PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS OF MITOCHONDRIAL DNA AND MORPHOLOGICAL CHARACTERS SUGGEST A NEED FOR TAXONOMIC RE-EVALUATION WITHIN THE ALOPIINAE (GASTROPODA: CLAUSILIIDAE)

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Abstract
A combined approach of mitochondnal large subumit ribosomal RNA (lrRNA) sequence analysis and cladistic analysis of morphological characters was used in an effort to test previously proposed hypotheses on the taxonomy and phylogeny of certain taxa within the land snail family Clausiliidae. Ten populations belonging to three clausiliid subfamilies were examined, focusing mainly on the Alopiinae. Special consideration was given to the Graciliaria-type clausiliar apparatus (GCA), whose homoplasious character is confirmed: the two approaches give congruent results after its exclusion. The present analysis indicates that phylogenetic relations, at least within the Alopiinae, have to be reexamined. In view of the above, a new classification for certain taxa is proposed.

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