Phylogenetic relationships of 13 genera of Schoenobiinae (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) are postulated based on traditional characters of genitalia and wing venation and new characters of the descaled whole body. The phylogenetic analysis yielded one most-parsimonius tree (length 287 steps, CI= .36, RI= .62) that resulted in a monophyletic clade of all genera of Schoenobiinae examined. The monophyly of the Schoenobiinae is supported by a Bremer support value of five. Donacaula is not congeneric with the type-species of Schoenobius, S. gigantellus. The analysis confirms Lewvanich‘s hypothesis that Scirpophaga, Donacaula, Schoenobius, Catagela, and Helonastes are closely related. Based on this analysis, the New World genera appear to have originated in the Neotropical region with four independent dispersals to the Nearctic Region. The revision of Donacala resulted in recognition of 20 species that were previously described and descriptions of ten new species. Neotypes were designated for D. sordidella, D. unipunctella, D. tripunctella, D. dispersella, D. aquilella. Lectoypes were designated for D. albicostella, D. pallulella, D. immanis, D. pulverealis. Donacaula bicolorella was synonymized with D. roscidella, D. uniformella with D. albicostella, D. lanceolella with D. immanis, and D. amblyptepennis with D. longirostrella. Adults, wing venation, and genitalia of New World species of Donacaula are illustrated for the first time, and new distributional records are reported. A key to species, diagnoses, and photographs of imagoes and male and female genitalia are provided.

O objetivo principal deste trabalho é a revisão das espécies neotropicais de Masteriinae. Após análise de um extenso material de coleções, Masteriinae é redefinida e apresenta hoje três gêneros: Masteria L. Koch, 1873 com 21 espécies neotropicais, Striamea Raven, 1981 com duas e Siremata gen. nov. com três espécies, são exclusivas da região Neotropical. Masteria é revisada e diagnosticada com base na espécie-tipo e separa-se dos demais gêneros por apresentar padrão ocular retangular em um cômoro baixo, presença de processo prolateral na tíbia da perna I dos machos e depressão basal e megaespinho basal no metatarso I dos machos. Masteria hirsuta L. Koch, 1873 é aqui redescrita e diagnosticada para comparação, uma vez que é da fauna asiática. A genitália da fêmea é estudada com detalhes, uma vez que pela primeira vez seus caracteres internos foram analisados. As espécies neotropicais de Masteria são separadas em quatro grupos, definidos pelo formato do bulbo, exceto M. pecki, da qual o macho é desconhecido. As fêmeas de M. golovatchi Alayón, 1995 e M. aimeae (Alayón, 1995) são descritas pela primeira vez. As espécies M. tovarensis (Simon, 1889) e M. cyclops (Simon, 1889) são sinonimizadas com M. lucifuga (Simon, 1889), baseada em análise de material próximo à localidade-tipo. Sete novas espécies são descritas: Masteria amarumayu sp. nov. para o estado do Amazonas, M. locandiani sp. nov. do Pará, M. aguaruna sp. nov. para a Amazônia peruana, M. tayrona sp.nov. para Colômbia, M. soucouyant sp. nov. de Trinidad e Tobago, M. sabrinae sp. nov. para Martinica e M. galipote sp. nov. para República Dominicana. O gênero Striamea é redescrito baseado em análise do material-tipo e diagnosticado pelo ausência do australotheline crescente na base da fiandeira, oito olhos sob um cômoro, mega espinho ventral apical na tíbia da perna I dos machos, depressão ventral apical na tíbia do palpo dos machos, cefalotórax e abdômen com padrão de coloração, uma fila de tricobótrios nos metatarsos e dentes da unha tarsal inferior emergindo de uma base projetada. O gênero é representado aqui por Striamea gertschi Raven, 1981 e S. magna Raven, 1981, ambas para Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colômbia. O gênero novo Siremata é proposto baseado em um grupo de espécies exclusivas da Amazônia brasileira e definido por apresentar micro-espinhos localizados na região dos olhos, padrão quadrangular dos olhos, com os medianos posteriores sobre um cômoro e machos com mega espinho ventral na região mediana da tíbia da perna I. Três espécies novas pertencem a este gênero, Siremata vovalteri (espécie-tipo) e S. lucasae do estado do Amazonas e S. juruti do Pará / The main objective of this paper is a review of the neotropical species of Masteriinae. After analyzing an extensive material of the collections, Masteriinae is redefined and now comprisess three genera: Masteria L. Koch, 1873 with 21 neotropical species, Striamea Raven, 