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Recent advances in understanding higher-level sea cucumber relationships and classification

Conference Paper · May 2018

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2 authors:

Mike Reich Gustav Paulay Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie University of Florida

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The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file. RECENT ADVANCES IN UNDERSTANDING IDGHER-LEVEL SEA CUCUMBER RELATIONSHIPS AND CLASSIFICATION [talk]

REICH, M.l·2•3* and Paulay, G.4

1 SNSB -Bavarian State Collection of Palaeontology and Geology, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333 Mlinchen, Germany 2 Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat Mtinchen, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Palaeontology & Geobiology, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333 Mtinchen, Germany 3 GeoBio-CenterMu, Richard-Wagner-Str. 10, 80333 Mtinchen, Germany 4 Florida Museum ofNatural History, University ofFlorida, 3215 Hull Rd, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA

* e-mail: [email protected]

The evolutionary history and phylogeny of sea cucumbers remains the most incompletely understood of the modem classes of Echinodermata. Although recently used (multi-gene) molecular data, complemented by taxonomy and morphological phylogeny revealed that a detailed revision of fossil and modem Holothuroidea is still necessary. Since the time of the 'Treatise on Invertebrate Paleontology' (Pawson; Frizzell & Exline), with the three extant major clades Apodacea (Apodida, Molpadida), Aspidochirotacea (Aspidochirotida, Elasipodida), and Dendrochirotacea (Dendrochirotida, Dactylochirotida) our understanding of higher-level relationships within the Holothuroidea changed fundamentally. Today, we distinguish between several main clades: (1) Apodida and (2) Actinopoda (Elasipodida, Holothuriida, Molpadida, Persiculida, Synallactida, Dendrochirotida) as well as (3) Arthrochirotida and an (4) unnamed group. The latter two taxa both include holothuroid stem-group representatives. Here we review the present state ofknowledge on holothuroids, including their fossil record and evolutionary relationships. New discoveries, new tools and techniques have helped in understanding sea cucumbers as we know these echinoderms today. The 'Treatise' (1966) listed around 295 fossil holothurian species, whereas today~ 1 ,000 fossil and> 1, 700 modem holothuroid species are known. Fossil articulated specimens, discovered in the last five decades, which include new morphological details of the anatomy have revised our understanding of the evolutionary relationships among the Holothuroidea and their relatives (Ophiocistioidea and Echinoidea). However, there are still unsolved questions, e.g., regarding homoplasy of body-wall ossicles, understudied endoskeletal elements like the calcareous ring etc.

- 102 - Program & Abstracts

16th International Echinoderm Conference

May 28- June 1, 2018 Noyori Conference Hall Nagoya University

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