Molecular phylogeny of three subfamilies of the Neanuridae (Insecta, Collembola) and the position of the antarctic species Friesea grisea Schaffer.

The nuclear 28S rRNA and the mitochondrial COII gene were used to establish phylogenetic relationships among species of the family Neanuridae, with sp ecial emphasis on species of the subfamily Neanurinae. Phylogenetic analysi s was conducted using genetic distances, parsimony and likelihood methods. The D3-D5 fragment of the rRNA gene was very conserved, both in sequence an d in secondary structure features. This fragment supplied little informatio n on relationships at this level. The phylogenetic reconstruction based on 1st and 2nd codon positions of the COII gene was partly in accordance with morphological data, but it was discordant for the placement of some species . Relationships among the subfamilies Frieseinae, represented by the antarc tic species Friesea grisea, Pseudachorutinae and Neanurinae were uncertain. The subfamily Neanurinae and its tribes Neanurini and Paleonurini were sho wn as monophyletic taxa. Relationships between three species of the genus B ilobella were in accordance with morphological and biochemical data. Relati onships between genera within the Neanurini were more controversial. In acc ordance with morphological hypotheses, a basal position of Thaumanura was s uggested, but the molecular data placed Neanuru muscorum in a derived posit ion in sharp contrast with morphological evidence, a close relationship was suggested between Deutonura conjuncta, Cansilianura malatestai and Lathrio pyga longiseta. The disagreement between molecular and morphological data s uggests that one or both data sets might be affected by a certain degree of homoplasy and that these data should be interpreted with caution in phylog enetic reconstructions.