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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences

Systematics And Evolution Of Leandra S.Str. (Melastomataceae, Miconieae), Marcelo Reginato Oct 2014

Systematics And Evolution Of Leandra S.Str. (Melastomataceae, Miconieae), Marcelo Reginato

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Phylogenetic studies in the Melastomataceae have demonstrated the need of taxonomic rearrangements in the current classification. Melastomes are among the most diverse groups of plants and several cases of known artificial taxa are observed and awaiting further resolution. One example is the Leandra s.str. clade, which includes the majority of the taxa traditionally treated in the genus Leandra. Some attempts have been made to infer the relationships of Leandra s.str., but the sampling in these earlier studies was sparse and the resolution low inside the clade. The main objective here is to propose a comprehensive phylogenetic framework for this group …


Taxonomy, Diversity, And Distribution Patterns Of Portunid Crab Megalopae In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico During Fall Of 2003, Carley Rain Knight May 2014

Taxonomy, Diversity, And Distribution Patterns Of Portunid Crab Megalopae In The Northern Gulf Of Mexico During Fall Of 2003, Carley Rain Knight

Master's Theses

The field of zooplankton biology contributes to more accurate stock assessments as well as to a greater understanding of the marine food web. However, adequate information for the invertebrate component of zooplankton is lacking compared to the ichthyoplankton component. In this thesis, identification of Portunidae (Crustacea: Decapoda) megalopae collected during the fall of 2003 from a NOAA SEAMAP cruise revealed 7 species and 11 morphs with 90% of the total density comprised of Callinectes sapidus, Achelous gibbesii, Callinectes similis, Achelous spinicarpus, and Achelous sp.I. Keys and detailed descriptions are provided along with photographs and morphological drawings for each morph to …


Phylogeny, Taxonomy And Morphological Evolution In Conostegia (Melastomataceae: Miconieae), Ricardo Kriebel Feb 2014

Phylogeny, Taxonomy And Morphological Evolution In Conostegia (Melastomataceae: Miconieae), Ricardo Kriebel

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The genus Conostegia comprises 77 species of shrubs and trees ranging from Central America to northern South America and the Caribbean. They are ecologically important as they provide pollen for native bees and fruits for birds. One of the main questions of this study is if the genus Conostegia is actually monophyletic. I address this question for the first time by gathering genetic data from four chloroplast regions and two nuclear ribosomal regions of DNA. Phylogenetic analyses of these data revealed that Conostegia is not monophyletic and that a group of species in the genera Clidemia and Miconia fall within …


Systematics And Biogeography Of The Australian Burrowing Freshwater Crayfish Genus Engaewa Riekk (Decapoda: Parastacidae), Quinton Burnham Jan 2014

Systematics And Biogeography Of The Australian Burrowing Freshwater Crayfish Genus Engaewa Riekk (Decapoda: Parastacidae), Quinton Burnham

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The overall aim of this study was to explore the systematics and biogeographic patterns of the freshwater crayfish genus Engaewa Riek, a strongly burrowing freshwater crayfish restricted to the coastal corner of south-western Australia (SWA). The genus Engaewa is a Gondwanan relict with great potential as a marker of historical processes, due to its high habitat specificity and low dispersal ability. This study comprises an extensive taxonomic and phylogenetic revision of the genus Engaewa (using both molecular and morphological data), a detailed study of its distribution and uses the knowledge gained to explore biogeographic patterns in the biodiversity hotspot of …


A Revision And Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Genus Eutyphlus Leconte (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) With A Comparison Of Sampling Methodologies, Brittany Elin Owens Jan 2014

A Revision And Phylogenetic Analysis Of The Genus Eutyphlus Leconte (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Pselaphinae) With A Comparison Of Sampling Methodologies, Brittany Elin Owens

LSU Master's Theses

My thesis research includes three components: (1) a methodology project, (2) a systematic project comprising a taxonomic revision, and (3) a morphology-based, cladistic analysis. 1. The methodological study compared the Winkler (Moczarski) eclector and the Berlese-Tullgren funnel (referred to hereafter as “Winkler” and “Berlese” funnels, respectively) as methods for extracting forest litter-dwelling Coleoptera from sifted substrate, with a focus on relevance for taxonomic studies. A general review of the history and methodologies of leaf litter arthropod extraction was provided, in conjunction with repeated, timed trials to compare the relative effectiveness of the two methods using litter samples from various geographic …