The twisted-wing parasites (Strepsiptera) are an endoparasitic order of insects with cosmopolitan distribution, which are sister group of Coleoptera. There are about 600 known species up to date. Strepsiptera parasitize seven insect orders (Thysanura, Orthoptera, Blattodea, Mantodea, Hemiptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera). The family Xenidae is one of the most derived groups of Strepsiptera. Its representatives parasitize aculeate Hymenoptera of three families (Vespidae, Sphecidae, Crabronidae). In comparison to the basal groups, there are well-known hosts for genera of the family Xenidae. Therefore, this group is suitable object for study of the evolution of host specialization. Phylogeny of the family Xenidae was constructed on the basis of molecular analysis of three genes. Moreover, the mapping of ancestral host major groups and biogeographic areas was performed using two methods (parsimony, maximum likelihood). According to the results, the family Xenidae is monophyletic group with Old World origin. There were a several independent switches to the same host groups. This significantly changes the existing ideas about evolution of host specialization and requires a taxonomic revision. Within the family Xenidae, there were several cases of dispersal between the Old World and the New World. Furthermore,...

Phylogeny of selected genera of geckos in the Mediterranean and adjacent regions Jan Červenka Ph.D. thesis Abstract This Ph.D. thesis is composed of three published articles and one manuscript, and is focused on the phylogenetic relationships of selected species of geckos from the Mediterranean and surrounding areas. The group of geckos of interest shares the common characteristic of an absence of adhesive lamellas on their toes. Historically, it was assumed that these species were closely related. Molecular-phylogenetic approaches were used in order to reveal the phylogenetic relationships within this group, especially using the sequential data from mitochondrial genes. Morphological characteristics commonly used in lizards were studied in connection with the ecology of the group. This thesis provides the first more detailed view of the phylogeny of the studied species. The results show that the genus Cyrtopodion, previously considered as monophyletic, in fact is not monophyletic as the genera Bunopus and Agamura represent its inner groups. Mediodactylus, the subgenus of Cyrtopodion, forms monophylum but is not closely related to the other members of the genus and so was reclassified as the independent genus. The enigmatic and yet so far very poorly studied genus Carinatogecko was discovered to be the...

1 Phylogenetic Studies in the Polyploid Genus Curcuma L. SUMMARY Curcuma is genetically one of the most complex genera within the tropical family Zingiberaceae, with hybridization and polyploidization being the major forces in its evolution. In this thesis, I have focused mainly on the genetic background of Curcuma species variation, relationships and overall genome structure, as a key to solve long standing taxonomic problems. Results of my molecular studies on the genus Curcuma performed since 2007 represent an extension of ongoing taxonomic and nomenclatural work started by Jana Leong- Škorničková in 2000. The first part of the thesis consists of a broad, general introduction to the subject to reflect the current state of knowledge, formulate the major problems to be confronted within the genus, and summarise the major results of the studies presented in the second part of the thesis. As the main obstacles in studying Curcuma are consequences of its reticulate evolution, it is also outlines the importance of understanding the genetic background and species relationships using molecular markers. Common molecular methods used for assessing phylogenetic relationships on the intraspecific and infrageneric levels - AFLP and sequencing of selected markers from cpDNA, nrDNA and nDNA - are described, with the...

The topic of the presented thesis is evolution of the arvicoline rodents (Cricetidae) using the phylogenetic approach. Phylogenetic relationships within the Arvicolinae were examined based on two genes (mitochondrial cytb, nuclear GHR exon 10) and approx. 470 morphological, developmental, behavioural, ecological and cytogenetic characters. The thesis consists of four related topics: (i) Phylogeny of arvicoline rodents (Robovský et al. 2008: Zool. Scr. 37: 571-590); (ii) Fossils, phylogeny and morphological evolution in the Arvicolinae (Rodentia: Cricetidae); (iii) Enamel, diet and habitat evolution in arvicoline rodents (Cricetidae); and (iv) Vole population cycles: evolutionary history or actual life histories?.

Trichomonads (Parabasalia) are anaerobic microeukaryotes classified in the supergroup Excavata. Inclusion of parabasalids within Excavata is exclusively based on the molecular- phylogenetic evidence. Over 400 species of parabasalids have been described so far, and the vast majority of them are endobiotic. In contrast, only few species of free-living parabasalids forming four independent lineages have been described (Pseudotrichomonas keilini, Ditrichomonas honigbergii, Monotrichomonas carabina, Honigbergiella sp., Tetratrichomonas undula, and Lacusteria cypriaca). Lacusteria cypriaca is a new species and genus described in our recent paper. In this paper we published the first two sequences of SSU rDNA from Pseudotrichomonas keilini as well. All of these lineages are likely secondarily free-living, and they developed from endobiotic ancestors. In addition to the already published Lacusteria cypriaca and Pseudotrichomonas keilini strains, we have recently obtained seven another isolates of free-living trichomonads (LAGOS2D, E2NT, CK, LAGOS2M, GR8, GOU23 LIVADIAN, and VAV1A1); from all of these isolates we sequenced SSU rDNA and performed phylogenetic analyses. These isolates split into four independent evolutionary lineages, which indicate that free-living parabasalids are more diversed and...

