| Species of the genus Pontonia Latreille, 1829, are distributed in tropical and subtropical waters around the world, living in association with either molluscan or ascidian hosts. In the present taxonomic revision, Pontonia sensu lato is divided into six genera: Pontonia sensu stricto; Ascidonia gen. nov., Rostronia gen. nov., Dactylonia gen. nov., Odontonia gen. nov., and Bruceonia gen. nov. A total of 29 species is described and figured, four of which are new to science: Pontonia pilosa spec. nov., Dactylonia holthuisi spec. nov., Odontonia rufopunctata spec. nov., and O. seychellensis spec. nov. The division in six genera is based on a stepwise phylogenetic analysis using morphological characters, performed using PAUP and McClade software. The... |
