Cleavage patterns, cell-lineages and cell specification are clues to phyletic lineages in Spiralia

Embryos of molluscs, annelids, nemerteans and platyhelminthes show remarkable intra- and interphyletic resemblances and differences in mesentoblast, dorso-ventral axis and trochoblast specification. These variations have been used to investigate their evolutionary relationship. In molluscs and annelids a heterochronic shift parallels evolutionary relations based on adult characters. Nemerteans and platyhelminthes lack trochal cells and differ in the specification of the mesodermal precursor cell. Nemerteans also differ fundamentally with respect to axis specification related to the first cleavage. Therefore, close phylogenetic relations exist between molluscs and annelids, whereas nemerteans and platyhelminthes are only remotely related with each other and with molluscs and annelids.