RSS 1.0Life sciences
The Museum’s vast collections of vertebrates, invertebrates, plants and microbes support our staff's unique expertise in evolutionary biology, biodiversity and systematics.
Recent Submissions
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The northernmost known observation of Myrmecophilus acervorum and the first records of Myrmecophilidae (Orthoptera, Ensifera) from LatviaThe first observations of myrmecophilous ant cricket Myrmecophilus acervorum (Panzer, 1799) and the family Myrmecophilidae from Latvia are presented. The observations were made in two locations subject to flooding in springtime. Adult and juvenile female individuals were observed. The discussed records appear to be the northernmost known distribution limit of this species.
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Semi‐quantitative characterisation of mixed pollen samples using MinION sequencing and Reverse Metagenomics (RevMet)The ability to identify and quantify the constituent plant species that make up a mixed‐species sample of pollen has important applications in ecology, conservation, and agriculture. Recently, metabarcoding protocols have been developed for pollen that can identify constituent plant species, but there are strong reasons to doubt that metabarcoding can accurately quantify their relative abundances. A PCR‐free, shotgun metagenomics approach has greater potential for accurately quantifying species relative abundances, but applying metagenomics to eukaryotes is challenging due to low numbers of reference genomes. We have developed a pipeline, RevMet (Reverse Metagenomics) that allows reliable and semi‐quantitative characterization of the species composition of mixed‐species eukaryote samples, such as bee‐collected pollen, without requiring reference genomes. Instead, reference species are represented only by ‘genome skims’: low‐cost, low‐coverage, short‐read sequence datasets. The skims are mapped to individual long reads sequenced from mixed‐species samples using the MinION, a portable nanopore sequencing device, and each long read is uniquely assigned to a plant species. We genome‐skimmed 49 wild UK plant species, validated our pipeline with mock DNA mixtures of known composition, and then applied RevMet to pollen loads collected from wild bees. We demonstrate that RevMet can identify plant species present in mixed‐species samples at proportions of DNA ≥ 1%, with few false positives and false negatives, and reliably differentiate species represented by high versus low amounts of DNA in a sample. RevMet could readily be adapted to generate semi‐quantitative datasets for a wide range of mixed eukaryote samples. Our per‐sample costs were £90 per genome skim and £60 per pollen sample, and new versions of sequencers available now will further reduce these costs.
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Nanopore adaptive sampling: a tool for enrichment of low abundance species in metagenomic samplesAdaptive sampling is a method of software-controlled enrichment unique to nanopore sequencing platforms. To test its potential for enrichment of rarer species within metagenomic samples, we create a synthetic mock community and construct sequencing libraries with a range of mean read lengths. Enrichment is up to 13.87-fold for the least abundant species in the longest read length library; factoring in reduced yields from rejecting molecules the calculated efficiency raises this to 4.93-fold. Finally, we introduce a mathematical model of enrichment based on molecule length and relative abundance, whose predictions correlate strongly with mock and complex real-world microbial communities.
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The problems of resolving historical specimen data, focusing on a specimen of Myotis austroriparius (Mammalia, Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae) collected by Thomas DrummondThe geographical itineraries of Thomas Drummond’s two separate expeditions to Canada (1825–1827) and the United States of America (1831–1835) are used to provide historical context for the specimens collected and their localities. The coordinates for these locations are estimated and their geographical positions mapped. The difficulties of resolving various problems with historical specimens are explored and several examples are provided, including the contentious origin and identification of a southeastern myotis, Myotis austroriparius (Rhoads, 1897) (NHMUK 1837.4.8.127). Information about type specimens is discussed and the geographical position of several type localities of rodents and a mustelid in the Rocky Mountains and a lagomorph in the USA are refined.
