Taxonomy and biology of Haliclystus antarcticus: inferences for the evolution of Staurozoa (Cnidaria) / Taxonomia e biologia de Haliclystus antarcticus: inferências para a evolução de Staurozoa (Cnidaria)

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2010

RESUMO

The recent proposal of a new class of Cnidaria, Staurozoa, has contributed to a better knowledge on the group. However, data and hypotheses on evolution, taxonomy, biology, and ecology of Staurozoa are still limited, especially concerning species of the Southern Hemisphere. The aim of this study is: (1) to review characters traditionally adopted in the taxonomy of the genus Haliclystus (some of them widely used for Staurozoa taxonomy in general), (2) to address issues concerning the ontogeny and life history of these animals, and (3) to discuss and review homologies of Staurozoa and other classes of Medusozoa, subsidizing evolutionary inferences for the group. The species Haliclystus antarcticus was used as a model for Staurozoa in general in order to achieve the proposed goals. Contributions to the knowledge on the biology and taxonomy of the group came from histomorphological studies and the redescription of H. antarcticus. Molecular, morphological, and ecological data were used in inferences concerning the ontogeny and life cycle of H. antarcticus. Discussions on homologies and life cycle of other Medusozoa also came from histomorphological data. The main consequences of our studies are: (a) specimens from Chile were misidentified as H. auricula, and they should be assigned to H. antarcticus; (b) many characters traditionally adopted in the taxonomy of the group were demonstrated to be either variable or incorrectly interpreted; (c) molecular data have supported the assignment of the Hydrozoa Limnomedusae species Microhydrula limopsicola as a phase of the life cycle of H. antarcticus, what shed light on the understanding of the life cycle of the group and its morphology; (d) the evolutionary meaning of some morphological and life cycle characters in the class Staurozoa were reviewed and discussed in a broader perspective among the Medusozoa.

ASSUNTO(S)

life cycle stauromedusae ciclo de vida taxonomia stauromedusae taxomony

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