Resolving Acuticulata (Metridioidea: Enthemonae: Actiniaria), a clade containing many invasive species of sea anemones

Acuticulata is a globally distributed group in the actiniarian superfamily
Metridiodea comprised of taxa with ecological, economic, and scientific
significance. Prominent members such as Exaiptasia diaphana and Diadumene
lineata serve as model organisms for studying coral symbiosis, bleaching
phenomena, and ecological invasions. Despite their importance, unresolved
phylogenetic relationships and outdated taxonomic frameworks hinder a full
understanding of the diversity and evolution of the taxa in this clade. In
this study, we employ a targeted sequence-capture approach to construct a
robust phylogeny for Acuticulata, addressing long-standing questions about
familial monophyly and comparing the results to results from a more
conventional, five-gene dataset. Specimens from previously
underrepresented families and global regions, including the Falkland
Islands, were included to elucidate evolutionary interrelationships and
improve resolution. Our results support the monophyly of Aliciidae,
Boloceroididae, Diadumenidae, Gonactiniidae, and Metridiidae. Our results
highlight the need for taxonomic revision within the family Sagartiidae,
as the specimens we included from this family were recovered in four
distinct clades. Based on our results, we transfer Paraiptasia from
Aiptasiidae to Sagartiidae.These findings emphasize the utility of
genome-scale data for resolving phylogenetic ambiguities for
morphologically problematic taxa and suggest a framework for future
integrative taxonomic and ecological studies within Acuticulata.