Floral scent evolution in the section Pseudophrys: pollinator-mediated selection or phylogenetic constraints?

Sexually deceptive orchid species from the Mediterranean genus Ophrys usually interact with one or a few pollinator species by means of specific floral scents. In this study, we investigated the respective role of pollinator-mediated selection and phylogenetic constraints in the evolution of floral scents in the section Pseudophrys. We built a phylogenetic tree of 19 Pseudophrys species based on three nuclear loci; we gathered a dataset on their pollination interactions from the literature and from our own field data; and we extracted and analysed their floral scents using solid phase microextraction and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. We then quantified the phylogenetic signal carried by floral scents and investigated the link between plant-pollinator interactions and floral scent composition using phylogenetic comparative methods. We confirmed the monophyly of the section Pseudophrys and demonstrated the existence of three main clades within this section. We found that floral scent composition is affected by both phylogenetic relationships among Ophrys species and pollination interactions, with some compounds (especially fatty acid esters) carrying a significant phylogenetic signal and some (especially alkenes and alkadienes) generating dissimilarities between closely related Pseudophrys pollinated by different insects. Our results show that in the section Pseudophrys, floral scents are shaped both by pollinator-mediated selection and by phylogenetic constraints, but that the relative importance of these two evolutionary forces differ among compound classes, probably reflecting distinct selective pressures imposed upon behaviourally active and non-active compounds.

Phylogeography of the weasel (Mustela nivalis) in the western-Palaearctic region: combined effects of glacial events and human movements.

The Iberian, Italian or Balkan peninsulas have been considered as refugia for numerous mammalian species in response to Quaternary climatic fluctuations in Europe. In addition to this 'southerly refugial model', northern refugia have also been described notably for generalist and cold-tolerant species. Here, we investigated the phylogeographic pattern of the weasel (Mustela nivalis) to assess the impact of Quaternary glaciations on the genetic structure, number and location of refugia as well as to determine the impact of human movements on the colonization of Mediterranean islands. We sequenced 1690 bp from the mitochondrial control region and cytochrome b for 88 weasels distributed throughout the western-Palaearctic region, including five Mediterranean islands. Phylogenetic analyses of combined genes produced a clear phylogeographic pattern with two main lineages. The first lineage included all of the western-continental samples (from Spain to Finland) and shows low levels of genetic structure. Demographic analysis highlighted several characteristics of an expanding group, dated approximately at 116 kiloyears (kyr; Riss glaciation). The genetic pattern suggested a northeastern-European origin from which colonization of southwestern Europe took place. The second lineage was divided into five subgroups and indicated a common origin of insular and Moroccan samples from eastern Europe. Eastern-continental weasels did not exhibit signs of sudden expansion, suggesting stable population size during the last ice ages. The time of expansion of Sicilian and Corsican populations was dated around 10 kyr ago, which supports the hypothesis of an early human intervention in the colonization of Mediterranean islands.

Phylogenetic relationships of the five extant Rhinoceros species (Rhinocerotidae, Perissodactyla) based on mitochondrial cytochrome b and 12S rRNA genes.

A major question in rhinocerotid phylogenetics concerns the position of the Sumatran rhinoceros (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) with regard to the other extant Asian (Rhinoceros unicornis and R. sondaicus) and African (Diceros bicornis and Ceratotherium simum) species. We have examined this particular question through the phylogenetic analysis of the complete sequences of the mitochondrial 12S rRNA and cytochrome b genes. Three additional perissodactyls (one tapir and two equids) plus several outgroup cetartiodactyls were included in the analysis. The analysis identified a basal rhinocerotid divergence between the African and the Asian species, with the Sumatran rhinoceros forming the sister group of the genus Rhinoceros. We estimate the Asian and African lineages to have diverged at about 26 million years before present.

What is a Suiforme (Artiodactyla)? Contribution of cranioskeletal and mitochondrial DNA data.

Suiformes (Artiodactyla) traditionally includes three families: Suidae, Tayassuidae, and Hippopotamidae but the monophyly of this suborder has recently been questioned from molecular data. A maximum parsimony analysis of molecular, morphological, and combined data was performed on the same set of taxa including representatives of the three Artiodactyla suborders (Suiformes, Ruminantia, and Tylopoda) and Perissodactyla as outgroup. Mitochondrial (cytochrome b and 12S rRNA) sequence comparisons support the monophyly of Suina (Suidae and Tayassuidae) and Ancodonta (Hippopotamidae) but not the monophyly of Suiformes. Inversely, our preliminary morphological analysis supports the monophyly of Suiformes whereas relationships among the three families are not resolved. The combined data set does not resolve the relationships between Suina, Ancodonta, and Ruminantia. These results are discussed in relation to morphological characters and paleontological data. Some improvements are suggested to clarify the morphological definition of Suiformes and relationships among them.

Phylogenetic relationships of artiodactyls and cetaceans as deduced from the comparison of cytochrome b and 12S rRNA mitochondrial sequences.

A data set of complete mitochondrial cytochrome b and 12S rDNA sequences is presented here for 17 representatives of Artiodactyla and Cetacea, together with potential outgroups (two Perissodactyla, two Carnivora, two Tethytheria, four Rodentia, and two Marsupialia). We include seven sequences not previously published from Hippopotamidae (Ancodonta) and Camelidae (Tylopoda), yielding a total of nearly 2.1 kb for both genes combined. Distance and parsimony analyses of each gene indicate that 11 clades are well supported, including the artiodactyl taxa Pecora, Ruminantia (with low 12S rRNA support), Tylopoda, Suina, and Ancodonta, as well as Cetacea, Perissodactyla, Carnivora, Tethytheria, Muridae, and Caviomorpha. Neither the cytochrome b nor the 12S rDNA genes resolve the relationships between these major clades. The combined analysis of the two genes suggests a monophyletic Cetacea +Artiodactyla clade (defined as "Cetartiodactyla"), whereas Perissodactyla, Carnivora, and Tethytheria fall outside this clade. Perissodactyla could represent the sister taxon of Cetartiodactyla, as deduced from resampling studies among outgroup lineages. Cetartiodactyla includes five major lineages: Ruminantia, Tylopoda, Suina, Ancodonta, and Cetacea, among which the phylogenetic relationships are not resolved. Thus, Suiformes do not appear to be monophyletic, justifying their split into the Suina and Ancodonta infraorders. An association between Cetacea and Hippopotamidae is supported by the cytochrome b gene but not by the 12S rRNA gene. Calculation of divergence dates suggests that the Cetartiodactyla could have diverged from other Ferungulata about 60 MYA.

Immunological comparison between albumins of three species of mice (genus Mus).

Three closely related species of short-tailed mice (Mus musculus musculus, M. spretoides and M. spicilegus) were tentatively discriminated using immunological techniques based on albumin cross-reactivity. Different fractionations of crude albumin antisera allowed the recovery of antibody populations specific to the M. m. musculus albumin, whereas antibody population differences do not seem to exist between M. spicilegus and M. spretoides. Moreover, immunoreactivities tested with native and S-carboxymethylated albumins revealed that species-specific antibodies correspond to antigenic determinants depending on the amino acid sequence (sequential determinants). The observed immunological differences are related to species divergence and albumin sequences.