Evaluation of the Ecdysozoa versus Articulata hypothesis on the basis of complete mitochondrial genome data

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The envisaged goal of the planned project within the first two years period is the evaluation of the Ecdysozoa versus the Articulata hypotheses and thus to determine the most likely position of the Arthropoda within the Protostomia. Caused by an increasing amount of molecular data, the origin of the Arthropoda is controversely discussed once again. Traditionally most morphological data are viewed as arguments for a sister group relationship between Annelida and Arthropoda favoring the Articulata hypothesis. On the other hand, molecular data place the arthropods rather as the sister taxon to part of the Nemathelmithes (Cycloneuralia) (supporting the taxon Ecdysozoa) and unify annelids together with the molluscs and tentaculates, part of the Plathelminthes and some minor groups to the Lophotrochozoa. Within the planned project total mitochondrial genome sequences -especially of Nemathelminthes- will be determined and phylogenetically compared to mitochondrial genome sequences of Arthropoda, Mollusca, Annelida and Tentaculata either already available in the database or still to be determined by us or cooperating researchers. Furthermore, with the new data, especially those of Nemathelminthes, a much more detailed picture of phylogenetic relationships within the Arthropoda is expected as one of the results of phylogenetic data analyses.