This thesis is focused in the representatives of beetle families Hydrophilidae and Hydraenidae of West Indies and adjacent regions. It consists of two parts, the phylogenetic part and the systematic part. The phylogenetic part focuses on the hydrophilid genera Phaenonotum and Crenitulus of Greater Antilles: beetles were sampled in all four main islands (Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico and Jamaica) and analyzed using the combination of molecular and morphological data. The genus Phaenonotum contains four single-island endemics, of which those from Cuba, Jamaica and Hispaniola are wingless and form a clade that diversified ca. 46 million years ago (Ma) and likely colonized the Caribbean via the GAARlandia land bridge. In contrast, the Puerto Rican endemic and the two remaining non-endemic species colonized the Greater Antilles by over- water dispersal during the Oligocene-Miocene. The analysis of the genus Crenitulus revealed that Greater Antillean species belong to two separate clades: the Crenitulus yunque clade endemic for Cuba and Hispaniola, and the Crenitulus suturalis clade containing specimens from Greater Antilles and from northern America. A detailed revision of the Crenitulus yunque clade using morphology and molecular-based species delimitation recognized 11 species locally endemic for...

This diploma thesis deals with the comparison of historical solutions of word problems with student solutions. Its aim was to describe how students solve historical word problems, while looking for analogies between student and historical solutions. This intention led me to a better understanding of student solutions. The theoretical part of the thesis describes important concepts for algebraic word problems, such as a variable, algebraic expression or algebraic word problem. In the historical part I describe chronologically the development of algebra from antiquity through the Middle Ages and the Renaissance to the Baroque. In each period, I mention important mathematicians of the time and present several solved word problems. In most cases, I analyze these solutions from the perspective of today's mathematics. The theoretical part describes the research that took place at the eight-year grammar school. As part of the research, I gave students 6 historical tasks across historical periods and then analyzed the ways in which students solved problems. I found that for most of the tasks, there were solutions similar to the historical solutions among the student's solutions. Some historical methods appeared very often. An example is the use of addition instead of multiplication, or division, as used by the...

Section Restricti is one of the last sections of the genus Aspergillus that hasn't been revised in the modern taxonomic era. All species are osmophilic, have simple morphology and they are mainly important because of the food, feed and seed spoilage, some of them also have negative influence to the indoor air. The section consists of seven species according to the last taxonomic revision from 2008 based only on molecular data. It currently consists of six asexual and one homothalic species. 126 isolates from the section coming from four continents were studied in this thesis, including ex-type strains. Revision of the section was carried out combining molecular phylogenetic analysis and conventional taxonomic methods. Modern methods of species delimitation based on multispecies coalescent model were used for the phylogenetic reconstruction. From the conventional methods analysis of morphology (macro- and micromorphology including scanning electron microscopy) and physiology (ability of growing in osmotic gradient and several different temperatures) was performed. Apart from the seven known species, eight new undescribed species were discovered. Majority of the new species belongs to the Aspergillus penicillioides species complex. Key words: Aspergillus restrictus, osmophilic fungi, species...

Phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera, Psychodidae) are small blood sucking insects which are only proven vectors of neglected tropical disease called leishmaniasis. Sand flies of the genus Phlebotomus act as vectors in the Old World and those of genus Lutzomyia are vectors in the New World. However, not all of them are capable of transmitting the disease. It is therefore crutial to conclusively determinate the species and have up-to-date knowledge of their natural occurence. Routine identification based on morphological characters is challenging due to intraspecific variability of these or their possible damage during the capture and preparation. In adition, correct assessment of distinctive cahracters, especially for females, is difficult and requires certain expertise. Thus, approaches of molecular taxonomy have been recently increasingly used for sand flies species determination. This thesis presents usage of DNA sequencing and MALDI-TOF protein profiling for routine determination of sand flies caught in southeastern Europe and adjacent regions, where we have lack of information of present sand flies species. Another part of this thesis focus on closer examination of relations between selected closely related species within species complexes. Key words: Phlebotomus, molacular identification, DNA...

This study examines the role of deffensive host-plant traits in structuring the community of leaf-chewing insects living on willows. Host-plant phylogeny was reconstructed and leaf morphology and content of three different groups of secondary metabolites were measured. Relationships between defensive leaf traits were examined and their influence on insect community structure was analyzed.