{"title":"Eponyms of birds mostly honour scientists and show positive inclusivity trends","authors":"George Sangster","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf022","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf022","url":null,"abstract":"In biological taxonomy, eponyms have become controversial, mostly because some believe that eponyms represent social injustice and include biases against women and people in non-western countries. Unfortunately, there are very few comprehensive quantitative studies of eponyms to inform this debate. In a data set of 28 395 names of valid bird genera, species and (non-nominate) subspecies, 6135 (21.6%) eponyms were identified. The proportion of eponyms has increased since the mid-20th century and was 43% in 2010–2022. Most honourees were scientists (71.5%), and this has been the case since the early 19th century. The proportion of scientists has increased significantly since 1900, whereas the proportion of facilitators of science (a group that includes collectors, sponsors, and artists) has declined significantly during the same period. Overall, there were strong biases towards males (93%) and people in western countries (93%). However, since 1900 the proportions of female and non-western honorifics have increased significantly, and in 2010–2022 these proportions were 17% and 30%, respectively. These trends are encouraging, because a large portion of (non-avian) biodiversity remains to be described. Therefore, there will be plenty of opportunities to compensate for past biases in groups other than birds.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143736829","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Molecular species delimitation and historical biogeography among species of the genus Partamona (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponini), with emphasis on the Eastern group from South America","authors":"E A Miranda, C B Machado, M A Del Lama","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf006","url":null,"abstract":"The stingless bees of the genus Partamona comprise 32 recognized species, all endemic to the Neotropical region, ranging from Mexico to southern Brazil. This study is the first to examine species delimitation, phylogenetic relationships, and divergence-time estimates within the Partamona Eastern group. Of the 21 species in this group, 19 were included in our analysis. Utilizing both mitochondrial and nuclear markers, a multispecies coalescence model identified 19 molecular operational taxonomic units, 13 of which correspond perfectly to the nominal species as initially defined. We find that the Partamona Eastern group is monophyletic and consists of three distinct clades, with relationships among species differing significantly from previous classifications. Divergence-time estimates suggest that the Eastern group originated in the Pliocene, with substantial diversification occurring during the Pleistocene, potentially influenced by shifts in rainforest and dry forest distributions and riverine barriers in the Amazon region. We propose three major dispersal events across biomes. Given these findings, a comprehensive review of the genus, particularly the Eastern clade, is necessary to reassess the current classification using an integrative approach.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"222 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143736830","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daniel F Marchán, Alberto Piris, Natasha Tilikj, Alejandro Martínez Navarro, Ambre Mautuit, Davorka Hackenberger Kutuzovic, Thibaud Decaëns, Marta Novo, Csaba Csuzdi
{"title":"Mediterranean conquerors: neotypification and phylogeography of the widely distributed earthworms Aporrectodea trapezoides and Octodrilus complanatus (Lumbricidae: Crassiclitellata)","authors":"Daniel F Marchán, Alberto Piris, Natasha Tilikj, Alejandro Martínez Navarro, Ambre Mautuit, Davorka Hackenberger Kutuzovic, Thibaud Decaëns, Marta Novo, Csaba Csuzdi","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf002","url":null,"abstract":"Cryptic lineages require identification and delimitation to guide their conservation and management. In the absence of type material that can be genotyped, designating a neotype becomes necessary: such is the case for Aporrectodea trapezoides and Octodrilus complanatus. These widely distributed earthworms are very common in Mediterranean habitats and harbour cryptic lineages. Specimens from the type locality (Jardin des Plantes, Montpellier) were genotyped to be included in species delimitation, phylogeographical, and phylogenetic analyses together with additional sequences from Mediterranean populations and close relatives. The Octodrilus complanatus neotype belonged to a clade inhabiting Spain, France, and Italy, with a putative origin in central Italy; two other species-level