1981 with two and Siremata gen. n. with three species, are unique to the Neotropics. Masteria is revised and diagnosed based on the type-species and separates itself from other genus to present a rectangular eye pattern on a low dome, presence of prolateral process in the tibia of leg I of males and a basal depression and basal megaspine on the metatarsi I of males. Masteria hirsuta L. Koch, 1873 is herein redescribed and diagnosed for comparison, since it is of Asian fauna. The female genitalia is studied in detail, since for the first time its internal characters were analyzed. Neotropical species Masteria are separated into four groups defined by the palpal bulb shape, except M. pecki Gertsch, 1982, of which the male is unknown. The females of M. golovatchi Alayón, 1995 and M. aimeae (Alayón, 1995) is first described. The species M. tovarensis (Simon, 1889) and M. cyclops (Simon, 1889) are synonymized with M. lucifuga (Simon, 1889), based on analysis of material near the type locality. Seven new species are described: Masteria amarumayu sp. n. for the state of Amazonas, M. locandiani sp. n. from Pará, M. aguaruna sp. n. to the Peruvian Amazon, M. tayrona sp.nov. from Colombia, M. soucouyant sp. n. from Trinidad and Tobago, M. sabrinae sp. n. from Martinica and M. galipote sp. n. to Dominican Republic. The Striamea genus is redescribed based on analysis of the material-type and diagnosed by the absence of australotheline crescent at the base of the spinneret, eight eyes under a dome, megaspine apical ventral in the tibia of leg I of the males, apical ventral depression in the tibia of palp males, carapace and abdomen with color pattern, one trichobothria row in metatarsi and teeth of the internal tarsal claw emerging from a projected basis. The genus is represented here by Striamea gertschi Raven, 1981 and S. magna Raven, 1981, both for Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. The Siremata gen. n. is proposed based on a group of species exclusives to the Brazilian Amazon and defined by present micro-spines located around the eyes, eye square pattern, with posterior median eyes on a dome and males with megaspine ventral in the middle region of tibia I. Three new species belong to this genus, Siremata vovalteri (type species) and S. lucasae to the state of Amazonas and S. juruti from Pará

The study deals with taxonomy of Cassidinae of Panama and is based on extensive new material compared with the type specimens in various museums. Totally is listed 178 species of which 33 and two genera are described as new to science.

O objetivo principal deste trabalho é a revisão das espécies neotropicais de Masteriinae. Após análise de um extenso material de coleções, Masteriinae é redefinida e apresenta hoje três gêneros: Masteria L. Koch, 1873 com 21 espécies neotropicais, Striamea Raven, 1981 com duas e Siremata gen. nov. com três espécies, são exclusivas da região Neotropical. Masteria é revisada e diagnosticada com base na espécie-tipo e separa-se dos demais gêneros por apresentar padrão ocular retangular em um cômoro baixo, presença de processo prolateral na tíbia da perna I dos machos e depressão basal e megaespinho basal no metatarso I dos machos. Masteria hirsuta L. Koch, 1873 é aqui redescrita e diagnosticada para comparação, uma vez que é da fauna asiática. A genitália da fêmea é estudada com detalhes, uma vez que pela primeira vez seus caracteres internos foram analisados. As espécies neotropicais de Masteria são separadas em quatro grupos, definidos pelo formato do bulbo, exceto M. pecki, da qual o macho é desconhecido. As fêmeas de M. golovatchi Alayón, 1995 e M. aimeae (Alayón, 1995) são descritas pela primeira vez. As espécies M. tovarensis (Simon, 1889) e M. cyclops (Simon, 1889) são sinonimizadas com M. lucifuga (Simon, 1889), baseada em análise de material próximo à localidade-tipo. Sete novas espécies são descritas: Masteria amarumayu sp. nov. para o estado do Amazonas, M. locandiani sp. nov. do Pará, M. aguaruna sp. nov. para a Amazônia peruana, M. tayrona sp.nov. para Colômbia, M. soucouyant sp. nov. de Trinidad e Tobago, M. sabrinae sp. nov. para Martinica e M. galipote sp. nov. para República Dominicana. O gênero Striamea é redescrito baseado em análise do material-tipo e diagnosticado pelo ausência do australotheline crescente na base da fiandeira, oito olhos sob um cômoro, mega espinho ventral apical na tíbia da perna I dos machos, depressão ventral apical na tíbia do palpo dos machos, cefalotórax e abdômen com padrão de coloração, uma fila de tricobótrios nos metatarsos