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The Valvatacea is one the most ecologically important, taxonomically diverse, and widespread groups of postPalaeozoic (i.e. modern) Asteroidea. Classification within the group has been historically problematic. We present a comprehensively sampled, three-gene (12S, 16S, early-stage histone H3) molec...
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| Language: | English |
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2011
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.1052.5111 http://www.dfoltz.biology.lsu.edu/lab/Valvatacea.pdf |
| Summary: | The Valvatacea is one the most ecologically important, taxonomically diverse, and widespread groups of postPalaeozoic (i.e. modern) Asteroidea. Classification within the group has been historically problematic. We present a comprehensively sampled, three-gene (12S, 16S, early-stage histone H3) molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Valvatacea. We include five of the six families within the Paxillosida, the monotypic Notomyotida, and 13 of the 16 families of the living Valvatida. The Solasteridae is removed from the Velatida (Spinulosacea) and joins the Ganeriidae and the Leilasteridae as members of the clade containing the Asterinidae. The Poraniidae is supported as the sister group to the large cluster of Valvatacea. Asteropseids and poraniids are phylogenetically distant, contrary to morphological evidence. Several goniasterid-like ophidiasterids, such as Fromia and Neoferdina, are supported as derived goniasterids rather than as Ophidiasteridae. The Benthopectinidae (Notomyotida) are supported as members of the Paxillosida as are two members of the Pseudarchasterinae that have traditionally been considered members of the Goniasteridae. Our data suggest that Antarctic valvataceans may be derived from sister taxa in adjacent regions. Society, 2011Society, , 161, 769-788. doi:10.1111Society, /J.1096Society, -3642.2010.00659.X ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS: Antarctica -Asterinidae -biogeography -classification teridae -Ophidiasteridae -Paxillosida -Solasteridae -tropics. © 2011 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean fossils -Gonias- INTRODUCTION The Valvatacea (sensu The Valvatacea includes some of the most widely studied and ecologically important families of asteroids, including the Asterinidae, the Oreasteridae, the Goniasteridae, and the Ophidiasteridae (all in the Valvatida) as well as the Astropectinidae and the Corresponding author. E-mail: mahch@si.edu Luidiidae (in the Paxillosida). The Asterinidae (popularly known as bat stars or cushion stars) are studied in multiple fields, including ... |
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