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Teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) plantations have increased recently in India; however, morphological descriptors for teak are still lacking. Thus, the goal of this work was to develop descriptors based on morphological characteristics. Among 30 seed sources collected from different states of India, 24 morphological descriptors, including leaf length, leaf width, presence of petiole, petiole length, leaf shape, shape of leaf apex, shape of leaf base, leaf texture, phyllotaxy, leaf attitude, leaf margin, leaf margin undulation, leaf brightness, leaf venation, leaf main vein, leaf veins, leaf vein color, leaf color, leaf pubescence, young leaf color, number of internodes, internodal length, trunk spots, and trunk color, were developed based on leaf and stem characteristics. These seed sources exhibited a difference in all traits except leaf shape, shape of leaf apex, leaf phyllotaxy, leaf margin, leaf venation, leaf main vein, and presence of trunk spots. The Jaccard similarity index was used to calculate the genetic similarity between the sources, and the Unweighted Pair Group Method with Arithmetic Mean (UPGMA) method was used to perform a cluster analysis (four groups at a similarity of 0.5 were obtained). According to the observations made, most of the sources exhibited high similarity, which indicates that only a few characteristics can be used to distinguish the sources.

Three new species of Polycarpaea from Vietnam, Polycarpaea vanphongensis V.T. Tran, H.T. Truong & N.V. Binh, Polycarpaea chungana V.T. Tran, H.T. Truong & N.V. Binh, Polycarpaea phuquocensis V.T. Tran, H.T. Truong & N.V. Binh are described and illustrated based on evidence of molecular sequence data from two markers (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 and rps16) and combined morphological characteristics. Polycarpaea vanphongensis is closely related to Polycarpaea gaudichaudi Gagnep., Polycarpaea arenaria (Lour.) Gagnep., Polycarpaea phuquocensis V.T. Tran, H.T. Truong & N.V. Binh but differs by its stem glabrous, leaf ovate to elliptic, glabrous, ovary oblong ovoid, base obtuse, apex attenuate, capsule oblong void, 3.8 mm long. Polycarpaea phuquocensis V.T. Tran, H.T. Truong & N.V. Binh differs from the three species mentioned above by its stem being densely villous, leaf spathulate, ciliate, ovary ovoid, base acute, apex obtuse, capsule ovoid, 1.2 mm long. Polycarpaea chungana V.T. Tran, H.T. Truong & N.V. Binh is most similar to Polycarpaea lignosa Gagnep., but differs in having leaf oblong or linear, sparse ciliate, sepal and petal apex deeply concaved or slightly bifid, ovary ovoid, ovoid, 0.8-1.0 mm long. Furthermore, the achievements of analysis using molecular data on the systematic positions of 7 other species are results that have not been in previous molecular analyses.

The study focuses on identifying and understanding the ecological dynamics of Triatoma breyeri in Bolivia. Morphological identification and molecular analysis using gene fragments (COI, CytB and 16S) confirms T. breyeri's presence and its relation to other species. The species has been consistently found in the Estancia-Mataral-La Palma region since 2010 but has not spread to other regions in Bolivia. The region of occurrence is a small characteristic dry inter-Andean valley. A MaxEnt model suggests part of the Bolivian Montane Dry Forest ecoregion serves as a unique habitat within its range. The infrequent presence in Bolivia and the distance from its main range in Argentina suggest recent accidental introduction, possibly through human transport. Further research is needed to comprehend its persistence in this small area of Bolivia.

Objectives: Muscles and their tendons present a considerable diversity of morphological variations. The aim of this study was to explore variants of muscles and tendons from compartments of the thigh and to raise awareness about potential problems during ultrasound examination. Materials and Methods: This comprehensive review of the literature was created on the basis of scientific articles sourced from PubMed. The search included all relevant papers related to the topic, ensuring that the most up-to-date studies were incorporated. In order to achieve these results, we created the exclusion criteria and extracted papers that did not meet the requirements of our review. Relevant papers were incorporated, and tracking of citations was fulfilled. The described method allowed for a broad yet detailed understanding, ensuring that the review of the literature covers all key aspects of the presented research. Results: Various aspects of thigh muscle anomalies were already undertaken; however, as this study has shown, current knowledge, while valuable, is insufficient to draw definitive conclusions regarding the prevalence and clinical implications of these muscle variations. A more robust body of ultrasound-based research is essential to accurately characterize these anomalies, establish their frequency, and assess their impact on clinical decision-making, including diagnostic accuracy, surgical planning, and therapeutic interventions. Conclusions: Numerous anatomical variations of the thigh muscles and tendons that were described in literature over the years might have clinical implications and could lead to mistakes during diagnosis by ultrasound imaging.

