Pitcher Plants (Sarracenia) Provide a 21st-Century Perspective on Infraspecific Ranks and Interspecific Hybrids: A Modest Proposal for Appropriate Recognition and Usage

The taxonomic use of infraspecific ranks (subspecies, variety, subvariety, form, and subform), and the formal recognition of interspecific hybrid taxa, is permitted by the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants. However, considerable confusion regarding the biological and systematic merits is caused by current practice in the use of infraspecific ranks, which obscures the meaningful variability on which natural selection operates, and by the formal recognition of those interspecific hybrids that lack the potential for inter-lineage gene flow. These issues also may have pragmatic and legal consequences, especially regarding the legal delimitation and management of Threatened and Endangered Species. A detailed comparison of three contemporary floras highlights the degree to which infraspecific and interspecific variation are treated inconsistently. An in depth analysis of taxonomy of the North American flowering plant genus Sarracenia (Sarraceniaceae) provides an ideal case study illustrating the confusion that can arise from inconsistent and apparently arbitrary designation of infraspecific ranks and hybrid taxa. To alleviate these problems, we propose the abandonment of infraspecific ranks of “variety” and “form”, and discourage naming of sterile interspecific hybrids except for use in the horticultural or agronomic trade. Our recommendations for taxonomic practice are in accord with the objectives proposed in the Systematics Agenda 2000, Systematics Agenda 2020, and the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation.Organismic and Evolutionary Biolog

Noteworthy Records of Hispines from Belize (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

Cephaloleia consanguinea Baly, Cephaloleia fulvolimbata Baly, Cephaloleia ruficollis Baly, Chalepus amabilis Baly, Chalepus brevicornis (Baly), Chalepus pici Descarpentries and Villiers, Microrhopala erebus (Newman), Octhispa bimaculata Uhmann, Octotoma championi Baly, Pseudispa tuberculata Staines, Sceloenopla erudita (Baly), Stenispa guatemalensis Uhmann, Sumitrosis gestroi (Weise), and Sumitrosis terminatus (Baly) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae) are new country records of hispine chrysomelids for Belize, based on collections cited herein. These collections also document new host records for Calyptocephala gerstaeckeri Boheman (Chamaedorea tepejilote Liebm., Arecaceae), Cephaloleia consanguinea (Heliconia bourgaeana Petersen, H. collinsiana Griggs, H. latispatha Benth., H. wagneriana Petersen; Heliconiaceae), and Cephaloleia perplexa Baly (Heliconia bourgaeana, H. latispatha; Heliconiaceae)

\u3ci\u3eTomoxia bucephala\u3c/i\u3e A. Costa (Coleoptera: Mordellidae), a Palearctic tumbling flower beetle established in North America

Tomoxia bucephala A. Costa (Coleoptera: Mordellidae), a Palearctic tumbling flower beetle native to Europe, Asia, and northernmost Africa, is now known from North America. The first known occurrences were in 2015 in Essex and Union counties, New Jersey, U.S.A. and in 2019 in Passaic County, New Jersey, all in the New York City metropolitan area. An additional collection documents the species in 2016 from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, in the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The multiple occurrences, the large distance between those in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and multiple detections in natural areas indicate T. bucephala is established in North America and apparently invasive. Several morphological features differenti­ate T. bucephala from the two congeners native to North America, T. inclusa LeConte and T. lineella LeConte, especially coloration patterns of elytral and pronotal vestiture, and coloration of antennae and front legs. This is the first report of a non-native mordellid species established in North America. Tomoxia bucephala does not appear to pose a significant direct economic threat in North America since it feeds in decaying trees. However, T. bucephala occurrences are within the geographic ranges of T. inclusa and T. lineella, and the biology of T. bucephala is similar to these other Tomoxia species. Thus, T. bucephala likely will expand its range within North America, with probable ecological impact on communities of native saproxylic beetles, especially T. lineella and T. inclusa

Allozyme variation and genetic relationships among species in the Carex willdenowii complex (Cyperaceae)

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/142149/1/ajb20546.pd

Energetics and the evolution of carnivorous plants - Darwin's "most wonderful plants in the world"

Carnivory has evolved independently at least six times in five angiosperm orders. In spite of these independent origins, there is a remarkable morphological convergence of carnivorous plant traps and physiological convergence of mechanisms for digesting and assimilating prey. These convergent traits have made carnivorous plants model systems for addressing questions in plant molecular genetics, physiology, and evolutionary ecology. New data show that carnivorous plant genera with morphologically complex traps have higher relative rates of gene substitutions than do those with simple sticky traps. This observation suggests two alternative mechanisms for the evolution and diversification of carnivorous plant lineages. The “energetics hypothesis” posits rapid morphological evolution resulting from a few changes in regulatory genes responsible for meeting the high energetic demands of active traps. The “predictable prey capture hypothesis” further posits that complex traps yield more predictable and frequent prey captures. To evaluate these hypotheses, available data on the tempo and mode of carnivorous plant evolution were reviewed; patterns of prey capture by carnivorous plants were analyzed; and the energetic costs and benefits of botanical carnivory were reevaluated. Collectively, the data are more supportive of the energetics hypothesis than the predictable prey capture hypothesis. The energetics hypothesis is consistent with a phenomenological cost-benefit model for the evolution of botanical carnivory and also accounts for data suggesting that carnivorous plants have leaf construction costs and scaling relationships among leaf traits that are substantially different from non-carnivorous plants.Organismic and Evolutionary BiologyOther Research Uni

