Molecular phylogeny, systematics and morphological evolution of the acorn barnacles (Thoracica: Sessilia: Balanomorpha)

Marcos Pérez-Losada, Jens T. Høeg, Noa Simon-Blecher, Yair Achituv, Diana Jones, Keith A. Crandall

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

50 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Balanomorpha are the largest group of barnacles and rank among the most diverse, commonly encountered and ecologically important marine crustaceans in the world. Paradoxically, despite their relevance and extensive study for over 150. years, their evolutionary relationships are still unresolved. Classical morphological systematics was often based on non-cladistic approaches, while modern phylogenetic studies suffer from severe undersampling of taxa and characters (both molecular and morphological). Here we present a phylogenetic analysis of the familial relationships within the Balanomorpha. We estimate divergence times and examine morphological diversity based on five genes, 156 specimens, 10 fossil calibrations, and six key morphological characters. Two balanomorphan superfamilies, eight families and twelve genera were identified as polyphyletic. Chthamaloids, chionelasmatoid and pachylasmatoids split first from the pedunculated ancestors followed by a clade of tetraclitoids and coronuloids, and most of the balanoids. The Balanomorpha split from the Verrucidae (outgroup) in the Lower Cretaceous (139.6 Mya) with all the main lineages, except Pachylasmatoidea, having emerged by the Paleocene (60.9 Mya). Various degrees of convergence were observed in all the assessed morphological characters except the maxillipeds, which suggests that classical interpretations of balanomorphan morphological evolution need to be revised and reinterpreted.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)147-158
Number of pages12
JournalMolecular Phylogenetics and Evolution
Volume81
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Dec 2014

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2014 Elsevier Inc.

Funding

Specimens collected by us were identified by Y.A., A.J. Southward and J. Buckeridge. Samples were also provided and identified by B.K.K. Chan, T. Yamaguchi, R. Hayashi, and A. Biccard. This research was supported by the following grants: PTDC/BIA-BEC/098553/2008 to M.P.-L, Y.A. and J.T.H.; NSF DEB-0236135 to K.A.C. and M.P.-L.; NSF DEB-1301820 to K.A.C.; the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation (BSF) 2004-239 to Y.A. and K.A.C.; Israel Science Foundation (ISF) 574/10 to Y.A. J.T.H. received support from Danish Natural Science Foundation , the Carlsberg Foundation, and the SYNTHESYS 1, 2 and 3 Projects http://www.synthesys.info/ financed by the European Community Research Infrastructure Action under the FP-6 & 7 “Capacities” Program.” We are very thankful to Philippe Lemey for his help with the beta version of BEAST used in this study. S. Zilinsky (BIU) helped with the lab work.

FundersFunder number
Danish Natural Science Foundation
FP-6 & 7
U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation
National Science FoundationDEB-0236135, DEB-1301820
National Heart, Lung, and Blood InstituteK12HL119994
National Institute of Child Health and Human DevelopmentU54HD071601
Bloom's Syndrome Foundation2004-239
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
Carlsbergfondet
Israel Science Foundation574/10

    Keywords

    • Balanomorpha
    • Barnacle
    • DNA
    • Morphology
    • Phylogeny
    • Systematics

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