SASTRE-DE JESúS, INéS*, DOLORES GONZáLEZ, AND EFRAIN DE LUNA. Biology Department, Unversity of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez Campus, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. 00681. - Phylogenetic position of the Neckeraceae (Musci) based on rbcL gene sequences.
The Neckeraceae have been placed within the Leucodontales suborder
Neckerinae. Some authors have suggested a relationship of the family
with Climacium, Hypnodendron, Phyllogonium and
Echinodium. Our objective is to determine the phylogenetic
position of the Neckeraceae within the pelurocarpous mosses using
nucleotide sequences of rbcL. These sequences were determined
for 10 genera of the Neckeraceae (for example Neckeropsis,
Homalia, Porotrichum) and added to 30 other sequences
available from exemplars of families in the Climaciineae,
Leucodontineae, Pterobryineae. Cladistic analyses of 40 taxa showed
that the Neckeraceae is a monophyletic group as represented by
Neckera, Homalia, Homaliodendron,
Porotrichum, and Neckeropsis. This clade is sister to
the Lembophyllaceae, Echinodiaceae, and Myuriaceae. Basal to this
large clade are exemplars of the Brachyteciaceae and Plagiotheciaceae.
Key words: mosses., Neckeraceae, pleurocarps, rbcL