title: Molecular systematics of sclerosomatid harvestmen (Opiliones, Phalangioidea, Sclerosomatidae): geography is better than taxonomy in predicting phylogeny.
abstract: Phylogenetic relationships within the Sclerosomatidae, the largest family of harvestmen, are explored using molecular data from four nuclear genes (28S and 18S rRNA, Histone 3 and Elongation factor-1α) and two mitochondrial gene regions (COI-COII, 16S and 12S rRNA). The taxon sample includes representative species from all families in Phalangioidea and all subfamilies of Sclerosomatidae (Gagrellinae, Gyinae, Leiobuninae, Sclerosomatinae). Our results solve several major taxonomic problems, including placement of Gyinae sensu stricto in Phalangiidae, the monophyly of the Metopilio group and its exclusion from Sclerosomatidae, and reaffirmation of the familial rank of Protolophidae. However, most major groups of sclerosomatids (Leiobuninae, Gagrellinae, Leiobunum, Nelima) are recovered as polyphyletic, although with a phylogenetic structure suggesting a strong association between geography and monophyly as well as notable morphological convergence in traditional diagnostic characters. Phylogenetic affinities between biotas of the New World and Asian tropics, as well as between temperate North American and East Asia, suggest that sclerosomatid historical biogeography may conform with the Boreotropic Concept. Finally, we discuss how the many problems that remain in sclerosomatid systematics might be addressed.
authors: Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-4614, USA. mhedin@sciences.sdsu.edu
authors: Marshal
authors: M
authors: Hedin
authors: Nobuo
authors: N
authors: Tsurusaki
authors: Rogelio
authors: R
authors: Macías-Ordóñez
authors: Jeffrey W
authors: JW
authors: Shultz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001097:Arachnida / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D050259:Genes, Mitochondrial; D006657:Histones / Q000235:genetics; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008297:Male; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1 / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D006657:Histones; D020648:Peptide Elongation Factor 1; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV