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Resurrection of the name Albula pacifica (Beebe, 1942) for the shafted bonefish (Albuliformes: Albulidae) from the eastern Pacific

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Abstract

The name Albula nemoptera (Fowler, 1911) is currently applied to the Shafted, or Threadfin, Bonefish (Albuliformes: Albulidae) inhabiting the tropical coastal waters of both the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific. In the present paper I provide a brief review of the taxonomy and nomenclature of A. nemoptera, and argue that the available morphological, biogeographical and molecular evidence supports resurrecting the name A. pacifica (Beebe, 1942) for the population ofA. nemoptera from the eastern Pacific.
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Resurrection of the name Albula pacifica (Beebe, 1942) for the shafted
bonefish (Albuliformes: Albulidae) from the eastern Pacific
Edward Pfeiler
Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C., Unidad Guaymas, Apartado Postal 284, Guaymas,
Sonora C.P. 85480, México. Phone: +52-622-221-6533; epfeiler@asu.edu
Received 23-XI-2007. Corrected 01-III-2008. Accepted 11-III-2008.
Abstract: The name Albula nemoptera (Fowler, 1911) is currently applied to the Shafted, or Threadfin, Bonefish
(Albuliformes: Albulidae) inhabiting the tropical coastal waters of both the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific.
In the present paper I provide a brief review of the taxonomy and nomenclature of A. nemoptera, and argue that
the available morphological, biogeographical and molecular evidence supports resurrecting the name A. pacifica
(Beebe, 1942) for the population of A. nemoptera from the eastern Pacific. Rev. Biol. Trop. 56 (2): 839-844.
Epub 2008 June 30.
Key words: cryptic species, Elopomorpha, mitochondrial DNA, molecular systematics, speciation.
The Shafted, or Threadfin, Bonefish from
the tropical coastal waters of the western
Atlantic and eastern Pacific (type locality:
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is cur-
rently recognized as a single species, Albula
nemoptera (Fowler, 1911). Although A. nem-
optera originally was assigned to the genus
Dixonina Fowler 1911, Rivas and Warlen
(1967) proposed that Dixonina should be
placed into the synonymy of Albula Scopoli,
1777, an arrangement which generally has been
followed for forty years (Nelson et al. 2004),
and which recently has received support from
mitochondrial DNA studies (Pfeiler et al. 2006,
Bowen et al. 2008).
In the eastern Pacific, A. nemoptera is
distributed from Ecuador to the outer Pacific
coast of Baja California Sur (BCS), Mexico
(Castro-Aguirre et al. 1999, Pfeiler et al.
2002, Robertson and Allen 2006). Although
present in the southern Gulf of California at
Mazatlán, Sinaloa (Rivas and Warlen 1967,
van der Heiden and Findley 1990), and at La
Paz, BCS (Balart et al. 1995), the apparent
lack of collection records from the central and
northern gulf (Pfeiler et al. 2002) indicates that
it may be rare, or absent, in this region. In the
western Atlantic and Caribbean, A. nemoptera
is found from the Greater Antilles, Panama
and the northern coast of South America, south
to Brazil (Rivas and Warlen 1967, Lopes and
Sampaio 2002, Loebmann and Vieira 2005).
In 1942, William Beebe described the
Shafted Bonefish from the eastern Pacific as
a distinct species, Dixonina pacifica (type
locality: Port Culebra, Costa Rica). Beebe’s
(1942) material included 19 specimens from
the Pacific, but published records of only two
Atlantic specimens (Fowler 1911, Metzelaar
1919) were available at that time for mor-
phological comparisons. Hildebrand (1963)
did not recognize D. pacifica, and placed
it into the synonymy of D. (= Albula) nem-
optera. Although Berry (1964) argued in sup-
port of retaining the name A. pacifica, Rivas
and Warlen (1967), after conducting a more
detailed morphological analysis of Atlantic and
Pacific specimens, concluded that there was
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Rev. Biol. Trop. (Int. J. Trop. Biol. ISSN-0034-7744) Vol. 56 (2): 839-844, June 2008
no basis for separating them as two species.
Although the name A. nemoptera has been
generally accepted as applying to both Atlantic
and Pacific populations of the Shafted Bonefish
(van der Heiden and Findley 1990, Bussing and
López 1993, Balart et al. 1995) I argue here
that there is now sufficient evidence for resur-
recting the name A. pacifica for the population
from the eastern Pacific.
