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Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...
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To understand intra-specific interactions in populations, scientists measure the spatial arrangement of species individuals. This geographic arrangement is known as the species distribution or dispersion. Highly territorial species exhibit a uniform distribution pattern, in which individuals are spaced at relatively equal distances from one another. Species that are highly tied to particular resources, such as food or shelter, tend to concentrate around those resources, and thus exhibit a...
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Speciation describes the formation of one or more new species from one or sometimes multiple original species. The resulting species are discrete from the parent species, and barriers to reproduction will typically exist. There are two primary mechanisms, speciation with and without geographic isolation—allopatric and sympatric speciation, respectively.
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How reticulated are species?

James Mallet1,2, Nora Besansky3, Matthew W Hahn4

  • 1Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.

Bioessays : News and Reviews in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology
|December 29, 2015
PubMed
Summary

Reticulate phylogenies, common in closely related species, challenge tree-like evolutionary models. Hybridization and introgression, especially in multicellular eukaryotes, significantly impact the tree of life, necessitating updated biological understanding.

Keywords:
admixturehomoplasyintrogressionphylogenetic discordancespeciationspecies conceptstree of life

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Genomics
  • Phylogenetics

Background:

  • Many species groups exhibit reticulate phylogenies, challenging traditional tree-like evolutionary models.
  • Recent genomic studies reveal reticulation across diverse taxa, including insects, vertebrates, microbes, and plants.
  • While lateral gene transfer drives reticulation in microbes, hybridization and introgression are key in multicellular eukaryotes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the prevalence and significance of reticulate evolution across the tree of life.
  • To emphasize the need for revised understanding in evolutionary biology, speciation, and phylogenetics.
  • To underscore the practical implications of introgression for fields like genetic modification management.

Main Methods:

  • Genomic analyses to identify reticulate evolutionary patterns.
  • Comparative biology approaches across diverse taxa (microbes, plants, animals).
  • Literature review synthesizing recent findings on hybridization and introgression.

Main Results:

  • Reticulate phylogenies are widespread, affecting ancient lineages and recent species.
  • Hybridization and introgression are significant drivers of reticulation in multicellular eukaryotes.
  • Adaptive radiations may maintain sexual compatibility, facilitating introgression.

Conclusions:

  • Current understanding of evolution, speciation, and phylogenetics requires adaptation to incorporate reticulate processes.
  • Introgression has broad implications for evolutionary studies and practical applications, such as managing genetically modified organisms.
  • Reticulate evolution is a fundamental aspect of life's history, not limited to the tips of phylogenetic trees.