Molecular Biology and Evolution, Vol 13, 76-84, Copyright © 1996 by Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution
G Giribet, S Carranza, J Baguna, M Riutort and C Ribera
The complete 18S rDNA gene sequence of Macrobiotus group hufelandi
(Tardigrada) was obtained and aligned with 18S rDNA and rRNA gene sequences
of 24 metazoans (mainly protostomes). Discrete character
(maximum-parsimony) and distance (neighbor-joining) methods were used to
infer their phylogeny. The evolution of bootstrap proportions with sequence
length (pattern of resolved nodes, PRN) was studied to test the resolution
of the nodes in neighbor-joining trees. The results show that arthropods
are monophyletic. Tardigrades represent the sister group of arthropods (in
parsimony analyses) or they are related with crustaceans (distance analysis
and PRN). Arthropoda are divided into two main evolutionary lines, the
Hexapoda + Crustacea line (weakly supported), and the Myriapoda +
Chelicerata line. The Hexapoda + Crustacea line includes Pentastomida, but
the internal resolution is far from clear. The Insecta (Ectognatha) are
monophyletic, but no evidence for the monophyly of Hexapoda is found. The
Chelicerata are a monophyletic group and the Myriapoda cluster close to
Arachnida. Overall, the results obtained represent the first molecular
evidence for a Tardigrada + Arthropoda clade. In addition, the congruence
between molecular phylogenies of the Arthropoda from other authors and this
obtained here indicates the need to review those obtained solely on
morphological characters.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE
First molecular evidence for the existence of a Tardigrada + Arthropoda clade
Department de Biologia Animal, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Spain.
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