| The phylogenetic relationships of the Fungiidae, a family of predominantly free-living, zooxanthellate, reef corals, were studied by sequencing a part of the mitochondrial Cytochrome Oxidase I (COI) and the complete ribosomal Internal Transcribed Spacers (ITS) I & II of specimens from various locations in the Indo- West Pacific. Some sequences were retrieved by using fungiidspecific primers on DNA-extracts from parasitic gastropods living with these corals. The analyses were performed both including and excluding intraspecific variation to investigate the potential effect of saturation. Even though the present molecular phylogeny reconstructions largely reflect those based on morphological characters, there are some distinct differences. Three major... |
