| Jesper Stenderup M.Sc.-student
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The focus for my reseach is biology of Crustacea and evolutionary biology in general and Branchiopoda in general. My current project is focussed on reconstructing the intrinsic phylogeny of the Crustacea Branchipoda inferred from molecular data and attempt to place them within the Crustacea at large. In order to achieve this I have collected material covering all orders and almost every single family - a total of more then 50 species. My main focus has been the D3-7 region of the ribosomal gene 28S from which I have sequenced ~900-1000 basepairs and an additional 550 basepairs from 16S rDNA in order to supply sufficient resolution. One major problem I am addressing is the phylogenetic position of the monotypic Cyclestheria hislopi within the Diplostraca. This enigmatic species has traditionally been placed within Spinicaudata (Conchostraca) but recent evidence from both morphological and molecular data indicates that the Conchostraca are paraphyletic and that C. hislopi is more closely related to the Cladocerans and therefore outside the Spinicaudata. This would leave not only the "Conchostraca" (= Laevicaudata + Spinicaudata + Cyclestherida) but also the Spinicaudata as paraphyletic taxa. I intend to test this relatively recent idea with molecular data. The new taxon comprising C. hislopi and all Cladocera (called Cladoceromorpha) should be the sistergroup to the "remaining Spinicaudata". If true, this poses the problem of solving the phylogeny at the family level of the remaining spinicaudate families (Limnadiidae, Leptestheridae, Cyzycidae) along with finding the phylogenetic position of the single laevicaudate family (Lynceidae) within Branchiopoda. Within the Cladocera other problems need attention. The Cladocera traditionally comprises four groups; Haplopoda, Onychopoda, Ctenopoda and Anomopoda. The internal relationship within the group is much debated and the entire taxa may not be monophyletic. Two concepts are now favored by different groups; The Gymnomera theory with the monotypic Haplopoda being a sister group to the monophyletic Onychopoda and forming Gymnomera with Anomopoda in this concept as sister group to the Gymnomera leaving Ctenopoda basal within the Cladocera and the Eucladocera concept where Haplopoda is excluded from Eucladocera which now only hold Onychopoda as sister group to Ctenopoda and Anomopoda now forming a monophyletic group. My ambition is to solve this dispute. Finally I hope to address the problems concerning the relationship of the five families which comprise Anomopoda; Daphniidae, Bosminidae, Chydoridae, Moinidae and Macrothricidae. Their relationship is somewhat unclear and I hope to shed light on this problem as well as on the blurred relationship within the Macrothricidae. Because of the primitive appearance of the Macrothricidae, this family may be a key taxon to understanding the evolution of the Anomopoda. Supervisors on this project: |
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Ass. Prof. PhD Henrik Glenner Department of Evolutionary Biology University of Copenhagen Zoological Institute 15 Universitetsparken DK-2100 OE Denmark Fax: +45 35 32 13 00 E-mail: hglenner@zi.ku.dk |
Ass. Prof. PhD Jørgen Olesen Zoological Museum Department of Invertebrates University of Copenhagen 15 Universitetsparken DK-2100 OE Denmark Fax: +45 35 32 10 10 E-mail: j1olesen@zmuc.ku.dk |
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Department of Evolutionary Biology - Institute of Biology - University of Copenhagen
Universitetsparken 15 - 2100 Copenhagen Ø - Denmark
Phone: +45 3532 1313 - Fax: +45 3532 1300 - Email: deb@bi.ku.dk
Universitetsparken 15 - 2100 Copenhagen Ø - Denmark
Phone: +45 3532 1313 - Fax: +45 3532 1300 - Email: deb@bi.ku.dk