Superfamily Chalcidoidea (chalcid wasps) represent the most species-rich group of the Hymenoptera and includes 22 families. Family Torymidae is one of those families and it's monophyly is currently intensively discussed. This particular thesis aims at the tribe Microdontomerini (Torimidae: Toryminae). Species of this tribe are usually minute inconspicuous wasps (body length ranges from 2 to 4 mm). Recent progress in phylogenetics of chalcid wasps allowes us to formulate robust hypothesis of Microdontomerini evolution, as a component of broader study of Chalcidoidea phylogeny and classification. My approach combines molecular and morphological evidence to formulate the most plausible evolutionary scenario. Dataset of 35 mostly morphological characters for 33 taxa including all existing Microdontomerini genera and 10 outgroups has been scored. Almost all characters has been studied and documented using Hitachi S-3700N-VP scanning electron microscope. In 117 taxa, 5 nuclear genes segments (18S, 28SD2, 28SD3-5, EF1alfa, Wingless) and 3 mitochondrial genes segments (COI-LCOHCO, COI-JerryPat, CytB) were sequenced, to get together the final molecular dataset of 387 Kbp. Molecular trees were built using maximum likelihood and Mr.Bayes algorithms. Evolution of morphological characters were mapped on the...

This Master's thesis deals with diversity within the Micrasterias papillifera/ M. radiosa (Desmidiales) species complex. Both species are inhabitants of endangered biotops, like peat-bogs and, like other desmids, are used for biomonitoring. Many described varieties for both of them can be found in taxonomic literature, but their morphology is overlapping and revision of this species complex seemed to be necessary. All strains were isolated from peat-bogs and lakes across Europe and my dataset was properly completed by strains from algal collections. Results of phylogenetic analysis of sequences for ITS and psaA showed, that the real intraspecific diversity of Micrasterias papillifera Brébisson ex Ralfs was overestimated. Although I could find a little intraspecific diversity within the ‚papillifera' lineage in the phylogenetic tree based on ITS sequences, it did not correspond with a morphology of isolates. M. papillifera possess unexpected morphological plasticity and also some isolates designated as Micrasterias radiosa Ralfs were present in this lineage. On the contrary, there were only a few isolates in the lineage ‚radiosa'. This species seems to be relatively rare and probably has limited distribution. Both species are morphologically well delimited from each other on the basis of several characters...

Subfamilies Rygmodinae and Sphaeridiinae together form approximately one third of the extant diversity within the family Hydrophilidae (Coleoptera: Polyphaga). Members of both these subfamilies inhabit wide spectrum of aquatic and terrestrial environments including specialized habitats such as phytotelmata, carrion or termite nests. So far, habitat shifts within these subfamilies have been only tested with a limited amount of taxa at the family level. Using a broader sampling and Bayesian and maximum likelihood methods, genus-level molecular phylogenetic analysis and divergence dating were performed. The dataset included 96 taxa, representing all major clades (genus groups) in both subfamilies, sequenced for two mitochondrial and two nuclear genes. A single shift from the aquatic to terrestrial environment in the Middle Jurassic was suggested, thus revealing both subfamilies and all tribes as ancestrally inhabiting decaying plant material and leaf litter. Secondary returns to aquatic habitats were suggested for two lineages of the Rygmodinae and several lineages belonging to tribes Coelostomatini and Megasternini. A single shift to flowers was revealed in the subfamily Rygmodinae. Similarly, single independent shifts to the inquiline lifestyle in tribes Omicrini and Megasternini were revealed. In...

This thesis deals with geographical distribution and taxonomy of Steccherinum genus in the Czech Republic. Members of this genus are corticioid fungi of Meruliaceae family, characterized by odontioid hymenophore, small spores and encrusted pseudocystidia. Presence of nine species was confirmed in Czech Republic on the basis of herbarium specimen revision and study of my own collections. Analysis of ITS and LSU nrDNA gene regions was used to create phylogenetic trees. These trees show relations in Steccherinum genus and related species. Selected traits in specimens of S. ochraceum s. l. (number of spines, their length, spore size and pseudocystidia size) were measured. This was followed by investigation of morphological variability in individual specimens and in relationship to ecological conditions (substrate and elevation). Morphology of selected individuals was compared with molecular data afterwards. Two clades were defined in S. ochraceum s. l. - existing differences between them are presumably caused by intraspecific genetic variability. S. rhois could not be separated as individual species on the basis of phylogenetic analysis. Dependence of fruiting body morphology on ecological conditions wasn't supported by results. Maps of geographic distribution of individual species of Steccherinum genus are...

The praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) is the only representative of the order Mantodea in central Europe. Within Czech Republic, this species is distributed mostly on xerothermic localities in southern Moravia. However, M. religiosa has been spreading more to the north not only in Czech Republic, but also in other Europian countries recently. The aim of this study was to reconstruct phylogeography based on genetic markers. It seems that studied species was distributed at least in three lineages in Europe, which could be connected with glacial refugias. First lineage was spread to the north probably from Pyrenean peninsula, second lineage from Crimea peninsula and third lineage from Balkan area. Nine microsatellite loci were tested and will be used for consequent sctudy of phylogeography and distribution of M. religiosa within Europe. Keywords: Mantis religiosa, mtDNA, microsatellite, expansion, phylogeography, phylogeny.

