Molecular systematics of the Gonodactylidae (Stomatopoda) using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase C (subunit 1) DNA sequence data

A molecular phylogenetic analysis of the stomatopod family Gonodactylidae a nd selected representatives of the superfamily Gonodactyloidea was conducte d using 649 base pairs of DNA sequence data from mitochondrial cytochrome o xidase C subunit 1 (CO-I). Results showed the family Gonodactylidae is not monophyletic (P < 0.0001). Within the Gonodactylidae, results are inconclus ive as, to whether Gonodactylellus. Gonodactylinus, and Gonodactylus repres ent distinct monophyletic taxa or should be collapsed into a single genus G onodactylus. Results strongly indicate that Gonodactylellus is polyphyletic ; four of the five Gonodactylellus species examined formed a monophyletic t rade which was closely related to Gonadactylus and Gonodactylinus, while Go nodactylellus hendersoni was found to be deeply divergent from its congener s and formed a strong monophyletic group with members of Gonodactylopsis an d Hoplosquilla. The genus Gonodactylaceus was found to be monophyletic and highly divergent from the other gonodactylid genera. The species Gonodactyl aceus aloha is shown to be a synonym of G. mutatus. Finally, although our a nalysis suggests a close relationship of Odontodactylus and Hemisquilla, hi gh levels of nucleotide substitution saturation prevented the resolution of deep (family level) branches within the phylogenetic structure of this rel atively old stomatopod lineage.