Question

In the traditional morphological phylogeny (a), the phylum platyhelminthes is depicted as a sister taxon to the rest of the protostome phyla and as having diverged earlier from the lineage that led to the rest of the protostomes. in the molecular phylogeny, which was made using analysis of dna sequences, (b), platyhelminthes is depicted as one of several phyla that make up the lophotrochozoa group. what probably led to this change?

Answer 1

Answer;

The removal of the acoel flatworms (Acoela) from the Platyhelminthes allowed the remaining flatworms to be clearly tied to the Lophotrochozoa.

Explanation;

• Lophophores are characterized by the presence of the lophophore, which is a set of ciliated tentacles surrounding the mouth; they include the flatworms and several other phyla whose relationships are upheld by genetic evidence.
• Platyhelminthes are acoelomate which means they lack a body cavity, they are also triploblastic and bilaterally symmetric.
• Platyhelminthes is depicted as one of several phyla that make up the lophotrochozoa group.