Molecular phylogeny of Ophiuroidea (Echinodermata) and evolution of arm ossicles

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25440226
• 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: Fujita Toshihiko 独立行政法人国立科学博物館, 動物研究部, グループ長 (70222263)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): OKANISHI Masanori 茨城大学, 理学部, 助教 (70639278)
• Research Collaborator: ISHIDA Yoshiaki
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 系統 / 分類 / 進化 / クモヒトデ綱 / クモヒトデ目 / 骨格 / 分子系統 / マイクロCT

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The systematics of Ophiuroidea was revised by molecular analyses using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. The phylogeny was completely different from the traditional view mainly based on the morphology. In addition to scanning electronic microscopy and grinding method of specimens in resin, X-ray micro-computed tomography was also applied to morphological observations. Micro-computed tomography was very powerful to observe the ophiuroid ossicles with less damage to the specimens. Some traditional morphological characters were not useful for the classification of opiuroids, but some characters, for example nerve canals inside ossicles, fitting to the molecular phylogeny were newly found by micro-computed tomography.

Free Research Field

動物系統分類学