Phylogenetic review of the comb-tooth blenny genus Hypleurochilus in the northwest Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico

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As some of the smallest vertebrates, yet largest producers of consumed reef biomass, cryptobenthic reef fishes serve a disproportionate role in reef ecosystems and are one of the most poorly understood groups of fish. The blenny genera Hypleurochilus and Parablennius are currently considered paraphyletic and the interrelationships of Parablennius have been the focus of recent phylogenetic studies. However, the interrelationships of Hypleurochilus remain understudied. This genus is transatlantically distributed and comprises 11 species with a convoluted taxonomic history. In this study, relationships for ten Hypleurochilus species are resolved using multi-locus nuclear and mtDNA sequence data, morphological data, and mined COI barcode data.  Mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data from 61 individuals collected from the western Atlantic and northern Gulf of Mexico (N. GoM) delimit seven species into a temperate clade, a tropical clade, and a third distinct lineage. This lineage, herein referred to as H. cf. aequipinnis, may represent a species of Hypleurochilus whose range has expanded into the N. GoM. Inclusion of publicly available COI sequence for an additional three species provides further phylogenetic resolution. H. bananensis forms a new eastern Atlantic clade with H. cf. aequipinnis, providing further evidence for a western Atlantic range expansion. Single marker COI delimitation was unable to elucidate the relationships between H. springeri/H. pseudoaequipinnis and between H. multifilis/H. caudovittatus due to incomplete lineage sorting. Mitochondrial data are also unable to accurately resolve the placement of H. bermudensis. However, a comprehensive approach using multi-locus phylogenetic and species delimitation methods was able to resolve these relationships. While mining publicly available sequence data allowed for the inclusion of an increased number of species in the analysis and a more comprehensive phylogeny, it was not without drawbacks, as a handful of sequences are potentially mis-identified. Overall, we find that the recent divergence of some species within this genus and potential introgression events confound the results of single locus delimitation methods, yet a combination of single and multi-locus analyses has allowed for insights into the biogeography of this genus and uncovered a potential transatlantic range expansion.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2023

Erschienen:

2023

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:189

Enthalten in:

Molecular phylogenetics and evolution - 189(2023) vom: 15. Dez., Seite 107933

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Carter, Joshua E [VerfasserIn]
Sporre, Megan A [VerfasserIn]
Eytan, Ron I [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Biogeography
Blenniidae
DNA, Mitochondrial
Journal Article
Phylogeny
Sequence mining
Species delimitation
Systematics

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 28.11.2023

Date Revised 28.11.2023

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1016/j.ympev.2023.107933

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM36266062X