Complete mitochondrial genome of Bugula neritina (Bryozoa, Gymnolaemata, Cheilostomata): phylogenetic position of Bryozoa and phylogeny of lophophorates within the Lophotrochozoa

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The phylogenetic position of Bryozoa is one of the most controversial issues in metazoan phylogeny. In an attempt to address this issue, the first bryozoan mitochondrial genome from <it>Flustrellidra hispida </it>(Gymnolaemata, Ctenostomata) was recently sequenced and characterized. Unfortunately, it has extensive gene translocation and extremely reduced size. In addition, the phylogenies obtained from the result were conflicting, so they failed to assign a reliable phylogenetic position to Bryozoa or to clarify lophophorate phylogeny. Thus, it is necessary to characterize further mitochondrial genomes from slowly-evolving bryozoans to obtain a more credible lophophorate phylogeny.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The complete mitochondrial genome (15,433 bp) of <it>Bugula neritina </it>(Bryozoa, Gymnolaemata, Cheilostomata), one of the most widely distributed cheliostome bryozoans, is sequenced. This second bryozoan mitochondrial genome contains the set of 37 components generally observed in other metazoans, differing from that of <it>F. hispida </it>(Bryozoa, Gymnolaemata, Ctenostomata), which has only 36 components with loss of tRNA^ser(ucn)genes. The <it>B. neritina </it>mitochondrial genome possesses 27 multiple noncoding regions. The gene order is more similar to those of the two remaining lophophorate phyla (Brachiopoda and Phoronida) and a chiton <it>Katharina tunicate </it>than to that of <it>F. hispida</it>. Phylogenetic analyses based on the nucleotide sequences or amino acid residues of 12 protein-coding genes showed consistently that, within the Lophotrochozoa, the monophyly of the bryozoan class Gymnolaemata (<it>B. neritina </it>and <it>F. hispida</it>) was strongly supported and the bryozoan clade was grouped with brachiopods. Echiura appeared as a subtaxon of Annelida, and Entoprocta as a sister taxon of Phoronida. The clade of Bryozoa + Brachiopoda was clustered with either the clade of Annelida-Echiura or that of Phoronida + Entoprocta.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This study presents the complete mitochondrial genome of a cheliostome bryozoan, <it>B. neritina</it>. The phylogenetic analyses suggest a close relationship between Bryozoa and Brachiopoda within the Lophotrochozoa. However, the sister group of Bryozoa + Brachiopoda is still ambiguous, although it has some attractions with Annelida-Echiura or Phoronida + Entoprocta. If the latter is a true phylogeny, lophophorate monophyly including Entoprocta is supported. Consequently, the present results imply that Brachiozoa (= Brachiopoda + Phoronida) and the recently-resurrected Bryozoa concept comprising Ectoprocta and Entoprocta may be refuted.</p

Deceiving Google's Cloud Video Intelligence API Built for Summarizing Videos

Despite the rapid progress of the techniques for image classification, video annotation has remained a challenging task. Automated video annotation would be a breakthrough technology, enabling users to search within the videos. Recently, Google introduced the Cloud Video Intelligence API for video analysis. As per the website, the system can be used to "separate signal from noise, by retrieving relevant information at the video, shot or per frame" level. A demonstration website has been also launched, which allows anyone to select a video for annotation. The API then detects the video labels (objects within the video) as well as shot labels (description of the video events over time). In this paper, we examine the usability of the Google's Cloud Video Intelligence API in adversarial environments. In particular, we investigate whether an adversary can subtly manipulate a video in such a way that the API will return only the adversary-desired labels. For this, we select an image, which is different from the video content, and insert it, periodically and at a very low rate, into the video. We found that if we insert one image every two seconds, the API is deceived into annotating the video as if it only contained the inserted image. Note that the modification to the video is hardly noticeable as, for instance, for a typical frame rate of 25, we insert only one image per 50 video frames. We also found that, by inserting one image per second, all the shot labels returned by the API are related to the inserted image. We perform the experiments on the sample videos provided by the API demonstration website and show that our attack is successful with different videos and images

The first record of the millipede genus Streptogonopus Attems, 1914 from Vietnam, with description of a new species (Diplopoda, Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae)

This paper describes a new species of the millipede genus Streptogonopus Attems, 1914, S. montanus sp. n. from Vietnam, the first record of Streptogonopus in Vietnam. The new species is characterised by the solenophore completely sheathing the solenomere, both coiled twice, and the solenophore with a small spine at its middle. The species was found at ca. 1,800–2,100 m on Ngoc Linh Mountain. This first record for the genus in the Indochina peninsula has expanded its distributional range to the easternmost part of Southeast Asian mainland. An identification key to Streptogonopus species is also provided

An Updated Checklist and Perspective Study of Millipedes (Arthropoda: Myriapoda: Diplopoda) in the Korean Peninsula

The Korean peninsula has diverse habitats and so would be expected to have a rich millipede fauna because of its location between the Paleoarctic and Oriental regions. To facilitate studies on millipedes, this work provides an updated list and discussion of Korean millipedes. A total of 69 species had been recorded up to 2010, but since then no new species have been reported. Among 69 species, 49 are endemic to the Korean peninsula. From 1950 to the present, an average of only seven new species from the Korean peninsula has been described per decade. This number does not reflect the biodiversity of millipedes in Korea, especially when compared to Taiwan, which has only one-third the area of the Korean peninsula, but from which a greater number of millipede species have been recorded (75 vs. 69 species). Japan has twofold the land area of the Korean peninsula, and an almost threefold higher number of millipede species. Further, more-intensive surveys will likely result in identification of more millipede species in the Korean peninsula

