*2.4. Phylogenetic Analysis*

PCR products for COI gene were sequenced in both directions at Eurofins Genomics (Louisville, KY, USA). DNA sequences were initially inspected by eye and manually edited using Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis (MEGA X, version 7.0 see [26]). Sequences were aligned using CLUSTAL W in MEGA X. Sequences were deposited in GenBank (accession numbers MZ147090-097, MZ150796-807) and were used to align with publicly accessible sequences for other zoantharians (GenBank accession JX119160, JX119164, JX119165, JX119167, JX119157, JX119156, JX119154, JX119159, JX119168, KT454365, AB214177, KF499705, KF499712). All alignments were inspected by eye using MEGA X and errors in nucleotide sequences that were low quality were trimmed prior to phylogenetic analysis. Analysis using maximum likelihood with bootstrap trees (1000 replicates) were incorporated according to the MEGA X protocols.
