Lobophylliidae (Cnidaria, Scleractinia) reshuffled: pervasive non-monophyly at genus level.
The Indo-Pacific scleractinian coral family Lobophylliidae was recently described on the basis of molecular data and micromorphological and microstructural characters. We present the most comprehensive molecular phylogeny reconstruction of the family to date based on COI and rDNA including 9 genera and 32 species, 14 of which were investigated for the first time. The monophyly of the family is now strongly supported, with the inclusion of the genera Acanthastrea and Micromussa, whereas previously it was based on uncertain molecular relationships. Nevertheless, these and the other lobophylliid genera Echinophyllia, Micromussa, Oxypora, and Symphyllia, are not themselves monophyletic and need to be investigated from a morphological point of view. Acanthastrea faviaformis is nested within the family Merulinidae. This study highlights the need for further analyses at species level and of formal taxonomic actions.
Dept. of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: roberto.arrigoni@unimib.it.
Roberto
R
Arrigoni
Dept. of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy.
Tullia Isotta
TI
Terraneo
Dept. of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy; MaRHE Center (Marine Research and High Education Center), Magoodhoo Island, Faafu Atoll, Maldives.
Paolo
P
Galli
Dept. of Biotechnology and Biosciences, University of Milano-Bicocca, P.zza della Scienza 2, 20126 Milan, Italy; Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR227 CoReUs2, 101 Promenade Roger Laroque, BP A5, 98848 Noumea Cedex, New Caledonia.
Francesca
F
Benzoni
D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D004275:DNA, Ribosomal
COI; Molecular systematic; Monophyly; Paraphyly; Phylogeny; rDNA