New paper: Review on the evolutionary and ecological trends in Dioon

Recently, our article entitled “Evolutionary and ecological trends in the Neotropical cycad genus Dioon (Zamiaceae): An example of success of evolutionary stasis” was published in the journal Ecological Research. It is an Award Article that commemorates the 9th Suzuki Award (The Young Scholar Award) of the Ecological Society of Japan that I was honored to receive in 2021.

It is Open Access and can be found here:  https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1703.12442

The article summarizes our current knowledge on the phylogenetics and niche evolution within Dioon, and try to solve some contradictory results regarding the timing of the branching in the genus. With all the knowledge available, we propose a mechanism that might explain the diversification via niche conservatism. I hope this paper can motivate further research on understanding the evolution and the process of speciation in other taxa.

How to cite:

Gutiérrez-Ortega J.S., Pérez-Farrera M.A., Sato M.P., Matsuo A., Suyama Y., Vovides A.P., Molina-Freaner F., Kajita T., Watano Y. 2024. Evolutionary and ecological trends in the Neotropical cycad genus Dioon (Zamiaceae): An example of success of evolutionary stasis. Ecological Research. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1703.12442

New paper: Phylogenetic reconstruction of the cycad genus Ceratozamia

Our article entitled “The phylogenetic reconstruction of the Neotropical cycad genus Ceratozamia(Zamiaceae) reveals disparate patterns of niche evolution” was finally published!

We provide a phylogenetic reconstruction for the genus and demonstrate how the different species groups have evolved towards distinct niches, which may explain the relatively high species richness in Ceratozamia.

The article can be found in the webpage of the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107960

How to cite:

Gutiérrez-Ortega J.S., Pérez-Farrera M.A., Matsuo A., Sato M., Suyama Y., Calonje M., Vovides A.P., Kajita T., Watano Y. 2023. The phylogenetic reconstruction of the Neotropical cycad genus Ceratozamia (Zamiaceae) reveals disparate patterns of niche evolution. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 190: 107960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107960

Two new cycad species: Ceratozamia rosea and Zamia magnifica

Two new species descriptions were recently published: Ceratozamia rosea and Zamia magnifica, from Chiapas and Oaxaca, Mexico, respectively.

Ceratozamia rosea can be distinguished by its emerging leaves of pink color. Zamia magnifica is a cliff-dwelling species with the largest leaves among the Mexican cycads.

The publications can be accessed on:

Zamia magnifica Pérez-Farr., Gut.Ortega & Calonje

Pérez-Farrera M.A., Gutiérrez-Ortega J.S., Martínez-Martínez M.G., Calonje M. 2023. Zamia magnifica (Zamiaceae, Cycadales): A new rupicolous cycad species from Sierra Norte, Oaxaca, Mexico. Taxonomy 3(2): 232-249. https://doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy3020017

Ceratozamia rosea Pérez-Farr., Gut.Ortega & Vovides

García-González-J., Pérez-Farrera M.A., Gutiérrez-Ortega J.S., Vovides A.P., Díaz-Jiménez P. 2023. Ceratozamia rosea (Zamiaceae): A new species from the northern mountains of Chiapas, Mexico. Phytotaxa 595(1): 73–88. https://doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.595.1.5

New paper: Demographic history of three Zamia species

In our latest paper, using morphological, genetic and environmental data, we evaluated the demographic history and the species delimitation of Zamia loddigesii, Z. splendens and Z. katzeriana. Previously, Z. katzeriana was thought to be originated from events of hybridization between the other two species. Here, we found that it was not the case: Z. katzeriana is a taxonomically well-delimited species that was not originated from hybridization. Also, we report and discuss for the first time a case of hybridization in cycads between Z. loddigesii and Z. splendens.

How to cite:

Gutiérrez-Ortega J.S., Pérez-Farrera M.A., López S., Vovides A. 2023. Demographic history and species delimitation of three Zamia species (Zamiaceae) in south-eastern Mexico: Z. katzeriana is not a product of hybridization. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. https://doi.org/10.1093/botlinnean/boac062

New article: Origin of an allotetraploid fern

In a recent paper, we studied the tetraploid species Lepisorus yamaokae from Japan. Using phylogenetic analyses, we identified that it was most likely originated from the hybridization two diploid species: L. annuifrons and L. uchiyamae. Ecological niche model analyses suggest that the parental species had chances to hybridize during the Last Glacial Maximum, and that currently, L. yamaokae presents niche conservatism in respect of L. uchiyamae, suggesting that, contrary than the expected, hybrids may occupy similar niche to one of their parental species.

