Dissertation Research: A Cladistic Analysis of the Deep Sea Ophiuroid Genera Ophiomusium Lyman and Ophiosphalma H.L. Clark and Their Relations Within Ophiolepididae ......

9701264个脂肪梳状嗜酸粒棘皮动物，或称脆性星星，是棘皮动物中最大的一类。它们几乎占据了从热带到极地海洋，从潮间带到深海的所有海洋环境。尽管如此，关于它们的系统学，蛇绿科动物仍然是最少被研究的类群之一。深海中脆弱的恒星也可能引发一场关于深海动物起源的持续辩论。一些科学家认为深海环境是古代物种的避难所，另一些科学家则认为深海物种是较新出现的，是由于浅水和南极动物群的入侵。在这项研究中，戴安娜·利普斯库姆、大卫·波森和博士生苏珊·霍滕罗特将对所有海洋中占主导地位的深海动物群中的两个眼科动物属--蛇床科和蛇眼科进行系统的修订。组成这些属的77个种的特征很差。通过对各博物馆标本的大体和精细结构解剖的研究，本研究将首次提供这些物种的详细描述和鉴定检索表。预计这项分析将有助于更好地了解眼科动物的一般情况，特别是深海物种。这项研究还应该通过包括生物地理分析在内的生物地理分析，对这些脆性恒星的起源进行相互竞争的假设，从而深入了解深海动物群的起源。

9701264 LIPSCOMB Ophiuroids, or brittle stars, are the largest class of echinoderms. They occupy nearly every marine environment from the tropics to polar seas, and the intertidal to abyssal zones. Nonetheless, ophiuroids remain one of the least studied groups with respect to their systematics. Brittle stars in the deep sea may also inform an ongoing debate about the origins of deep-sea animals. Some scientists believe that the deep-sea environment is a refuge for ancient species, others believe that deep-water species appeared more recently, by invasions from shallow-water and Antarctic faunas. In this research, Diana Lipscomb, David Pawson and doctoral candidate Susan Hottenrott will conduct a systematic revision of two ophuroid genera, Ophiomusium and Ophiosphalma (family Ophiolepididae) which are dominant members of the deep-sea fauna in all oceans. The 77 species that comprise these genera are poorly characterized. By studying the gross and fine structural anatomy of specimens archived at various museums, this study will provide the first detailed description and identification keys of these species. It is anticipated that this analysis will result in a better understanding of ophuroids in general and deep-sea species in particular. The study should also give insights into the origin of deep sea faunas, by including biogeographic analyses that will test competing hypotheses for the origins of these brittle stars.