Tag: phylogeny
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Sponge vs Comb Jelly: First Animal Debate Ongoing
Introduction: A Heated Question at the Origin of Animals The long-running question of which organisms form the root of the animal tree of life has a new twist. In recent weeks, biologists have revisited the debate between sponges and comb jellies as potential early lineages that shape how we understand animal evolution. While two years…
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Sponge vs. Comb Jelly: First Animal Debate Ongoing
Background: Who Is At the Root of the Animal Tree? The question of which lineage marks the origin of animals has long tugged at evolutionary biology. Two candidates dominate the discussion: Porifera (sponges) and Ctenophora (comb jellies). A recent study from UC, mirroring a shift in how scientists interpret ancient genetic data, reaches a different…
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Sponge vs. Comb Jelly: The Ongoing First Animal Debate Rocks Evolutionary Biology
Intro: A heated debate about the earliest animal lineages Biologists who study the deep roots of the animal family tree are once again at the center of a scientific controversy. A recent UC-based study has reached conclusions that oppose a study published just two years earlier, rekindling the long-standing debate over which organisms truly rooted…
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Molecular Phylogeny and Taxonomic Insights for Premna (Lamiaceae) in Thailand
Introduction This article summarizes the molecular phylogeny and taxonomic notes for Premna (Lamiaceae) in Thailand, based on a multi-locus chloroplast approach. Utilizing four chloroplast markers and concatenated datasets, the study delineates phylogenetic relationships among Thai Premna species, highlights unresolved polytomies, and revisits trusted species concepts within the P. serratifolia complex. Phylogenetic reconstruction Using a multi-locus…
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Molecular Phylogeny and Taxonomic Notes on Premna (Lamiaceae) in Thailand
Overview This study provides the first multi-locus phylogenetic framework for Premna species in Thailand, using four chloroplast markers. The results corroborate a monophyletic Premna within Premnoideae and its sister relationship to Gmelina L., while highlighting unresolved nodes within the Thai Premna lineage that require deeper genomic analyses. Phylogenetic framework and key findings Using four chloroplast…
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Comparative Chloroplast Genomics of Erigeron: Insights from 25 Species Across World and Island Lineages
Introduction: Erigeron’s Global Footprint and Genomic Inquiry Erigeron, commonly known as fleabane, is a diverse and nearly cosmopolitan genus within the tribe Astereae of the Asteraceae. With roughly 457 species spanning North American temperate regions to East Asia and the Juan Fernández Islands, Erigeron presents a compelling case for studying chloroplast genome evolution in a…
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Molecular characterization of four novel mycoviruses in entomopathogenic and nematophagous fungi
Overview The world of mycoviruses—viruses that infect fungi—has long been dominated by studies on plant-associated fungi. Recent work, however, has begun to illuminate viruses that inhabit fungi with ecological roles in animal health and pest control. A new study reports the molecular characterization of four novel mycoviruses isolated from entomopathogenic and nematophagous fungi, shedding light…