Morphological Comparisons: Because of
the historical importance of the work of Rivas
and Warlen (1967) regarding the placement of
A. pacifica into the synonymy of A. nemoptera,
a brief summary of their findings is provided
here. Rivas and Warlen (1967) analyzed 23
morphometric characters, expressed as percent
standard length (SL), in nine Atlantic and seven
Pacific specimens of juvenile and adult A.
nemoptera of similar mean length (246 and 205
mm SL, respectively). In addition, 14 meristic
comparisons were conducted on 20–28 Atlantic
specimens and 16–21 Pacific specimens. The
morphological differences between individu-
als from Atlantic and Pacific populations were
found to be slight, with overlap seen in most
characters. There was, however, one exception.
Table 2 of Rivas and Warlen (1967) shows that
mean lower caudal-fin lobe length was 20.0%
SL (range 18.7–20.8%) in the Atlantic speci-
mens and 22.2% (21.2–23.0%) in Pacific speci-
mens. Although no overlap was seen, this was
apparently overlooked, as Rivas and Warlen
(1967: 254) stated that of the five characters
that showed significant differences among indi-
viduals of the two populations (dorsal- and
anal-fin heights, length of last dorsal-fin ray,
and upper and lower caudal-fin lobe lengths)
all showed broad overlap. Inter-population dif-
ferences were also seen in the number of gill
rakers, but this was attributed to difficulties in
counting gill rakers in larger specimens, and
the mean size differences among the Atlantic
and Pacific samples. Rivas and Warlen (1967)
concluded that the slight differences noted in
a few morphological characters among the
Atlantic and Pacific specimens did not war-
rant separating them into two species, or even
subspecies. At that time, however, the extent of
cryptic speciation in the genus Albula revealed
by molecular studies (Shaklee and Tamaru
1981, Colborn et al. 2001) was not known.
There is also some evidence that the shape
of the otoliths (sagittae) differ among individu-
als from Atlantic and Pacific populations of A.
nemoptera, although more individuals need to
be examined for confirmation. Frizzell (1965)
first figured and described a pair of otoliths,
14.3 mm in length, obtained from a specimen
of A. nemoptera from the Caribbean coast of
Colombia. The sagittae obtained from a speci-
men of A. nemoptera collected near Acapulco
in the eastern Pacific (Fig. 1) were of similar
size (12.3-12.5 mm) and showed clear differ-
ences when compared to those of Frizzell’s
Caribbean specimen. The most prominent dif-
ference was a pronounced dome on the dorsal
margin of each sagitta in the region of the
vertical midline in the Pacific specimen (Fig.
1). Frizzell (1965) mentioned that a “tiny
dome” was present in the same region of the
sagittae in the Caribbean specimen, but the
dorsal outline of the sagittae in that specimen
was relatively flat (see Pl. 4, Fig. 5a and 5b of
Frizzell 1965).
Molecular Evidence for Cryptic Species:
As mentioned above, since the work of Rivas
and Warlen (1967) molecular methods have
revealed an increasing number of marine organ-
isms that show ancient genetic divergences
with little or no change in external morphol-
ogy (Rocha-Olivares et al. 1999, Quattro et al.
2001, 2006). Cryptic speciation is especially
prominent in the bonefishes, in which few
morphological differences are evident in lin-
eages that have been separated for an estimated
20–30 million years (Shaklee and Tamaru
1981, Colborn et al. 2001, K. Hidaka et al.,
2008). Where morphological characters have
been found that can supposedly discriminate
among bonefish species, they have not always
proved reliable and can lead to misidentifica-
tions (Pfeiler et al. 2006). In the two sibling
species of bonefishes from the A. vulpes com-
plex that inhabit the eastern Pacific (Albula sp.
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A and C), analyses of 16 morphometric and
8 meristic characters (N = 7 for each species)
were unable to distinguish between the two
lineages which show a mitochondrial DNA
cytochrome b (Cytb) divergence of ~5.3% (E.
Pfeiler et al., unpublished). Although the appli-
cation of molecular methods to define species
boundaries is controversial, these methods can
be especially useful in taxa such as the bon-
efishes where morphological characters alone
provide poor resolution (Wiens and Penkrot
2002). In light of the recent findings on cryptic
speciation in the bonefishes, therefore, it is not
surprising that Rivas and Warlen (1967) found
only slight differences in morphology among
their Atlantic and Pacific specimens.