e dentes da unha tarsal inferior emergindo de uma base projetada. O gênero é representado aqui por Striamea gertschi Raven, 1981 e S. magna Raven, 1981, ambas para Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colômbia. O gênero novo Siremata é proposto baseado em um grupo de espécies exclusivas da Amazônia brasileira e definido por apresentar micro-espinhos localizados na região dos olhos, padrão quadrangular dos olhos, com os medianos posteriores sobre um cômoro e machos com mega espinho ventral na região mediana da tíbia da perna I. Três espécies novas pertencem a este gênero, Siremata vovalteri (espécie-tipo) e S. lucasae do estado do Amazonas e S. juruti do Pará / The main objective of this paper is a review of the neotropical species of Masteriinae. After analyzing an extensive material of the collections, Masteriinae is redefined and now comprisess three genera: Masteria L. Koch, 1873 with 21 neotropical species, Striamea Raven, 1981 with two and Siremata gen. n. with three species, are unique to the Neotropics. Masteria is revised and diagnosed based on the type-species and separates itself from other genus to present a rectangular eye pattern on a low dome, presence of prolateral process in the tibia of leg I of males and a basal depression and basal megaspine on the metatarsi I of males. Masteria hirsuta L. Koch, 1873 is herein redescribed and diagnosed for comparison, since it is of Asian fauna. The female genitalia is studied in detail, since for the first time its internal characters were analyzed. Neotropical species Masteria are separated into four groups defined by the palpal bulb shape, except M. pecki Gertsch, 1982, of which the male is unknown. The females of M. golovatchi Alayón, 1995 and M. aimeae (Alayón, 1995) is first described. The species M. tovarensis (Simon, 1889) and M. cyclops (Simon, 1889) are synonymized with M. lucifuga (Simon, 1889), based on analysis of material near the type locality. Seven new species are described: Masteria amarumayu sp. n. for the state of Amazonas, M. locandiani sp. n. from Pará, M. aguaruna sp. n. to the Peruvian Amazon, M. tayrona sp.nov. from Colombia, M. soucouyant sp. n. from Trinidad and Tobago, M. sabrinae sp. n. from Martinica and M. galipote sp. n. to Dominican Republic. The Striamea genus is redescribed based on analysis of the material-type and diagnosed by the absence of australotheline crescent at the base of the spinneret, eight eyes under a dome, megaspine apical ventral in the tibia of leg I of the males, apical ventral depression in the tibia of palp males, carapace and abdomen with color pattern, one trichobothria row in metatarsi and teeth of the internal tarsal claw emerging from a projected basis. The genus is represented here by Striamea gertschi Raven, 1981 and S. magna Raven, 1981, both for Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia. The Siremata gen. n. is proposed based on a group of species exclusives to the Brazilian Amazon and defined by present micro-spines located around the eyes, eye square pattern, with posterior median eyes on a dome and males with megaspine ventral in the middle region of tibia I. Three new species belong to this genus, Siremata vovalteri (type species) and S. lucasae to the state of Amazonas and S. juruti from Pará

The Oligocene and Miocene faunas of the John Day Basin are diverse and very well-studied, including a large number of small mammal species. Though Eocene floras from Oregon are well-known, Eocene faunas include relatively few taxa from only two described localities in the Clarno area. The first Eocene rodents from the John Day Basin also include the first ischyromyids from the Pacific Northwest. Several rodent incisors were recovered from the Hancock Mammal Quarry at Clarno, representing the first rodent specimens known from the Clarno Formation. The Hancock Mammal Quarry lies between tuffs dated 42.7 and 39.22 Ma, meaning these rodents are latest Uintan or earliest Duchesnean in age. Several ischyromyids are also described from the Big Basin Member of the John Day Formation. From a Duchesnean locality between tuffs dated 39.22 and 38.4 Ma a single tooth of Pseudotomus was recovered, which is as large as any known ischyromyid. Another Big Basin Member site yielded a new genus and species of ischyromyid. That site lies above an ash dated 36.21 Ma and biostratigraphy confirms a Chadronian age. These rodents help fill important gaps in the fossil record of the John Day Basin and will facilitate comparisons with other Eocene sites in North America and Asia.

