Acoel Flatworms Are Not Platyhelminthes
Author Information
Author(s): Philippe Hervé, Brinkmann Henner, Martinez Pedro, Riutort Marta, Baguñà Jaume
Primary Institution: Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Université de Montréal
Hypothesis
Are acoel flatworms part of the phylum Platyhelminthes or a separate lineage?
Conclusion
The study concludes that acoel flatworms are not members of Platyhelminthes, suggesting they are among the earliest diverging Bilateria.
Supporting Evidence
- Molecular phylogenetic analyses suggest acoels are not members of Platyhelminthes.
- The study employed a mixture model to overcome long branch attraction artefacts.
- Phylogenomic analysis indicates a deuterostome affinity for acoels.
Takeaway
This study shows that acoel flatworms are not related to flatworms like we thought; they belong to a different group of animals.
Methodology
The study used phylogenomic analysis of 68 protein-coding genes from acoel Convoluta pulchra and 51 metazoan species.
Potential Biases
Potential long branch attraction artefacts may affect the phylogenetic placement of acoels.
Limitations
The weak support for most deuterostome nodes and the fast evolutionary rate of Convoluta complicate the phylogenetic analysis.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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