Higher-level crustacean phylogeny: Consensus and conflicting hypotheses

摘要: This paper presents an overview of current hypotheses higher-level crustacean phylogeny in order to assist and help focus further research. It concentrates on proposed or debated the recent literature based morphological, molecular combined evidence phylogenetic analyses. can be concluded that remains essentially unresolved. Conflict is rife, irrespective whether one compares different morphological studies, both. Using number recently alternative sister group for each major tetraconatan taxa as a rough estimate uncertainty, it position Malacostraca most problematic, closely followed by Branchiopoda, Cephalocarida, Remipedia, Ostracoda, Branchiura, Copepoda Hexapoda. Future progress will depend upon broader taxon sampling analyses, exploration new markers. However, need continued revision expansion datasets undiminished given conspicuous lack agreement between molecules morphology positioning several taxa. In view unparalleled diversity Crustacea, likely nesting Hexapoda somewhere within working out detailed Tetraconata crucial step towards understanding arthropod body plan evolution.