Because gene flow among western Atlantic
and eastern Pacific populations of A. nemoptera
has been restricted by the Isthmus of Panama
for about 3.5 million years (Coates et al. 1992),
the expected genetic divergence among the two
populations can be estimated based on results
obtained from known sister species of marine
fishes separated by the Isthmus (geminate spe-
cies). These predictions can then be used to
address the issue of whether the Atlantic and
Pacific populations of A. nemoptera should be
considered separate species. Molecular clock
Fig. 1. Medial views of left sagitta (A) and right sagitta (B) from an adult specimen (283 mm SL) of Albula nemoptera
(=A. pacifica) collected in January, 2006 near Laguna Chautengo, ~80 km SE of Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico [16°31’26˝N,
99°16’36˝W; catalog no. CIAD 06-203 (Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. -Unidad Guaymas,
Sonora)]. Arrows show the prominent dome on the dorsal margin. Scale bar = 2 mm.
Fig. 1. Vistas mediales de la sagitta izquierda (A) y la sagitta derecha (B) de un espécimen adulto (283 mm longitud están-
dar) de Albula nemoptera (=A. pacifica) recolectado en enero de 2006 cerca de Laguna Chautengo, ~80 km al sureste de
Acapulco, Guerrero, México [16°31’26˝N, 99°16’36˝W; número de catalogo CIAD 06–203 (Centro de Investigación en
Alimentación y Desarrollo, A.C. -Unidad Guaymas, Sonora)]. Las flechas demuestran el domo prominente en el margen
dorsal. Línea de escala = 2 mm.
A
B
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estimations for the Cytb gene in bony fishes
are roughly 1.01.5% sequence divergence
per million years (Bermingham et al. 1997,
Banford et al. 2004). If we assume that Atlantic
and Pacific populations of A. nemoptera were
initially isolated by the Isthmus of Panama
(but see Knowlton et al. 1993 and Marko
2002), expected sequence divergence between
the two populations is ~3.55.3%. The mean
genetic divergence (uncorrected p distance and
Kimura’s [1980] 2-parameter [K2P] distance)
between A. nemoptera from the Pacific and the
previously unidentified Albula sp. E (Colborn
et al. 2001) from Bahia, Brazil is ~4% (Pfeiler
et al. 2006, Bowen et al. 2008), within the
expected range, and also within the range of
Cytb divergences reported for sister species of
fishes (Johns and Avise 1998).
The accumulated evidence indicates that
Albula sp. E, genetically characterized by tissue
samples from a Brazilian fish market, actually
represents the Atlantic A. nemoptera. First, the
Pacific A. nemoptera is linked to the Atlantic
Albula sp. E by a unique amino acid substitu-
tion in the translated Cytb gene segment which
is absent from all other members of the genus
Albula (Pfeiler et al. 2006). Second, molecular
phylogenetic trees constructed with a variety
of assumptions consistently show that A. nem-
optera from various eastern Pacific localities
(Mexico, Costa Rica, and El Salvador) and
Albula sp. E are sister lineages (Pfeiler et al.
2006, Bowen et al. 2008). Third, the occur-
rence of A. nemoptera has been confirmed
in the region of Bahia, Brazil, where the tis-
sue samples for Albula sp. E. were obtained
(Lopes and Sampaio 2002). However, voucher
specimens of Albula sp. E are not yet avail-
able (Colborn et al. 2001, Pfeiler et al. 2006),
as Atlantic A. nemoptera is rare and directed
efforts to collect specimens have not been
successful. Vouchers are desirable to link the
morphological identification (Atlantic A. nem-
optera) and genetic characterization (Albula
sp. E), but this lack does not directly impact
the morphological, biogeographic, and genetic
arguments for resurrecting A. pacifica as the
proper name for the form inhabiting the eastern
Pacific. In particular, all genetic analyses show
that that form is millions of years divergent
from other members of the genus Albula.
In reference to Hildebrand’s (1963) place-
ment of A. pacifica (as D. pacifica) into
the synonymy of A. nemoptera, Berry (1964)
stated “...once a specific name has been pro-
posed that distinguishes a geographically iso-
lated form from its congener, it is usually
better (certainly in this instance) to retain the
name until adequate material is available and
adequate assessment is made to properly define
the relationship”. The molecular evidence now
available, indicating that cryptic speciation is
widespread in the bonefishes, would certainly
cast doubt on whether a purely morphological
comparison of geographically isolated bon-
efish populations is sufficient to adequately
define relationships. In addition, the evidence
presented here, including slight morphological
differentiation, strongly indicates that Atlantic
and Pacific populations of A. nemoptera are
indeed valid sister species which have diverged
to an extent similar to other recognized sis-
ter species now geographically isolated by
the Isthmus of Panama. On these grounds,
and considering that reproductive isolation
is ancient and absolute, I propose that the
name A. pacifica (Beebe, 1942) be reinstated
for the population of A. nemoptera from the
eastern Pacific. Suggested common names are
Shafted Bonefish for A. pacifica and Threadfin
Bonefish for the western Atlantic A. nemoptera
(Bowen et al. 2008).
