Phylogenetic study of speciation by new host acquisition in the epizoic hydroid Cytaeis (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa)

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25440222
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biodiversity/Systematics
• Research Institution: National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: NAMIKAWA Hiroshi 独立行政法人国立科学博物館, 動物研究部, 研究主幹 (40249909)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): SASAKI Takenori 東京大学, 総合研究博物館, 准教授 (70313195) ; DEGUCHI Ryusaku 宮城教育大学, 教育学部, 教授 (90302257)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: ヒドロ虫 / Cytaeis / 宿主特異性 / 固着性動物 / 種分化

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Morphological, life-historical, and molecular study was carried out in order to clarify the phylogenetic relationships in the epizoic hydroid Cytaeis and reveal the causes of speciation in this genus in term of host specificity. In this study, eight Cytaeis species (C. imperialis, C. kakunumae, C. nuda, C. uchidae, C. sp. 1, C. sp. 2, C. sp. 3, and C. sp. 4) living on the different host species, mainly gastropods, were collected from Japan. The acquisition of new different host species is regarded as one of causes of speciation in this genus, because these Cytaeis species are exclusively host specific hydroids living on the distinct hosts respectively.

Free Research Field

動物系統分類学