The phylogeny of lampreys is controversial, because they possess few taxon-distinctive morphological characters. This is especially true of the relationships among the genus Lethenteron and the closely related genera Eudontomyzon and Lampetra. Thus, the first objective of this thesis was to use DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene and two nuclear gene introns to infer the phylogeny among these three genera. I found that: 1) Lethenteron plus Eudontomyzon morii without Lethenteron ninae, Lethenteron zanandreai, and Lethenteron sp. S (a distinct cryptic species in the Lethenteron reissneri complex) was monophyletic; 2) Lampetra from the Pacific drainage of North America and Lampetra aepyptera should each be separated, as distinct genera, from Lampetra (including Lethenteron ninae and Lethenteron zanandreai) from the Atlantic drainage of Eurasia; and 3) the remaining Eudontomyzon and the Atlantic Lampetra clustered together in all analyses. The second objective of this thesis was to resolve the relationship among closely related Lethenteron species. Lampreys are either parasitic or non-parasitic, and each non-parasitic (satellite) species is believed to have been derived independently from the parasitic (stem) ancestor. In the phylogenetic analysis, the parasitic Arctic lamprey Lethenteron camtschaticum and its four satellite species were not reciprocally monophyletic. Since network methods are generally more useful for closely related haplotypes than bifurcating trees, a haplotype network of these five Lethenteron species was generated using the cytochrome b gene sequences; Lethenteron appendix showed haplotype frequency distribution differences but there was little support for recognizing the other four taxa as distinct species.

This study presents evidence from mitochondrial and nuclear loci that there is genetic divergence among and within geographic populations of Lagenorhynchus obscurus. The effect of seasonal variation on the genetic structure within New Zealand was examined with mitochondrial DNA control region sequences from 4 localities. Analysis of nested haplotype clades indicated genetic fragmentation and at least 1 historical population expansion within New Zealand. AMOVA and Fst values from nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences suggested significant divergence between New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, and Peru. Dispersal via the west-wind drift was not supported by patterns of population structure among regions. Alternatively, these data support reciprocal exchange among all four regions with 100% posterior probability for a root of origin in the Indian/Atlantic Oceans. The degree of divergence between Peru and other regions indicates the isolation of Peruvian stock is temporally correlated with the constriction of Drake’s passage in the Plio-Pleistocene. There is evidence that the Plio-Pliestocene paleoceanography of the Indian and Southern Atlantic Oceans influenced phylogeography with shifts of temperate sea surface temperatures northward ~5º of latitude, disrupting the dispersal corridor between New Zealand and Atlantic populations. A preference for temperate waters along continental shelves is proposed as an explanation for lack of contemporary genetic exchange among regions. This study supports the polyphyly of the genus Lagenorhynchus. North Atlantic species form a monophyletic Lagenorhynchus. In the Southern Hemisphere, L. australis/L. cruciger and L. obliquidens/L. obscurus do not form a monophyletic group. I discuss the taxonomic implications and propose taxonomic revision of the genus based on these results. Measures of character interaction indicate that combined evidence from nuclear and mitochondrial genes provide better phylogenetic resolution among delphinid lineages than any data partition independently, despite some indications of conflict among mitochondrial and nuclear data.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2003. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2004. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Há controvérsia sobre os processos responsáveis pela atual distribuição de Florestas Tropicais Sazonalmente Secas (FTSS) na América do Sul. Este tipo de vegetação compreende uma grande proporção de todas as espécies neotropicais. Entender o que modela a sua distribuição pode fornecer novas perspectivas para a evolução deste bioma e contribuirpara os aspectos de sua conservação. O trabalho avaliou a evolução deste bioma no sul do Brasil, onde as FTSS e as Florestas Tropicais (FT) são amplamente intercaladas. Para isso, foi reconstruídaa história filogeográfica do cacto, Cereus hildmannianus, uma espécie característica e abundante das FTSS. Métodos de datação molecular, estrutura populacional e filogeografia foram realizadas para avaliar os eventos histórico-demográficospor meio de uma amostragem densa que compreendeu 24 populações e cerca de 150 amostrasde, pelo menos, uma dentre as seis regiões genômicas nuclear e cloroplastidiais selecionadas. A partir disso, foi investigado um possível cenário da dinâmica populacional de C. hildmannianus. Os resultados indicam uma separação da espécie em dois grupos principais (ST: 0,788) com eventos de expansão populacional: umem regiões costeiras e o outro no interior do sul do Brasil, concondante com a distribuição dos núcleos das FTSS. O tempo do ancestral comum mais recente de C. hildmannianus, há 2,56 milhões de anos, remete a especiação deste ao período pré-Glacial. Os resultados do padrão de distribuição de C. hildmannianus foram concordantes com as áreas de endemismo para outros táxons das FTSS. Os eventos de dispersão e de vicariância entre as FTSS e as FT podem estar associados às mudanças paleoclimáticas durante os períodos glaciais do Quaternário, promovendo eventos de retração/expansão nestas florestas. A compreensão desses padrões na história biogeográfica de populações naturais