نشریه تاکسونومی و بیوسیستماتیک
سال پنجم شماره 4 (پیاپی 17، زمستان 1392)

Using fish scale to identity species and population is a rapid، safe and low cost method. Hence، this study was carried out to investigate the possibility of using geometric and morphometric methods in fish scales for rapid identification of species and populations and compare the efficiency of applying few and/or high number of landmark points. For this purpose، scales of one population of Luciobarbus capito، four populations of Alburnoides eichwaldii and two populations of Rutilus frisii kutum، all belonging to cyprinid family، were examined. On two-dimensional images of the scales 7 and 23 landmark points were digitized in two separate times using TpsDig2، respectively. Landmark data after generalized procrustes analysis were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA)، Canonical Variate Analysis (CVA) and Cluster Analysis. The results of both methods (using 7 and 23 landmark points) showed significant differences of the shape of scales among the three species studied (P<0. 001)، but no significant differences among their populations (P>0. 05). The results also showed that few number of landmarks could display the differences between scale shapes. According to the results of this study، it could be stated that the scale of each species had unique shape patterns which could be utilized as a species identification key.

Genetic structure of Mosul bleak (Alburnus mossulensis Heckel، 1843) of Tigris basin was investigated using 4 microsatellite loci (BL1-2b، BL1-98، CypG24 and Rser10) on fish collected from different populations of rivers including Konjancham، Kashgan، Doroud، Dopolan and Davoud Arab. Thirty specimens from each river with the exception of 25 specimens from Davoud Arab were collected. PCR amplification showed 43 alleles in total، averaging 10. 75 alleles per locus. Allele sizes at CypG24، BL1-2b، BL1-98 and Rser10 loci were in the range of 138-215، 141-180، 272-300، 176-240 bps، respectively. The expected heterozygosity ranged from 0. 79 in Davoud Arab river to 0. 84 in Konjancham and Kashgan rivers with an average of 0. 825. Observed heterozygosity ranged from 0. 69 in Konjancham river to 0. 81 in Kashgan river with an average of 0. 75. Significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium were found to be at BL1-98، BL1-2b and CypG24 loci in all populations and Rser10 in Davoud Arab population (P<0001). The overall FST mean values between populations and basins were 0. 02 and 0. 0071، respectively. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) indicated that the percent of variance among and within populations were 17. 6 and 82. 4، respectively. The genetic similarity and distance indices were in the range of 0. 696-0. 894 and 0. 111-0. 34، respectively. Little but meaningfully significant genetic differentiation was observed among different stations (P<005). For deeper understanding of population structure of Mosul bleak، studying of more microsatellite markers is recommended.

Odonata are an order belonging to Paleoptera which are divided into three suborders، Anisoptera، Anisozygoptera and Zygoptera. In order to investigate Odonata fauna from Mazandaran province، adult insects were collected from several different natural habitats and were identified. The specimens were included 13 species from 10 genera belonging to seven families. Seven species belonged to Anisoptera and six species belonged to Zygoptera. The species that were marked by asterisk were recorded for the first time for Mazandaran fauna. The collected and identified species are listed as below: *Anax parthenope، *Calopteryx splendens intermedia، Calopteryx splendens orientalis، *Coenagrion vanbrinckae، Crocothemis erythraea، *Epallage fatime، *Ischnura pumilio، *Lestes virevs، *Libellula depressa، *Orthetrum albistylum، Orthetrum sabina، *Platycnemis dealbata، Sympetrum fonscolombei and Sympetrum striolatum.

Common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus، Linnaeus، 1758) is an endemic naturally distributed in the Palearctic regions. White wing pheasant (P. c. principalis) is distributed from Turkmenistan and north of Afghanistan along to Harir-Rud river in northeast of Iran. This study was the first attempt to determine the geographical range، density and breeding biology of white wing pheasant populations in northeast of Iran. To do so، 36 stations were defined in the breeding range of the species in two cities، namely Sarakhs and Dargaz in northeast of Iran. The breeding behaviors including egg lying، hatching and feeding behavior of chicks'' were monitored and photographed using camera traps in 14 active nests in 10 stations. Collected data showed that white wing pheasant had a simple nest shape; breeding season started in early April; hatching began end of May and lasted 24±1 days (based on 14 active nests) and finally enjoiyed little parental caring، particularly for the males. Comparative morphometrical data for eggs (length and width)، nest and clutch size showed that there was a significant variation between the studied populations (P<0. 05، ANOVA)، in which the populations could be separated based on discriminant function analysis and the euclidean eendrogram. Comparision of morphometrical data of eggs in captive and wild nests showed that there was a significant length variation between them (P<0. 05).

Sargassum C. Agardh (Sagassaceae، Phaeophycaeae) is a brown algae in the Iranian southern coasts which they showed high density along the subtidal zone of area. In this study، the features of four species of Acanthocarpicae (S. crassifolium J. Agardh and S. oligocystum Montagne) and Malacocarpicae (S. baccularia (Mertens) C. Agardh، S. henslowianum C. Agardh) were described. Species within the Malacocarpicae section were typified by having smooth receptacles، whereas those in the Acanthocarpicae section had spiny receptacles. Also، presence of discoid to conical holdfast، elongated to lanceolate leavesand with wavy to denticulate margin were the main characters of these sections. S. baccularia was characterized by less sping branches compared to other species. S. crassifolium and S. oligocystum had flattened primary branches، their leaves mostly wavy or denticulate at margins، with leaf-like mucronate at vesicles apex and racemose to paniculate receptacles.

