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Validity of the Protostomia-Deuterostomia Theory

1975; Oxford University Press; Volume: 24; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/sysbio/24.1.96

1076-836X

Søren Løvtrup,

Aquatic Invertebrate Ecology and Behavior

Validity of the Protostomia-Deuterostomia theory. Syst. Zool. 24:96–108.—A critical evaluation of the characters on which the Protostomia-Deuterostomia theory is based shows that this theory rests on shaky ground. In an attempt to test this superphyletic classification, I investigated the phylogenetic relationship between Echinodermata, Mollusca and Vertebrata on the basis of various biochemical, physiological, and histological characters. The outcome is that Mollusca and Vertebiata have many more characters in common than have the Vertebrata and Echinodermata. Therefore, unless the use of non-morphological characters is excluded a priori, it follows that Mollusca and Vertebrata have ancestors in common that were not ancestors to Echinodermata, and that the Protostomia-Deuterostomia classification is falsified.