podem auxiliar futuros planos de conservação deste bioma, na América do Sul. / There is controversy about the processes responsible for the current distribution of Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests (SDTF) in South America. This vegetation type comprises a large proportion of all Neotropical species. Understanding what shapes your distribution may provide new insights into the evolution of this ecosystem and contribute to aspects of conservation. The study evaluated the evolution of this biome in southern Brazil, where SDTF and Rainforests are widely interspersed. For this, we reconstructed the phylogeographic history of the cactus, Cereus hildmannianus, a kind of characteristic and abundant SDTF. Molecular dating methods, population structure and phylogeography were performed to evaluate the historical and demographic events through a dense sampling which comprised 24 populations and about 150 samples of at least one among the six nuclear and chloroplast genomic regions selected. From this, we investigated a possible scenario of population dynamics of C. hildmannianus. The results indicate a separation of the species into two main groups (ST: 0.788) with events of population expansion: one in coastal regions and the other inside the south of Brazil, concondante with the distribution of the nuclei of SDTF. The time of the most recent common ancestor of C. hildmannianuswere 2.56 million years ago, this speciation refers to the pre-Glacial. The results of the distribution pattern C. hildmannianus were consistent with areas of endemism for other taxa of SDTF. The events of dispersal and vicariance between SDTF and Rainforests may be related to paleoclimatic changes during glacial periods of the Quaternary, promoting events shrinkage /expansion in these forests. Understanding these patterns in the biogeographic history of natural populations may aid future conservation plans this biome in South America.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Linköping : Linköpings universitet, 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

Há controvérsia sobre os processos responsáveis pela atual distribuição de Florestas Tropicais Sazonalmente Secas (FTSS) na América do Sul. Este tipo de vegetação compreende uma grande proporção de todas as espécies neotropicais. Entender o que modela a sua distribuição pode fornecer novas perspectivas para a evolução deste bioma e contribuirpara os aspectos de sua conservação. O trabalho avaliou a evolução deste bioma no sul do Brasil, onde as FTSS e as Florestas Tropicais (FT) são amplamente intercaladas. Para isso, foi reconstruídaa história filogeográfica do cacto, Cereus hildmannianus, uma espécie característica e abundante das FTSS. Métodos de datação molecular, estrutura populacional e filogeografia foram realizadas para avaliar os eventos histórico-demográficospor meio de uma amostragem densa que compreendeu 24 populações e cerca de 150 amostrasde, pelo menos, uma dentre as seis regiões genômicas nuclear e cloroplastidiais selecionadas. A partir disso, foi investigado um possível cenário da dinâmica populacional de C. hildmannianus. Os resultados indicam uma separação da espécie em dois grupos principais (ST: 0,788) com eventos de expansão populacional: umem regiões costeiras e o outro no interior do sul do Brasil, concondante com a distribuição dos núcleos das FTSS. O tempo do ancestral comum mais recente de C. hildmannianus, há 2,56 milhões de anos, remete a especiação deste ao período pré-Glacial. Os resultados do padrão de distribuição de C. hildmannianus foram concordantes com as áreas de endemismo para outros táxons das FTSS. Os eventos de dispersão e de vicariância entre as FTSS e as FT podem estar associados às mudanças paleoclimáticas durante os períodos glaciais do Quaternário, promovendo eventos de retração/expansão nestas florestas. A compreensão desses padrões na história biogeográfica de populações naturais podem auxiliar futuros planos de conservação deste bioma, na América do Sul. / There is controversy about the processes responsible for the current distribution of Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests (SDTF) in South America. This vegetation type comprises a large proportion of all Neotropical species. Understanding what shapes your distribution may provide new insights into the evolution of this ecosystem and contribute to aspects of conservation. The study evaluated the evolution of this biome in southern Brazil, where SDTF and Rainforests are widely interspersed. For this, we reconstructed the phylogeographic history of the cactus, Cereus hildmannianus, a kind of characteristic and abundant SDTF. Molecular dating methods, population structure and phylogeography were performed to evaluate the historical and demographic events through a dense sampling which comprised 24 populations and about 150 samples of at least one among the six nuclear and chloroplast genomic regions selected. From this, we investigated a possible scenario of population dynamics of C. hildmannianus. The results indicate a separation of the species into two main groups (ST: 0.788) with events of population expansion: one in coastal regions and the other inside the south of Brazil, concondante with the distribution of the nuclei of SDTF. The time of the most recent common ancestor of C. hildmannianuswere 2.56 million years ago, this speciation refers to the pre-Glacial. The results of the distribution pattern C. hildmannianus were consistent with areas of endemism for other taxa of SDTF. The events of dispersal and vicariance between SDTF and Rainforests may be related to paleoclimatic changes during glacial periods of the Quaternary, promoting events shrinkage /expansion in these forests. Understanding these patterns in the biogeographic history of natural populations may aid future conservation plans this biome in South America.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.