The genus Matthiola R. BR. (Brassicaceae) consists of 48 species in the Iranian plateau، of which only seven species are distributed in northeast of Iran. Six species erre collected from the region under study including M. afghanica، M. alyssifolia، M. chenopodiifolia، M. chorassanica، M. dumulosa and M. farinose. Two species، M. flavida and M. revoluta were recorded for the first time in this study. Some specimens of an unknown taxon entitled Matthiola sp. are also collected in the region and included in the present study. In this study، we tried to use a set of morphologically informative characters which could determine species boundaries and also provide appropriate identification key to the genus in the northeast of Iran. 71 morphological features including quantitative and qualitative were examined on 68 herbarium and field-collected accessions followed by statistical analyses. The results of the univariate analysis indicated that «presence/absence of trichome on the stem and leaf» and «presence/absence of glandular trichomes on the sepal and pedicel» did not significantly differentiate the species and they were excluded from the subsequent analysis. The results of multivariate analysis showed that the species under study were grouped within three groups. First group included specimens of the species M. alyssifolia، the species M. afghanica، M. chenopodiifolia، M. dumulosa، M. farinosa، M. flavida and Matthiola sp. were placed in second group and third group included specimens of the two species M. chorassanica and M. revoluta.

Sequencing of ITS region is one of the candidate markers as a DNA barcoding in Plants. Since sequencing technique is expensive and time consuming، we used PCR-RFLP technique and compared the result of these methods (PCR-RFLP and sequencing) to evaluate the efficiency of PCR RFLP technique in recognition of different species of Tilia from Hyrcanain forest. Electrophoresis pattern of ITS regions of nine species of Tilia were studied by eight restriction enzymes. Results indicated that the EcoRI and BsrBI did not have restriction site in the genus Tilia. Mantel test showed that the dendrogram derived from RFLP and cladogram indicated relatively high congruency (r=0. 57). PCoA analysis recognized T. dasystyla، T. hyrcana and T. rubra from Hyrcanian''s origin، but it could not separate T. begonifloia from the other hyrcanian species. In this respect، derived results were similar to sequencing one. In conclusion، with regard to less expensive and less time consuming PCR-RFLP technique and high similarity between its result with sequencing، we recommend this method as a simple and economical method with relatively high efficiency studding plant phylogeny.

Molecular methods such as 16S rDNA sequencing are relatively accurate but are costly and time consuming، therefore new alternative methods have been a matter of interst. FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared) is one of these methods. It is a physico-chemical method based on measurement of molecular bond vibrations excited by infrared radiation at specific wavelength range. The aim of this study was to assess efficiency of FTIR in identification and taxonomy of methylotroph bacteria (most important group of chlorinated methane derivative degrading bacteria) and comparing it to 16S rDNA sequencing method. Of 30 isolated methylotroph bacteria، 7 were selected. Following amplification of a portion of 16S rDNA gene by PCR and sequencing، a phylogenic tree was constructed. By FTIR method، transmittance spectra of these bacteria were obtained in infrared region 400-4000 cm-1. FTIR data were analyzed by SPSS software. The dendrogram of FTIR data analysis was very similar to dendrogram of 16S rDNA sequencing. Results showed that FTIR can be used as an identification method but not yet for taxonomy. By introducing a standard method for FTIR data analysis، this method can be considered as an alternative to the 16S rDNA sequencing method.

Bioluminescence is a chemical reaction that causes light emission in the living organisms. Luminous bacteria are the most abundant bioluminescent organisms in natural environments. Biochemical tests are used for identification of luminous bacteria. However، molecular characterization of luxA gene could be suitable for investigation of luminescent bacteria due to differences in the sequences. In this study، the results of identification of luminescent bacteria were compared to the results of biochemical tests and PCR amplification of luxA using designed specific primers. In addition، thr results were confirmed by sequencing of 16S rDNA gene in the isolated luminescent bacteria. Samples of sea water were collected from several locations of southern shores of the Caspian sea. Luminous bacteria were isolated using specific cultures SWB and SWA. Then، morphological and physiological characterization of the isolates was identified. Specific primers for amplification of luxA were designed and synthesized after classification of luminescent bacteria according to the sequence of luxA. Polymerase chain reaction for luxA and 16S rDNA genes was performed after nucleic acid extraction of bacteria. Sequencing of 16S rDNA gene was obtained and then phylogenetic tree was constructed. Nine strains of luminescent bacteria were isolated from the Caspian sea. According to the results of biochemical tests، 5 strains belonged to the Photobacterium genus and 4 strains belonged to the Vibrio genus. Also، luxA PCR amplification of Aliivibrio، Photobacterium and Vibrio was done in order to specify primers luxA1، luxA2 and luxA3، respectively. In addition، BLAST subroutine of the 16S rDNA sequences revealed that the isolates were most similar to Photobacterium leiognathi with 99% homology. Results of isolates determination are according to the biochemical tests، molecular investigation of PCR luxA using specific primer and 16S rDNA analyses was correspondent. Therefore، the specific primer of luxA could be used for preliminary determination of luminescent bacteria.