An Orphan Protist Quadricilia rotundata Finally Finds Its Phylogenetic Home in Cercozoa |
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Authors: | Akinori Yabuki Ken‐ichiro Ishida |
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Institution: | 1. Japan Agency for Marine‐Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Yokosuka, Kanagawa, Japan;2. Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan |
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Abstract: | Quadricilia rotundata is a heterotrophic flagellate with four flagella. However, because this species has no clear morphological characteristics or molecular data affiliating it with any known group, Q. rotundata has been treated as a protist incertae sedis, for a long time. Here, we established a clonal culture of Q. rotundata and sequenced its 18S rDNA sequence. Molecular phylogenetic analysis successfully placed Q. rotundata in an environmental clade within Cercozoa, which contributes to expand the morphological and species diversity within Cercozoa. We also discuss morphological evolution within Cercozoa based on this finding. |
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Keywords: | Environmental clade phylogenetic analysis |
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