The theory of evolution is the central combing theory that brings together all the tenets of biology that bring about a solid understanding of life. It is also one of the most controversial scientific theories of all time and is widely rejected by about 40% of the general public in the United States. One of the biggest reasons for low evolution acceptance is the perceived conflict between evolution and religious beliefs. Educators and researchers have been working hard to improve how we teach evolution in the classroom; some methods, such as focusing on evolution knowledge, have shown to be mixed. Sometimes it works; other times, it does not, especially with highly religious students. Other methods have shown promising, such as using culturally competent approaches when teaching highly religious students. This is where we have focused our research on reconciling religious beliefs and evolutionary theory. First, in Chapter 1, we strengthened our understanding of the theory of evolution by studying a genus of damselfly in the South Pacific. Through our molecular analyses, we described a new genus, Nikoulabasis. In Chapter 2, we studied a unique of teaching evolution to religious students. We highlighted three of the most compelling reasons students changed their minds about evolution and gave suggestions for improving evolution education in the classroom. In Chapter 3, we created and validated the predictive Factors of Evolution Acceptance and Reconciliation (pFEAR) survey tool as a way for educators to better understand what worldview factors influence students' evolution acceptance. This chapter also gives suggestions to educators on how to use the pFEAR in their classrooms. In Chapter 4, we reviewed the literature to determine the influence of popular media on students learning evolution. Evolution misconceptions come from various sources such as social interactions, religious settings, textbooks, and even teachers. But few studies looked at the influence of popular media on evolution misconceptions. In Chapter 5, we viewed and watched student mentioned evolution references and determined the accuracy with which they depicted evolution. Of the 99 references we viewed, 94% of them depicted evolution accurately.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-28T20:15:33Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 2009 - Patricia Barizon Cepeda.pdf: 4456439 bytes, checksum: 76acf89f6f60c2d403100e8366a812b4 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-02-18 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / A new genus and five new species of dactylogyrid monogeneans were described from the gills of Brachyplatystoma filamentosum (Pimelodidae). The fishes were collected from the Araguaia river, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil. The new genus is characterized by a combination of characters which included gonads tandem, germarium ovate or elongate, anterior to testis, copulatory organ J shaped or curved and accessory piece non-articulated or articulated, prostatic reservoir is ovate when observed, vagina sinistro-marginal, sclerotized or not, haptor subhexagonal with shank simple and similar hooks. Characteristics of the new genus resembles Demidospermus Suriano, 1983, Aphanoblastella Kritsky, Mendoza-Franco e Scholz, 2000, Pseudovancleaveus Fran?a, Issac, Pavanelli e Takemoto, 2003, Unibarra Suriano e Incorvaia, 1995 and Unilatus Mizelle e Kritsky, 1967. Morphological differences among the five new species are based on: Genus n., sp. n. 1 possessing ventral bar slightly curved and dorsal bar straight, both with the large ends; accessory piece slightly curved, nonarticulated; copulatory organ shaped-J with ornamentation. Genus n., sp. n. 2 possessing ventral bar slightly curved and dorsal bar straight with ends slightly curved; vagina sclerotized; copulatory organ shaped-J; accessory piece with two lobes, articulated and prostatic reservoir present. Genus n., sp. n. 3 present peduncle elongate; ventral bar slightly curved with a small prominence in the antero-median region, dorsal bar elongate, with ends slightly curved; accessory piece curved, articulated; copulatory organ curved with ornamentation. Genus n., sp. n. 4 possessing ventral bar slightly curved, with a small prominence in the antero-median region and dorsal bar straight, both with large ends; accessory piece curved with large proximal end; copulatory organ shape-J with ornamentation. Genus n., sp. n. 5 possessing peduncle elongate; ventral, dorsal bar slightly curved, dorsal bar present a prominence in the antero-median region; vagina sclerotized; accessory piece articulated, irregular and copulatory organ shaped-J; prostatic reservoir present. / Como resultado do estudo taxon?mico dos parasitos de br?nquias de Brachyplatystoma filamentosum (Pimelodidae) provenientes do rio Araguaia, Mato Grosso, Brasil, um novo g?nero (Gen. n..) de Dactylogyridae (Monogenea) ? proposto e cinco esp?cies novas (Gen. n., sp. n. 1, 2, 3, 4 e 5) foram descritas. O g?nero novo est? caracterizado por uma combina??o de caracteres que inclui: g?nadas n?o superpostas, germ?rio pr?