Date:7/1/2011

at commonly overgrow docks and pilings. "The Thaliacea was monophyletic, indicating that the pyrosomes, salps, and doliolids arose from a common ancestor," she said. "Within the salp lineage, we unexpectedly found the cyclosalp group to be closely related to another salp lineage, despite many morphological and behavioral differences. We also were able to clarify the uncertainty around the salp Weelia (Salpa) cylindrica. Previous work suggested that this species was closely related to species in the genus Salpa, but our results strongly indicated that it is distinct and warrants placement in a separate genus."

Previous tunicate studies have been based on18S rDNA sequences, but thaliaceans were very poorly represented, Govindarajan said. "There are relatively few thaliacean specialists, and specimens are difficult to obtain and identify. Better thaliacean representation allowed us to make new insights on evolutionary relationships both within the Thaliacea and between thaliaceans and other tunicates."

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Contact: WHOI Media Relations media@whoi.edu 508-289-3340 Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Source:Eurekalert

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