Meeting Abstract

S8.1  Wednesday, Jan. 6  Progress and problems in understanding relationships among sea anemones DALY, M*; RODRIGUEZ, E; Ohio State University; American Museum of Natural History daly.66@osu.edu

Actiniarian sea anemones are among the most diverse and successful members of the anthozoan subclass Hexacorallia, being found at all depths and latitudes and in all marine habitats. Members of this order exhibit the greatest variation in anatomy, biology, and life history in Hexacorallia, and lack any morphological synapomorphy. Nonetheless, previous molecular phylogenetic studies have found that Actiniaria is monophyletic with respect to extant hexacorallians. Relationships within Actiniaria have been more difficult to elucidate, and those relationships that have emerged conflict significantly with taxonomic concepts at all hierarchical levels. We discuss points of consensus and controversy in Actiniarian phylogeny, exploring the implications of the poly- and para- phyly of major groups.