Molecular and Morphological Evidence of Distinct Evolutionary Lineages of Awaous guamensis in Hawai%26apos;i and Guam

作者:Lindstrom Daniel P*; Blum Michael J; Walter Ryan P; Gagne Roderick B; Gilliam James F
来源:Copeia, 2012, (2): 293-300.
DOI:10.1643/CI-11-027

摘要

Questions remain about the taxonomy and distribution of geographically widespread species in the circumtropical gobiid genus Awaous. Previous work that placed two species in synonymy on the basis of morphological characteristics effectively redefined the range of Awaous guamensis to include distant locations from Hawaii and Guam to the islands of South-East Melanesia. Here we evaluate the synonymy of A. guamensis and A. stamineus through phylogeographic analysis of mitochondria! DNA sequence variation and morphological comparisons of Hawaii and Guam populations. Phylogenetic assessments show clear separation of molecular characteristics, and morphological analyses illustrate statistically significant phenotypic differences indicating that the populations represent distinct evolutionary lineages. Based upon genetic, morphological, and geographic distributional differences, we recommend that Hawaiian populations be recognized as a distinct species, and reversion to the previous nomenclature of Awaous stamineus.

  • 出版日期2012-6-27