Flotidae
TaxonFlotidae
AuthorityBuzhinskaja, 1996
Subdivision ranksGenera
Subdivision

Flotidae is a family of pelagic polychaete worms, sometimes synonymized with Flabelligeridae, which they closely resemble. Other sources consider them the sister taxon to Flabelligeridae and closely allied to the latter group.[1][2]

Taxonomy

Flotidae originally contained one genus, Flota, from which it derives its name, but a 2007 study also placed Buskiella in the family, and moved all (two) Flota species to Buskiella.[3][4][1] The family would thus contains one genus and three species, listed below.

Similarities and differences with Flabelligeridae

A 2008 paper analyzing the phylogenetics of flotid polychaetes found that flotids are nested within Flabelligeridae.[1] However, defenders of the separate family status of Flotidae cite several morphological differences.[5]

References

  1. ^ Zhadan, A. E., and A. B. Tzetlin. "Polychaetes from deep pelagic zone of the Mid-Atlantic ridge." Invertebr. Zool 5 (2008): 97-109.
  2. ^ Osborn, Karen J. & Rouse, Greg W. (2008-10-01). "Multiple origins of pelagicism within Flabelligeridae (Annelida)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 49 (1): 386–392. Bibcode:2008MolPE..49..386O. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2008.05.042. ISSN 1055-7903. PMID 18588991
  3. ^ Salazar-V. allejo, S. I.; Carrera-P. arra, L. F.; Fauchald, K. (2008). "Phylogenetic affinities of the Flabelligeridae (Annelida, Polychaeta)". Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research. 46 (3): 203–215. doi:10.1111/j.1439-0469.2008.00464.x. ISSN 0947-5745
  4. ^ Salazar-Vallejo, S. I. & Zhadan, A. E. (Jan 2007). "Revision of Buskiella McIntosh, 1885 (including Flota Hartman, 1967), and description of its trifid organ (Polychaeta: Flotidae)" (in Russian). Invertebrate Zoology. 4 (1): 65–82. doi:10.15298/invertzool.04.1.06. ISSN 1812-9250
  5. ^ Buzhinskaja, Galina N. (2006). "On the morphology of the genus Flota Hartman, 1967 and corroboration of the family status of Flotidae Buzhinskaja, 1996 (Polychaeta)". Zoosystematica Rossica. 15 (1): 7–17. doi:10.31610/zsr/2006.15.1.7