Evolution of phylactolaemate bryozoans

The proposed project aims to create a new phylogeny of phylactolaemate bryozoans, a small group of freshwater forms. This phylogeny will be created with new transcriptomic data that is still missing for this group of bryozoans (moss animals). In total, transcriptomes of 12 species from all six families will be sampled and sequenced for the phylogenetic reconstruction. In addition, a profound analysis of morphological characters of phylogenetic importance such as the nervous or muscular system of lesser studied taxa will enhance and complement previous data. The project thus will address several still unknown aspects such as ancestral colonial organization and cystid evolution. Beside the better resolved phylogeny, this part of the project will reconstruct the morphological ground pattern of the clade and address their ancestral and apomorphic characters. As sister group to all remaining bryozoans the project will ultimately yield a better understanding of bryozoan evolution.

Within the project Evolution of phylactolaemate bryozoans, a new phylogeny based on phylogenomic data was created. Members of all major families were included into this analysis. This clarified the relationships of the different families to each other. In addition the morphology of several species that were previously not at all or only little investigated was analysed. Thereby, it was possible to find new family-specific traits from several families, but also, amidst others, the creation of a new genus.