Protist News
New Higher-Level Classification of Eukaryotes
By Staff,
Nov 16, 2005, 15:12

The September-October 2005 issue of the Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology featured an important new addition to protistology studies: a reorganized phylogeny of eukaryotes, making use of the growing body of molecular, biochemical, and ultrastructural data which has become available. This new phylogeny emphasizes the spectacular diversity of single-celled eukaryotes, and helps to clarify their relationship with the more widely-known multicellular groups.

The phylogeny, constructed by a 28-member team headed by Sina Adl, Alastair G.B. Simpson, Mark Farmer, and Denis H. Lynn, has already caught the notice of other researchers. A review in the the 3 November 2005 edition of Nature brought it to the attention of a diverse audience (subscribers may access the review.)

The monograph may be viewed online here. Paper copies--which are likely to become well-thumbed additions to many scientific libraries--may be purchased separately by interested individuals who are not Society members