Two new species of the interstitial ostracod genus Parvocythere, Parvocythere gottwaldisp. n. and Parvocythere gracilissp. n., are herein described. Although these two new species are clearly distinguishable by certain morphological differences in elements of the male copulatory organ, and the carapace, they share the following simplified characters of the appendages and male copulatory organ: ...

Morphological characters remain an essential tool for phylogenetic studies, even in the current age of molecular systematics (Scotland & al., 2003; Jenner, 2004; Wiens 2004; Smith & Turner, 2005; Lee, 2006). Consequently, the reliability and validity of the methods used to identify characters and define character states is highly relevant to systematics research. Although identifying appropriat...

Here, I combine previously underutilized models and priors to perform more biologically realistic phylogenetic inference from morphological data, with an example from squamate reptiles. When coding morphological characters, it is often possible to denote ordered states with explicit reference to observed or hypothetical ancestral conditions. Using this logic, we can integrate across character-s...

Seventy-two lichen specimens of Cetrelia collected in South Korea since 2003 were examined by both phenotypic and phylogenetic analyses. The phenotypic analysis was based on morphological and chemical characters, and the phylogenetic analysis was based on nrDNA ITS sequences. The result suggested that the presence and absence of isidia, soredia, lobules and medullar reaction C+ or C- are the im...

The genera Ustilago, Sporisorium and Macalpinomyces are a polyphyletic complex of plant pathogenic fungi. The four main morphological characters used to define these genera have been considered homoplasious and not useful for resolving the complex. This study re-evaluates character homology and discusses the use of these characters for defining monophyletic groups recovered from a reconstructed...

The morphological characters of members of the scolopendrid genus Asanada Meinert, 1886 are reviewed. A number of these characters are only seen in embryonic or early adolescent stadia in other scolopendrids. This suggests that the centipedes of this genus are paedomorphic. Support for this thesis is provided by the very rare appearance (in only three specimens) of some otherwise "adult" charac...

Comparison of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) genotypes for morphological and biochemical attributes was done. Morphological characters viz. Plant height, number of branches and number of leaves were recorded highest in chilling tolerant genotypes at early stages of development (30 and 60 DAS) whereas at later stages (90 and 120 DAS) these characters were recorded highest in chilling sensitive ge...

The chiefly Holarctic Hydrobius species complex (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae) currently consists of Hydrobius arcticus Kuwert, 1890, and three morphological variants of Hydrobius fuscipes (Linnaeus, 1758): var. fuscipes, var. rottenbergii and var. subrotundus in northern Europe. Here molecular and morphological data are used to test the species boundaries in this species complex. Three gene segme...

A portion of mitochondrial 12S rDNA sequences (337-355 base pairs) and 63 morphological characters of 36 hard-tick species belonging to 7 genera were analyzed to determine the phylogenetic relationships among groups and species of Rhipicephalus and between the genera Rhipicephalus and Boophilus. Molecular and morphological data sets were first examined separately. The molecular data were analyz...

Endocarp morphology of 4 species of Iranian Celtis was examined using light and scanning electron microscopes. Macro- and micro-morphological characters were included endocarp shape, color, size, surrounding rim, ornamentation and SEM structure of the outer layer of the endocarp. Endocarp morphology of the examined specimens exhibit variation in all characters. Endocarp shape varies from globul...