New molecular sequences for two genera of marine planarians facilitate determination of their position in the phylogenetic tree, with new records for two species (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Maricola)

Hee-Min Yang; Ronald Sluys; Masaharu Kawakatsu; Gi-Sik Min

doi:10.3897/zookeys.781.26324

New molecular sequences for two genera of marine planarians facilitate determination of their position in the phylogenetic tree, with new records for two species (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Maricola)

Zookeys. 2018 Aug 9:(781):1-17. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.781.26324. eCollection 2018.

Authors

Hee-Min Yang¹, Ronald Sluys², Masaharu Kawakatsu³, Gi-Sik Min¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Biological Sciences, Inha University, Incheon, Republic of Korea Inha University Incheon Korea, South.
² Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands Naturalis Biodiversity Center Leiden Netherlands.
³ 9-jo 9-chome 1-8, Shinkotoni, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan Unaffiliated Sapporo Japan.

Abstract

For the first time, molecular sequences of the 18S ribosomal DNA were generated for representatives of the genera Obrimoposthia Sluys & Ball, 1989 and Paucumara Sluys, 1989 of the suborder of the marine triclads, or Maricola, by analyzing the species Obrimoposthiawandeli (Hallez, 1906) and Paucumaratrigonocephala (Ijima & Kaburaki, 1916). On the basis of this molecular data the phylogenetic position of these two genera in the phylogenetic tree of the Maricola was determined and compared with their position in the phylogeny based on the analysis of anatomical features. New records for these two species are documented and their taxonomic status is determined on the basis of histological studies.

Keywords: Obrimoposthia; Paucumara; Antarctica; South Korea; molecular phylogeny; new records.