Showing papers by "Andrew D. Warren published in 2018"
TL;DR: This study overturns prior notions of the taxon's evolutionary history, as many long-recognized subfamilies and tribes are para- or polyphyletic, and provides a much-needed backbone for a revised classification of butterflies and for future comparative studies including genome evolution and ecology.
240 citations
TL;DR: Anchored Hybrid Enrichment sequencing resulted in a large amount of data that built the foundation for a new, robust evolutionary tree of skippers, and changes understanding of the skipper tree of life.
Abstract: Butterflies (Papilionoidea) are perhaps the most charismatic insect lineage, yet phylogenetic relationships among them remain incompletely studied and controversial. This is especially true for skippers (Hesperiidae), one of the most species-rich and poorly studied butterfly families. To infer a robust phylogenomic hypothesis for Hesperiidae, we sequenced nearly 400 loci using Anchored Hybrid Enrichment and sampled all tribes and more than 120 genera of skippers. Molecular datasets were analyzed using maximum-likelihood, parsimony and coalescent multi-species phylogenetic methods. All analyses converged on a novel, robust phylogenetic hypothesis for skippers. Different optimality criteria and methodologies recovered almost identical phylogenetic trees with strong nodal support at nearly all nodes and all taxonomic levels. Our results support Coeliadinae as the sister group to the remaining skippers, the monotypic Euschemoninae as the sister group to all other subfamilies but Coeliadinae, and the monophyly of Eudaminae plus Pyrginae. Within Pyrginae, Celaenorrhinini and Tagiadini are sister groups, the Neotropical firetips, Pyrrhopygini, are sister to all other tribes but Celaenorrhinini and Tagiadini. Achlyodini is recovered as the sister group to Carcharodini, and Erynnini as sister group to Pyrgini. Within the grass skippers (Hesperiinae), there is strong support for the monophyly of Aeromachini plus remaining Hesperiinae. The giant skippers (Agathymus and Megathymus) once classified as a subfamily, are recovered as monophyletic with strong support, but are deeply nested within Hesperiinae. Anchored Hybrid Enrichment sequencing resulted in a large amount of data that built the foundation for a new, robust evolutionary tree of skippers. The newly inferred phylogenetic tree resolves long-standing systematic issues and changes our understanding of the skipper tree of life. These resultsenhance understanding of the evolution of one of the most species-rich butterfly families.
48 citations
TL;DR: This dataset enhances the permanency of Poweshiek skipperling occurrence data in a standardised format and aggregates presence data from state conservation agencies, natural heritage programmes, natural history collections, citizen scientists, researchers and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.
Abstract: Background Primary biodiversity data records that are open access and available in a standardised format are essential for conservation planning and research on policy-relevant time-scales. We created a dataset to document all known occurrence data for the Federally Endangered Poweshiek skipperling butterfly [Oarisma poweshiek (Parker, 1870; Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae)]. The Poweshiek skipperling was a historically common species in prairie systems across the upper Midwest, United States and Manitoba, Canada. Rapid declines have reduced the number of verified extant sites to six. Aggregating and curating Poweshiek skipperling occurrence records documents and preserves all known distributional data, which can be used to address questions related to Poweshiek skipperling conservation, ecology and biogeography. Over 3500 occurrence records were aggregated over a temporal coverage from 1872 to present. Occurrence records were obtained from 37 data providers in the conservation and natural history collection community using both "HumanObservation" and "PreservedSpecimen" as an acceptable basisOfRecord. Data were obtained in different formats and with differing degrees of quality control. During the data aggregation and cleaning process, we transcribed specimen label data, georeferenced occurrences, adopted a controlled vocabulary, removed duplicates and standardised formatting. We examined the dataset for inconsistencies with known Poweshiek skipperling biogeography and phenology and we verified or removed inconsistencies by working with the original data providers. In total, 12 occurrence records were removed because we identified them to be the western congener Oarisma garita (Reakirt, 1866). This resulting dataset enhances the permanency of Poweshiek skipperling occurrence data in a standardised format. New information This is a validated and comprehensive dataset of occurrence records for the Poweshiek skipperling (Oarisma poweshiek) utilising both observation and specimen-based records. Occurrence data are preserved and available for continued research and conservation projects using standardised Darwin Core formatting where possible. Prior to this project, much of these occurrence records were not mobilised and were being stored in individual institutional databases, researcher datasets and personal records. This dataset aggregates presence data from state conservation agencies, natural heritage programmes, natural history collections, citizen scientists, researchers and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The data include opportunistic observations and collections, research vouchers, observations collected for population monitoring and observations collected using standardised research methodologies. The aggregated occurrence records underwent cleaning efforts that improved data interoperablitity, removed transcription errors and verified or removed uncertain data. This dataset enhances available information on the spatiotemporal distribution of this Federally Endangered species. As part of this aggregation process, we discovered and verified Poweshiek skipperling occurrence records from two previously unknown states, Nebraska and Ohio.
13 citations
TL;DR: A markedly distinct species of Wahydra is described and illustrated based on a single male specimen from Ecuadorian Andes, Wahydro graslieae A. Warren, Carneiro Dolibaina, sp.
Abstract: Recent taxonomic studies on the genus Wahydra Steinhauser, 1991, have described five new species in the past two years, from high elevations in the Andes Mountains. A markedly distinct species of Wahydra is herein described and illustrated based on a single male specimen from Ecuadorian Andes, Wahydra graslieae A. Warren, Carneiro & Dolibaina, sp. nov. The new species is compared with other species of Wahydra, as well as with the somewhat similar species Lerema viridis (Bell, 1942) and Tigasis viridenex (Weeks, 1901).
3 citations
TL;DR: A new species of Cyllopsis R. Felder, 1869, is described and illustrated from the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, which is currently known from 13 specimens collected on March 26-28, 1959, southeast of San Cristóbal de Las Casas.
Abstract: A new species of Cyllopsis R. Felder, 1869, is described and illustrated from the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico. Cyllopsis tomemmeli A. Warren & Nakahara, sp. nov., is currently known from 13 specimens (9 males and 4 females) collected on March 26–28, 1959, southeast of San Cristobal de Las Casas. Despite extensive studies on the butterfly fauna of this region, this species has not since been encountered. We discuss possible relationships between this new species and other species of Cyllopsis .
2 citations
06 Jul 2018
TL;DR: P. oileus is recorded for the first time from Grand Bahama Island, suggesting an independent dispersal of this species to the northern Bahamas from south Florida, and Pyrgus albescens Plotz, 1884 is document, representing the first Caribbean records for this rapidly dispersing species.
Abstract: Despite being generally distributed and common on Cuba, Hispaniola, and in south Florida, species of Pyrgus Hubner (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), commonly known as checkered skippers, are very poorly known from The Bahamas. Previous records indicated the presence only of Pyrgus oileus (Linnaeus, 1767), just from Great Inagua Island, although its status on that island remains unclear. Herein we document P. oileus for the first time from Grand Bahama Island, suggesting an independent dispersal of this species to the northern Bahamas from south Florida. Furthermore, we document Pyrgus albescens Plotz, 1884 from Grand Bahama and Abaco islands, representing the first Caribbean records for this rapidly dispersing species. We suggest that both P. oileus and P. albescens arrived on Grand Bahama sometime between 2010 and 2014, most likely from south Florida, and that P. albescens has subsequently dispersed to Abaco. Careful study of Pyrgus species in The Bahamas is needed to document future colonization events.
1 citations