I am interested in the diversity and phylogeny of non-bilaterian animals, especially calcareous sponges. For many of these invertebrates, the systematic classifications based on morphology do not reflect the phylogeny. In these cases, DNA-based approaches can be a useful tool to re-eavaluate hypotheses about relationships and the evolution of morphological characters. Revision of the classification and the recognition of morphological synapomorphies is the final goal by integration of morphological and DNA.
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