Phylogenetic position of a deep-sea ascidian, Megalodicopia hians, inferred from the molecular data

Ascidians inhabit both shallow water and the deep sea. The phylogenetic position of deep-sea ascidians has not been sufficiently investigated because of their unusual habitats. The family Octacnemidae is one such enigmatic deep-sea ascidian. In this report, we determined the sequences of the 18SrDNA and a mitochondrial protein gene of Megalodicopia hians belonging to the family Octacnemidae, and we analyzed its phylogenetic relationship with other ascidians. A phylogenetic relationship of this family with the families Cionidae and/or Corellidae has been suspected based on a small number of morphological characteristics. However, our results suggested that M. hians has a close relationship to the family Corellidae and might originate from them. This is the first report of the molecular phylogenetic analysis of a deep-sea ascidian.