Cite this paper:
LI Lifang, MA Honggang, AL-RASHEID Khaled A. S.. Monophyly or polyphyly? Possible conflict between morphological and molecular interpretations of the wellknown genus Zoothamnium (Ciliophora, Peritrichia)[J]. Journal of Oceanology and Limnology, 2015, 33(2): 490-499

Monophyly or polyphyly? Possible conflict between morphological and molecular interpretations of the wellknown genus Zoothamnium (Ciliophora, Peritrichia)

LI Lifang1,2, MA Honggang2, AL-RASHEID Khaled A. S.3
1 Marine College, Shandong University, Weihai 264209, China;
2 Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China;
3 Zoology Department, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
Abstract:
In this paper, we explore possible conflict between morphological and molecular interpretations of phylogenetic relationships within the well-known peritrichous genus Zoothamnium. On the basis of morphological evidence, for a long time this genus has been believed to be a well-defi ned monophyletic taxon. Nonetheless, Zoothamnium exhibits higher genetic diversity than the gross morphology of its species. Here, we used all available genetic information for the small subunit of ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) and internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) for this genus to reconstruct phylogenies for four datasets (SSU rRNA, ITS1, ITS2, and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2) and a combined dataset (SSU rRNA+ITS1-5.8SITS2) using different phylogenetic methods and with consideration of the secondary structure of the genes. Confi dence in phylogenetic tree selection was assessed with the approximately unbiased test. The molecular results showed both that Zoothamnium is more likely to be polyphyletic, and morphologically similar genera Zoothamnopsis and Myoschiston were always nested among Zoothamnium species. Accordingly, as with some other groups of ciliates, to understand more fully the correct phylogeny of Zoothamnium there remains a need for additional data from both morphological and molecular studies, covering additional Zoothamnium spp. and members of closely related genera (e.g. Zoothamnopsis, Myoschiston, and Epistylis).
Key words:    peritrichous ciliates|Zoothamnium|phylogenetic analyses|monophyly|polyphyly   
Received: 2014-04-18   Revised: 2014-05-29
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Articles by LI Lifang
Articles by MA Honggang
Articles by AL-RASHEID Khaled A. S.
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