}} Not all studies support the
monophyly of Panarthropoda, but most do, including
neuroanatomical,
phylogenomic having evolved their segmented bodies
convergently.
Interrelationships There are three competing hyphotheses for the interrelationship between the extant panarthropod phyla, each known as
Tactopoda (Arthropoda+Tardigrada),
Antennopoda (Arthropoda+Onychophora), and the
sister relationship between Onychophora and Tardigrada (
Lobopodia sensu Smith & Goldstein 2017). palaeontological Antennopodia united by the presence of specialized head appendages and deutocerebrum (additional second section of the brain), but subsequent anatomical studies suggest these features were
convergently evolved between onychophoran and arthropod lineages. Onychophorans and tardigrades shared some
lobopodian traits (e.g. soft cuticle, lobopodous appendages and peripheral nerve roots), but these were generally considered to be
plesiomorphies traced back to the
last common ancestor of Panarthropoda or
Ecdysozoa. A genetic study published in December 2024 supported the sister relationship of Onychophora and Arthropoda. Phylogeny of
Panarthropoda after Knecht et al. 2025: }} }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} }}}} }} }} }} }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}|style=font-size:90%}} == See also ==