A revision and phylogenetic analysis of the millipede genus Oxidus Cook, 1911 (Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae)

The genus Oxidus Cook, 1911 is revised to contain five species, O. avia (Verhoeff, 1937), O. gigas (Attems, 1953), O. gracilis (C.L. Koch, 1847), O. riukiaria (Verhoeff, 1940), and “species inquirenda” O. obtusus (Takakuwa, 1942). A cosmopolitan species, O. gracilis, is widely found in temperate and sub-tropical regions over the world, but other species have limited distribution in restricted regions, e.g., O. gigas in northern Vietnam, O. riukiaria and O. avia in the Ryukyu Islands (Japan). Four species, O. gracilis, O. riukiaria, O. avia and O. gigas, are confirmed as different from each other in gonopod characters, coloration and body size. The status of the last species, O. obtusus, is still doubtful and requires examination of further fresh material. The phylogenetic relationships among species of Oxidus is analyzed using two fragments of the mitochondrial genes COI (Cytochrome c Oxidase subunit I) and 16S rRNA. Three species of Oxidus are clearly separated from each other; O. gigas and O. gracilis form a monophyletic sister group with O. riukiaria. The genus Oxidus is also monophyletic and more closely related to the genus Tylopus Jeekel, 1968 than to the genera Sellanucheza Enghoff, Golovatch & Nguyen, 2004 or Kronopolites Attems, 1914. In addition, an identification key to species of Oxidus is provided

Fig. 1 in A revision and phylogenetic analysis of the millipede genus Oxidus Cook, 1911 (Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae)

Fig. 1. Oxidus gracilis (C. L. Koch, 1847) from Okinawa Island, Japan. A. Entire body, length ca 23 mm. B – C. Segments 8 – 9 – 10. B. ♂. C. ♀. Scale bars = 1 mm. (photos by Z. Korsós

Fig. 2 in A revision and phylogenetic analysis of the millipede genus Oxidus Cook, 1911 (Polydesmida, Paradoxosomatidae)

Fig. 2. Left gonopod of Oxidus gracilis (C. L. Koch, 1847), sample IEBR-USA. A. Lateral view. B. Mesal view. Scale bars = 100 µm

Complete mitochondrial genome of a hen harrier Circus cyaneus (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae) from South Korea

A hen harrier Circus cyaneus (Accipitriformes: Accipitridae), a migrant raptor having a wide breeding range from Europe to Northeast Asia, migrates to more southerly areas (Southern Europe, China, Korea and Japan) in winter. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome of C. cyaneus was completely sequenced and characterized. It was 20,173 bp in length being composed of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes and two control regions. It has a base composition of A (32.2%), G (12.6%), C (30.5%) and T (24.7%). The phylogenetic tree reconstructed based on the maximum likelihood (ML) method confirms that C. cyaneus places within the clade of the family Accipitridae in the monophyletic avian order Accipitriformes

DNA Barcoding of Metazoan Zooplankton Copepods from South Korea.

Copepods, small aquatic crustaceans, are the most abundant metazoan zooplankton and outnumber every other group of multicellular animals on earth. In spite of ecological and biological importance in aquatic environment, their morphological plasticity, originated from their various lifestyles and their incomparable capacity to adapt to a variety of environments, has made the identification of species challenging, even for expert taxonomists. Molecular approaches to species identification have allowed rapid detection, discrimination, and identification of cryptic or sibling species based on DNA sequence data. We examined sequence variation of a partial mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase I gene (COI) from 133 copepod individuals collected from the Korean Peninsula, in order to identify and discriminate 94 copepod species covering six copepod orders of Calanoida, Cyclopoida, Harpacticoida, Monstrilloida, Poecilostomatoida and Siphonostomatoida. The results showed that there exists a clear gap with ca. 20 fold difference between the averages of within-specific sequence divergence (2.42%) and that of between-specific sequence divergence (42.79%) in COI, suggesting the plausible utility of this gene in delimitating copepod species. The results showed, with the COI barcoding data among 94 copepod species, that a copepod species could be distinguished from the others very clearly, only with four exceptions as followings: Mesocyclops dissimilis-Mesocyclops pehpeiensis (0.26% K2P distance in percent) and Oithona davisae-Oithona similis (1.1%) in Cyclopoida, Ostrincola japonica-Pseudomyicola spinosus (1.5%) in Poecilostomatoida, and Hatschekia japonica-Caligus quadratus (5.2%) in Siphonostomatoida. Thus, it strongly indicated that COI may be a useful tool in identifying various copepod species and make an initial progress toward the construction of a comprehensive DNA barcode database for copepods inhabiting the Korean Peninsula

Mean Kimura-2-parameter (K2P) distances within species and between species estimated from nucleotide sequences of <i>COI</i> for 133 individuals of 94 copepod species along the six different orders.

<p>Mean Kimura-2-parameter (K2P) distances within species and between species estimated from nucleotide sequences of <i>COI</i> for 133 individuals of 94 copepod species along the six different orders.</p