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Extinct organisms

Recent changes to classification

Recent changes to the classification in the NCBI taxonomy database

• Brachiopod classification.
• Mosses.
• Takifugu and Fugu.
• What are the Euteleostomi ?
• Sharks and rays.
• Phaeophyceae.

May 2000.

Brachiopod classification.

The brachiopod section of the taxonomy database has been revised. The brachiopod classes Inarticulata and Articulata are no longer used in the classification because the Inarticulata are not recognized as monophyletic in recent cladistic analyses. A monophyletic Brachiopoda is recognized comprising four subphyla: Craniiformea, Linguliformea, Rhynchonelliformea, and Phoroniformea. Recognition of the new subphylum Phoroniformea within the Brachiopoda follows Cohen (2000) [Monophyly of brachiopods and phoronids: reconciliation of molecular evidence with Linnaean classification (the subphylum Phoroniformea nov.). Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 267: 225-231]. Classification within the subfamilies Craniiformea, Linguliformea and Rhynchonelliformea is based on the system used in the Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology Part H Brachiopoda, vol. 2 & 3 (2000), published by the University of Kansas and the Geological Society of America. Information from this publication is presented at: http://www.com.univ-mrs.fr/EuroBrachNet/CLASS/Class.htm.

Mosses.

The mosses (Musci) have recently been reorganized according to the classification of Buck and Goffinet (2000), in order to more accurately reflect our current understanding of moss phylogeny. Major features of the new classification include: the elevation of the moss clade to Bryophyta (NOT to be confused with 'bryophytes', referring to a paraphyletic group comprising mosses, liverworts and anthocerotes), and the recognition of three new major clades, Andreaeobryopsida, Takakiopsida and Polytrichopsida, of equal rank with Bryposida, Sphagnopsida, and Andreaeopsida. The 15 suborders of Bryales recognized by Vitt (1984) have been folded, for the most part, into four subclasses of Bryopsida (Bryidae, Dicranidae, Diphysciidae and Funariidae).

References cited:

Takifugu and Fugu.

The pufferfish genus Fugu has recently been renamed Takifugu in the taxonomy database. This is based on the recommendation of: Matsuura, K. 1990. The pufferfish genus Fugu Abe, 1952, a junior subjective synonym of Takifugu Abe, 1949. Bull. Natn. Sci. Mus., Tokyo, Ser. A. 18(1):15-20. Takifugu includes the species Takifugu rubripes (formerly Fugu rubripes), which is a well known model organism for the vertebrate genome. Any sequence from Takifugu rubripes can still be retrieved by searching on 'Fugu rubripes', because Fugu rubripes is included in the database as a synonym of Takifugu rubripes.

What are the Euteleostomi ?

The name Euteleostomi was recently included in the taxonomy database for the monophyletic group comprising the the Sarcopterygii ('lobe-finned fishes' and tetrapods) plus the Actinopterygii ('ray-finned fishes'). The group was formerly named the 'bony vertebrates' in the database.

Previously, the name Osteichthyes has also been applied to the monophyletic euteleostomes or 'bony vertebrates.' However the name Osteichthyes has been traditionally applied to the 'bony fishes', a paraphyletic assemblage comprising Actinopterygii and Sarcopyterygii minus the tetrapods. For this reason, application of the name Osteichthyes to the monophyletic group of all Sarcopterygii and Actinopterygii was not well accepted. The name Euteleostomi was first proposed as an alternative, to overcome these problems, in:

Sharks and rays.

The elasmobranch section (sharks and rays) of the taxonomy database has recently been revised. The Elasmobranchii is divided into two main clades: the Galeomorphi (comprising the clades Galeoidea and Heterodontidea), and the Squalea (comprising the Dalatioidei, Echinorhinoidea, Hypnosqualea, Notidanoidea and Squaloidei). The Hypnosqualea includes the Squatiniformes, Pristiophoriformes, and the Batoidea which was previously named the Rajiformes (the Rajiformes is currently restricted to the Rajidae [skates]). Batoid interrelationships have been revised, though they remain enigmatic. Thus, the classification and phylogeny presented here is not a definitive one. Nevertheless, it is intended to provide a practical and informative composite of the hypotheses presented in the following most recent overviews of elsamobranch interrelationships:

An update on the classification of the Phaeophyceae.

By Akira F. Peters,
Institut fuer Meereskunde, Kiel, Germany, 22-10-2000
email: afpeters@ifm.uni-kiel.de

last updated January 2001

Chordariales: Now treated as a family within Ectocarpales (cf. below), and Stereocladon (so far Chordariaceae) as a genus in the new order Scytothamnales (cf. below). All families disappear but all genera except Stereocladon remain in Chordariaceae

Desmarestiales: Himantothallus is classified within Desmarestiaceae (Peters et al. 1997).

Dictyosiphonales: This order disappears because it is now included in Ectocarpales (cf below). The families are removed and the genera included in Chordariaceae. However, Adenocystis (so far Punctariaceae) is moved to the new family Adenocystaceae within Ectocarpales (cf. below), Akkesiphycus (so far Punctariaceae) into "unclassified Laminariales", and Pogotrichum (so far Punctariaceae) into a new family, Pogotrichaceae, within Ectocarpales.

