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Type: Article
Published: 2007-12-21
Page range: 127–182
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The phylum Cnidaria: A review of phylogenetic patterns and diversity 300 years after Linnaeus*

Department of Evolution, Ecology & Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus Ohio USA 43210
Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA USA
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA University of Kansas, Lawrence KS USA 66045
National Systematics Laboratory, NOAA Fisheries Service, Smithsonian Institution, Washington DC USA 20013-7012
School of Natural Sciences, University of California Merced, Merced CA USA 95344
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66045, USA University of Kansas, Lawrence KS USA 66045
Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Lafayette, LA USA
Department of Biology, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA USA 91711 91711-5990
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA
Department of Evolution, Ecology & Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus Ohio USA 43210
Division of Science and Mathematics, University of the Virgin Islands, St Thomas USVI 00802
Division of Science and Mathematics, University of the Virgin Islands, St Thomas USVI 00802
General Systematics black coral coral hydroid jellyfish octocoral sea anemone

Abstract

Systema Naturae includes representatives of every major lineage of the animal phylum Cnidaria.  However, Linnaeus did not classify the members of the phylum as is now done, and the diversity of the group is not well represented.  We contrast the Linnaean perspective on cnidarian diversity with the modern, phylogenetic perspective.  For each order, we detail diversity at the family level, providing phylogenetic context where possible.

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