Potamobates Champion, 1898 (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Gerridae) heretofore included 18 species distributed from southern Mexico to Peru. They display a distinct morphology, especially regarding the projections of abdominal segment VIII. Specific identification and delimitation are difficult, and the genus lacks a thorough revision and evaluation of inter- and intraspecific variation. Here, we revise Potamobates, redescribe and/or illustrate known species, and describe P. molanoi Floriano and Moreira, sp. nov. and Brailovskybates Floriano and Moreira, gen. nov. The new genus is erected for P. thomasi Hungerford, 1937 and is characterized by the following features: (1) abdomen elongated, longer than the mesothorax; (2) abdominal spiracles positioned at the center of the segments; (3) male abdominal segment VIII without projections; (4) male pygophore and proctiger not rotated in relation to the longitudinal axis of the body; (5) female abdominal tergum VIII subequal in length and width; (6) and posterior margin of female abdominal sternum VII not produced medially, with a pair of lateral projections.

In this study, we aimed to clarify the taxonomic status of Belonidae species distributed in the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea by conducting detailed genetic and morphological markers. A total of 550 needlefish samples were caught between January 2022 and January 2024. The data set used in the study contains a total of 171 sequences for the COI gene and 120 sequences for the 12s rRNA gene from different Belonidae species, including data from GenBank. Systematic analysis of needlefish species was investigated by using sequencing of mtDNA COI and 12s rRNA gene regions and morphological characters in the Turkish Marine Waters. A separate analysis of the two mitochondrial genes supported by morphological characters revealed that each species is grouped within itself. The genetic and morphological analyses showed that Belone belone acus and Belone belone euxini which are considered as the subspecies of Belone belone are not subspecies of the genus Belone and should be considered at the species level, Belone belone. Belone svetovidovi is also considerably different from Belone belone and should be considered as a different species. T. acus imperialis, which is thought to be distributed in the Mediterranean Sea, is not a subspecies of Tylosorus acus and should be revised as Tylosorus imperialis which genetically differs from Tylosorus acus and also other Tylosorus species at the species level.

The Carreras Pampa tracksite in the Torotoro National Park, Bolivia, records a wealth of dinosaur tracks, tail traces, and swim tracks. In this study, we report 1321 trackways and 289 solitary tracks, totaling 16,600 theropod tracks, 280 swim trackways, totaling 1,378 swim tracks, and several trackways with tail traces. Numerous avian tracks occur locally and are associated with the theropod tracks. These tracks and trackways are located within nine study sites of the same exposed tracking surface with a total area of approximately 7485 m.sup.2 . We describe eight preservation styles and 11 morphotypes for walking tracks, and three morphotypes for swim tracks. Tracks range in size from miniature to large. The range of track sizes and the diversity of morphotypes suggest that the Carreras Pampa tracksite represents a diverse group of trackmakers. Track depths vary from very shallow to very deep both within and among trackways, suggesting that the rheological conditions of the sites changed in time and space. We present estimates of the speeds, gaits, and sizes of trackmakers and propose diverse behaviors indicated by the trackways. Notably, trackways at the Carreras Pampa tracksite indicate that a significantly higher proportion of trackmakers had relative stride lengths above 2.0 compared to other sites. The trackways show a strong, bimodal orientation, probably moving along the paleocoastline. Other forms of bioturbation and fossils were found in association with the tracks. We compare our findings at the Carreras Pampa track site to those from other sites in various locations. The quality of preservation, the exceptionally high number of tracks, and the diversity of behaviors recorded make the Carreras Pampa tracksite one of the premier dinosaur track sites in the world.

