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Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Laboratory Protocol for Genetic Gut Content Analyses of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates Using Group-specific rDNA Primers
Published on: October 5, 2017
The systematic position of Opistocystidae (Annelida, Clitellata) revealed by DNA data
Christer Erséus1, Ida Envall, Mercedes Marchese
1Department of Zoology, University of Gothenburg, Göteborg, Sweden. christer.erseus@zool.gu.se
Abstract:
Opistocystidae Cernosvitov, 1936 is a largely Neotropical oligochaete taxon containing seven species. Its familial status has never been formally challenged, although possible close relationships with Naididae and Phreodrilidae have been noted. Mitochondrial 12S and 16S rDNA, and nuclear 18S rDNA, of a range of aquatic oligochaete taxa, including Trieminentia corderoi (Opistocystidae), were analysed by Bayesian inference. This showed that T. corderoi is a derived lineage within Naididae, closely related to Pristina and its monotypic subfamily Pristininae. Opistocystidae as a whole (with its three genera, Opistocysta, Trieminentia, and Crustipellis) is thus likely to be a group within Naididae.
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