Sergio Vargas A,B,C,G, Michael Eitel B, Odalisca Breedy A,D,E and Bernd Schierwater B,F (2010)
Molecules match morphology: mitochondrial DNA supports Bayer’s Lytreia–Bebryce–
Heterogorgia (Alcyonacea : Octocorallia) clade hypothesis
A Museo de Zoología, Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, PO Box 1962-2100, San José, Costa Rica.
B ITZ, Ecology & Evolution, TiHo, Hannover, Bünteweg 17d, D-30559 Hannover, Germany.
C Present address: Molecular Geo- and Palaeobiology Lab., Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians Universität, Richard-Wagner Str. 10, 80333 Munich, Germany.
D Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Unit 0948, APO AA, 34002, USA.
E Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología and Centro de Investigación
en Estructuras Microscópicas, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica.
F American Museum of Natural History, New York, Division of Invertebrate Zoology,
79 St at Central Park West, New York, NY 10024, USA.
G Corresponding author. Emails:
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CSIRO PUBLISHING
www.publish.csiro.au/journals/is Invertebrate Systematics, 2010, 24, 23–31
Abstract. Several studies attempting to clarify the taxonomy and systematics of Octocorallia have highlighted the
important role of molecular characters in corroborating or rejecting previous hypotheses based on
morphological variation. One such hypothesis is that of a close phylogenetic relationship between the
genera Lytreia, Bebryce and Heterogorgia proposed by Bayer based on morphological studies of the
genera. Herein, we tested Bayer’s hypothesis using the mitochondrial marker mshI. We deduced a
molecular phylogeny including members of the families Gorgoniidae and ‘Paramuriceidae’ that
corroborated the existence of Bayer’s Lytreia–Bebryce–Heterogorgia clade. In addition, we provide a
morphological assessment of the three genera as well as diagnoses for each of them. We also discuss,
based on the phylogenetic results obtained, the evolution of sclerite morphology within Bayer’s Lytreia–
Bebyce–Heterogorgia clade. Finally, we propose a Tethyan origin for the Lytreia–Bebryce–Heterogorgia
clade.
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