Linking multi-gene and morphological data in the subclass Scuticociliatia (Protista, Ciliophora) with establishment of the new family Homalogastridae fam. nov.

ABSTRACT: Scuticociliatia is one of the most species-rich subclasses in the phylum Ciliophora. The evolutionary relationships among Scuticociliatia groups have long been very unclear due to the homogeneity of morphology and insufficiency of molecular data. With morphological and multi-gene-based molecular data presented here, the evolutionary phylogeny of several Scuticociliatia taxa that were hitherto especially poorly defined is analyzed and discussed. The results indicate: (1) all scuticociliates cluster into two well supported and one poorly supported group, representing three order-level taxa; (2) with the support of both morphological and molecular data, a new family Homalogastridae fam. nov. is proposed in the order Philasterida; (3) Parauronema is formally transferred to Uronematidae

SUBMITTER: Liu M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11871206 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature