From: <ZOOL/GOODE>
To: protista at net.bio.net
Subject: Choanoflagellates
Date: Fri, 3 Jun 1994 13:20:08
I'm doing the final version of a review on the origins of
multicellularity in the protists, and among other things, I'm
supporting the hypothesis that the extant choanoflagellates and the
animals share a choanoflagellate-like ancester. Many cytological and
physiological features, as well as the recent rDNA sequence data
(Wainwright, Hinkle, Sogen, and Stickel, Science 260:340 '93) support
that hypothesis. Other than some peoples suggestions that other
groups such as the ciliates or Volvocales might have given rise to
the animals and that some important animal features such as meiosis
and sex have not been reported in choanos to my knowledge, do any of
you know any good (or even not so good) arguments against the choanos
being our (the animals) immediate cousins?