The first published record of A. pacifica
(as D. nemoptera) is apparently the report of
Myers (1936) on a specimen (USNM 75547)
obtained from Acapulco, Guerrero, Mexico
(Beebe 1942). This same specimen was later
figured by Hildebrand (1963: 143, Fig. 24).
Beebe (1942) also considered the illustration
of a specimen of a Shafted Bonefish from the
southern Gulf of California incorrectly labeled
as A. vulpes (Kumada and Hiyama 1937: 47, Pl.
5; also see Walford 1939), as the second pub-
lished record of A. pacifica. Albula pacifica (as
A. nemoptera) has also been figured by Bussing
and López (1993: 37), Allen and Robertson
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Rev. Biol. Trop. (Int. J. Trop. Biol. ISSN-0034-7744) Vol. 56 (2): 839-844, June 2008
(1994: 41) and Robertson and Allen (2006).
The holotype of Dixonina (=Albula) paci-
fica, originally deposited in the Department of
Tropical Research of the New York Zoological
Society (Beebe 1942, Mead 1958), is now
housed at the California Academy of Sciences,
San Francisco, California, USA (catalog no.
SU 46486).
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I am grateful to B.W. Bowen and L.T.
Findley for kindly reviewing and suggesting
improvements to an earlier draft of the manu-
script. I also thank B. Bitler, J. Egido-Villarreal,
J.-P. Gallo-Reynoso, T.A. Markow, J. Pugh, R.
Ulloa and T. Watts for their help. Much of the
molecular research on eastern Pacific bon-
efishes described herein was supported in part
by NSF grant DEB-0346773 to T.A. Markow.
RESUMEN
El nombre Albula nemoptera (Fowler, 1911) se
aplica actualmente a las poblaciones del macabí de hebra
(Albuliformes: Albulidae) de las aguas costeras tropicales
del Atlántico Occidental y el Pacifico Oriental. En este
artículo se presenta una revisión breve de la taxonomía y
nomenclatura de A. nemoptera, y se sugiere que la eviden-
cia morfológica, biogeográfica y molecular apoya el rees-
tablecimiento del nombre A. pacifica (Beebe, 1942) para la
población de A. nemoptera del Pacifico Oriental.
Palabras clave: ADN mitocondrial, Elopomorpha, espe-
ciación, especies crípticas, sistemática molecular.
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... The review by Hidaka et al. (2008) of Indo-Pacific species of Albula on the basis of morphology, recognized four species, viz., Albula argentea (Forster in Bloch and Schneider, 1801), Albula glossodonta (Forsskål in Niebuhr, 1775), Albula oligolepis Randall, 2008, andAlbula virgata Jordan andJordan, 1922, with Albula koreana being subsequently described. Three eastern Pacific Ocean species [Albula esuncula (Garman, 1899), Albula pacifica (Beebe, 1942), and Albula gilberti Pfeiler and van der Heiden in Pfeiler et al., 2011] were recognized by Pfeiler (2008) and Pfeiler et al. (2008Pfeiler et al. ( , 2011, and in the Atlantic Ocean, three species, including Albula vulpes (Linnaeus, 1758); Albula goreensis Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1847; and Albula nemoptera (Fowler, 1911), are currently regarded as valid, although A. vulpes and A. goreensis each apparently represent a species complex (see Pickett et al. 2020). In total, 11 valid species are currently recognized worldwide. ...
... Since an overall comparison of morphological features for all valid species was unavailable, Indo-Pacific members, including A. argentea, A. glossodonta, A. koreana, A. oligolepis and A. virgata, were assessed from Smith and Randall (1999), Hidaka et al. (2004Hidaka et al. ( , 2008 and . Morphological diagnostic characters for other species were given by Rivas and Warlen (1967) for A. nemoptera, Pfeiler (2008) for A. pacifica (particularly), and Pfeiler et al. (2011) for A. esuncula and A. gilberti. Since the two Atlantic species, A. vulpes and A. goreensis form a morphologically cryptic complex with Albula sp. ...
... Molecular identifications, based on cyt-b sequences, were determined by comparisons among the present samples and sequences published in INSDC. The published sequences used in this study were obtained from Colborn et al. (2001), Pfeiler et al. (2006), Pfeiler (2008, , and Wallace (2015) (see Table 1). The relationships between unidentified linage names (Albula spp. ...