-testicular alongado ou oval, ?rg?o copulat?rio masculino em forma de J ou curvo, pe?a acess?ria articulada ou n?o, reservat?rio prost?tico oval quando presente, vagina sinistro-marginal esclerotizada ou n?o, haptor subhexagonal com sete pares de ganchos similares entre si. As caracter?sticas que definem o g?nero novo sugerem semelhan?as morfol?gicas com Demidospermus Suriano, 1983, Aphanoblastella Kritsky, Mendoza-Franco e Scholz, 2000, Pseudovancleaveus Fran?a, Issac, Pavanelli e Takemoto, 2003, Unibarra Suriano e Incorvaia, 1995 e Unilatus Mizelle e Kritsky, 1967. As diferen?as morfol?gicas entre as cinco esp?cies do g?nero novo s?o: G?nero n., sp. n. 1 possui barra ventral ligeiramente curva e barra dorsal reta, ambas com extremidades alargadas; apresenta pe?a acess?ria ligeiramente curva, n?o articulada; ?rg?o copulat?rio em forma de J com ornamenta??o; aus?ncia de reservat?rio prost?tico. G?nero n. sp. n. 2. possui barra ventral ligeiramente curva e barra dorsal reta com extremidades ligeiramente curvas; presen?a de vagina esclerotizada; org?o copulat?rio em forma de J; pe?a acess?ria bilobada, articulada e presen?a de reservat?rio prost?tico. G?nero n. sp. n. 3 apresenta o ped?nculo longo; possui barra ventral ligeiramente curva com pequena proemin?ncia na regi?o antero-mediana; barra dorsal reta, alongada, com extremidades ligeiramente curvas; pe?a acess?ria curva, articulada e ?rg?o copulat?rio curvo, com ornamenta??o. G?nero n., sp. n. 4 apresenta barra ventral ligeiramente curva com pequena proemin?ncia na regi?o antero-mediana e barra dorsal reta, ambas com extremidades alargadas; pe?a acess?ria curva com a extremidade proximal mais larga; ?rg?o copulat?rio em forma de J, com ornamenta??o. G?nero n., sp. n. 5 possui o ped?nculo largo; barra ventral quase reta e barra dorsal ligeiramente curva com pequena proemin?ncia na regi?o anteromediana; vagina esclerotizada; pe?a acess?ria articulada e irregular e ?rg?o copulat?rio apresenta forma de J, presen?a de reservat?rio prost?tico. Estes s?o os primeiros registros de monogen?ticos parasitando B. filamentosum.

The key character separating the dendrochirotid families Sclerodactylidae (sensu Pawson & Fell, 1965) and the Phyllophoridae (sensu Pawson & Fell, 1965), i.e. entire or undivided radial processes to the calcareous ring in the former and sub-divided processes in the latter, is unjustified since most sclerodactylid species also have subdivided processes. It is here assumed that the basis of elevating the subfamily Sclerodactylinae Panning to family level was established on a misinterpretation or mistranslation of the original diagnosis of this subfamily or a lapsus calumni meaning “plates” instead of “processes”. Panning (1949) categorically states that the processes in the Sclerodactylinae are composed of 3–4 large pieces of calcite and only as an exception they are unbroken. Since Pawson & Fell gave no other distinction between the Sclerodactylidae and the Phyllophoridae, the former is here considered an invalid taxon and its three current subfamilies (Sclerodactylinae, Sclerothyoninae Thandar and Cladolabinae Heding & Panning) are re-assigned to the Phyllophoridae. This family now includes six subfamilies: Cladolabinae, Phyllophorinae Östergren, Sclerodactylinae, Sclerothyoninae, Semperiellinae Heding & Panning and Thyoninae Panning. The diagnosis of the Sclerodactylinae, restricted by Thandar (1989), is now modified to include also those forms whose radial and interradial plates may be slightly sub-divided but still form a short tube. Of the eleven genera placed within this subfamily subsequent to its erection, only ten of these remain. Neothyone Deichmann is a preoccupied name for which Lisacucumis is here proposed as a replacement. Thandar’s (1989) diagnosis of the Thyoninae is here accepted, however, the genus Thorsonia Heding is transferred to the Sclerodactylinae. Of the 66 nominal species which currently stand in the “supergenus” Thyone Jaeger, 10 are transferred to Havelockia Pearson within the Sclerodactylinae, while one species is regarded as a synonym of H. herdmani Pearson. In addition, six species are transferred to Stolus Selenka within the Thyoninae. Finally, three species are transferred to Sclerothyoninae, two within Sclerothyone Thandar and one within Temparena Thandar. Two species show an uncertain affinity to Thyone and are temporally removed from the genus. Furthermore, two species currently classified within Havelockia are transferred to Thyone. The now remaining 46 species are separated into seven groups based on the composition of their introvert deposits: tables only (8 spp.), rosettes only (5 spp.), tables and rosettes (21 spp.), tables and plates/?reduced tables (2 spp.), rosettes and plates/?reduced tables (3 spp.), plates only (2 spp.), or introvert deposits absent or unknown (5 spp.). Regrettably, no other character could be used in conjunction with the above to suggest at least sub-generic levels. Within the genus Havelockia, Cucumaria redimita Sluiter indicates an affinity with Pentamera Ayres. It is here transferred to this genus within the Thyoninae. Havelockia, now containing 17 species, is also revised. Keys, diagnoses and figures are provided for all nominal species now included in Thyone and Havelockia. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2011.