clades were restricted to northeastern Italy, Slovenia, and Croatia. The Aporrectodea trapezoides neotype clustered with a peregrine, Iberian, and Maghrebian specimens, together forming Aporrectodea trapezoides s.s. More restricted and accurate descriptions based on the neotypes and closely related specimens pointed out to the Eurosiberian lineage of Aporrectodea trapezoides s.l. corresponding to Aporrectodea borelii and provided a basis for the potential description of Octodrilus complanatus s.l. lineages. On top of the taxonomic advances, this work detected differences in their phylogeographical patterns (potentially connected to historical human dispersal) and provided an opportunity for more accurate ecological niche modelling.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"67 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143546454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
J Ariel Fernández Villoldo, Diego H Verzi, A Itatí Olivares, Sergio F Dos Reis, Ricardo T Lopes, S Ivan Perez
{"title":"Exploring the palaeoneurology of the extinct spiny rat Eumysops chapalmalensis (Hystricognathi: Echimyidae): a comparative phylogenetic analysis of brain size and shape","authors":"J Ariel Fernández Villoldo, Diego H Verzi, A Itatí Olivares, Sergio F Dos Reis, Ricardo T Lopes, S Ivan Perez","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf005","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines the brain morphology of Pliocene specimens of the South American Echimyidae rodent Eumysops chapalmalensis through virtual endocasts and comparisons with extant members of the family. Shape variation is analysed through geometric morphometrics, and the relative sizes of the brain and its components are estimated using phylogenetic regression models. The influence of phylogeny and ecological variables on the brain variation is analysed through phylogenetic comparative analyses. Results indicate that Eumysops chapalmalensis exhibits low encephalization and a high spatial packing of its brain, suggesting the independence of these two measures of relative brain size. Brain shape of Eumysops chapalmalensis departs from the extant species in morphospaces evidencing a distinctive morphology characterized by a strong flexion, posterolateral expansion of the neocortex, and large petrosal lobules. The low phylogenetic signal observed in the brain shape of echimyids, coupled with the significant influence of ecological factors, suggests that adaptive pressures probably played a more influential role in shaping the distinctive brain morphology of Eumysops chapalmalensis. This unique morphology may be associated with the occupation of a niche not explored by extant echimyids—that of a species with high body mass, terrestrial to fossorial habits, and agile movements in open environments.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"88 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143546573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Xavier A Jenkins, Roger B J Benson, Maya Elliott, Gabriel Jeppson, Kathleen Dollman, Vincent Fernandez, Claire Browning, David P Ford, Jonah Choiniere, Brandon R Peecook
{"title":"New information on the anatomically derived millerettid Milleretta rubidgei from the latest Permian based on µCT data","authors":"Xavier A Jenkins, Roger B J Benson, Maya Elliott, Gabriel Jeppson, Kathleen Dollman, Vincent Fernandez, Claire Browning, David P Ford, Jonah Choiniere, Brandon R Peecook","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf004","url":null,"abstract":"The fossil reptile Milleretta holds a prominent role in phylogenetic analyses of early reptile relationships. It has often been used as the sole marker for the anatomically diverse middle to late Permian Millerettidae, a clade that has been hypothesized as the earliest diverging parareptiles and therefore only distantly related to the reptile crown group. However, the anatomy of Milleretta remains incompletely documented, presenting an obstacle to phylogenetic studies of early reptile evolution. We re-examine the cranial anatomy of Milleretta rubidgei using synchrotron micro-computed tomography of two specimens, representing a juvenile and a subadult. These immature individuals have clearly visible sutures, differing from osteologically mature individuals, in which cranial osteoderms obscure the cranial anatomy, particularly in the antorbital region. We demonstrate that Milleretta and other millerettids share many derived similarities with Neodiapsida (a derived clade that includes the reptile crown group), particularly of the neurocranium and palatoquadrate. Comparison with other millerettids reveals that some features seen in adult specimens of Milleretta are, in fact, derived features, resulting from secondary modification in osteologically mature individuals. These observations suggest that Milleretta is an anatomically derived millerettid and urge caution in using this taxon as the semaphorant of this disparate group of stem reptiles.