“Picking up signals” in male genital morphospace and integrating phylogenomics to delimit Neotropical Nylanderia Emery species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) DOI Creative Commons
Jason L. Williams, Punnath Aswaj, María Belén Fernández

et al.

Insect Systematics and Diversity, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 8(5)

Published: Sept. 1, 2024

Abstract Genital morphology, a cornerstone in taxonomy that predates Linnaeus’s Systema Naturae, is vital for species delimitation. However, the widely accepted paradigm genitalia are taxonomically informative lacks robust testing between closely related species, and supporting evidence often limited to taxonomic literature which assumed priori be species-specific. The cosmopolitan ant genus Nylanderia Emery includes 123 described with most Neotropics still undescribed. Workers morphologically cryptic, males rare collections but required morphological Using Ultraconserved Elements (UCEs) from 236 samples, including 53 Neotropical we reconstructed phylogenetic framework compare (gonopods) of collected alongside workers. We used geometric morphometrics on images slide-mounted 16 nano-CT scans fulva (Mayr) pubens (Forel) genital capsules interpreted results considering phylogeny under maximum likelihood multispecies coalescent. found strong molecular support 2 distantly American clades, identifiable by gonopod shape, significant differences observed among species. Three previously reported COI clades N. were not supported as monophyletic, nor their gonopods significantly different. was distinct all 3DGM results. Our findings emphasize importance male delimiting boundaries revising Nylanderia. Given importance, particularly cryptic taxa, recommend greater focus linking worker phenotypes, can facilitated through comprehensive nest series collection.

Language: Английский

“Picking up signals” in male genital morphospace and integrating phylogenomics to delimit Neotropical Nylanderia Emery species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) DOI Creative Commons
Jason L. Williams, Punnath Aswaj, María Belén Fernández

et al.

Insect Systematics and Diversity, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 8(5)

Published: Sept. 1, 2024

Abstract Genital morphology, a cornerstone in taxonomy that predates Linnaeus’s Systema Naturae, is vital for species delimitation. However, the widely accepted paradigm genitalia are taxonomically informative lacks robust testing between closely related species, and supporting evidence often limited to taxonomic literature which assumed priori be species-specific. The cosmopolitan ant genus Nylanderia Emery includes 123 described with most Neotropics still undescribed. Workers morphologically cryptic, males rare collections but required morphological Using Ultraconserved Elements (UCEs) from 236 samples, including 53 Neotropical we reconstructed phylogenetic framework compare (gonopods) of collected alongside workers. We used geometric morphometrics on images slide-mounted 16 nano-CT scans fulva (Mayr) pubens (Forel) genital capsules interpreted results considering phylogeny under maximum likelihood multispecies coalescent. found strong molecular support 2 distantly American clades, identifiable by gonopod shape, significant differences observed among species. Three previously reported COI clades N. were not supported as monophyletic, nor their gonopods significantly different. was distinct all 3DGM results. Our findings emphasize importance male delimiting boundaries revising Nylanderia. Given importance, particularly cryptic taxa, recommend greater focus linking worker phenotypes, can facilitated through comprehensive nest series collection.

Language: Английский

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