@article {5255,
	title = {Large-scale phylogenomics of the genus Macrostomum (Platyhelminthes) reveals cryptic diversity and novel sexual traits},
	journal = {Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution},
	volume = {166},
	year = {2022},
	month = {Jan-01-2022},
	pages = {107296},
	abstract = {<p>Free-living flatworms of the genus Macrostomum are small and transparent animals, representing attractive study organisms for a broad range of topics in evolutionary, developmental, and molecular biology. The genus includes the model organism M. lignano for which extensive molecular resources are available, and recently there is a growing interest in extending work to additional species in the genus. These endeavours are currently hindered because, even though \&gt;200 Macrostomum species have been taxonomically described, molecular phylogenetic information and geographic sampling remain limited. We report on a global sampling campaign aimed at increasing taxon sampling and geographic representation of the genus. Specifically, we use extensive transcriptome and single-locus data to generate phylogenomic hypotheses including 145 species. Across different phylogenetic methods and alignments used, we identify several consistent clades, while their exact grouping is less clear, possibly due to a radiation early in Macrostomum evolution. Moreover, we uncover a large undescribed diversity, with 94 of the studied species likely being new to science, and we identify multiple novel morphological traits. Furthermore, we identify cryptic speciation in a taxonomically challenging assemblage of species, suggesting that the use of molecular markers is a prerequisite for future work, and we describe the distribution of putative synapomorphies and suggest taxonomic revisions based on our finding. Our large-scale phylogenomic dataset now provides a robust foundation for comparative analyses of morphological, behavioural and molecular evolution in this genus.</p>
},
	issn = {1055-7903},
	doi = {10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107296},
	url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2021.107296},
	author = {Brand, Jeremias N. and Viktorin, Gudrun and Wiberg, R. Axel W. and Beisel, Christian and Sch{\"a}rer, Lukas}
}
@article {4706,
	title = {The first multi-gene phylogeny of the Macrostomorpha sheds light on the evolution of sexual and asexual reproduction in basal Platyhelminthes},
	journal = {Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution},
	volume = {92},
	year = {2015},
	chapter = {82-107},
	abstract = {The Macrostomorpha{\textemdash}an early branching and species-rich clade of free-living flatworms{\textemdash}is attracting interest because it contains Macrostomum lignano, a versatile model organism increasingly used in evolutionary, developmental, and molecular biology. We elucidate the macrostomorphan molecular phylogeny inferred from both nuclear (18S and 28S rDNA) and mitochondrial (16S rDNA and COI) marker genes from 40 representatives. Although our phylogeny does not recover the Macrostomorpha as a statistically supported monophyletic grouping, it (i) confirms many taxa previously proposed based on morphological evidence, (ii) permits the first placement of many families and genera, and (iii) reveals a number of unexpected placements. Specifically, Myozona and Bradynectes are outside the three classic families (Macrostomidae, Microstomidae and Dolichomacrostomidae) and the asexually fissioning Myomacrostomum belongs to a new subfamily, the Myozonariinae nov. subfam. (Dolichomacrostomidae), rather than diverging early. While this represents the first evidence for asexuality among the Dolichomacrostomidae, we show that fissioning also occurs in another Myozonariinae, Myozonaria fissipara nov. sp. Together with the placement of the (also fissioning) Microstomidae, namely as the sister taxon of Dolichomacrostomidae, this suggests that fissioning is not basal within the Macrostomorpha, but rather restricted to the new taxon Dolichomicrostomida (Dolichomacrostomidae~+~Microstomidae). Furthermore, our phylogeny allows new insights into the evolution of the reproductive system, as ancestral state reconstructions reveal convergent evolution of gonads, and male and female genitalia. Finally, the convergent evolution of sperm storage organs in the female genitalia appears to be linked to the widespread occurrence of hypodermic insemination among the Macrostomorpha.},
	author = {Janssen, T and Vizoso, D B and Schulte, G and Littlewood, D T J and Waeschenbach, A and Sch{\"a}rer, L}
}
