Phylogeography of Juniperus Species (Cupressaceae) with a Disjunct Distribution in the Island Areas of Japan

departmental bulletin pape

Conservation-related growth conditions of Eurya boninensis, endemic to the Bonin Islands, Japan

本研究では、絶滅危惧IB類に指定されているムニンヒサカキの保全対策に関する基礎情報を提供するために、父島と母島における本種の分布調査と解剖学的観察による花の性表現の確認を行った。父島の東平周辺では19個体を確認し、雄10個体、雌5個体が開花していた。母島の長浜トンネル周辺では12個体の開花個体を確認し、その内訳は雄5個体、雌7個体だった。両島で開花していた個体は解剖学的観察により雌雄いずれかに判定されたため、送粉システムが機能すれば、有性生殖により遺伝的多様性を維持できると推察された。一方、父島で確認された個体はすべてすす病に感染しており、本種の保全上の懸念要因であることが示された。We conducted field surveys on Chichijima Island and Hahajima Island, and anatomical studies of the flowers to clarify the sexual expression of an endangered species (IB) of Eurya boninensis and to provide basic information for conservation measures of the species. A total of 19 individuals of this species were observed around Higashidaira on Chichijima Island, 15 of which were flowering individuals (10 males and 5 females). A total of 12 flowering individuals (5 males and 7 females) were found around the Nagahama tunnel on Hahajima Island. The flowering individuals on both islands were determined to be male or female by anatomical observation, indicating that genetic diversity can be maintained through sexual reproduction if the pollination by several insects system is maintained. On the other hand, all individuals identified on Chichijima Island were infected with sooty mold, indicating that conservation of the species is a concern.departmental bulletin pape

Revisiting museum collections in the genomic era: potential of MIG-seq for retrieving phylogenetic information from aged minute dry specimens of ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and other small organisms

Multiplexed inter-simple sequence repeat genotyping by sequencing – MIG-seq – is an effective PCR-based method for genome-wide SNP detection using the Next-Generation Sequencing platform, and it provides a potential solution to a central problem in museomics – the difficulties of obtaining useful sequence data from aged specimens with often degraded and / or low yields of DNA. We demonstrate and validate the cost effectiveness and utility of the MIG-seq workflow in obtaining useful and robust sequence data from aged museum specimens. We applied the MIG-seq approach to 55 aged (10 - 23 years old) millimeter-sized dry-mounted specimens of the hyper-diverse ant genus Pheidole. A total of 50,782,736 reads were generated from the 55 samples (259,902 - 3,693,375 reads per sample). The reads corresponded to 36,862 SNPs from 4,849 polymorphic loci; the SNP dataset was then used to construct a Bayesian phylogenetic tree. The topology of the phylogenetic tree was highly compatible with existing knowledge of phylogenetic relationships among species of Pheidole. Therefore, we recommend the MIG-seq method as a cost-effective and highly applicable pipeline for conducting phylogenetic and population genetic studies on aged museum specimens, potentially enhancing the relevance of specimen repositories in general towards modern biodiversity science and conservation biology

Development of 11 polymorphic microsatellite markers for Xylocarpus granatum (Meliaceae) using next-generation sequencing technology

Human impacts have seriously damaged mangroves, and conservation of mangroves will require information on local and regional population genetic structures. Here, we report the development and polymorphism of eleven novel microsatellite markers, developed using next- generation sequencing on 56 samples of widespread man- grove species Xylocarpus granatum (Meliaceae) from nine populations across the Indo-West Pacific region. All loci were found to be polymorphic, with the number of alleles per locus ranging from four to 19. In a population from Sabah (Malaysia), the mean observed and expected heterozygosity per locus was 0.59 and 0.58, respectively. No null allele, significant linkage disequilibrium or deviation from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium was detected among all loci. The eleven markers developed can be valuable tools to conservation genetics of this species across its distributional range

Microsatellite Markers for <i>Leucobryum boninense</i> (Leucobryaceae), Endemic to the Bonin Islands, Japan

Premise of the study: Microsatellite primers were developed for Leucobryum boninense, endemic to the Bonin Islands, Japan, to investigate its level of genetic diversity and population genetic structure. Methods and Results: Using next-generation sequencing, 21 primer sets were developed, among which nine loci were polymorphic in the populations of the Bonin Islands. Among these polymorphic loci, the number of alleles per locus ranged from two to 10 (mean = 3.444) and the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.066 to 0.801 (mean = 0.338). Conclusions: These results indicate the utility of the nine microsatellite markers that we developed for population genetic studies of L. boninense

Two new cave Hyleoglomeris species (Glomerida, Glomeridae) from northern Vietnam

Two new glomerid species from caves in Cao Bang Province, Northern Vietnam, namely, Hyleoglomeris halang Kuroda, Nguyen & Eguchi, sp. nov. and Hyleoglomeris alba Nguyen, Kuroda & Eguchi, sp. nov., are described. The former is characterized by a distinct body color pattern; telopods with a large, quadrate, medially concave, sparsely setose, central syncoxital lobe; and syncoxital horns approximately 1.5–2.0 times as long as the lobe. The latter is distinguished by its completely troglobiotic form without eyes, an unpigmented body, and a roundly triangular syncoxital lobe of telopods. An identification key is also provided for the cave glomerids of Vietnam

FIGURES 6–8 in Description of the first Oriental species of the ant genus Xymmer (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Amblyoponinae)

FIGURES 6–8. Xymmer phungi sp. nov. Fig. 6, body in dorsal view, paratype worker (IMG20151129-2). Fig. 7, mesosoma in dorsal view, paratype worker (IMG20151129-2). Fig. 8, mesosoma in dorsal view, paratype queen (IMG20160227-4)