Phylogenomic Analyses Of Lophophorates (brachiopods, Phoronids And Bryozoans) Confirm The Lophotrochozoa Concept

Main Category: Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 02 Jun 2008 - 1:00 PDT

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Phylogenomic analyses of a dataset including 79 ribosomal proteins of 39 metazoan taxa show that the three lophophorate lineages, Ectoprocta, Brachiopoda and Phoronida, are affiliated with trochozoan (annelids, molluscs and allies) rather than deuterostome phyla, with which they were associated based on embryological and morphological evidence.

Thus, our analyses confirm the Lophotrochozoa concept.

All hypotheses claiming that they are more closely related to Deuterostomia than to Protostomia can be rejected by topology testing.

Monophyly of lophophorates was not recovered but that of Bryozoa including Ectoprocta and Entoprocta and monophyly of Brachiozoa including Brachiopoda and Phoronida were strongly supported.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Proceedings B is the Royal Society's flagship biological research journal, dedicated to the rapid publication and broad dissemination of high-quality research papers, reviews and comment and reply papers. The scope of journal is diverse and is especially strong in organismal biology.

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