Resolving the evolutionary history of organisms is a major goal in biology. Yet for some taxa
the diversity, phylogeny, and even adult stages remain unknown. The enigmatic crustacean …

The Ophiuroidea, the most diverse echinoderm class, exhibits an array of life history patterns
and larval forms, the evolution of which is poorly understood. With a robust phylogeny …

Facetotecta, the taxon established for 'y-larvae', is the last major crustacean group for which
the adult stage remains unknown. With only 14 described nominal species, all in the genus …

Development of some animals is influenced by and, in some cases, dependent on the
associated microbiota. The timing of when associated bacterial communities are established …

Most marine invertebrate larvae either obligately feed or depend on maternally provided
reserves during planktonic development. A small number of species have the capacity to do …

Investigating developmental evolution usually requires comparing differences across related
species to infer how phenotypic change results from embryological modifications. However …

Despite the great abundance and diversity of molluscs, only a few have attained “model
research organism” status. One of those species is the slipper snail Crepidula fornicata. Its …

The mud snails endemic to the East Atlantic/Mediterranean region (genus Tritia; subfamily
Nassariinae) account for the second highest diversity within the family Nassariidae …

The drivers behind evolutionary innovations such as contrasting life histories and
morphological change are central questions of evolutionary biology. However, the …

The mode of development of marine invertebrates has major effects on dispersal and
population structure. Species without a feeding larval stage (direct developers) are generally …