Stephenson, I.; Van Steenkiste, N. W. L.; Leander, B. S. (2019). Molecular phylogeny of neodalyellid flatworms (Rhabdocoela), including three new species from British Columbia. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research.
Stephenson, I.; Van Steenkiste, N. W. L.; Leander, B. S.
2019
Molecular phylogeny of neodalyellid flatworms (Rhabdocoela), including three new species from British Columbia
Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research
Publication
Available for editors
Rhabdocoel flatworms are abundant members of marine meiofaunal communities
worldwide, contributing to a reservoir of biodiversity that thrives in sediments and
on macroalgae. Yet, they are relatively understudied due to bias in meiofaunal collection
techniques, time-intensive identification and a lack of taxonomic expertise.
Here, sampling of intertidal habitats in British Columbia, Canada, was undertaken to enhance our understanding of rhabdocoel diversity in this region. Six species of neodalyellid rhabdocoel were discovered and characterized with DNA sequence and morphological data: Pogaina paranygulgus, Anoplodium hymanae, Baicalellia pusilla n. comb., B. solaris n. sp., B. daftpunka n. sp. and Tamanawas kalipis n. g., n. sp. The latter three species are new to science. A phylogenetic analysis of neodalyellid rhabdocoels, inferred from 18S and 28S ribosomal RNA gene sequences of 39 taxa, provided further insight into their interrelationships, trait evolution and systematics, including the recognition of a new genus, Tamanawas, and the suppression of Canetellia and Coronopharynx.