Species of colourful arboreal snails of the genus Amphidromus from Southeast Asia commonly exhibit high intraspecific variation in shell morphology. Although highly polymorphic Amphidromus specimens with different colouration have been collected at the same locality and were revealed to possess similar genital organs, there is yet no morphometric or DNA analyses of these different shell morphs. This study is the first to reveal that both striped and stripeless morphs of A. cruentatus from Laos and Vietnam belong to the same mitochondrial (COI and 16S rRNA) lineage. Although the shell colouration between the striped and stripeless morphs is markedly different, morphometric and shell outline-based analyses indicated an overall similarity in shell shape. We also revised the systematics of A. cruentatus, in which we treated similar related species, namely A. eudeli, A. fuscolabris, A. thakhekensis, A. gerberi bolovenensis, A. goldbergi, A. pengzhuoani, A. eichhorsti and A. pankowskiae as junior synonyms of A. cruentatus. Amphidromus daoae, A. anhdaoorum, A. stungtrengensis, A. yangbayensis and A. yenlinhae, which were formerly regarded as junior synonyms, are considered as species different from A. cruentatus based on shell morphology and morphometric analyses. Preliminary phylogenetic analyses also retrieved some Amphidromus species groups as distinct mitochondrial lineages.

The ornamental palms represent a diverse species in the national botanical gardens, and roadsides; however, the accurate identification of the palm trees (Arecaceae) is a problematic due to the numerous overlapped morphological traits, especially with the environmental conditions. So, the objective of this study was to implement the different morphological traits, especially based on the pyrene morphology, with the molecular barcoding markers of the plastid rbcL on delineation and revising the taxonomical identification of the most common Palm trees in Egypt in addition to their pharmacological and Ethnobotanical applications. An obvious variation on the surface of pyrenes among the studied Palm taxa ranged from ovoid to globose or discoid, with brown to pale brown, was recorded. The pyrene's fruit dimensions were ranged with S. yaba Becc. (5.65 × 6.85 mm), Washingtonia robusta (7.19 × 4.4 mm) and Sabal palmetto (Walter) Lodd. ex Schult. & Schult.f. (7.24 × 9.58 mm), while Syagrus romanzoffiana (Cham.) Glassman is (19.8 × 12.15 mm). The color of the pyrene of W. robusta, S. romanzoffiana, and Livistona decora (W.Bull) Dowe was brown, while was dark brown in Butia capitata (Mart.) Becc. Sabal yapa and S. palmetto. The SEM analysis of the pyrene surface microsculpture, the studied taxa of S. palmetto, S. yaba, Livistona, Brahea, and Sabal could be easily delimited at the generic level. The taxonomical identification of plant taxa based on their morphological characteristics, such as color, surface smoothness, and geometric shapes, was confirmed based on their molecular barcoding. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) scatter plot based on the morphological traits distinguishes the taxa of tribe Cocoeae, subfamily Arecoideae and taxa of tribe Corypheae, subfamily Coryphoideae. From the UPGMA dendrogram based on the micromorphological characteristics, the studied taxa were grouped into two major clusters (I, II), the cluster I includes S. palmatto, S, yaba and W. robusta which belongs to subtribe Sabalinae, tribe corypheae, while cluster II includes L. decora, L. chinensis, (Jacq.) R.Br. ex Mart.and B. armata which belongs to subtribe Livistoninae and tribe Corypheae. Thus, the classification of the experimental plants based on the morphological traits of pyrene fruit microsculpturing was closely matched with the molecular barcoding based on the rbcL sequences.

survey was conducted in Walkerville, south of Johannesburg (Gauteng, South Africa) between 2012 and 2016 to ascertain the diversity of entomopathogenic nematodes in the area. Entomopathogenic nematodes are soil-dwelling microscopic worms with the ability to infect and kill insects, and thus serve as eco-friendly control agents for problem insects in agriculture. Steinernematids were recovered in 1 out of 80 soil samples from uncultivated grassland; soil was characterised as loamy. The entomopathogenic nematodes were identified using molecular and morphological techniques. The isolate was identified as Steinernema australe. This report is the first of Steinernema australe in South Africa. S. australe was first isolated worldwide from a soil sample obtained from the beach on Isla Magdalena – an island in the Pacific Ocean, 2 km from mainland Chile. Significance: Entomopathogenic nematodes are only parasitic to insects and are therefore important in agriculture as they can serve as eco-friendly biopesticides to control problem insects without effects on the environment, humans and other animals, unlike chemical pesticides.