Phylogeny and Cladistic Classification of the Paramonostiliferous Family Plectonemertidae (Phylum Nemertea)

Abstract

Numerical phylogenetic analysis of nemertean species from the genera Plectonemertes, Katechonemertes and Acteonemertes (marine), Argonemertes, Antiponemertes and Leptonemertes (terrestrial), Potamonemertes and Campbellonemertes (freshwater) in the family Plectonemertidae was carried out with the following aims. (1) To estimate the evolutionary relationships between and among these species. (2) To test the hypothesis of Moore and Gibson that the analysed freshwater species originated from a terrestrial ancestor. (3) To classify the species in monophyletic genera. The analysis did not confirm the hypothesis that the freshwater habitat has been colonised via land. Instead, it suggests that both terrestrial and freshwater species within this family have evolved from a marine ancestor. The cladogram suggests that Antiponemertes is paraphyletic, and it is combined with Argonemertes to form a monophyletic genus.