Publications by authors named "Zuccon D"
Article Synopsis
- The study explores the relationship between corallivorous marine snails (Coralliophilinae) and the cnidarian corals they feed on, highlighting gaps in knowledge regarding their phylogenetic links and feeding specificity.
- A comprehensive molecular dataset from 586 specimens was created, revealing numerous cryptic species and showing that currently accepted genera are often not monophyletic.
- Findings indicate the subfamily originated in shallow waters during the Middle Eocene, with evolutionary patterns influenced more by host associations rather than depth changes.
Article Synopsis
- - The New World Vulture [Coragyps] occidentalis, extinct since the Pleistocene, was analyzed through genomic sequencing of a 14,000-year-old specimen found in the Peruvian Andes.
- - Recent genomic data reveals that occidentalis is more closely related to the modern Black Vulture [Coragyps atratus] than previously thought, despite occupying different ecological niches.
- - The study suggests that occidentalis evolved from a population of atratus that migrated to high elevations in the Andes, showcasing an example of punctuated evolution driven by ecological adaptation.
The marathon is the most classic Olympic running event. In several cities worldwide it has become very popular with participation increasing during the last 20 years, particularly by Master Athletes. There are evidences that long-distance running could provide considerable health benefits for older runners, specifically risk reduction of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes, depression, and falls.
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- The family Locustellidae, known as grassbirds and allies, consists of 62 species spread across 11 genera, and this study analyzed 59 of these species to understand their evolutionary relationships.
- The findings showed significant discrepancies in existing classifications, revealing that several previously recognized genera are not monophyletic, particularly emphasizing the scattered nature of the Megalurus genus.
- The study suggests a need for taxonomic revision and identifies non-monophyletic species complexes, indicating possible underestimation of species diversity in the Locustellidae family.
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how species traits evolve as birds colonize stable environments, transitioning from ancestral (strategy A) to derived strategies (strategy B) involving different ecological behaviors.
- Researchers analyzed 53 traits across 81 species of the Fringillidae family to see how they correlate with various evolutionary syndromes like ecological specialization and sexual selection.
- The findings mostly support the idea that generalist traits (strategy A) are ancestral, but two distinct derived strategies (B1 and B2) emerged in response to environmental predictability: B1 for stable, lowland tropics and B2 for more seasonal, migratory breeding patterns.
Article Synopsis
- The Red-whiskered bulbul is a successful invasive species with notable morphological differences linked to its environment on Reunion Island, indicating a rapid capacity for local adaptation.
- Researchers investigated the invasion histories of the bulbul populations on Reunion Island, Mauritius, and Oahu to understand the connection between these histories and the birds' morphological changes.
- Findings revealed that while the invasive populations share a similar origin, their morphology has diverged, highlighting the influence of both neutral evolution and environmental adaptation on the species across different islands.
Orthoptera have been used for decades for numerous evolutionary questions but several of its constituent groups, notably crickets, still suffer from a lack of a robust phylogenetic hypothesis. We propose the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the evolution of crickets sensu lato, based on analysis of 205 species, representing 88% of the subfamilies and 71% tribes currently listed in the database Orthoptera Species File (OSF). We reconstructed parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian phylogenies using fragments of 18S, 28SA, 28SD, H3, 12S, 16S, and cytb (~3600 bp).
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- The yellow-legged Asian bee-hawking hornet, Vespa velutina, has spread across several European countries, posing a significant risk to beekeeping.
- In 2012, only a few mermithid parasitic nematodes were found in France affecting these hornets, indicating that such infections are rare despite high hornet population and nest destruction.
- The identified nematode is likely Pheromermis vesparum, and the study suggests it has minimal impact on hornet colonies and is not a viable option for controlling the invasive hornet population.
During the past decade, a large number of multi-gene analyses aimed at resolving the phylogenetic relationships within Decapoda. However relationships among families, and even among sub-families, remain poorly defined. Most analyses used an incomplete and opportunistic sampling of species, but also an incomplete and opportunistic gene selection among those available for Decapoda.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMrEnt: an editor for publication-quality phylogenetic tree illustrations.
Mol Ecol Resour
September 2014
Article Synopsis
- We created MrEnt, a user-friendly Windows software designed to produce complex, high-quality phylogenetic trees easily from analysis outputs.
- It supports standard Nexus tree formats and integrates tools for manipulating trees, such as rotation, character mapping, and managing error bars.
- Users can print or export tree illustrations in various formats ideal for journal publications, presentations, or online use.
Article Synopsis
- Open-habitat chats, which include genera like Myrmecocichla and Oenanthe, are a group of birds found mainly in arid or rocky habitats of Africa and Eurasia, but their evolutionary relationships remain unclear.