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A taxonomic review of Albula Scopoli, 1777 (Albuliformes: Albulidae) in Japanese and adjacent waters, based on morphology and mtDNA cytochrome b sequence data, resulted in the recognition of four species: Albula argentea (Forster, 1801), Albula glossodonta (Forsskål, 1775), Albula koreana Kwun and Kim, 2011, and Albula oligolepis Hidaka, Iwatsuki, and Randall, 2008. Although Japanese ichthyologists have long considered A. glossodonta and a second Albula species (referred to by the Japanese name “Sotoiwashi”) to be distributed in Japanese waters, the latter having been reported as A. koreana or Albula sp. in recent literature, the present study revealed that, in fact, “Sotoiwashi” included three species, viz., A. argentea, A. koreana and A. oligolepis. Examined specimens of the latter three species represent the first reliable records of all three from Japanese waters, with comparative specimens of A. koreana from Vietnam and Malaysia also representing distributional range extensions (formerly known only from Korea and Taiwan). Albula koreana is readily distinguished from Japanese congeners by the striking yellow stripe on the cheek (just behind the mouth) in the former, a large dark blotch in front of the nostril, a dark oval blotch under an arc-shaped dark band on the snout tip, and greater numbers of body scales and vertebrae. As has been previously demonstrated, A. argentea and A. oligolepis are distinguished by pored lateral-line scale numbers (68–74 in the former vs. 61–67 in the latter) and total vertebrae (68–75 vs. 64–70). Updated distributional information shows A. argentea to be distributed from Indonesia east to French Polynesia, and north to Japan and Korea (there being no reliable records from Sri Lanka, Madagascar or the Hawaiian Islands); A. koreana in waters off Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam and Malaysia (east coast of Malay Peninsula); and A. oligolepis from the east coast of Africa to the Coral Sea, and north to Japan.
... E from Colborn et al. [2001]) are further distinguished by shorter total length, elongated anal fin and caudal ray of the dorsal fin, mouth reaching a point below the eye, small scales, and a few differences in dentition and meristic characters (Rivas and Warlen 1967;Robins and Ray 1986). The western Atlantic Ocean form is designated A. nemoptera, and the Pacific Shafted Bonefish A. pacifica (Beebe 1942) is the eastern Pacific Ocean form (Pfeiler et al. 2006;Pfeiler 2008). Based on cytochrome b sequence data, they were designated sister species (Pfeiler 2008); additional nuclear gene sequence data supports this (Wallace 2014). ...
... The western Atlantic Ocean form is designated A. nemoptera, and the Pacific Shafted Bonefish A. pacifica (Beebe 1942) is the eastern Pacific Ocean form (Pfeiler et al. 2006;Pfeiler 2008). Based on cytochrome b sequence data, they were designated sister species (Pfeiler 2008); additional nuclear gene sequence data supports this (Wallace 2014). We will discuss neither A. nemoptera nor A. pacifica further in this review as they are easily distinguished morphologically from other bonefish and not the target of a large sportfishing industry. ...
... Since relatively few morphological characters are capable of distinguishing between only some species, bonefish research will continue to require a large genetic component. Identification has routinely been accomplished based on mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence identity (Colborn et al. 2001;Pfeiler et al. 2002Pfeiler et al. , 2006Pfeiler 2008;Valdez-Moreno et al. 2010;Wallace 2014Wallace , 2015Díaz-Viloria et al. 2017), though some bonefishes may also be identified using microsatellite markers (Seyoum et al. 2008;Wallace 2015;Wallace and Tringali 2016). To resolve interspecific relationships, a robust phylogenetic analysis of the family will require more data because single-gene methods-especially from mtDNA-provide an incomplete picture of evolutionary history (Pamilo and Nei 1988;Nichols 2001;Song et al. 2008). ...
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Despite expanding research on the popular recreational fishery, bonefish taxonomy remains murky. The genus Albula, comprising these iconic circumtropical marine sportfishes, has a complex taxonomic history driven by highly conserved morphology. Presently, 12 putative species are spread among 3 species complexes. The cryptic morphology hinders visual identification, requiring genetic species identification in some cases. Unclear nomenclature can have unintended consequences, including exacerbating taxonomic uncertainty and complicating resolution efforts. Further, ignoring this reality in publications may erode management and conservation efforts. In the Indian and Pacific oceans, ranges and areas of overlap are unclear; precluding certainty about which species support the fishery and hindering conservation efforts. Species overlap, at both broad and localized spatial scales, may mask population declines if one is targeted primarily (as demonstrated in the western Atlantic fishery). Additional work is necessary, especially to increase our understanding of spatiotemporal ecology across life history stages and taxa. If combined with increased capacity to discern between cryptic species, population structure may be ascertained, and fisheries stakeholders will be enabled to make informed decisions. To assist in such efforts, we have constructed new range maps for each species and species complex. For bonefishes, conservation genomic approaches may resolve lingering taxonomic uncertainties, supporting effective conservation and management efforts. These methods apply broadly to taxonomic groups with cryptic diversity, aiding species delimitation and taxonomic revisions.