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143546575","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Molecular phylogeny of Salmoneus Holthuis, 1955 and its satellite genera (Decapoda: Caridea: Alpheidae) reveals hidden diversity and multiple instances of morphological and ecological convergence","authors":"Hossein Ashrafi, Arthur Anker, Zdeněk Ďuriš","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae175","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae175","url":null,"abstract":"The present study deals with the intricate phylogenetic relationships within an important clade of the caridean shrimp family Alpheidae, which includes the genera Salmoneus, Deioneus, and Triacanthoneus. Using molecular data from four genes (16S, 18S, COI, and H3), we herein provide the most comprehensive phylogenetic hypothesis for this alpheid clade, with 161 terminals representing 117 ESUs, i.e. genetically distinct species. Our analysis reveals four well-supported larger Clades, as well as 25 smaller clades, corresponding to species groups or species complexes. The results also show that the symbiotic lifestyle evolved multiple times within this clade, in some instances promoting convergent evolution. Ancestral character state analysis unveils extreme plasticity and independent shifts in the minor cheliped types. Furthermore, the impact of different lifestyles on the evolution of each minor cheliped type is discussed. Finally, we address the resulting paraphyly of Salmoneus and the intergeneric relationships between Salmoneus, Deioneus and Triacanthoneus.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"51 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143417701","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Alexander T Salis, Blaine W Schubert, Sarah C E Bray, Holly Heiniger, Julie Meachen, Alan Cooper, Kieren J Mitchell
{"title":"Genetic diversity, phylogeography, and sexual dimorphism in the extinct giant short-faced bear (Arctodus simus)","authors":"Alexander T Salis, Blaine W Schubert, Sarah C E Bray, Holly Heiniger, Julie Meachen, Alan Cooper, Kieren J Mitchell","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf001","url":null,"abstract":"Giant short-faced bears (Arctodus simus) were the largest carnivoran of Pleistocene North America and are one of the most extensively studied extinct megafaunal species from the continent. Smaller and larger forms of A. simus have previously been recognized and are sometimes considered subspecies (A. s. simus and A. s. yukonensis, respectively). However, researchers have also proposed that this size variation is primarily the result of sexual dimorphism. We sequenced 31 mitogenomes of A. simus from locations ranging from Alaska to New Mexico. Our results revealed a lack of phylogeographic structure in A. simus, as well as low genetic diversity and relatively recent mitochondrial diversification. These observations may either represent population bottlenecks during the Late Pleistocene or simply a naturally low effective population size resulting from a dispersed population and low population density. We found no evidence for genetic differences among our samples, which were compatible with the previously proposed A. simus subspecies. In contrast, all large specimens to which we could assign a sex using genetic data were male, whereas the small specimens in our dataset were all female, supporting the hypothesis that A. simus size variation can be explained by sexual dimorphism.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"136 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143192156","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Axell Kou Minowa, Alexander Kieneke, Ariane Campos, Maria Balsamo, Michael Plewka, Loretta Guidi, Thiago Quintão Araújo, André RinaldoSenna Garraffoni
{"title":"New branch on the tree of life of Gastrotricha: establishment of a new genus for limno-terrestrial species","authors":"Axell Kou Minowa, Alexander Kieneke, Ariane Campos, Maria Balsamo, Michael Plewka, Loretta Guidi, Thiago Quintão Araújo, André RinaldoSenna Garraffoni","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae166","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae166","url":null,"abstract":"Gastrotricha encompass a diversity of free-living micrometazoans typically associated with aquatic or semi-aquatic environments. The discovery of a gastrotrich species in limno-terrestrial habitats challenges existing taxonomic classifications and expands our understanding of their ecological diversity. This study describes Dendroichthydium ibyrapora gen. et sp. nov., a new gastrotrich from epiphytic mosses found in Atlantic rainforest within Serra do Japi biological reserve, and establishes its taxonomic