FIG. 4.

Cladogram depicting relationships of vestimentiferan endosymbionts based upon their REP-PCR fingerprints. The degree of genetic similarity is indicated above the cladogram in percentage units. To facilitate visual comparison, a computer-generated gel that depicts the lanes reloaded according to their relationships in the dendrogram has been included. The symbionts separated into four groups based upon the percent similarity (measured as number of shared bands) among their REP fingerprint patterns. Group I, GOM Lamellibrachia sp. symbionts and JDF Ridgeia piscesae symbiont; group II, R. pachyptila and T. jerichonana symbionts; group III, Escarpia spp. symbionts; group IV, Nikko Seamount and Lau-Fiji Basin L. columna symbionts. Slight visual differences from the original gel lane images in Fig. 3 result from the normalization and analysis process of the GelCompar software.