... A comprehensive understanding of Albula biology and ecology has been clouded in part by phylogenetic complexities within the genus Pickett et al., 2020). Due to highly conserved morphology among Albula spp., several cryptic and sympatric species were not recognised until molecular tools were employed in diversity assessments (Colborn et al., 2001;Hidaka et al., 2008;Kwun & Kim, 2011;Pfeiler, 2008;Shaklee & Tamaru, 1981;Wallace & Tringali, 2010). Confirmations of species identifications using molecular tools are now a necessary component of biological studies on Albula spp. in many regions, further complicating research on this understudied group of fishes (Pickett et al., 2020). ...
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The management of bonefishes Albula spp. has been hindered by unresolved species distributions and a general lack of life‐history information. This study provides the first genetic species identifications of Albula spp. from the northern Indian Ocean. The roundjaw bonefish Albula glossodonta was documented in the Red Sea, and the smallscale bonefish A. oligolepis was identified in the Gulf of Aden with no evidence supporting sympatry. Estimates of genetic differentiation indicate three closely related lineages of A. glossodonta in the Red Sea, Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean (Red Sea‐Pacific Ocean, Fst = 0.295; Red Sea‐Seychelles, Fst = 0.193; Pacific Ocean‐Seychelles, Fst = 0.141). In addition, the authors provide the first life‐history information of Albula spp. in the Indian Ocean. Age‐based growth models of A. glossodonta from the Red Sea demonstrated statistically significant differences compared to previously published data from the Pacific Ocean. Spawning activity during winter months was derived from gonado‐somatic index values of A. glossodonta from the Red Sea and corresponded with spawning seasonality previously documented for the species in the Pacific Ocean. The results of this study aid in refining biogeographical uncertainties of Albula spp. and illustrate the importance of collecting regional growth information for subsequent management of A. glossodonta.
... En realidad se trata de un complejo compuesto por 8 o 9 morfos similares, cuya distinción se basa en estudios moleculares recientes (cf. Pfeiler, 2008;Pfeiler et al., 2002Pfeiler et al., , 2008. En el Pacífico oriental se conoce la presencia de A. esuncula (Garman, 1899), entre otras formas (cf. ...
... Although not often the case, assigning a scientific name to a cryptic lineage revealed by DNA barcoding can be straightforward and relatively rapid. Examples from our own studies include using barcodes, together with previously overlooked differences in morphology, ecology or life history, to reinstate available names that had been synonymized with an earlier described species or subspecies [4][5][6]. In general, however, taxonomic studies resulting in new species descriptions lag far behind the vast number of cryptic lineages now being 'discovered' by barcoding. ...
Article
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DNA barcoding has resulted in the ‘discovery’ of a vast number of new species and subspecies. Assigning formal scientific names to these taxa remains a major challenge. Names sometimes are newly designated. Alternatively, available valid names can be resurrected from synonymy, based on barcode analyses together with classical taxonomic characters. For the most part, however, new putative species revealed by barcoding studies go undescribed. This situation is most often attributed to insufficient taxonomic expertise with the authors conducting the study, together with a critical lack of formally trained taxonomists. However, even with formal training, and additional supportive data from morphological, ecological or life history characters, other factors can arise that impede new species descriptions. In the present paper, several specific taxonomic challenges that have arisen from barcode analyses in two groups of skipper butterflies (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), the Sootywings (Pholisora catullus and P. mejicanus) and the Coyote Cloudywing (Achalarus toxeus) are highlighted and discussed. Both P. catullus and A. toxeus show relatively large intraspecific genetic divergences of barcodes (2–3%) which suggests the possibility of previously unrecognized cryptic speciation within each group. Some of the challenges to providing formal names and clarifying taxonomic status of these cryptic taxa could be largely overcome by (1) barcoding type specimens, (2) clarifying imprecise and often vague or suspect type localities, and (3) by conducting in-depth comparative studies on genitalic morphology.