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A revision of the type locality of Black-throated Accentor Prunella atrogularis huttoni (Moore)We examine the type locality of Black-throated Accentor Prunella atrogularis huttoni that is listed as ‘ranges above Simla’ and propose a revision of the same to ‘Afghanistan’
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Bryozoa from the Maastrichtian Korojon Formation, Western AustraliaThe first Australian Cretaceous bryozoan fauna is described from the Upper Campanian – Lower Maastrichtian Korojon Formation from the Giralia Anticline in north-western Western Australia. Bryozoans are the numerically dominant element in a sclerobiont community dependent on the abundant large inoceramids, utilizing both valves in life position as well as reworked shell fragments. A total of 68 species-level taxa are described (22 cyclostomes and 46 cheilostomes); 50 of these are new (12 cyclos-tomes and 38 cheilostomes) and the remaining 18 taxa are left at various levels of open nomenclature. They are referred to 47 genera (14 cyclostome and 33 cheilostome genera, 11 of which are new), with a total of 10 taxa left in open nomenclature. One new family, Cardabiellidae, is introduced. The total Late Cretaceous bryozoan fauna known from the Southern Hemisphere remnants of the Gondwana supercontinent – South America, Africa, India, Antarctica, Australia, Zealandia – is significantly less diverse than that known from the Northern Hemisphere, where the European Chalk Sea fauna constitutes the diversity hotspot. The addition of the Korojon fauna described here expands our knowledge of the Cretaceous bryozoan fauna from the Southern Hemisphere considerably, particularly with respect to the youngest bryozoan order, the Cheilostomata. And importantly, the Korojon fauna, more than doubles the proportion of Late Cretaceous cheilostome genera endemic to the Southern Hemisphere from 12.5% to more than 25% of the total number of Late Cretaceous genera presently known from this realm. We suggest that this significant expansion may well warrant a reassessment of the role of Southern Hemisphere bryozoan faunas in the recovery from the Cretaceous-Paleogene biotic turnover.
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Convergent evolution of plant prickles by repeated gene co-option over deep timeAn enduring question in evolutionary biology concerns the degree to which episodes of convergent trait evolution depend on the same genetic programs, particularly over long timescales. In this work, we genetically dissected repeated origins and losses of prickles—sharp epidermal projections—that convergently evolved in numerous plant lineages. Mutations in a cytokinin hormone biosynthetic gene caused at least 16 independent losses of prickles in eggplants and wild relatives in the genus <jats:italic>Solanum</jats:italic> . Homologs underlie prickle formation across angiosperms that collectively diverged more than 150 million years ago, including rice and roses. By developing new <jats:italic>Solanum</jats:italic> genetic systems, we leveraged this discovery to eliminate prickles in a wild species and an indigenously foraged berry. Our findings implicate a shared hormone activation genetic program underlying evolutionarily widespread and recurrent instances of plant morphological innovation.
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A crowd-sourced genomic project to assess hybrid content in a rare avian vagrant (Azure Tit Cyanistes cyanus (Pallas, 1770))The aim of this study was to correlate plumage variation with the amount of genomic hybrid content in hybrids between Azure Tits Cyanistes cyanus (Pallas, 1770) and European Blue Tit Cyanistes caeruleus (Linnaeus, 1758), by re-sequencing the genomes of museum specimens of non-hybrids and presumed hybrids with varying plumages. The project was funded by crowdsourcing and initiated when two presumed Azure Tits, observed by hundreds of Swedish birdwatchers, were rejected as hybrids based on minor plumage deviations assumed to indicate hybrid contents from the European Blue Tit. The results confirm that hybrids with intermediate plumages, so called Pleske’s Tits, are first generation hybrids (F1 hybrids). Individuals, whose plumages are similar to Azure Tits, but assessed as hybrids based on minor plumage deviations, are all backcrosses but vary in their degree of hybrid content. However, some individuals morphologically recognized as pure Azure Tits expressed similar degrees of hybrid content. The results indicate that: (1) hybrid content may be widespread in Azure Tits in the western part of its habitat distribution; (2) plumage deviation in backcrosses is not linearly correlated with the genetic degree of hybrid origin; and (3) all Azure Tits observed in Europe outside its natural distribution may have some degree of hybrid origin. We therefore suggest that it is very difficult to phenotypically single out hybrids beyond first generation backcrosses. We argue that decreased sequencing costs and improved analytical tools open the doors for museomic crowd-sourced projects that may not address outstanding biological questions but have a major interest for lay citizens such as birdwatchers.
