Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 12, 2026

A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles
Published on: July 11, 2025
Comparison of five Calligonum species in Tarim Basin based on morphological and molecular data
Maryamgul Abdurahman1, Gulnur Sabirhazi2, Bin Liu2
1Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, CAS, Urumqi 830011, China; Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Science, Beijing 100039, China; Key laboratory of Biogeography and Bioresource in Arid Land, CAS, Urumqi 830011, China.
Abstract:
Five Calligonum species endemic to the Tarim Basin - C. roborowskii, C. kuerlese, C. juoqiangense,C. yengisaricum, and C. taklimakanense - were compared using 14 morphological characteristics and nrDNA ITS and cpDNA trnL-F molecular data. Intraspecific and interspecific morphological variation was uncovered, with variation between species significant for most characteristics. Based on Euclidean distances, C. roborowskii and C. kuerlese were the most similar, and C. yengisaricum and C. kuerlese were the most divergent. There was very little variation in the molecular sequence data: although several variable sites were present in ITS and trnL-F regions, none of them were parsimony informative. Results of morphological and molecular analyses suggest that the various morphological characteristics of the studied Calligonum species are strongly shaped by environmental factors, with the observed intraspecific and interspecific morphological variation a product of the spatial isolation and extreme drought of the Tarim Basin.
More Related Videos
12:01A PCR-based Genotyping Method to Distinguish Between Wild-type and Ornamental Varieties of Imperata cylindrica
Published on: February 20, 2012
08:55Author Spotlight: Harnessing DNA Barcode Technology to Enhance the Efficiency of Medicinal Plant Identification
Published on: November 1, 2024
Related Concept Videos
Evolutionary Relationships through Genome Comparisons
Modern Molecular Taxonomy
Applications of Molecular Taxonomy
Methods of Classification and Identification
Introduction to Seed Plants
Five-Membered Heterocyclic Aromatic Compounds: Overview