Cladistic analysis of the Atlanto-Mediterranean Sepiolines (Cephalopoda: Sepiolidae) based on morphological characters

A parsimony analysis of 12 Atlanto-Mediterranean sepiolines, belonging to three genera, is developed, based on 16 morphological characters. Character state polarities were established by comparison with the outgroup, i.e. the genera Rossia and Euj1rymna. The resulting claclogram confirmed the monophyly of the ingroup as well as the monophyly of each of the three traditional genera. Rondeletiola is the sister group of Sepietta; their clacle is in turn the sister-taxon of Sepiola. Within Sepietta, S. oweniana and S. neglecta are sister species. The relationships among the species of Sepiola were not fully resolved, but three pairs of sister species were established: (S. rondeletii, S. robusta), (S. a/finis, S. intermedia) and (S. atlantica, S. sleenstrupiana)