JOURNAL OF TAXONOMY AND BIOSISTEMATICS
Year:2011 | Volume:3 | Issue:6|Papers Count:7

In this study, 66 quantitative and qualitative morphological characters from vegetative and reproductive parts were considered and evaluated in 33 populations from different localities in Iran. The aim of this study was to evaluate the species relationships in Iran. To evaluate the species relationships, qualitative and quantitative morphological characters were statistically analyzed by SPSS software ver.17. Cluster analysis by WARD method and ordination based on principal component analysis and factor analysis were done. Statistical analysis indicated that qualitative characters as glume and spikelet position, caryopsis shape and quantitative features such as floret length, pedicel to upper glume length, length of upper lemma to upper glume and length of upper lemma had the most important role as diagnostic characters in inter-genus variation. Three out breeder species: L. perenne, L. multiflorum and L. rigidum were closely related and had similar features although there were some differentiations between them but two in breeder species: L. temulentum and L. persicum showed more differences. Based on statistical results and diagnostic characters, an identification key is provided for Lolium species in Iran.

The somatic chromosome numbers and karyotypic analysis of six taxa belonging to Vicia sect.Vicia (Fabaceae) were performed. We found three basic chromosome numbers (x=5, 6 and 7) in this section. All of the taxa were diploid. The chromosome number of V. lathyroides, V. grandiflora, V. sativavar. cordata and V. sativa var. amphicarpa were presented for the first time in Iran. Karyotype formula was different in the taxa, so that in the taxa V. lathyroides (2n=12), V. sativa var. sativa (2n=12), V. sativa var. angustifolia (2n=12), V. sativavar. cordata (2n=10), V. sativa var. amphicarpa (2n=14), V. grandiflora (2n=14) karyotype the formula were 6st, 2m+4st, 1m+1sm+4st, 5st, 3sm+4st and 5sm+2st respectively. The taxa studied were placed in 3A (V. sativa var. angustifolia and V. grandiflora), 3B (V. sativa var. amphicarpa) and 4A (V. lathyroides, V. sativa var. sativa andV. sativa var. cordata) classes of Stebbines. Based on A1 and A2 parameters, V. grandifloraand V. sativa var. cordata had symmetrical and asymmetrical karyotypes respectively.

To survey leaf morphological variability in natural populations of Quercus castaneifolia and Q. macrontheraand identifying intermediate phenotype, 800 leaves from 40 individual trees in 4 populations were measured. The leaves were sampled along an elevational gradient.Although the current research was done in small scale, the results of multivariate analyzing show that lamina length, lamina maximum width, sinus depth below the maximum lobe and distance from leaf base to the leaf maximum width are the most distinctive characters to distinguish the populations. In the scatter plot, some individuals situated between Q. castaneifoliaand Q. macronthera populations. Maybe these individuals can be assignated as intermediate phenotypes. Decisive suggestion in this regard calls for molecular study.

Golden grey mullet (Liza aurata) is a commercially valuable fish with great demand due to its delicious taste in southern coastal parts of the Caspian Sea. Genetic diversity of marine resources is of vital importance in their management and protection, as this is the first prerequisite for maintaining the consistency of populations in an inconsistent environmental conditions. In this study, we have used six microsatellite locations to investigate the level of genetic variation of Liza aurata in Gomishan and Miyankale regions in Golestan province.The results showed no conspicuous genetic variations in these two regions using Fst, Rst and AMOVA and accordingly a relatively high level of gene flow was found among the populations. Genetic variations in Gomishan (mean number of alleles per locus, Na=14.667, mean effective number of alleles, Ne=10.355, observed heterozygosity, Ho=0.905 and expected heterozygosity, He=0.894) and Miyankale (Na=15, Ne=10.223, Ho=0.863 and He=0.892) were not statistically different. There were evidences for genetic bottleneck in the populations. Protection and restoration of habitats can help to increase the population size and decrease risk of vulnerability of the species in the future.

In order to determine ecotypes of Persian poplar (Populus caspica) in plain communities, 40 tree individuals were selected in provinces of Guilan (Roodbar, Astane Ashrafieh) and Mazandaran (Noor, Amol). Samples of two-year branches were taken in similar height and direction of tree crown to assess the quality of peroxidase activity using polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Also, in numerical taxonomy study of morphology, 13 leaf morphologal traits were measured. Peroxidase banding pattern showed 11 individual bands in two zones of polyacrilamide gel. First zone included 5 polymorphism bands and the second zone represented 6 bands. The results of isoenzyme bands classification and leaf morphological traits showed high isoenzymes and morphological differentiation among populations of these species showing three separated ecotypes including Roodbar, Astaneh Ashrafieh and Noor-Amol. Also, peroxidase band pattern and leaf morphology trait between male and female individuals showed no difference within the population. The results emphasize the used of effective methods ofin situ and ex situ to maintain genetic diversity of this species as an endangered and valuable in Hyrcanian forests.

Six new species of genus Cousinia, sect. Stenocephalae (Asteraceae) including Cousinia ginuae, C.shahuensis from Kurdestan region, C. minuticapitata, C. touchalensis, C. kandavanensis from Tehran region and C. golestanica from Golestan region were described and illustrated. These species which are endemic to Iran are placed in accordance with some characters such as the number of flowers (up to 20), shape of head, decurrent leaves (short- or longly decurrent) and their habitat. Comments are also presented about their habitats and geographic distribution as well.

The genus Adonis L. belongs to the Ranunculaceae family and consists of some species in Iran among which majority of the species are annual and belong to the Sect.Adonis. The Middle East is the most important area of annual species distribution. Species in the section are often morphologically very similar and this defies species recognition and imposes some difficulties. In this study, different anatomical characters of various populations of three species of Adonis (A. aestivalis, A. flammea and A. dentata) were evaluated using numerical taxonomic methods.Obtained results demonstrated that simultaneous application of both qualitative and relative characters offers a better chance in species delimitation in future researches.