You can find our the paper in American Journal of Botany: https://bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ajb2.16043

How to cite:

Fujiwara T, Egashira T, Gutiérrez-Ortega JS, Hori K, Ebihara A, Watano Y. Establishment of an allotetraploid fern species, Lepisorus yamaokae Seriz., between two highly niche-differentiated parental species. Am J Bot. 2022 Aug 8. doi: 10.1002/ajb2.16043.

New species description: Ceratozamia schiblii

The description of a new cycad species from Oaxaca, Mexico, was published: Ceratozamia schiblii. The new species is part of the Ceratozamia robusta species complex, and it can distinguished by having brown leaflets in emerging leaves, very long peduncles in seed cones, the green color of mature pollen cones, and one of the highest number (around 40) of leaflet pairs in the genus.

The article is Open Access here: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-6500/2/3/25

And it can be also downloaded here:

perez-farrera-et-al.-2022.-taxonomy-02-00025-v3Download

Joining iTHEMS, RIKEN

From April 1, 2022, I have become a Special Postdoctoral Researcher at the Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical (iTHEMS) program, RIKEN. I am very enthusiastic about this new researcher position, and I will continue doing my best at exploring new aspects of my research line on plant speciation.

More details about iTHEMS, RIKEN, here: https://ithems.riken.jp/en

New species description: Dioon salas-moralesiae

A new cycad species from Mexico was described: Dioon salas-moralesiae. The new species represents one lineage that was previously considered part of the circumscription of D. merolae.

The article can be read in Phytotaxa: http://doi.org/10.11646/PHYTOTAXA.528.2.3

Citation:

Gutiérrez-Ortega, J. S., Pérez-Farrera, M. A., Chemnick, J., & Gregory, T. J. (2021). A reassessment of Dioon merolae (Zamiaceae) leads to the description of Dioon salas-moralesae, a new cycad species from Southeastern Oaxaca, Mexico. Phytotaxa, 528(2), 93-110.

The epithet was modified from Dioon salas-moralesae to Dioon salas-moralesiae by the World List of Cycads: https://cycadlist.org/taxon.php?Taxon_ID=895

A new species description: Ceratozamia dominguezii

We recently published the description of a new cycad species from Mexico: Ceratozamia dominguezii. This species is part of the C. robusta species complex, lives in Uxpanapa, southeastern Veracruz, Mexico, and it is distinguishable by having the longest rachides and the widest separation of leaflets along the rachis in the complex. Also, the cones have a dark-violet color in the distal faces of the sporophylls, unique in the genus.

The description of C. dominguezii contributes to understanding the actual cycad diversity in Mexico, and clarifies the role of the climatic refugia (the Uxpanapa region, in this case) in the diversification of tropical plants in Mexico.

The article can be found here:

https://doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy1040026

Or it can be downloaded here:

perez-farrera-et-al.-2021.-ceratozamia-dominguezii-taxonomy-01-00026-v2Download

New species description: Ceratozamia aurantiaca

We recently published the description of a new cycad species from northern Oaxaca, Mexico: Ceratozamia aurantiaca.

The new species is closely related to C. robusta and C. subroseophylla, but as the epithet suggests, the new species can be easily distinguished by the emerging leaves of orange color.

The recognition of this species elevates the number of species in the genus Ceratozamia to 34.

This article can be found in Taxonomy: https://doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy1030018

How to cite: 

Pérez-Farrera M.A., Gutiérrez-Ortega J.S., Haynes J.L., Chemnick J., Salas-Morales S.H., Calonje M., Vovides A.P. 2021. Ceratozamia aurantiaca (Zamiaceae): A new cycad species from the northern rainforests of Oaxaca, Mexico. Taxonomy 1(3): 243-255. https://doi.org/10.3390/taxonomy1030018

It can also be downloaded here:

Pérez-Farrera et al., 2021. taxonomy-01-00018Download