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The Founding Feathers: the true ancestry of the domestic Barbary DoveIn 2008 the International Commission for Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) ruled that the name Streptopelia risoria (Linnaeus, 1758) should have priority for both African Collared Dove and its domestic form, Barbary Dove, as it is senior to S. roseogrisea (Sundevall, 1857). Many ignored the ruling in the belief that the ancestry of Barbary Dove is still unproven. Given the lack of a namebearing specimen and in anticipation of the ICZN decision, in 2008 a neotype was designated for S. risoria. To clarify the taxonomic status of roseogrisea, as its original type series was mixed, in 2018 a neotype was also designated for this junior synonym of African Collared Dove. As the species was assumed to be polytypic, synonymisation of roseogrisea with risoria at species level was questioned thereafter. The results of a whole genome-resequencing study now show that African Collared Dove is the principal ancestor of Barbary Dove, and that the species is monotypic.
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Remarks on the types of the New Guinea endemic Otidiphaps Gould, 1870We detail the types and some other early specimens of the four taxa currently usually treated as subspecies of the New Guinea endemic, Pheasant Pigeon Otidiphaps nobilis. This material has been subject to a number of erroneous statements in the previous literature. In chronological order of description, O. n. nobilis Gould, 1870, was based on a single specimen of unknown provenance and collector, now at the Natural History Museum, Tring; O. n. cervicalis E. P. Ramsay, 1880, and its objective junior synonym O. n. regalis Salvin & Godman, 1880, were based on multiple syntypes taken in 1879 (several of them the same specimens), all held in Tring (despite being previously reported as such, two specimens in Sydney appear to have no name-bearing status); O. n. insularis Salvin and Godman, 1883, is known from the two syntypes, collected in 1882 and held in Tring, and just one other specimen, taken in 1896 and held in the American Museum of Natural History, New York; and O. n. aruensis Rothschild, 1928, was based on a specimen collected in June 1914, now in New York, although there is a significantly earlier specimen of this taxon in the Museum Heineanum Halberstadt.
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Contemporary intergeneric hybridization and backcrossing among birds-of-paradiseDespite large differences in morphology, behavior and lek-mating strategies the birds-of-paradise are known to hybridize occasionally, even across different genera. Many of these bird-of-paradise hybrids were originally described as distinct species based on large morphological differences when compared to recognized species. Nowadays, these specimens are generally recognized as hybrids based on morphological assessments. Having fascinated naturalists for centuries, hybrid specimens of birds-of-paradise have been collected and the specimens kept in Natural History Collections. In the present study, we utilize this remarkable resource in a museomics framework and evaluate the genomic composition of most described intergeneric hybrids and some intrageneric hybrids. We show that the majority of investigated specimens are first-generation hybrids and that the parental species, in most cases, are in line with prior morphological assessments. We also identify two specimens that are the result of introgressive hybridization between different genera. Additionally, two specimens exhibit hybrid morphologies but have no identifiable signals of hybridization, which may indicate that minor levels of introgression can have large morphological effects. Our findings provide direct evidence of contemporary introgressive hybridization taking place between genera of birds-of-paradise in nature, despite markedly different morphologies and lek-mating behaviors.
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On the taxonomic status of Burmese Collared Dove Streptopelia (decaocto) xanthocyclaAlthough described as a subspecies of Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto, the isolated Burmese population S. d. xanthocycla is considered to be a species by some authors, based on presumed morphological differences between the two taxa. To resolve the issue, a whole-genome resequencing-based study was conducted. The results show that Burmese xanthocycla can indeed be considered a separate species, and therefore that Eurasian Collared Dove is monotypic. As no type material exists for the Burmese Collared Dove, a neotype is designated for xanthocycla to clarify its taxonomy.
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Redefining the Evolutionary History of the Rock Dove, Columba livia, Using Whole Genome SequencesThe domestic pigeon's exceptional phenotypic diversity was key in developing Darwin's Theory of Evolution and establishing the concept of artificial selection. However, unlike its domestic counterpart, its wild progenitor, the rock dove Columba livia has received considerably less attention. Therefore, questions regarding its domestication, evolution, taxonomy, and conservation status remain unresolved. We generated whole-genome sequencing data from 65 historical rock doves that represent all currently recognized subspecies and span the species’ original geographic distribution. Our dataset includes 3 specimens from Darwin's collection, and the type specimens of 5 different taxa. We characterized their population structure, genomic diversity, and gene-flow patterns. Our results show the West African subspecies C. l. gymnocyclus is basal to rock doves and domestic pigeons, and suggests gene-flow between the rock dove's sister species C. rupestris, and the ancestor of rock doves after its split from West African populations. These genomes allowed us to propose a model for the evolution of the rock dove in light of the refugia theory. We propose that rock dove genetic diversity and introgression patterns derive from a history of allopatric cycles and dispersion waves during the Quaternary glacial and interglacial periods. To explore the rock dove domestication history, we combined our new dataset with available genomes from domestic pigeons. Our results point to at least 1 domestication event in the Levant that gave rise to all domestic breeds analysed in this study. Finally, we propose a species-level taxonomic arrangement to reflect the evolutionary history of the West African rock dove populations.
