Mitochondrial gene rearrangements confirm the parallel evolution of the crab-like form.
The repeated appearance of strikingly similar crab-like forms in independent decapod crustacean lineages represents a remarkable case of parallel evolution. Uncertainty surrounding the phylogenetic relationships among crab-like lineages has hampered evolutionary studies. As is often the case, aligned DNA sequences by themselves were unable to fully resolve these relationships. Four nested mitochondrial gene rearrangements--including one of the few reported movements of an arthropod protein-coding gene--are congruent with the DNA phylogeny and help to resolve a crucial node. A phylogenetic analysis of DNA sequences, and gene rearrangements, supported five independent origins of the crab-like form, and suggests that the evolution of the crab-like form may be irreversible. This result supports the utility of mitochondrial gene rearrangements in phylogenetic reconstruction.
Morrison
C L
CL
Department of Fisheries Science, School of Marine Science, College of William and Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA.
Harvey
A W
AW
Lavery
S
S
Tieu
K
K
Huang
Y
Y
Cunningham
C W
CW
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D003386:Brachyura / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D011995:Recombination, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial