ロリカを持つ襟鞭毛虫における系統発生と形態の一致しない例:見た目は欺瞞的
Alex Gàlvez-Morante1, Florentine U Rutaganira2,3, Brian Palenik4
1Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra) , Barcelona, Spain.
Open biology
|February 27, 2026
まとめ
新しい襟鞭毛虫の研究により、ロリカの形態だけでは正確な分類には不十分であることが明らかになりました。これらの従属栄養ホロゾアにおける属レベルの分類学的割り当てには、遺伝データが不可欠です。
科学分野:
- 原生生物学
- 微生物分類学
- 進化的生物学
背景:
- 襟鞭毛虫は、ロリカ(ケイ素構造を持つ)またはクラスペジダ(持たない)として分類される従属栄養ホロゾアです。
- ロリカを持つ襟鞭毛毛虫の分類学は、伝統的にロリカの形態と分裂様式(テクトフォームまたはヌジフォーム)に依存しています。
研究 の 目的:
- 異常な形態を持つ2つの新しいロリカを持つ襟鞭毛虫株、BEAP0094およびBEAP0360を特徴付けること。
- 襟鞭毛虫の分類学におけるロリカ形態と遺伝データの信頼性を評価すること。
主な方法:
- 新しい株の形態学的特徴付け。
- 系統発生解析のためのリボソーム18S遺伝子配列決定。
- 形態と遺伝データの比較分析。
主要な成果:
- 株BEAP0094は、Acanthocorbisに似たロリカを示しましたが、配列はPseudostephanoeca paucicostataと一致しました。
- Cepoeca plumata n. gen. n. sp.として記載された株BEAP0360は、形態学的にはStephanoeca cauliculataと一致しましたが、遺伝学的には一致しませんでした。
- 発見は、種内の多様なロリカ形態の可能性、または種を超えた形態の共有を示唆しています。
結論:
- ロリカの形態のみに基づく厳密な分類は、襟鞭毛虫には信頼できません。
- 属レベルの分類学的割り当てには、遺伝データを主要な基準とすべきです。
- Cepoeca plumataは、初期に分岐したヌジフォームのロリカを持つものかもしれません。
関連する概念動画
Diversity of Protists III
1.4K
Rhizaria are a diverse group of unicellular protists characterized by their threadlike cytoplasmic extensions known as pseudopodia. These structures aid in both locomotion and feeding, giving Rhizaria an amoeboid appearance. Their amoeboid morphology once led to taxonomic confusion, but molecular phylogenetics has clarified their evolutionary placement and emphasized their shared use of pseudopodia despite divergent lineages.This clade comprises diverse lineages such as Chlorarachniophyta,...
1.4K
Diversity of Protists IV
1.4K
Amoebozoa represent a diverse group of terrestrial and aquatic protists that utilize lobe-shaped pseudopodia for locomotion and feeding. This characteristic differentiates them from the Rhizaria, which possess threadlike pseudopodia. The primary classifications within Amoebozoa include gymnamoebas, entamoebas, and the plasmodial and cellular slime molds. Phylogenetic evidence indicates that Amoebozoa diverged from a lineage that ultimately gave rise to fungi and animals.Gymnamoebas and...
1.4K
Diversity of Protists II
1.5K
Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
1.5K
Phylogeny
63.6K
Phylogeny is concerned with the evolutionary diversification of organisms or groups of organisms. A group of organisms with a name is called a taxon (singular). Taxa (plural) can span different levels of the evolutionary hierarchy. For instance, the group containing all birds is a taxon (comprising the class Aves), and the group of all species of daisies (the genus Bellis) is a taxon. Phylogenies can likewise include just one genus (i.e., depict species relationships) or span an entire kingdom.
63.6K
Diversity of Protists I
1.6K
Excavata is a diverse group of protists that includes both chemoorganotrophic and phototrophic species, with some thriving in anaerobic environments. Among the key groups within Excavata are diplomonads and parabasalids, which are flagellated protists that lack mitochondria and chloroplasts. These microorganisms typically inhabit anoxic environments, such as the intestines of animals, where they exist either symbiotically or as parasites, relying on fermentation for energy production. Some...
1.6K
The Tree of Life - Bacteria, Archaea, Eukaryotes
40.4K
The “tree of life” describes the evolution of life and the evolutionary relationships between organisms. The root of the tree is the common ancestor to all life on Earth. All other species radiate from this point, much like the branches of a tree. The numerous tips of these branches on the tree of life represent every living, or extant, species. Extinct species, which are species that no longer exist, can be found towards the center of the tree. Currently, these organisms, both...
40.4K