Durvillaeales: reduced to a family (Durvillaeaceae) in the Fucales (Rousseau & de Reviers 1999a).

Ectocarpales: The orders Chordariales, Dictyosiphonales, and Scytosiphonales are now included in Ectocarpales (Rousseau & de Reviers 1999b). Scytosiphonales is the easiest case, it is now ranked as a family (Scytosiphonaceae)(Kogame et al. 1999, Rousseau & de Reviers 1999b). The other orders were shown to be polyphyletic (Siemer 1998, Siemer et al. 1998) and more changes are necessary. The following five families appear to have a sound circumscription based on molecular, cytological, morphological and life-history characters (Peters & Ramirez 2000):

Adenocystaceae (Rousseau et al. 2000), containing Adenocystis, Utriculidium and Caepidium (Peters & Ramirez 2000). Strongly supported by molecular data.

Chordariaceae: The largest family, containing many genera. The following genera are included: Asperococcus, Chordaria, Corycus, Dictyosiphon, Elachista, Giraudia, Gononema, Haplogloia, Hecatonema, Hummia, Isthmoplea, Laminariocolax, Laminarionema, Leathesia, Leptonematella, Litosiphon, Myrionema, Myriotrichia, Punctaria, Sorocarpus, Sphaerotrichia, Stictyosiphon, Streblonema, Striaria (Siemer et al. 1998, Peters & Ramirez 2000). The circumscription of the family is potentially controversial as it includes several genera that were type species OF other families. However, molecular data from rbcL and nuclear ribosomal genes consistently suggest to merge them all in one large group. They share a heteromorphic life history and probably a single sex pheromone. Chordariaceae is the oldest family name available for this group.

Ectocarpaceae now includeS only the genera Ectocarpus and Kuckuckia. The family is well characterised by the possession of ribbon-shaped plastids (a synapomorphy) and sequence data (Siemer 1998, Peters & Ramirez 2000). Other genera included here are now classified as follows: Asterocladon, Asteronema, Bachelotia (unclassified Phaeophyceae), Feldmannia, Geminocarpus, Hincksia, Pylaiella (Pogotrichaceae), Gononema , Mikrosyphar, Streblonema (Chordariaceae) Phaeostroma (Unclassified Ectocarpales).

Acinetosporaceae, including the genera Acinetospora, Feldmannia, Geminocarpus, Hincksia, Pogotrichum, Pylaiella (NB: new spelling of Pylaiella, no longer Pilayella, Silva et al. 1999). Acinetosporaceae Hamel ex J. Feldmann 1937 has priority upon Pogotrichaceae Pedersen 1978 and Pilayellaceae Pedersen 1984. This group forms a well-supported clade in molecular trees based on rbcL data. So far, trees from nuclear ribosomal data do not reveal them as a well-supported group but are not contradictory to their recognition. Members in this group share discoid plastids, pedunculated pyrenoids, intercalaric meristems and an isomorphic life history. These characters might be considered plesiomorphic.

Scytosiphonaceae, containing the same genera as before.

Unclassified Ectocarpales: Coelocladia (Siemer et al. 1998)

Fucales (all changes according to Rousseau & Reviers 1999a): Inclusion of Durvillaeales (reduced from ordinal rank) as own family. Inclusion in Sargassaceae of all families currently in Cystoseiraceae. Xiphophora (so far in Fucaceae) should be in a group "unclassified Fucales"

Laminariales: Apart from the removal of Sporochnales (cf. below), Saccorhiza should be treated in the family Phyllariaceae (Henry & South 1987). Halosiphon (so far in Chordaceae) should go into unclassified Laminariales (Peters 1998). Akkesiphycus (so far Dictyosiphonales, Punctariaceae) should also be in the category "unclassified Laminariales" (Kawai 1986).

Scytosiphonales: reduced to familial rank within Ectocarpales (Kogame et al. 1999, Rousseau & de Reviers 1999b).

Scytothamnales: This is a new order (Peters & Clayton 1998, confirmed in de Reviers & Rousseau 1999b and Peters & RamĖrez 2000), containing the genera, Scytothamnus, Splachnidium (formerly unclassified Dictyosiphonales), and Stereocladon (formerly Chordariaceae).

Unclassified Phaeophyceae: Analipus (within Heterochordariaceae; Tan & Druehl 1994), Asterocladon (formerly Ectocarpaceae; M¸ller et al. 1998), Asteronema (formerly Ectocarpaceae; de Reviers & Rousseau 1999b), Bachelotia (formerly Ectocarpaceae; de Reviers & Rousseau 1999b), Ralfsia (within Ralfsiaceae; Tan & Druehl 1994).

The sister group of the Phaeophyceae is still uncertain. Bailey et al. (1998) have presented molecular data that suggest Phaeothamniophyceae as likely a sister group of the brown algae as Xanthophyceae.