For over a century, the origins and mechanisms underlying the diversification of the enormous cosmopolitan genus Carex (>2,100 species; Cariceae, Cyperaceae or sedge family) have remained largely speculative. Although its unique morphology (e.g., unisexual flowers, perigynia) clearly indicated it was a natural group, it obscured its relationships to all other Cyperaceae because the morphological gap between it and the rest of the family was so wide. Consequently, no plausible sister group to Carex has ever been proposed. Early molecular analyses narrowed the problem by placing Carex within a strongly-supported clade with the enigmatic monospecific genus Khaosokia, and tribes Dulichieae and Scirpeae (hereafter CDS), a group consisting of 2,250 species, or approximately 41% of all Cyperaceae. However, poor taxonomic sampling and the limited number of molecular markers used in these studies meant that the sister group to Carex remained a mystery. The goals of this thesis were to resolve evolutionary relationships within the CDS clade, to identify the sister group to Carex, and to develop a new natural tribal classification of CDS that could be used in future biogeographic and comparative analyses of Carex and its relatives. Initial phylogenetic analyses using two plastid markers (matK, ndhF) identified seven major CDS lineages, and suggested that Carex could be nested within a paraphyletic Scirpeae. However, backbone support for these relationships was low due to an ancient rapid radiation (~10 million years) followed by long divergence of the seven major lineages (~40 million years). The addition of conventional sequence-based markers from the plastid genome (rps16) and nuclear ribosomal region (ETS-1f, ITS) indicated that a traditional molecular approach would not resolve these key backbone nodes. Consequently, a recently developed flowering-plant-specific anchored enrichment probe kit targeting hundreds of conserved nuclear genes combined with next generation sequencing was used to resolve the CDS backbone. Although the resulting phylogenomic dataset was able to resolve the CDS backbone with high support, the topology and branch lengths only reaffirmed the isolated position of Carex. However, comparative morphological analyses of specimens at key herbaria not only suggested that Sumatroscirpus, a rare genus thought to be endemic to Sumatra, could be sister to Carex, but they also provided an easily accessible site to collect DNA in Northern Vietnam. Subsequent phylogenetic analyses of plastid (matK, ndhF, rps16) and nuclear ribosomal (ETS-1f, ITS) markers strongly supported Sumatroscirpus as the sister to Carex, and molecular dating estimates suggested they shared a common ancestor in the late Eocene (~36 million years ago). Comparative studies and ancestral state estimates of key morphological characters were congruent with this hypothesis, suggesting that the perigynium is not unique to Carex, but in fact a synapomorphy shared with Sumatroscirpus. This means that the initial key innovation in the remarkable diversification of Carex is not the perigynium, but could be the release of mechanical constraints that permitted the evolution of the remarkable morphological diversity of Carex perigynia seen today. A taxonomic revision of Sumatroscirpus revealed that this purportedly monospecific genus actually consisted of four species, and it extended its range over 2,400 km to the north into Northern Vietnam, Myanmar, and Southwestern China. The phylogenetic framework provided by the previous studies enabled a new tribal and generic classification of CDS to be proposed. Seven monophyletic tribes are recognised including four new tribes (Calliscirpeae, Khaosokieae, Sumatroscirpeae, Trichophoreae), and a new genus (Rhodoscirpus). Morphological synapomorphies are identified for all recognized tribes, and a worldwide treatment, including identification keys, is provided for Sumatroscirpus species, CDS genera, and Cyperaceae tribes.

No description available.