Marcelo V. Kitahara

TL;DR: The phylogenetic analyses imply that the most basal extant scleractinians are azooxanthellate solitary corals from deep-water, their divergence predating that of the robust and complex corals.

TL;DR: It is shown that two exclusively deep-sea families, the Gardineriidae and Micrabaciidae, diverged prior to the Complexa/Robusta coral split around 425 Ma, thereby pushing the evolutionary origin of scleractinian corals deep into the Paleozoic.

TL;DR: A pattern of divergence of mitochondrial DNA completely different from those estimated for other anthozoans is demonstrated, and phylogenetic analyses indicate that Ceriantharia is not included within hexacorallians in most performed analyses, and it is proposed that the Cerantharia should be addressed as a separate clade.

TL;DR: This synthesis of scleractinian phylogenetics and systematics is presented, focusing on the progress of the authors' phylogenetic understanding of this ecologically-significant clade, which today is supported by rich sets of molecular and morphological data.

TL;DR: It is shown that ocean geochemistry, particularly aragonite-calcite seas, drives patterns of morphological evolution in anthozoans (corals, sea anemones) by examining skeletal traits in the context of a robust, time-calibrated phylogeny and the lability of skeletal composition among octocorals suggests a greater ability to adapt to changes in ocean chemistry.