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Published on: August 16, 2017
Arthropod relationships revealed by phylogenomic analysis of nuclear protein-coding sequences
Jerome C Regier1, Jeffrey W Shultz, Andreas Zwick
1Center for Biosystems Research, University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA.
Nature
|February 12, 2010
Summary
This study resolves arthropod phylogeny using extensive DNA data, confirming insects (Hexapoda) and crustaceans are closely related within Pancrustacea. It also establishes a robust evolutionary tree for the largest animal phylum, ending long-standing debates.
Area of Science:
- Zoology
- Evolutionary Biology
- Phylogenetics
Background:
- Arthropod phylogeny has been challenging to resolve due to mixed results from molecular phylogenetics.
- Previous analyses often used limited taxa and genes, leading to inconsistent and weakly supported findings.
- Understanding arthropod evolutionary history is crucial given their antiquity, diversity, and ecological significance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To establish a statistically well-supported phylogenetic framework for the Arthropoda phylum.
- To resolve long-standing debates regarding the evolutionary relationships among major arthropod groups.
- To investigate the monophyly of 'crustaceans' and their relationship to insects.
Main Methods:
- Phylogenetic analyses using likelihood, Bayesian, and parsimony methods.
- Analysis of over 41 kilobases of aligned DNA sequence from 62 single-copy nuclear protein-coding genes.
- Inclusion of 75 arthropod species representing all major lineages, with outgroups from tardigrades and onychophorans.
Main Results:
- Strong support for Pancrustacea (Hexapoda plus Crustacea) and Mandibulata (Myriapoda plus Pancrustacea).
- Identification of three major extant 'crustacean' lineages: Oligostraca, Vericrustacea, and Xenocarida.
- Xenocarida identified as the sister group to Hexapoda, indicating 'crustaceans' are not a monophyletic group.
Conclusions:
- The study provides a robust phylogenetic framework for arthropod evolution.
- The findings resolve key aspects of arthropod relationships, including the placement of insects and crustaceans.
- This research contributes to settling the protracted debate on arthropod evolutionary history.
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