A reassessment of the systematics and a proposal for the phylogeny of some cosmopolitan Lineus species (Nemertea)

Molecular Phylogeny of Some European Heteronemertean (Nemertea) Species and the Monophyletic Status ofRiseriellus, Lineus,andMicrura

“…This finding supports Bierne et al's (1993) conclusion that L. viridis and L. ruber form a clade separated from the grouping of L. longissimus, M. lacteus, and M. sanguineus. Bierne et al (1993) also concluded that the viridis/ruber clade was ancestral to the other group, but this is not supported in our phylogeny where the two groups form sister groups, independent of how the phylogeny is reconstructed.…”

“…L. sanguineus, L. nigricans, and L. vegetus all belonged to the same species (sanguineus by priority) and were separated from other Lineus species. Bierne et al (1993) reached the same conclusion, arguing that also L. pseudolacteus should be included in this species; later Riser (1994) diagnosed a new genus, Myoisophagos, for these species in which he also included Lineus lacteus. It is not clear from Riser (1994) what actual synapomorphies that he considers identify the taxon as monophyletic, and he does not consider its phylogenetic relationship with Lineus.…”

“…The two species resemble each other morphologically and were synonymized before being separated on the basis of larval development (Schmidt, 1946;Gontcharoff, 1951). Bierne et al (1993) found only some differences in electrophoresis patterns of protein components, and Cantell (1975) treated them as indistinguishable morphologically except in coloration. We have allocated the specimens into either L. viridis (various shades of green) or L. ruber (red to reddish-brown) entirely based on coloration.…”

Population genomics of sexual and asexual lineages in fissiparous ribbon worms (Lineus, Nemertea): hybridization, polyploidy and the Meselson effect

“…L. sanguineus has a worldwide distribution, and s everal subspecies have been distinguished based on colour pattern and geographic range (Bierne et al . ), suggesting a relatively ancient origin of asexuality in this cosmopolitan species. L. pseudolacteus , which so far has only been found in Brittany (France), still lacks any report of an individual with trace of ovary or testis.…”

Observations on the morphology of some North American nemertines with consequent taxonomic changes and a reassessment of the architectonics of the phylum

“…This group does not belong to the genus Lineus which is characterized by paired rhynchodaeal blood vessels, subepidermal glands separated from OLM by a thick layer of connective tissue and a longitudinal muscle plate beneath the rhynchocoel. Furthermore, in the absence of any distinguishing species characters, it is my opinion that they (including the New Zealand forms) constitute a single spe-cies, Lineus sanguineus as Bierne et al, (1993) have indicated based upon other characters. A fissiparous species which undergoes fragmentation under adverse conditions and in which fragments can form cysts could easily be transported all over the world as part of the fouling community on ships and floating debris.…”