Research » Molecular Phylogeny & Systematics
Molecular phylogenetics and systematics aim at unravelling the relationships of organisms and the evolutionary processes that led to the observed patterns using molecular sequence data (DNA, amino acids).
We are interested in questions at different levels of the tree of life, currently focussing our research on marine sponges, placozoans, and echinoderms.
Here, we investigate shallow (ecological) time processes on the phylogeography of Indo-Pacific invertebrates and deeper-time relationships within the main lineages of sponges (Phylum Porifera).
We are also deeply involved in DNA barcoding, a technique that uses short species-specific DNA fragments for rapid species identification. We pioneered DNA barcoding of sponges and currently coordinate the international Sponge Barcoding Project and curate the Sponge Gentree Server.
Molecular phylogenetics and systematics aim at unravelling the relationships of organisms and the evolutionary processes that led to the observed patterns using molecular sequence data (DNA, amino acids).
We are interested in questions at different levels of the tree of life, currently focussing our research on marine sponges, placozoans, and echinoderms.
Here, we investigate shallow (ecological) time processes on the phylogeography of Indo-Pacific invertebrates and deeper-time relationships within the main lineages of sponges (Phylum Porifera).
We are also deeply involved in DNA barcoding, a technique that uses short species-specific DNA fragments for rapid species identification. We pioneered DNA barcoding of sponges and currently coordinate the international Sponge Barcoding Project and curate the Sponge Gentree Server.
Key publications:
Dohrmann, M., Reiswig, H.M., Kelly, M., Mills, S., Schätzle, S., Reverter, M., Niesse, N., Rohde, S., Schupp, P., Wörheide, G., 2023. Expanded sampling of New Zealand glass sponges (Porifera: Hexactinellida) provides new insights into biodiversity, chemodiversity, and phylogeny of the class. PeerJ 11, e15017.
Wörheide, G., Kaltenbacher, E., Cowan, Z.-L., Haszprunar, G., 2022. A new species of crown-of-thorns sea star, Acanthaster benziei sp. nov. (Valvatida: Acanthasteridae), from the Red Sea. Zootaxa 5209 (3), 379–393.
Reiswig, H.M., Dohrmann, M., Kelly, M., Mills, S., Schupp, P.J., Wörheide, G., 2021. Rossellid glass sponges (Porifera: Hexactinellida) from New Zealand waters, with description of one new genus and six new species. ZooKeys 1060, 33–84.
Galitz, A., Cook, S.D.C., Ekins, M., Hooper, J.N.A., Naumann, P.T., De Voogd, N.J., Abdul Wahab, M., Wörheide, G., Erpenbeck, D., 2018. Identification of an aquaculture poriferan “Pest with Potential” and its phylogenetic implications. PeerJ 6: e5586.
Eitel, M., Francis, W.R., Varoqueaux, F., Daraspe, J., Osigus, H.-J., Krebs, S., Vargas, S., Blum, H., Williams, G.A., Schierwater, B., Wörheide, G., 2018. Comparative genomics and the nature of placozoan species. PLoS Biology 16, e2005359.
Favourite Links
Projects
