CSIRO Publishing blank image blank image blank image blank imageBooksblank image blank image blank image blank imageJournalsblank image blank image blank image blank imageAbout Usblank image blank image blank image blank imageShopping Cartblank image blank image blank image You are here: Journals > Invertebrate Systematics   
Invertebrate Systematics
Journal Banner
  Systematics, Phylogeny and Biogeography
 
blank image Search
 
blank image blank image
blank image
 
  Advanced Search
   

Journal Home
About the Journal
Editorial Board
Contacts
Content
Current Issue
Just Accepted
Virtual Issues
All Issues
Special Issues
Sample Issue
For Authors
General Information
Notice to Authors
Submit Article
Open Access
For Referees
Referee Guidelines
Review Article
Annual Referee Index
For Subscribers
Subscription Prices
Customer Service
Print Publication Dates

blue arrow e-Alerts
blank image
Subscribe to our Email Alert or RSS feeds for the latest journal papers.

red arrow Connect with us
blank image
facebook   youtube

red arrow Supplementary Series
blank image
All volumes of the Australian Journal of Zoology Supplementary Series are online.

 

Article << Previous     |         Contents Vol 20(3)

Species delimitation and distribution in Aporometra (Crinoidea : Echinodermata): endemic Australian featherstars

Lauren E. Helgen A C, Greg W. Rouse A B

A School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005 Australia.
B South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000 Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: lauren.helgen@gmail.com
 
PDF (1.3 MB) $40
 Export Citation
 Print
  


Abstract

Aporometra Clark, 1938, which belongs to the monotypic Aporometridae, is a crinoid genus endemic to temperate Australian waters. It has been described as being ‘viviparous’ and is among the smallest of comatulids. The small size of specimens, and poor morphological justifications for specific diagnoses have created uncertainty over the number of species in the genus and their distributions. This study identified a suite of characters using data from scanning electron microscopy and mtDNA sequencing (CO1 and ND2) to assess the number of species of Aporometra. Specimens were obtained from museums and collected from Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. Type material was also examined when possible. Phylogenetic hypotheses were generated using maximum parsimony-based analyses of the separate and combined datasets. The results support the monophyly of Aporometra and the presence of two species, Aporometra wilsoni (Bell, 1888) and Aporometra occidentalis A. H. Clark, 1938, along the southern Australian coast. The status of the third nominal species, Aporometra paedophora (H. L. Clark, 1909), remains to be resolved, but it may be a junior synonym of A. wilsoni. Morphological diagnoses are reviewed. Aporometra occidentalis was only found in Western Australia, while A. wilsoni was found from Western Australia to Victoria. Phylogeographic differentiation between the western and southern populations of A. wilsoni is briefly discussed.

   
Subscriber Login
Username:
Password:  

    
Legal & Privacy | Contact Us | Help

CSIRO

© CSIRO 1996-2013