Molecular Phylogeny of Cypridoid Freshwater Ostracods (Crustacea: Ostracoda), Inferred from 18S and 28S rDNA Sequences.

With the aim of exploring phylogenetic relationships within Cypridoidea, the most species-rich superfamily among the podocopidan ostracods, we sequenced nearly the entire 18S rRNA gene (18S) and part of the 28S rRNA gene (28S) for 22 species in the order Podocopida, with representatives from all the major cypridoid families. We conducted phylogenetic analyses using the methods of maximum likelihood, minimum evolution, and Bayesian analysis. Our analyses showed monophyly for Cyprididae, one of the four families currently recognized in Cypridoidea. Candonidae turned out to be paraphyletic, and included three clades corresponding to the subfamilies Candoninae, Paracypridinae, and Cyclocypridinae. We propose restricting the name Candonidae s. str. to comprise what is now Candoninae, and raising Paracypridinae and Cyclocyprininae to family rank within the superfamily Cypridoidea.