Topic
Plexauridae
About: Plexauridae is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 56 publications have been published within this topic receiving 647 citations.
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
TL;DR: In this paper, the first molecular phylogeny for Caribbean octocorals was developed using 28 shallow-water species from 28 species collected primarily in the Caribbean or off Brazil in 1999-2001.
Abstract: Octocorals, especially gorgonians, are conspicuous on Caribbean coral reefs, but there is no consensus regarding species relationships Mitochondrial protein-coding genes [NADH-dehydrogenase subunits 2 (ND2) and 6 (ND6), and mutS homolog (msh1), 1633 bp] from 28 shallow-water species were sequenced to develop the first molecular phylogeny for Caribbean octocorals The specimens were collected primarily in the Caribbean or off Brazil in 1999–2001 Morphological characters (sclerites and axial ultrastructure) were also examined in order to map them onto the molecular phylogeny Analyses of both nucleotide and amino acid substitutions using maximum parsimony and likelihood (including maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analysis) generated very similar results, with most nodes having high levels of support These molecular results were significantly different from the generally accepted classification Neither Plexauridae nor Gorgoniidae were monophyletic Plexaurella spp, nominal plexaurids, were basal to the gorgoniids, sharing many morphological characters with them This corroborates previous findings using secondary metabolites and biosynthetic pathways The sea fans, Gorgonia spp and Pacifigorgia spp, as well as the pinnate gorgonians, Muriceopsis flavida and Pseudopterogorgia spp, did not have sea fan or pinnate relatives, suggesting there has been convergent evolution of colony form Caribbean plexaurids appeared more derived and/or recently evolved according to both morphological and molecular data (eg Eunicea spp and Plexaura spp) Molecular phylogenetics is a promising approach for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships among octocorals as well as to understand their complex morphology Electronic Supplementary Material is available if you access this article at http://dxdoiorg/101007/s00227-003-1018-7
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179 citations
TL;DR: An unusual new species of plexaurid octocoral, Alaskagorgia splendicitrina, is described from a specimen collected in the far west Aleutian Island Archipelago, Alaska, USA.
Abstract: An unusual new species of plexaurid octocoral, Alaskagorgia splendicitrina , is described from a specimen collected in the far west Aleutian Island Archipelago, Alaska, USA. Unusual features that separate it from its only congener include: the vibrant yellow color of the live colony and an arborescent growth form with numerous coiling and twisting branches, the pale yellow color of the sclerites and the lack of small and densely warted double-headed sclerites. The new species is represented by only a single specimen despite extensive sampling in the region during the past several decades; the speculation is that it radiated from the much less explored region to the west.
86 citations
TL;DR: A molecular phylogenetic analysis supports the differences between this new taxon and the closest Swiftia species, and represents the first record of the genus from Costa Rica and in fact for the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
Abstract: Exploration of the deep sea off the Pacific margin of Costa Rica has resulted in the discovery of a number of new species and reports for the region. Here, we report on the occurrence of the octocoral genus Swiftia, and describe a new species collected by the Alvin submersible off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The new species has been observed at around 1000 m depth, growing on authigenic carbonates near methane seeps. Swiftia sahlingi sp. nov. is characterised by having bright red colonies that are with limited branching, with slightly raised polyp-mounds, thin coenenchyme mainly composed of long warty spindles, and conspicuous plates. A molecular phylogenetic analysis supports the differences between this new taxon and the closest Swiftia species. The new species represents the first record of the genus from Costa Rica and in fact for the Eastern Tropical Pacific.
67 citations
TL;DR: DNA sequences of two mitochondrial loci were analyzed from 46 species in 21 genera from deep and shallow waters in the tropical western Atlantic and in the Tropical western and eastern Pacific and indicate a strong need for reexamination of octocoral taxonomy using a combination of molecular, morphological, and chemical evidence.
Abstract: Octocorals are diverse and abundant on many marine hard substrates, and, within this group, members of the family Plexauridae are an important component of tropical reef assemblages, especially in the Caribbean. To understand historical relationships within this large and diverse assemblage, and to test the monophyly of the family and some of its genera, DNA sequences of two mitochondrial loci (msh1 and ND2, ~1,185 bp) were analyzed from 46 species in 21 genera from deep and shallow waters in the tropical western Atlantic and in the tropical western and eastern Pacific (plus 9 taxa in the closely related Gorgoniidae and 1 species of the more distantly related Alcyoniidae). Five strongly supported clades were recovered. Three large clades correspond roughly to the Plexauridae, Paramuriceidae, and Gorgoniidae, and two smaller clades were comprised of taxa previously assigned to several families. Astrogorgia sp. did not group with any of the clades. The mutual relationships among the five clades remain unclear. Several genera previously regarded as unrelated appear to be grouped among the three “families”; e.g. Hypnogorgia sp. (Paramuriceidae) falls within a clade consisting of both Pacific and Atlantic Muricea spp. (Plexauridae), while Swiftia sp., Scleracis sp., and an Atlantic Thesea sp. (all Paramuriceidae) group with the gorgoniids. In several instances, genera containing Atlantic and Pacific species were recovered as monophyletic (Muricea spp., Bebryce spp.). However, in at least three cases (Echinomuricea spp., Thesea spp., Villogorgia spp.), placement of Atlantic and Pacific species in the same genus may reflect convergence of sclerite morphology. The results indicate a strong need for reexamination of octocoral taxonomy using a combination of molecular, morphological, and chemical evidence.
62 citations
TL;DR: DNA sequences from the nuclear ITS2 region, including information from predicted RNA secondary structure, despite their reduced length, provided numerous characters and phylogenetic information among Gorgoniidae genera and species.
52 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2020 | 3 |
| 2019 | 4 |
| 2018 | 1 |
| 2017 | 3 |
| 2016 | 4 |