Phylogenetic relationships between higher taxa of tracheate arthropods

Abstract

The monophyletic origin of the Tracheata (synonyms: Antennata; Atelocerata) has never been questioned seriously by previous authors (Snodgrass, 1938; Hennig, 1966, 1982; Manton, 1977; Hennig, 1981; Ax, 1987; Boudreaux, 1987; Kraus and Kraus, 1994, 1996). Apparently, the Tracheata form the sister taxon of the Crustacea (or a part of them). Recent work by developmental biologists also points in this direction: for example, this is shown by details of the segmental composition of the crustacean head as compared with insects (Scholtz, 1995).