Biology:Macrostomorpha

From HandWiki

Macrostomorpha is a clade of free living flatworms in the group Rhabditophora.

Description

Species of Macrostomorpha are characterized by having the necks of the viscid gland and releasing gland emerging in a common collar of anchor cell microvilli. They also have aflagellate spermatozoa, post-oral neural commissure, and a protrusible simplex pharynx. Macrostomorpha constitute a basal group in Rhabditophora, showing such plesiomorphic condition as entolecithal eggs and spiral cleavage.[1] Another trait found among members of the clade is the presence of hard stylet in the male copulatory organ. [2]

Phylogeny and systematics

Originally the clade Macrostomorpha was divided into two groups: Haplopharyngida (containing a single family, Haplopharyngidae) and Macrostomida (containing the families Macrostomidae, Microstomidae and Dolichomacrostomidae). However, molecular studies revealed that these groups are not monophyletic. The current phylogenetic classification is presented in the following tree:[3]

Macrostomorpha
 

Haplopharyngidae

 
 
 

Macrostomidae

 
 
 

Myozona

 
 
 

Bradynectes

 
Dolichomicrostomida
 

Dolichomacrostomidae

 
 

Microstomidae

 
 
 
 
 
 

References

  1. ↑ Brusca, Richard C.; Moore, Wendy; Shuster, Stephen M. (2016). Invertebrates (3rd ed.). Sunderland (Mass.): Sinauer associates publishing. pp. 376. ISBN 978-1-60535-375-3. 
  2. ↑ Doe, David A. (1986). "Ultrastructure of the copulatory organ of Haplopharynx quadristimulus and its phylogenetic significance (Plathelminthes, Haplopharyngida)". Zoomorphology 106 (3): 163–173. doi:10.1007/BF00312205. 
  3. ↑ Janssen, Toon; Vizoso, Dita B.; Schulte, Gregor; Littlewood, D. Timothy J.; Waeschenbach, Andrea; Schärer, Lukas (2015). "The first multi-gene phylogeny of the Macrostomorpha sheds light on the evolution of sexual and asexual reproduction in basal Platyhelminthes". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 92: 82–107. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2015.06.004. PMID 26093054. Bibcode: 2015MolPE..92...82J. 

Wikidata ☰ Q3275008 entry