Fig. 11

Representation of ANTP-type gene families within Rotifera-Acanthocephala. Colored boxes indicate that genes of particular gene families were identified. Absence of a box means that no corresponding gene was found. Missing gene families in species pairs are highlighted by x’s (black for Seisonidea-Acanthocephala; red for Monogononta-Acanthocephala, lilac for Bdelloidea-Seisonidea). Out of the 40 gene families searched by TBLASTN, 35 were determined in at least one of the draft genomes analyzed. Their presence/absence indicates an intermediate size of the corresponding complement in S. nebaliae (GA2) between the monogonont (B. plicatilis) and the bdelloid (A. vaga) on the one hand, and the acanthocephalan (P. laevis) on the other. Shared absence of hox 5, mnx/hb9, gsx and nk4 gene families in the draft genomes of S. nebaliae and P. laevis would be in line with a monophyletic origin of Seisonidea and Acanthocephala (Pararotatoria) as visualized by the tree at the upper margin. Note that there is no lacking pair of gene families in support of monophyletic Lemniscea (Bdelloidea+Acanthocephala). Also, there is no missing ANTP-like gene family in support of monophyletic Eurotatoria (Monogononta+Bdelloidea)