MRC-163, PO Box 37012 National Museum of Natural History Washington District of Columbia 20560 (original) (raw)

2011

Abstract

The Valvatacea is one the most ecologically important, taxonomically diverse, and widespread groups of postPalaeozoic (i.e. modern) Asteroidea. Classification within the group has been historically problematic. We present a comprehensively sampled, three-gene (12S, 16S, early-stage histone H3) molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Valvatacea. We include five of the six families within the Paxillosida, the monotypic Notomyotida, and 13 of the 16 families of the living Valvatida. The Solasteridae is removed from the Velatida (Spinulosacea) and joins the Ganeriidae and the Leilasteridae as members of the clade containing the Asterinidae. The Poraniidae is supported as the sister group to the large cluster of Valvatacea. Asteropseids and poraniids are phylogenetically distant, contrary to morphological evidence. Several goniasterid-like ophidiasterids, such as Fromia and Neoferdina, are supported as derived goniasterids rather than as Ophidiasteridae. The Benthopectinidae (Notomyotida)...

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