| Research on the evolution of the symbiosis between the boring mussel Fungiacava eilatensis (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) and its mushroom coral hosts (Scleractinia: Fungiidae), which requires phylogenetic reconstructions of both the Mytilidae and the Fungiidae, contributes to the understanding of the complexity of coral reef ecosystems. Previously, Fungiacava was regarded as a genus that had descended from Leiosolenus or as belonging to the subfamily Crenellinae, but no phylogenetic support has been obtained for this hypothesis. In the present study, the 18s rRNA sequences of ten mytilid species and the shell microstructures of 12 mytilids were investigated. The phylogenetic position of F. eilatensis is discussed in relation to its associations with its host... |
