Data from: The shrimp superfamily Sergestoidea: a global phylogeny with definition of new families and an assessment of the pathways into principal biotopes

The phylogenetic analysis of Sergestoidea based on 253 morphological
characters and encompassing all 99 valid species confirmed all previously
recognized genus-level clades. Analysis retrieved five major robust clades
that correspond to families Luciferidae, Sergestidae, Acetidae fam.n.,
Sicyonellidae fam.n. and Petalidiumidae fam.n. Synonymy, emended diagnoses
and composition of revealed family-level clades are provided. Three types
of morphological characters were important in the phylogeny of the
Sergestoidea: general external characters, copulatory organs, and
photophores. Novel metrics to quantify the contribution of these character
types were tested. General external characters were significant in
supporting the major clades (80% of the families and nearly half of the
genera). Copulatory organ characters and photophores greatly supported the
medium-level clades: Lucifer, Belzebub, Petalidium, Neosergestes,
Challengerosergia (copulatory organ characters) and Lucensosergia,
Challengerosergia, Gardinerosergia, Phorcosergia (photophores). An
evolutionary model of the Sergestoidea showing their pathways into their
principal biotopes is proposed: the major clades evolved in a vertical
direction (from epi- to bathypelagic); further divergence at the genus
level occurred within vertical zones in a horizontal direction, with the
invasion of the benthopelagic and neritic (shelf and estuarine) habitats
and speciation within these domains.