Phylogeny of the Serpula-Crucigera-Hydroides clade (Serpulidae:Annelida) using molecular and morphological data: implications for operculum evolution

The type genus of Serpulidae, Serpula Linnaeus, 1758, along with closely related genera Crucigera Benedict, 1887 and Hydroides Gunnerus, 1768, accounts for approximately one-third of all described species in the family. Although previous morphological and molecular studies unequivocally indicate that these three genera constitute a monophyletic group, the status of each genus remains unknown. In this study, the relationships among and within the genera Serpula, Crucigera, and Hydroides were investigated using maximum parsimony and Bayesian analyses of nuclear (18S and 28S rDNA) and mitochondrial (cytochrome b) genomic molecular markers plus morphology. The phylogeny supports the monophyly of Hydroides, but Serpula forms a paraphyletic basal grade and Crucigera is polyphyletic. The lack of close relationship between Hydroides and Crucigera indicates that their similar opercular features are not homologous.E. K. Kupriyanova, R. Bastida-Zavala, M. N. Halt, M. S. Y. Lee and G. W. Rous

Hydroides dianthus (Polychaeta: Serpulidae), an alien species introduced into Tokyo Bay, Japan

Calcareous tube polychaetes (family Serpulidae) are notorious biofoulers that are easily transported and introduced to allochthonous habitats. Here we report the recent introduction of Hydroides dianthus (Verrill, 1873) to eastern Japan as its first occurrence in East Asia, probably from European or American coasts. Specimens had been found on artificial hard substrata together with congeners H. ezoensis, H. exaltatus and H. fusicolus in Tokyo Bay, Japan in 2006. The origin, vector, source of introduction and possible impact of H. dianthus on Japanese coasts is discussed from a perspective based on worldwide Hydroides transport