The twisted-wing parasites (Strepsiptera) are entomophagous insect order with cosmopolitan distribution. There are about 600 known species up to date. In spite of this, they have very broad host spectrum. Strepsiptera parasites in seven insect groups (Thysanura, Blattodea, Mantodea, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera). The mutual relationship between genera or even between species are not known, except for the species list and the host specification. Moreover, there is an anambiguous use of their species concept. Some authors consider Strepsiptera as the specialists and they match almost every host species with one separate strepsipteran parasite. The opposite concept is to consider strepsiptera as the generalists. The presence of the crypctic species also affect our understanding of the diversity of Strepsiptera. Therefore, the knowledge of Strepsiptera phylogeny provide us the important information about species diversity of studied group as well as about their coevolution with their hosts. On the basis of molecular analyses of three genes constructed the phylogeny genus Stylops. This genus has the wider spetrum of the host species from other strepsipterans of Stylopidae, It is obvious, that strepsipterans of genus Stylops are mainly specialised on their host subgenus. There was detected two...

The variability of the genome size reaches several grades even within relatively close groups of plants. The study of the genome size in the phylogenetic context provides interesting results which characterize the evolution of the individual groups of plants. In this respect, tropical plants have yet not been studied. Tropical genus Globba (ca. 100 species) belongs to an economically significant family Zingiberaceae. The diversity centre is found in Thailand but it spreads from east India and southern China up to Indonesia and the Philippines. It is a polyploid complex which exists in two cytotypes within one genus (2n = 32 a 2n = 48); it is characteristic minimally in three out of seven distinguished sections. The aim of this thesis has been a reconstruction of the group phylogeny, discovering the role of the polyploid and evaluation of the genome size evolution of the Globba genus in the phylogenetic context. To this end, modern biosystematic methods were used (flow cytometry, chromosome counting, sequencing of the nuclear and chloroplast DNA regions). Many types of software and statistical methods were used to process and interpret the data. In this group, the genome size was measured for the first time. Out of 87 individuals, the smallest size was measured with Globba nuda (2C = 1.11 pg). The...

The land snail genus Helix comprises large gastropods distributed in from France to Iran and in North Africa. Some of them have close linkage to humans - are synanthropic or are collected and consumed. The genus is most diverse in eastern Mediterranean. Taxonomy of the genus is now being revised from morphological point of view, and a molecular study is needed as a counterpart to that study. Here I present first phylogenetic data for the genus Helix, including almost all currently recognised species. I have used samples from various sources including dried bodies and tissue remnants. I have sequenced two commonly used mitochondrial markers (16S, COI). Position of the genus within Helicidae cannot be inferred from the dataset. The genus should be delimited in a strict sense, excluding genera Maltzanella, Cantareus, Cryptomphalus and Lindholmia. Division into subgenera, as proposed by various authors until now, is not supported with the exception of a split between subgenera Pelasga and the nominotypical Helix. Relationships between species and their groups are poorly resolved. Regarding species limits, the data are largely in agreement with new opinions based on morphology. There might be surprisingly high variability in shell characters within a species, as few morphologically characteristic taxa seem to be...

Visual assessment of discontinuities in the morphological features of diatom cells has been widely used in the discovery and delimitation of diatom species. However, a multidisciplinary approach to species-level taxonomy has revealed hidden diversity within the traditional diatom morphospecies. Consequently, this work examined both the natural and clonal populations of diatoms by diverse traditional and modern approaches, in order to assess the diversity, ecology, and distribution of diatom species. Although a detailed investigation of natural diatom samples was confounded by uncertain morphological boundaries between the traditional diatom species, it recognized that the diversity was relatively high; even one new diatom species was described using the morphological species concept. The multivariate statistical analyses showed that the variation of natural communities of traditional diatom morphospecies reflected differences in the local environmental conditions, as well as microhabitat heterogenity within a region. Since each diatom morphospecies is most likely a complex of sibling species, the two model traditional morphospecies were investigated, in order to assess morphological variation, genetic diversity, and/or the reproductive compatibility of monoclonal cultures. Even though isolated...

The modern taxonomic revision of cyanobacteria is a work in progress, with both theoretical and practical challenges to be addressed. This thesis investigated selected terrestrial cyanobacterial taxa using a polyphasic approach, based on molecular phylogenetic analysis and accompanied by phenotypic characterization and nomenclatural treatment. Diverse methodological approaches were used including optical and transmission electron microscopy, molecular analysis (DNA sequencing) of cyanobacterial strains, single cells and filaments, and phylogenetic analysis of multiple genomic loci. This study provided systematic revisions of individual cyanobacterial genera and the entire phylum, and suggestions for future study projects.