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On another specimen of Faeroese white-speckled raven Corvus corax variusThe white-speckled raven, a colour aberration of the Faeroese Common Raven Corvus corax varius Brünnich, 1764, has occurred on the Faeroe Islands since at least the Middle Ages and was always prized by collectors. In the second half of the 19th century while the Faeroese raven population was suffering intense persecution, pied individuals were even more severely hunted, and were extinct by the early 20th century. Twenty-six specimens had been recorded so far in different museum collections, but a 27th has now come to light in the Natural History Museum of the University of Oslo. The collector is unknown but given the collection date, 1846, it was probably an islander rather than a foreign collector.
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Confusing female Taiwanese Tarsiger bush robins and designation of a lectotype for Ianthia johnstoniae Ogilvie-Grant, 1906Recent research reveals that the original series, a male and female, used to describe Ianthia johnstoniae Ogilvie-Grant, 1906 (= Collared Bush Robin Tarsiger johnstoniae), held in the Natural History Museum, Tring, is mixed. The male is a Collared Bush Robin, but the female is an example of the morphologically very similar White-browed Bush Robin T. indicus formosanus. Because the syntypes represent two different species and in order to fix the identity on the universally understood taxonomic concept associated with T. johnstoniae, we select as its lectotype the unambiguously identified male specimen (NHMUK 1907.12.12.39).
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Third time lucky for Forsten's pigeon; taeniura, forsterii, forsteniTemminck’s major work on pigeons became famous partly because of the complementary plates by Knip, even though Knip had used subterfuge to make the published work appear to be hers. It was generally assumed that this permanently ended their partnership as the evidence for renewed cooperation between the two, present in Knip’s second pigeon book, was widely overlooked. A rediscovered letter from Temminck to Knip confirms the renewed partnership, with Temminck supplying specimens of new species of pigeon to be included in Knip’s work. One of these was a Ducula from Sulawesi, collected by the Dutch naturalist Forsten. Due to a spelling mistake, this species initially did not receive the name intended by Temminck. Although the error was subsequently corrected by Bonaparte, his action is invalid in the eyes of the International code for zoological nomenclature. Another article in the Code, however, dealing with a different matter, is applicable and rules that the ‘amended’ name is valid after all.
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Why Bolle's Laurel Pigeon Columba bollii is not named Wagler's Laurel Pigeon Columba lamprauchenThe Canary Islands endemic Bolle's Laurel Pigeon Columba bollii was described as a species in 1872 by Godman. A specimen of the same species collected more than 75 years earlier, during the 1796–98 expedition commanded by Baudin, was instead believed to be an example of the Jamaican endemic, Ring-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas caribaea (Jacquin, 1784). However, in 1827 its identity had been questioned by Wagler, who believed the specimen represented a separate Caribbean species that he named Columba Lamprauchen. Although Wagler's name is senior to Godman's, we demonstrate that, following the International code of zoological nomenclature, Columba bollii should be used as the correct name for this Canarian species.
