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. 2014 Feb 18:4:4127.
doi: 10.1038/srep04127.

Molecular phylogeny of Myriapoda provides insights into evolutionary patterns of the mode in post-embryonic development

Hideyuki Miyazawa  1 , Chiaki Ueda  1 , Kensuke Yahata  2 , Zhi-Hui Su  1
Affiliations

Molecular phylogeny of Myriapoda provides insights into evolutionary patterns of the mode in post-embryonic development

Hideyuki Miyazawa et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Myriapoda, a subphylum of Arthropoda, comprises four classes, Chilopoda, Diplopoda, Pauropoda, and Symphyla. While recent molecular evidence has shown that Myriapoda is monophyletic, the internal phylogeny, which is pivotal for understanding the evolutionary history of myriapods, remains unresolved. Here we report the results of phylogenetic analyses and estimations of divergence time and ancestral state of myriapods. Phylogenetic analyses were performed based on three nuclear protein-coding genes determined from 19 myriapods representing the four classes (17 orders) and 11 outgroup species. The results revealed that Symphyla whose phylogenetic position has long been debated is the sister lineage to all other myriapods, and that the interordinal relationships within classes were consistent with traditional classifications. Ancestral state estimation based on the tree topology suggests that myriapods evolved from an ancestral state that was characterized by a hemianamorphic mode of post-embryonic development and had a relatively low number of body segments and legs.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Representatives of four myriapod classes.
(a) Scolopendra sp. (Chilopoda). (b) Riukiaria holstii (Diplopoda). (c) Hanseniella caldaria (Symphyla). (d) Pauropodidae sp. (Pauropoda). These pictures were taken by the first author (H.M.).
Figure 2
Figure 2. Major hypotheses for the relationships among myriapod classes.
(a, b) Traditional views based on morphology. (c) Hypotheses based on molecular analyses.
Figure 3
Figure 3. ML tree of Myriapoda based on the combined amino acid sequences of DPD1, RPB1, and RPB2.
ML bootstrap values (top) and Bayesian posterior probability (bottom) are shown at each node. Bold letters after the species name indicate order name. Higher taxon names of Myriapoda are indicated to the right of the tree. The illustrations of the four representative myriapods were drawn by the first author (H.M.) based on the pictures shown in Fig. 1.
Figure 4
Figure 4. Estimated divergence time of myriapod clades.
Blue bars across nodes indicate 95% highest posterior density of the node estimate for divergence time (refer to Supplementary Fig. S2). Red circles at nodes indicate fossil calibration points.
Figure 5
Figure 5. Evolutionary transition of post-embryonic development mode.
Ancestral state estimation is based on the RAxML topology (Fig. 3) using a likelihood algorithm. Pie charts represent the relative likelihood of different mode of post-embryonic development. The number of body segments of the myriapods belonging to the order is shown in brackets after the order name. The illustrations of the four representative myriapods were drawn by the first author (H.M.) based on the pictures shown in Fig. 1.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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