes representing five salamander families that have no or few mitogenome records in GenBank in order to assess the phylogenetic relationships of all salamander families from a mitogenomic perspective. Phylogenetic analyses of two data sets—one combining the entire mitogenome sequence except for the D-loop, and the other combining the deduced amino acid sequences of all 13 mitochondrial protein-coding genes—produce nearly identical well-resolved topologies. The monophyly of each family is supported, including the controversial Proteidae. The internally fertilizing salamanders are demonstrated to be a clade, concordant with recent results using nuclear genes. The internally fertilizing salamanders include two well-supported clades: one is composed of Ambystomatidae, Dicamptodontidae, and Salamandridae, the other Proteidae, Rhyacotritonidae, Amphiumidae, and Plethodontidae. In contrast to results from nuclear loci, our results support the conventional morphological hypothesis that Sirenidae is the sister-group to all other salamanders and they statistically reject the hypothesis from nuclear genes that the suborder Cryptobranchoidea (Cryptobranchidae + Hynobiidae) branched earlier than the Sirenidae. Using recently recommended fossil calibration points and a ‘‘soft bound” calibration strategy, we recalculated evolutionary timescales for tetrapods with an emphasis on living salamanders, under a Bayesian framework with and without a rate-autocorrelation assumption. Our dating results indicate: (i) the widely used rate-autocorrelation assumption in relaxed clock analyses is problematic and the accuracy of molecular dating for early lissamphibian evolution is questionable; (ii) the initial diversification of living amphibians occurred later than recent estimates would suggest, from the Late Carboniferous to the Early Permian (�294 MYA); (iii) living salamanders originated during the Early Jurassic (�183 MYA), and (iv) most salamander families had diverged from each other by Late Cretaceous. A likelihood-based ancestral area reconstruction analysis favors a distribution throughout Laurasia in the Early Jurassic for the common ancestor of all living salamanders.
P. Trontelj - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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Monofiletičnost porodice Proteidae (Amphibia: Caudata) testirana filogenetskom analizom sekvenci mitohondrijalne 12s rDNA
'Croatian Natural History Museum', 2003Co-Authors: P. Trontelj, Š. GoričkiAbstract:A phylogenetic analysis of partial 12S rRNA mitochondrial gene sequences from representatives of salamandroid families provided moderate support for the monophyly of the family Proteidae, comprising the North American genus Necturus and the European blind cave salamander Proteus.Filogenetska analiza djelomičnih mitohondrijskih genskih sekvenci 12S rRNA predstavnika salamandroidnih porodica umjereno podržava monofiletičnost porodice Proteidae, obuhvaćajući sjevernoamerički rod Necturus i europski rod špiljske čovječje ribice Proteus
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Monophyly of the family Proteidae (Amphibia: Caudata) tested by phylogenetic analysis of mitochondial 12S rDNA sequences
2003Co-Authors: P. TronteljAbstract:2003, Zagreb. A phylogenetic analysis of partial 12S rRNA mitochondrial gene sequences from representatives of salamandroid families provided moderate support for the monophyly of the family Proteidae, comprising the North American genus Necturus and the European blind cave salamander Proteus
Bernard Richard - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.
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chemical communication in necturus maculosus and his cave living relative proteus anguinus Proteidae urodela
Ethology, 2010Co-Authors: Jakob Parzefall, Jacques P Durand, Bernard RichardAbstract:The chemical communication of the epigean Necturus maculosus and the cave-living Proteus anguinus are compared in laboratory conditions. In both species a specks-specific substance transferred by water could be shown, another was deposited on the substrate.
