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Chemosystematics in the O piliones ( A rachnida): a comment on the evolutionary history of alkylphenols and benzoquinones in the scent gland secretions of L aniatores
Author(s) -
Raspotnig Günther,
Bodner Michaela,
Schäffer Sylvia,
Koblmüller Stephan,
Schönhofer Axel,
Karaman Ivo
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
cladistics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.323
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 1096-0031
pISSN - 0748-3007
DOI - 10.1111/cla.12079
Subject(s) - synapomorphy , biology , extant taxon , taxon , secretion , zoology , phylogenetics , chemical communication , evolutionary biology , ecology , sex pheromone , genetics , gene , biochemistry , clade
Large prosomal scent glands constitute a major synapomorphic character of the arachnid order O piliones. These glands produce a variety of chemicals very specific to opilionid taxa of different taxonomic levels, and thus represent a model system to investigate the evolutionary traits in exocrine secretion chemistry across a phylogenetically old group of animals. The chemically best‐studied opilionid group is certainly L aniatores, and currently available chemical data allow first hypotheses linking the phylogeny of this group to the evolution of major chemical classes of secretion chemistry. Such hypotheses are essential to decide upon a best‐fitting explanation of the distribution of scent‐gland secretion compounds across extant laniatorean taxa, and hence represent a key toward a well‐founded opilionid chemosystematics.