Bryozoan phylogeny
Molecular phylogeny of cyclostome bryozoans compared to traditional subordinal classification (on right).
Staff at the Natural History Museum are investigating the molecular phylogeny of bryozoans using DNA sequences from:
- 2 nuclear ribosomal genes: 18S and 28S rDNA
- 5 mitochondrial genes: 16S and 12S rDNA, cytochrome b, and cytochrome oxidase subunits 1 and 3
This research is supported by a grant from the Natural Environment Research Council.
Our preliminary results:
- support the monophyly of the Bryozoa
- place the freshwater phylactolaemates as the primitive sister-group of marine bryozoans
- show that for one order, Cyclostomata, there is marked incongruence between molecules and morphology
Staff involved in this research:
- Dr Paul Taylor, with support from
- Dr Consuelo Sendino
Collaborators in the Life Sciences Department:
- Dr Tim Littlewood (Principal Investigator)
- Dr Andrea Waeschenbach
Project staff
- Dr Tim Littlewood (Principal Investigator)
- Dr Paul Taylor
- Dr Consuelo Sendino
- Dr Andrea Waeschenbach