Protistology 10 (3) 97–103 (2016) |
Molecular phylogeny of Aphelidium tribonemae reveals its sister relationship with A. aff. melosirae (Aphelida, Opisthosporidia) |
1 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia
| Submitted October 5, 2016 | Accepted November 10, 2016 | Summary Aphelids remain poorly known parasitoids of algae but have raised considerable interest due to their phylogenetic position at the base of Holomycota. Together with Cryptomycota and Microsporidia, they have been recently re-classified in the Opisthosporidia, which constitutes the sister group to the fungi within the Holomycota. Molecular environmental studies have revealed a diversity of aphelids, but only four genera have been described: Aphelidium, Amoeboaphelidium, Paraphelidium and Pseudaphelidium. Here, we describe the life cycle of a known representative of Aphelida, Aphelidium tribonemae, and provide the first 18S rRNA gene sequence obtained for this species. Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicates that Aphelidium tribonemae is sister to A. aff. melosirae and both form a monophyletic cluster, which is distantly related to both Paraphelidium with flagellated zoospores, and Amoebaphelidium with amoeboid zoospores.
Key words: aphelids, Opisthosporidia, molecular phylogeny, Holomycota
Address for correspondence: Sergey A. Karpov. Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg 199034, Russia; e-mail: sakarpov4@gmail.com |
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