... Sobre peces se han realizado pocos trabajos. Las primeras menciones de especies de peces de Bahía Culebra son en trabajos sobre parásitos de peces (Wilson 1937, Manter 1940, posteriormente, William Beebe (1942) describe una especie cuyo nombre es modificado por Pfeiler (2008). Arturo Dominici-Arosemena (1999) para su tesis de Maestría en Biología de la Universidad de Costa Rica estudia la estructura poblacional de los peces de arrecifes de Bahía Culebra, con énfasis en las especies de mayor importancia comercial para la pesquería de peces ornamentales o de acuario. ...
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History of coastal-marine research in Bahía Culebra, North Pacific, Guanacaste, Costa Rica. Bahía Culebra (Culebra Bay) is located on the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica in a seasonal upwelling area. In this paper I present the history of marine research at Bahía Culebra, to summarize what is known and to point out research that should be carried out. Marine organisms of the Bay have been stud ied since the 1920’s and very intensely during the 1930’s, with the Alan Hancock Pacific Expeditions and the New York Society Zoological Expeditions. Most marine research has been done since 1980 by the Marine Science and Limnology Reseach Center (Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, CIMAR) at the University of Costa Rica. The best studied systems are the coral communities and reefs, followed by zooplankton research. In a compilation of published records of marine organisms 577 are reported and in this Special Issue 20 more are added, for a total of 597 marine species. Even so, more research is needed in several ecosystems and groups. It is necessary and important to develop managment plans to protect and conserve the marine ecosystems and biodiversity of Bahía Culebra.
... Fishes were identified using the keys and descriptions from Springer (1962), Allen and Robertson (1991, 1992), Fisher et al. (1995, Castro-Aguirre et al. (1999), Hastings andRobertson (1999, 1999b), Thomson et al. (2000), Carpenter and Niem (2001), Miller and Stefanni (2001), Miller et al. (2005), and Robertson and Allen (2015). For some groups, specialized literature was required: Balistidae (Latreille 1804, Shaw 1804-1805, Jordan and Evermann 1900, Froese and Pauly 2003, Rhinobatidae (Himaya and Kumada 1940), Gerreidae (Benitez 2004), Atherinopsidae (Lavenberg and Chernoff 1995), Labrisomidae (Hubbs 1953;Springer1959, Rosenblatt and Parr 1969, Rosenblatt and Taylor 1971, Blenniidae (Springer 1962), Chaenopsidae (Hastings and Robertson 1999), Tripterygiidae (Allen and Robertson 1991, 1992, Rosenblatt et al. 2013, and for the genera Abudefduf Forsskål, 1775 (Lessios et al. 1995), Tomicodon Brisout de Barneville, 1846, Gobiesox Lacepède, 1800 (Briggs 1955;Briggs and Miller 1960), and Albula Scopoli, 1777 (Pfeiler 2008). All specimens were deposited at CPUM (MICH-PEC-227-07-09). ...
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This study is the first to complete an intensive and comprehensive list of the ichthyofauna of nearly all ecosystems of the Michoacán coast, Mexico. The resulting systematic checklist, supplemented with information from the literature and scientific collections, comprises 440 species belonging to two classes, 31 orders, 104 families, and 264 genera. The families with the highest number of species were Sciaenidae (30 spp.), Carangidae (26), Haemulidae (24), Serranidae (21), Paralichthyidae, and Gobiidae (13). Of the total species list, 134 represent first records for the Michoacán State, and one is a first record for Mexico. The results expand the number of known fish species of the Michoacán coast by almost one third and will help to develop conservation and management plans for this coastal zone.
... A list of 196 species, 141 genera, and 64 families of marine fishes from the Bahía Chamela is presented (Table 1). In comparison with previous studies by Pfeiler (2008). ‡ These individuals represent juveniles too small to be accurately identified. ...
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An annotated checklist of marine fishes of the Sanctuary of Islands and Islets of Bahía Chamela in the central Mexican Pacific is presented. Records of fish species were obtained by different methods including visual census, sampling with anesthetics, fisherman-nets, and trawling with a biological dredge. Additional records were obtained from natural history collections and publications. The list comprises 196 species in 64 families and 141 genera. The Carangidae is the most speciose family with 11 species, followed by the Labridae with 10 and the Pomacentridae with nine. Fourteen species are endemic in Mexican Pacific waters, but none is restricted to Bahía Chamela. The most dominant species recorded during underwater surveys were Epinephelus labriformis, Stegastes flavilatus, and Halichoeres dispilus. Most species are of tropical affinities distributed throughout the tropical eastern Pacific (123), eastern Pacific (23), and Mexican Pacific (14). Other species are known from the eastern and Indo-Pacific regions (18), eastern Pacific and western Atlantic oceans (2), and some are circumtropical (9). A new record of the Gulf Brotula Ogilbia ventralis is provided for the Bahía Chamela and its geographical distribution is extended to Mexican central Pacific.
