Evolutionary relationship of Pagurus lanuginosus and Pagurus maculosus based on mtDNA sequence analysis. Pagurus

Pagurus lanuginosus and Pagurus maculosus were long time considered to be two color morphs of one species, P. lanuginosus (s. l.) because of their morphological similarities. However, more detailed morphological studies and their premating isolation suggest that they are two different species. So far, their taxonomic positions have never been evaluated from a molecular phylogenetic viewpoint. Therefore, the phylogenetic history of these two species was investigated extensively based on mitochondrial genes, sequenced by next-generation technologies.