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Description:
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This study was undertaken to re -evaluate the taxonomic placement of two species of
xeric -adapted holospirids from near Monclova , Coahuila , Mexico using techniques
unavailable to researchers at the time of the original descriptions of these species . X -ray
computed tomography was used to scan the complete series of Holospira monclovana (n=24 ,
including holotype ) and of Holospira picta (n=27 , including holotype ) , as well as 26 of
another series of specimens (assigned to Holospira picta by the original author ) from
approximately 35 km southeast of Monclova . The program ImageJ was used to analyze Xray
CT scans of all specimens . Analyses of Similarities (ANOSIM ) were conducted using the
statistical suite R to compare the three populations , both pairwise and all together (Null
hypothesis : R≈0 ; dissimilarities within groups ≥ dissimilarities between groups ) . Analysis
shows all three populations to be statistically distinct (R=0 .398 , p <0 .001 ) , supports the
retention of H . monclovana within subgenus Holospira , and supports reassignment of both
populations of H . picta to the subgenus Bostrichocentrum . |