N. Matsuoka et M. Inamori, Phylogenetic relationships among four echinoids of the family Cidaridae (Cidaroida) based on allozymes, ZOOL SCI, 16(3), 1999, pp. 529-534
The family Cidaridae of the order Cidaroida from Japanese waters includes f
our common echinoid species belonging to four different genera: Stereocidar
is japonica, Eucidaris metularia, Prionocidaris baculosa, and Phyllacanthus
dubius. Phylogenetic relationship among the four species were investigated
by allozyme analysis. From the allozyme variation in 18 genetic loci, Nei'
s genetic distances between species were calculated. The genetic distances
were higher than those observed between confamilial genera in many other ec
hinoids, but comparable to those between different families. The result sug
gests that the four cidarids diverged in earlier time from one another and
generally have older evolutionary origin than members of families of the or
ders Echinoida and Diadematoida. A molecular phylogenetic tree for the four
cidarids indicated the following: (1) S. japonica and Pr. baculosa are the
most closely related to each other and diverged later. (2) E. metularia is
more closely related to the cluster of S. japonica and Pr. baculosa than P
h. dubius. (4) Ph. dubius is the most distant among four species and diverg
ed first. These allozyme results are discussed through the comparison with
other non-molecular evidence.