Molecular evidence that the lionfishes Pterois miles and Pterois volitans are distinct species
- UNCW Author/Contributor (non-UNCW co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
- Wilson Freshwater, Research Specialist (Creator)
- Institution
- The University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW )
- Web Site: http://library.uncw.edu/
Abstract: The lionfish species Pterois miles and P. volitans are popular aquarium fishes that have
gained recent notoriety as invasive species along the east coast of the United States and the Bahamas.
The two species can usually be identified using dorsal and anal fin ray counts as well as geographic
origin, but neither meristics nor geography are always definitive, and their taxonomic status as separate
species has been questioned. Analyses of two mitochondria-encoded cytochrome b sequence data sets
resolved specimens of P. miles and P. volitans in distinct monophyletic clades. There was also a .4%
difference in the maximum intraspecific and minimum interspecific sequence divergences between
specimens of the two species. These results are comparable to those of other analyzed Pterois and
Dendrochirus sister species, and support their recognition as separate species. The cytochrome b analyses
also show that Dendrochirus and Pterois are not reciprocally monophyletic as currently circumscribed,
and that a comprehensive study is needed to resolve the taxonomy of Pteroinae genera
Molecular evidence that the lionfishes Pterois miles and Pterois volitans are distinct species
PDF (Portable Document Format)
235 KB
Created on 5/20/2013
Views: 3680
Additional Information
- Publication
- Freshwater, D., Hamner, R. M., Parham, S., & Wilbur, A. E. (2009). Molecular evidence that the lionfishes Pterois miles and Pterois volitans are distinct species. Journal of the North Carolina Academy of Science, 125(2), 39-46. Retrieved from http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/jncas/id/3939/rec/4
- Language: English
- Date: 2009
- Keywords
- Dendrochirus, Invasive species, Lionfish, Mitochondrial control region, Molecular systematics, Pterois, Pterois miles, Pterois volitans, Pteroinae, Scorpaenidae.
- Subjects
- Scorpionfishes
- Pterois miles
- Pterois volitans
- Biology--Classification--Molecular aspects
- Pterois
- Introduced organisms--Atlantic Coast (U.S.)
- Introduced organisms--Bahamas
Title | Location & Link | Type of Relationship |
Molecular evidence that the lionfishes Pterois miles and Pterois volitans are distinct species | http://dc.lib.unc.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/jncas/id/3939/rec/4 | The described resource is a physical or logical part of the related resource. |