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Genus-level revision of the Alycaeidae (Gastropoda, Cyclophoroidea), with an annotated species catalogue412 species-group names (including 11 replacement names), and 14 genus-group names of the Alycaeidae have been introduced to date. Type materials of 85% (336) of the known species and subspecies were examined, a further 5% (19) of the taxa were studied using available non-type material, and for another 6% (22) the original descriptions were sufficiently detailed to evaluate their taxonomic status. Only 3% of the taxa (12) could not be examined. Special attention was paid to the sculpture of the embryonic whorls and the sutural tube-microtunnel system in order to provide a novel classification for this group.</jats:p> <jats:p>In this study 363 taxa (320 species or 43 subspecies) are accepted within the family Alycaeidae. Of these, 22 have been described by the lead author and his coauthors in previous publications. In addition, there are 18 species that were formerly classified in <jats:italic>Cycloryx</jats:italic> and now belong to <jats:italic>Pincerna</jats:italic> due to its synonymy with <jats:italic>Cycloryx</jats:italic>. Among the remaining 323 species, 209 (65%) are transferred here to another genus, whilst 114 (35%) have remained in their original genus.</jats:p> <jats:p>Seven genera are accepted. While some questions (e.g., the distinction between <jats:italic>Pincerna</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Alycaeus</jats:italic>) remained unanswered, this revision made three main achievements: (1) The <jats:italic>Dicharax</jats:italic> species were identified based on the absence of spiral striation on the entire shell; (2) the <jats:italic>Metalycaeus</jats:italic> species were identified based on the spiral striation of the protoconch; (3) and <jats:italic>Stomacosmethis</jats:italic> was separated from <jats:italic>Alycaeus</jats:italic> based on the extremely short sutural tube.</jats:p> <jats:p>Five nominal species are being synonymised with other species, and eight species are now treated as subspecies. The following replacement names are proposed: <jats:italic>Dioryx urnula niosiensis</jats:italic> Páll-Gergely, <jats:bold>nom. nov.</jats:bold> for Alycaeus urnula var. daflaensis Godwin-Austen, 1914; <jats:italic>Dioryx urnula rotundus</jats:italic> Páll-Gergely, <jats:bold>nom. nov.</jats:bold> for Alycaeus urnula var. globosus Godwin-Austen, 1914; <jats:italic>Pincerna crenilabris juttingae</jats:italic> Páll-Gergely, <jats:bold>nom. nov.</jats:bold> for <jats:italic>Alycaeus crenilabris laevis</jats:italic> van Benthem Jutting, 1959; <jats:italic>Pincerna crenilabris korintjiensis</jats:italic> Páll-Gergely, <jats:bold>nom. nov.</jats:bold> for <jats:italic>Alycaeus crenilabris latecostatus</jats:italic> van Benthem Jutting, 1959; <jats:italic>Dicharax conicus jatingaensis</jats:italic> Páll-Gergely, <jats:bold>nom. nov.</jats:bold> for Alycaeus conicus var. nanus Godwin-Austen, 1914; <jats:italic>Metalycaeus godwinausteni</jats:italic> Páll-Gergely, <jats:bold>nom. nov.</jats:bold> for <jats:italic>Alycaeus neglectus</jats:italic> Godwin-Austen, 1914; and finally <jats:italic>Metalycaeus suhajdai</jats:italic> Páll-Gergely, <jats:bold>nom. nov.</jats:bold> for <jats:italic>Alycaeus varius</jats:italic> Godwin-Austen, 1914.
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Clarification on the name-bearing type designation of several cyclophorid species (Mollusca, Gastropoda) by H. H. Godwin-Austen (1915)The type series boundary and the name-bearing type designation of each cyclophorid taxon originally described by Godwin-Austen are clarified based on an interpretation that complies with the ICZN. Previous statuses of type specimens designated by previous authors are reconsidered. Lectotypes of <jats:italic>Spiraculum oakesi</jats:italic> Godwin-Austen, 1915, <jats:italic>Spiraculum kempi</jats:italic> Godwin-Austen, 1915, <jats:italic>Pterocyclos aborensis</jats:italic> Godwin-Austen, 1915, <jats:italic>Pterocyclos miriensis</jats:italic> Godwin-Austen, 1915, <jats:italic>Pterocyclos brahmakundensis</jats:italic> Godwin-Austen, 1915, <jats:italic>Spiraculum luyorensis</jats:italic> Godwin-Austen, 1915, <jats:italic>Spiraculum putaoensis</jats:italic> Godwin-Austen, 1915, and <jats:italic>Theobaldius oakesi</jats:italic> Godwin-Austen, 1915 are here designated to stabilize the existing nomenclature. In addition, the type specimens of <jats:italic>Pterocyclos miriensis</jats:italic> and <jats:italic>Theobaldius oakesi</jats:italic> are photographed and figured for the first time.