- The study offers a detailed molecular phylogenetic analysis using various genetic data to clarify these relationships and re-evaluate traditional classifications of the group.
- Findings reveal that the genera are not monophyletic (not all members share a common ancestor), indicating that similar feather patterns may have evolved independently in unrelated species, while some ecological and behavioral traits align with the main evolutionary branches.
Article Synopsis
- The affinities of the extinct New Zealand bird Piopio Turnagra capensis have been unclear, with past associations to various bird families based on weak evidence.
- A new study analyzed both genetic sequences and morphological traits, finding that Turnagra is more accurately classified within the Oriolidae family, which mainly exists in regions from Australia to Africa but not in the Pacific.
- The previous claims connecting Turnagra to the Ptilonorhynchidae family were found to be flawed due to the use of incorrect genetic data and poor analytical methods.
The phylogenetic relationships and generic limits of finches (Fringillidae).
Mol Phylogenet Evol
February 2012
Article Synopsis
- The study aims to clarify the phylogenetic relationships among true finches (Fringillidae) using extensive taxon sampling and genetic sequencing.
- It identifies three main subfamilies: Fringillinae (Holoarctic genus Fringilla), Euphoniinae (Neotropical Euphonia and Chlorophonia), and Carduelinae (which includes various widespread taxa).
- The research also proposes a new classification system for finch genera, revealing that traditionally recognized groups are often polyphyletic or paraphyletic and introduces a new monotypic genus for Carpodacus rubescens.
Article Synopsis
- * Our findings indicate that Monticola solitarius should be split into two distinct species, M. solitarius s.s. and M. philippensis, while other populations in Madagascar should be classified under M. sharpei.
- * We also found that the genus Thamnolaea is not a true monophyletic group, with some species actually belonging to the Monticola lineage, and highlighted issues with previous research due to contamination in DNA samples, offering guidelines for future studies.
Article Synopsis
- * Molecular data suggests that many neoavian lineages originated in the Cretaceous period, while fossil records indicate diversification during the Early Tertiary.
- * The research presents a detailed molecular phylogeny for Neoaves and suggests that after an early split from Galloanseres, their diversification occurred around the K/T boundary, aligning with existing fossil evidence and indicating no significant pre-Tertiary radiation.
Article Synopsis
- The study explored the evolutionary relationships within the Sturnidae family of birds, using genetic analysis from two nuclear and one mitochondrial gene.
- Researchers identified three main clades in the Muscicapoidea, revealing the connections between families like Cinclidae, Muscicapidae, and Sturnidae.
- The findings indicate a possible Asiatic origin for starlings and highlight how climate changes may have influenced their current distribution and evolutionary history.
Article Synopsis
- - The study focuses on the relationships and taxonomy of Tyrannida birds (including cotingas, manakins, tityrines, and tyrant flycatchers) using DNA analysis from multiple genetic sources to clarify their evolutionary connections.
- - The analysis indicates that major groups like Cotingidae and Pipridae are closely related, forming a clade that leads to other groups, with various monophyletic relationships identified among subfamilies.
- - The findings highlight that while morphological characteristics support certain classifications, convergences and reversals complicate the taxonomy within Tyrannida, with additional genetic data supporting these evolutionary hypotheses.
Article Synopsis
- Passerine birds exhibit highly adaptable traits, complicating the classification of their evolutionary relationships.
- The bird species Sapayoa aenigma, traditionally categorized among New World flycatchers, has been re-evaluated and is now suggested to belong to an entirely different group of broadbills and pittas from the Old World.
- The unique evolution and distribution of this lineage is likely tied to a historical origin involving the Gondwanan supercontinent and movement during the Late Cretaceous period, with migrations from Antarctica to present-day tropical regions.
Article Synopsis
- Defensins are a family of peptides that are crucial for innate immunity and have demonstrated broad antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungi.
- Research on the evolution of primate defensin genes aims to understand genetic variation, environmental influences, and how these molecules differ among species.
- Findings indicate that the beta-defensin 1 gene in primates evolves randomly, rather than in response to varying microbial exposure, with humans and great apes showing high sequence similarity and minor differences from other primate groups.
Article Synopsis
- Researchers used nuclear ribosomal sequence analysis to study the classification of certain Oidiodendron species that interact with mycorrhizal plants.
- The study utilized various analysis methods on 35 ribosomal DNA sequences from 15 potential species, revealing that O. citrinum groups closely with O. maius, while O. tenuissimum and O. griseum do not form clear separate groups.
- Findings suggest that O. citrinum and O. maius could be classified as subspecies instead of distinct species, while the classification of O. griseum and O. tenuissimum remains uncertain.