Phylogenetic analysis of the Antarctic genus Oswaldella Stechow, 1919 (Hydrozoa, Leptomedusae, Kirchenpaueriidae)

A cladistic study was carried out on known species of the characteristically Antarctic genus Oswaldella, adopting as outgroups some other genera included in the family Kirchenpaueriidae. The analysis resulted in a cladogram with low CI in which no relationship between genera can be depicted. However, the hypothesis of monophyly of the genus Oswaldella is corroborated, being supported in our cladogram by five synapomorphies (although all are homoplastic with other taxa or reversed within the species of the genus). The basal relationships of the genus are uncertain, but three species groups are distinguishable within Oswaldella: 1) the O. incognita group, 2) the O. antarctica group, and 3) a clade formed by (O. garciacarrascosai, O. elongata ( O. blanconae (O. gracilis O. herwigi, Oswaldella sp. two)))).