Protecting stable biological nomenclatural systems enables universal communication: A collective international appeal

The fundamental value of universal nomenclatural systems in biology is that they enable unambiguous scientific communication. However, the stability of these systems is threatened by recent discussions asking for a fairer nomenclature, raising the possibility of bulk revision processes for “inappropriate” names. It is evident that such proposals come from very deep feelings, but we show how they can irreparably damage the foundation of biological communication and, in turn, the sciences that depend on it. There are four essential consequences of objective codes of nomenclature: universality, stability, neutrality, and transculturality. These codes provide fair and impartial guides to the principles governing biological nomenclature and allow unambiguous universal communication in biology. Accordingly, no subjective proposals should be allowed to undermine them.Fil: Jiménez Mejías, Pedro. Universidad Pablo de Olavide.; EspañaFil: Manzano, Saúl. University of Cape Town; Sudáfrica. Nelson Mandela University; SudáfricaFil: Gowda, Vinita. Indian Institute of Science Education and Research; IndiaFil: Krell, Frank Thorsten. Denver Museum Of Nature And Science; Estados UnidosFil: Lin, Mei Ying. Mianyang Normal University; ChinaFil: Martín Bravo, Santiago. Universidad Pablo de Olavide; EspañaFil: Martín Torrijos, Laura. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Real Jardín Botánico; EspañaFil: Nieto Feliner, Gonzalo. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Real Jardín Botánico; EspañaFil: Mosyakin, Sergei L.. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Real Jardín Botánico; EspañaFil: Naczi, Robert F. C.. New York Botanical Garden; Estados UnidosFil: Acedo, Carmen. Universidad de León; EspañaFil: Álvarez, Inés. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Real Jardín Botánico; EspañaFil: Crisci, Jorge Victor. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Luceño Garcés, Modesto. Universidad Pablo de Olavide; EspañaFil: Manning, John. South African National Biodiversity Institute; SudáfricaFil: Moreno Saiz, Juan Carlos. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid; EspañaFil: Muasya, A Muthama. University of Cape Town; SudáfricaFil: Riina, Ricarda. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Real Jardín Botánico; EspañaFil: Sánchez Meseguer, Andrea. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Real Jardín Botánico; EspañaFil: Sánchez Mata, Daniel. Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas. Real Jardín Botánico; España. Harvard University; Estados UnidosFil: Melo, María Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Departamento Científico de Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; ArgentinaFil: Laurito, Magdalena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas y Tecnológicas; ArgentinaFil: Dellapé, Pablo Matías. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Departamento Científico de Entomología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentin

Protecting stable biological nomenclatural systems enables universal communication: A collective international appeal

[eng] The fundamental value of universal nomenclatural systems in biology is that they enable unambiguous scientific communication. However, the stability of these systems is threatened by recent discussions asking for a fairer nomenclature, raising the possibility of bulk revision processes for “inappropriate” names. It is evident that such proposals come from very deep feelings, but we show how they can irreparably damage the foundation of biological communication and, in turn, the sciences that depend on it. There are four essential consequences of objective codes of nomenclature: universality, stability, neutrality, and transculturality. These codes provide fair and impartial guides to the principles governing biological nomenclature and allow unambiguous universal communication in biology. Accordingly, no subjective proposals should be allowed to undermine them

Phylogeny and Biogeography of the Carnivorous Plant Family Sarraceniaceae

The carnivorous plant family Sarraceniaceae comprises three genera of wetland-inhabiting pitcher plants: Darlingtonia in the northwestern United States, Sarracenia in eastern North America, and Heliamphora in northern South America. Hypotheses concerning the biogeographic history leading to this unusual disjunct distribution are controversial, in part because genus- and species-level phylogenies have not been clearly resolved. Here, we present a robust, species-rich phylogeny of Sarraceniaceae based on seven mitochondrial, nuclear, and plastid loci, which we use to illuminate this family's phylogenetic and biogeographic history. The family and genera are monophyletic: Darlingtonia is sister to a clade consisting of Heliamphora+Sarracenia. Within Sarracenia, two clades were strongly supported: one consisting of S. purpurea, its subspecies, and S. rosea; the other consisting of nine species endemic to the southeastern United States. Divergence time estimates revealed that stem group Sarraceniaceae likely originated in South America 44–53 million years ago (Mya) (highest posterior density [HPD] estimate = 47 Mya). By 25–44 (HPD = 35) Mya, crown-group Sarraceniaceae appears to have been widespread across North and South America, and Darlingtonia (western North America) had diverged from Heliamphora+Sarracenia (eastern North America+South America). This disjunction and apparent range contraction is consistent with late Eocene cooling and aridification, which may have severed the continuity of Sarraceniaceae across much of North America. Sarracenia and Heliamphora subsequently diverged in the late Oligocene, 14–32 (HPD = 23) Mya, perhaps when direct overland continuity between North and South America became reduced. Initial diversification of South American Heliamphora began at least 8 Mya, but diversification of Sarracenia was more recent (2–7, HPD = 4 Mya); the bulk of southeastern United States Sarracenia originated co-incident with Pleistocene glaciation, <3 Mya. Overall, these results suggest climatic change at different temporal and spatial scales in part shaped the distribution and diversity of this carnivorous plant clade