On the isolation of the sand-smelt Atherina presbyter (Pisces: Atherinidae) in the Macaronesia
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1
Universidad de La Laguna, Unidad Departamental de Ciencias Marinas, Facultad de Ciencias, Spain
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2
Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida, MARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Portugal
The sand-smelt Atherina presbyter mainly inhabits the Eastern Atlantic and previous studies have revealed that populations from the Macaronesian Archipelagos were genetically differentiated from the populations in the European shores. The phylogenetic relationships between these individuals and the African Atherina lopeziana (the very last species from this genus to be sequenced) were to be clarified.
This work aimed to clarify this situation by sequencing the mitochondrial control region of A. lopeziana specimens from the tropical Eastern Atlantic, analysing meristic traits and performing phylogenetic analysis. Meristic and genetic analyses supported A. lopezina as a distant taxon from A. presbyter, and more closely related to the southeastern Atlantic Atherina breviceps. Additionally, a structured population of A. presbyter, was confirmed, most likely related with its low dispersion capacity.
In conclusion, the present study clearly indicates that A. presbyter from Macaronesian and European shore remain with same species status. The first-time sequencing of several specimens of A. lopeziana from Cabo Verde was fundamental to solve this issue, and it will be useful for future studies about the origin and the relationship between the species of this clade.
Acknowledgements
We thank Rui Freitas, professor in the Cabo Verde University (Uni-CV), for providing the specimens of A. lopeziana, and Cristina Lima (MARE-ISPA) for her help with the laboratory work.
This study was funded by MARE (UID/MAR/04292/2013) — Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia — FCT (partially FEDER funded) and by the Erasmus+ Programme as a project developed during a 3-months traineeship of the first author.
Keywords:
Atherina,
Eastern Atlantic,
phylogeny,
Macaronesia,
Species status
Conference:
IMMR'18 | International Meeting on Marine Research 2018, Peniche, Portugal, 5 Jul - 6 Jul, 2018.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Biodiversity, Conservation and Coastal Management
Citation:
Moreno Borges
S,
Brito
A and
Francisco
SM
(2019). On the isolation of the sand-smelt Atherina presbyter (Pisces: Atherinidae) in the Macaronesia.
Front. Mar. Sci.
Conference Abstract:
IMMR'18 | International Meeting on Marine Research 2018.
doi: 10.3389/conf.FMARS.2018.06.00141
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Received:
19 Apr 2018;
Published Online:
07 Jan 2019.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Sara M Francisco, Instituto Universitário de Ciências Psicológicas, Sociais e da Vida, MARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Lisbon, , 1149-041, Portugal, sara_francisco@ispa.pt