Phylogenomic resolution of scorpions reveals multilevel discordance with morphological phylogenetic signal

Abstract

Scorpions represent an iconic lineage of arthropods, historically renowned for their unique bauplan, ancient fossil record and venom potency. Yet, higher level relationships of scorpions, based exclusively on morphology, remain virtually untested, and no multilocus molecular phylogeny has been deployed heretofore towards assessing the basal tree topology. We applied a phylogenomic assessment to resolve scorpion phylogeny, for the first time, to our knowledge, sampling extensive molecular sequence data from all superfamilies and examining basal relationships with up to 5025 genes. Analyses of supermatrices as well as species tree approaches converged upon a robust basal topology of scorpions that is entirely at odds with traditional systematics and controverts previous understanding of scorpion evolutionary history. All analyses unanimously support a single origin of katoikogenic development, a form of parental investment wherein embryos are nurtured by direct connections to the parent's digestive system. Based on the phylogeny obtained herein, we propose the following systematic emendations: Caraboctonidae is transferred to Chactoidea new superfamilial assignment; superfamily Bothriuroidea revalidated is resurrected and Bothriuridae transferred therein; and Chaerilida and Pseudochactida are synonymized with Buthida new parvordinal synonymies."All scorpions look generally alike." Gary Allan Polis (1990)

Venom Gland Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses of the Enigmatic Scorpion Superstitionia donensis (Scorpiones: Superstitioniidae), with Insights on the Evolution of Its Venom Components

“…Despite the large number of studies available in the scorpion venom literature, concerning venom components and identification of their activities, only twelve scorpion families of the twenty recognized extant families [1,2] are currently studied (Table 1). While most of the studied scorpions belong to the family Buthidae, an increasing number of species from other families (i.e., Bothriuridae, Caraboctonidae, Hormuridae, Scorpionidae, Scorpiopidae, Urodacidae and Vaejovidae) are drawing the attention of researchers.…”

Sex-Linked Chromosome Heterozygosity in Males of Tityus confluens (Buthidae): A Clue about the Presence of Sex Chromosomes in Scorpions

“…Buthidae is the most diverse family of scorpions of the Parvorder Buthida, which also includes the poorly diversified families Chaerilidae and Pseudochactidae, and is clearly separate from the rest of the extant scorpion families [1]. The New World buthid genus Tityus C. L. Koch 1836 is the most diversified of the order, with more than 200 species described.…”

Fossil calibrations for the arthropod Tree of Life

“…The composition of Buthida and Iurida are as detailed inSharma et al (2015). Monophyly has 673 been supported by phylogenetic analysis of transcriptomes(Sharma et al, 2015(Sharma et al, , 2014, morphology 674Shultz, 2007), and combined ribosomal sequences and morphology675 (Pepato et al, 2010). axelrodurum Carvalho and Lourenço, 2001.…”