status through morphological and molecular analyses. Morphological characterization was conducted using light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy, revealing that D. ibyrapora exhibits distinctive adaptations suited to limno-terrestrial environments, including unique cuticular adaptations and rearrangement of locomotory cilia. Molecular phylogenetics, using 18S and 28S ribosomal DNA sequences, supports the recognition of Dendroichthydium as a new genus, distinctly separated from known genera within Paucitubulatina. Furthermore, we propose reclassifying Chaetonotus (Chaetonotus) silvaticus to Dendroichthydium silvaticus comb. nov. based on shared morphological traits. The establishment of the genus Dendroichthydium reflects the ongoing need to re-evaluate gastrotrich diversity and taxonomy, highlighting the role of underexplored limno-terrestrial habitats in hosting unique life forms. This study underscores the importance of integrating morphology and genetics to improve our understanding of phylogenetics and the evolutionary dynamics of Gastrotricha.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143077498","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Vinícius da Costa-Silva, Werner P Strümpher, Patricia J Thyssen, Fernando Z Vaz-de-Mello
{"title":"Phylogenetic systematics of the keratin-feeding genus Polynoncus Burmeister, 1876 (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Trogidae)","authors":"Vinícius da Costa-Silva, Werner P Strümpher, Patricia J Thyssen, Fernando Z Vaz-de-Mello","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae172","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae172","url":null,"abstract":"Among the five known Trogidae genera, Polynoncus is the only one endemic to South America. Although the systematics within Trogidae is well established, the evolutionary relationships among Polynoncus species remain poorly understood. Here, we conducted a phylogenetic analysis based on maximum parsimony, using the equal and implicit weighting algorithm with all characters, in TNT v.1.5 software. The assembled data matrix consisted of 98 morphological characters scored for 48 taxa. Our results corroborate the monophyletic status of Polynoncus and its sister-group relationship with the genus Omorgus, both within Omorginae. In Polynoncus, three main lineages were recovered: (i) clade ‘pedestris’, with four species occurring mostly in the Andes; (ii) clade ‘pilularius’, whose species have been most reported in the temperate zone of South America; and (iii) clade ‘brevicollis’, whose species are distributed from the arid zones of Argentina and Chile to Peru, following through the Andes. This is the first species-level phylogeny presented for Trogidae.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143035151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The appendicular osteology of the Early Jurassic theropod Piatnitzkysaurus floresi and its implications on the morphological disparity of non-coelurosaurian tetanurans","authors":"Luciano A Pradelli, Diego Pol, Martín D Ezcurra","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae176","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlae176","url":null,"abstract":"Piatnitzkysaurus floresi is a theropod dinosaur from the Cañadón Asfalto Formation (Chubut Province, Argentina) and one of the few Early Jurassic tetanurans known worldwide. This species is known from two specimens and plays a key role in our understanding of the early evolution of tetanuran theropods. Nevertheless, the published information about its postcranium is limited to the original description of the 1980s and drawings in a few views. Here, we redescribe in detail the appendicular skeleton of Piatnitzkaysaurus and integrate new information into new phylogenetic and morphological disparity analyses focused on non-coelurosaurian tetanurans. Our results agree with recent studies that place Piatnitzkysauridae (including Condorraptor, Marshosaurus, Piatnitzkysaurus, and Xuanhanosaurus) as the earliest diverging group of Allosauroidea and within a monophyletic Carnosauria (Allosauroidea + Megalosauroidea). Morphological disparity analyses of the appendicular skeleton of non-coelurosaurian tetanurans show that the Jurassic species occupy a different morphospace from the Cretaceous species. Condorraptor and Piatnitzkysaurus are found within the morphospace occupied by the Middle Jurassic species from the Northern Hemisphere, which indicates the presence of similar body plans for the non-coelurosaurian tetanurans during the Early–Middle Jurassic worldwide. The new information about Piatnitzkysaurus improves our knowledge about the evolution of early tetanurans.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"87 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143035149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}