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Plants of the observed Centaurea taxa in Andalusia and detail of their capitula. Plants: (a) Plant showing intermediate traits between C. aspera ssp. aspera and ssp. scorpiurifolia (Cádiz). (b) C. aspera ssp. aspera (Granada). (c) C. aspera ssp. scorpiurifolia (Almería). Capitula: (d) C. sphaerocephala (Cádiz). (e) C. pullata (Cádiz). (f) C. aspera ssp. scorpiurifolia (Almería). (g) C. aspera ssp. aspera (Granada). (h) Plant showing intermediate traits between C. aspera ssp. aspera and ssp. scorpiurifolia (Cádiz). (i) C. aspera ssp. stenophylla (Almería).
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Subspecies are widely included as conservation units because of their potential to become new species. However, their practical recognition includes variable criteria, such as morphological, genetic, geographic and other differences. Centaurea aspera ssp. scorpiurifolia is a threatened taxon endemic to Andalusia (Spain), which coexists in most of i...
Citations
... Whether to conserve hybridized populations remains debated with some suggesting that hybrids should be eradicated (O'Brien andMayr 1991, Jackiw et al. 2015) and others proposing to conserve hybridized populations (Allendorf et al. 2001, Chan et al. 2019. Further challenges facing conservation arise from uncertainties in species taxonomy (Ennos et al. 2005, Garmendia et al. 2022. A rare species may be misidentified as a common one and vice versa, resulting in misallocations of conservation efforts (Milne et al. 2009, Joppa et al. 2011, Vogel Ely et al. 2017, Garmendia et al. 2022. ...
... Further challenges facing conservation arise from uncertainties in species taxonomy (Ennos et al. 2005, Garmendia et al. 2022. A rare species may be misidentified as a common one and vice versa, resulting in misallocations of conservation efforts (Milne et al. 2009, Joppa et al. 2011, Vogel Ely et al. 2017, Garmendia et al. 2022. ...
Understanding the genomic composition of endangered species across its populations is important for conservation and management. Betula microphylla, an endangered species in Northwest China, grows in close proximity to B. tianshanica and B. pendula. However, whether populations of B. microphylla are genetically distinct or introgressed from B. tianshanica and B. pendula remains less clear. Here, we included restriction-site associated DNA (RAD) data for 135 individuals of B. microphylla, B. tianshanica, and B. pendula with RAD data of 87 individuals generated in this study. PCA results identify three genetic clusters, corresponding to B. pendula, B. tianshanica, and B. microphylla. ADMIXTURE analyses show two admixed populations of B. microphylla from B. tianshanica and one admixed population from B. pendula. ABBA-BABA test indicates that the genetic admixture in B. microphylla reflects significant signals of introgression from B. tianshanica and B. pendula. Furthermore, we identified 378 functional genes within the introgressed regions with eight genes related to environmental stress. Conservation strategies to protect genetically distinct populations of B. microphylla from genetic swamping by B. pendula need to be implemented. In addition, ex situ conservation of B. microphylla and conservation efforts towards B. tianshanica should be taken into consideration as the two may represent sister taxa or different subspecies.
... stenophylla and ssp. pseudosphaerocephala, although a continuum exists as previously found in C. aspera individuals growing in Andalusia [46]. One ssp. ...
... Subsequently, in Morocco, and because neopolyploids can be more tolerant to a wider range of environmental conditions, autopolyploid C. aspera ssp. gentilii may have been better adapted to local habitats and drove their diploid ancestors to extinction [58,59], while in Spain, introgressions among diploid subspecies occurred [46]. ...
... The studied individuals were distributed from France to Morocco, mainly along the European Mediterranean coast and the Moroccan Atlantic coast ( Figure 6). (Table 4) [30,31,46]. For the individuals that are used here for the first time, especially C. aspera ssp. ...
Hybridization and polyploidy are major drivers of plant evolution. In Centaurea (Asteraceae), both mechanisms are frequent and lead to reticulate evolutions. However, in the Western Mediterranean section, Seridia studies are scarce. In this section, Centaurea aspera forms a complex including four European diploid and one Moroccan autotetraploid subspecies, an allopolyploid, and hybrids among them. Here, we aimed to delimit the different taxa, identify any introgressions, and discuss their evolutionary history. Samples of all taxa were analysed using 1688 SNPs obtained through GBS and were morphologically characterized. Three genetically well-differentiated clusters were observed, corresponding to the allopolyploid C. seridis, the diploid C. aspera and the cryptic autotetraploid C. aspera ssp. gentilii, which is proposed to be considered as a species. Centaurea seridis showed a high isolation by distance, a greater morphological variability, and a lack of interspecific gene flow. Diploid and autotetraploid C. aspera individuals were morphologically similar, and some introgressions were detected in Southern Spain, where new forms may promote diversification. This gene flow might have taken place during the Messinian and before autopolyploidization occurred in Morocco. In the C. aspera complex, current interspecific barriers are strong, while polyploidization may provide a better adaptation to drier environments.
One specimen of tropical shad was caught from the Giang Thanh River, Kien Giang province, Vietnam in a survey on 16 October 2022. We identified the specimen as the hilsa shad, Tenualosa ilisha Hamilton, 1822 using morphological analysis, and further validated by its cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequence. The specimen was 418 mm long, 1428 g in weight, with a head length of 29.0% and pectoral fin length of 31.1% of its standard length. Notably, the presence of 34 scutes, a higher gill raker count and a caudal fin length within the moderate range for Tenualosa species distinguished it from T. macrura , T. toli and T. reevesii . The COI sequence of the sample matched closely to the T. ilisha . The results confirm that T. ilisha still endures Vietnamese water, where it was thought to be extinct. Climate change and Indo-Pacific Ocean currents may introduce expansion of distribution area of the T. ilisha . Further studies on distribution of the T. ilisha and other Tenualosa species and their dynamics are needed.
Cephalaria saldaensis, collected from Eşeler Mountain around Salda Lake (Yeşilova-Burdur), one of Turkey's important tourism regions, is described from SouthWest Anatolia as a new species. Diagnostic morphological and molecular characters from closely similar taxa are discussed. The geographical distribution of the new species and other related species is mapped. Taxonomic comments such as descriptive and diagnostic characters, distribution and ecology, conservation status for this new species are given in the current study. In this study, morphological characterization of three different Cephalaria spp. was also supported via molecular characterization based on PCR technology. Twenty-two ISSR primers were tested using a total of fifteen individuals belonging to three different Cephalaria spp. Five of these primers gave the most productive band profile. A total of 53 bands ranging from 250bp to 2000bp were obtained from the PCR products on agarose gel image, and the polymorphism calculated on the basis of the band profiles was 77.4%. The band profiles were also analyzed using the PopGen32 Software program. The constructed phylogenetic tree grouped the Cephalaria spp. individuals belonging to these three species into two main clusters and the phylogenetic analysis indicated that C. saldaensis was clearly different from the C. scoparia and C. dirmilensis.
Trifolium elazizense, a new species of Trifolium sect. Trifolium from East Anatolia in Turkey is described. It grows in subalpine regions with steep slopes and shallow soil at high altitudes. The new species is morphologically close to T. longidentatum and T. kurdistanicum, and can be considered a member of the new subsect. Stipulia. Trifolium elazizense is characterized by hairy stipules, the throat of calyx closed by callus hairs, inflorescences without bracts, obviously unequal calyx teeth, longest tooth 3-nerved, others 1–3 nerved.
