Systematics of Oukuriella epler, 1986, including a revision of the species associated with freshwater sponges

Abstract

Oukuriella has been recorded only in the Neotropical region. Larvae of some species of the genus have associations with freshwater sponges and immersed wood. In this study we performed a phylogenetic analysis to test the hypothesis that species that inhabit freshwater sponges form a monophyletic group. Including the six species described here, the number of species in the genus now is 21. Our findings do not support the subgroups previously proposed within Oukuriella based on the morphology of adult males. The most parsimonious cladograms obtained indicate that Oukuriella is a monophyletic group and the inhabitants of freshwater sponges form a monophyletic group within Oukuriella. © 2014 by Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, The Netherlands.