... Sobre peces se han realizado pocos trabajos. Las primeras menciones de especies de peces de Bahía Culebra son en trabajos sobre parásitos de peces (Wilson 1937, Manter 1940, posteriormente, William Beebe (1942) describe una especie cuyo nombre es modificado por Pfeiler (2008). Arturo Dominici-Arosemena (1999) para su tesis de Maestría en Biología de la Universidad de Costa Rica estudia la estructura poblacional de los peces de arrecifes de Bahía Culebra, con énfasis en las especies de mayor importancia comercial para la pesquería de peces ornamentales o de acuario. ...
Article
Full-text available
Bahía Culebra (Culebra Bay) is located on the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica in a seasonal upwelling area. In this paper I present the history of marine research at Bahía Culebra, to summarize what is known and to point out research that should be carried out. Marine organisms of the Bay have been studied since the 1920's and very intensely during the 1930's, with the Alan Hancock Pacific Expeditions and the New York Society Zoological Expeditions. Most marine research has been done since 1980 by the Marine Science and Limnology Reseach Center (Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, CIMAR) at the University of Costa Rica. The best studied systems are the coral communities and reefs, followed by zooplankton research. In a compilation of published records of marine organisms 577 are reported and in this Special Issue 20 more are added, for a total of 597 marine species. Even so, more research is needed in several ecosystems and groups. It is necessary and important to develop managment plans to protect and conserve the marine ecosystems and biodiversity of Bahía Culebra.
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El Pacífico Norte de Costa Rica es una región biológicamente rica y de gran importancia económica para el país. Allí se da el fenómeno de surgencia entre diciembre y abril-mayo, cuando los Vientos Alisios mueven las aguas cálidas superficiales mar afuera y son sustituidas por aguas profundas, frías, ricas en nutrientes y con altas concentraciones de CO2. Este cambio estacional tiene consecuencias importantes para los organismos marinos. Este trabajo tiene el objetivo de recopilar todas las publicaciones disponibles sobre investigación marina y atmosférica en el Pacífico Norte de Costa Rica. Se ubicaron 587 documentos sobre organismos, ambientes, y procesos marinos, oceanográficos y atmosféricos. La mayoría son sobre biodiversidad, con descripciones y listas de especies, seguido por trabajos ecológicos. Hay pocas publicaciones sobre otros temas. Los manglares son los ecosistemas costeros más estudiados, seguido por los arrecifes coralinos; mientras que, de otros hay pocas publicaciones, si es que hay. Las tortugas marinas, crustáceos decápodos y moluscos son los organismos de los que hay más publicaciones, seguidos por bivalvos y peces. Bahía Culebra es el área más estudiada, con muchas más publicaciones que otras localidades, seguido por Bahía Santa Elena. La gran mayoría de las publicaciones son artículos científicos en revistas especialisadas (487). Además, hay un número importante de tesis, 36. La cantidad y diversidad de investigaciones publicadas sobre el Pacífico Norte es relativamente alta pero se debe continuar estudiando la región y los monitoreos se deben reforzar y expander. El Pacífico Norte de Costa Rica es una región cambiando rápidamente y se debe contar con la información científica para una gestión sostenible de sus ambientes marinos.
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Resumen: Se presenta una lista de los peces de la zona nerítica (hasta la isobata de 60 brazas como límite) y los peces marinos que se encuentran en las aguas costeras (lagunas, estuarios y esteros) del sur de Sinaloa. Son reportadas 600 especies, pertenecientes a 318 géneros y 110 familias. La lista incluye a las especies que han sido colectadas, las que fueron avistadas (e identificadas con seguridad), y aquellas cuya presencia en el área considerada o en áreas adyacentes fue comprobada a partir de la literatura. Un aspecto importante de la lista es que incluye las especies de peces de hábitat rocoso de un área que juega un papel clave en la dispersión al norte de las mismas dentro del Golfo de California. Palabras claves: peces marinos, lista, Mazatlán, sur de Sinaloa, Golfo de California, México. Abstract: A check-list of fishes of southern Sinaloa (occurring within the 60-fathom isobath) and marine fishes found in coastal bodies of water (lagoons, estuaries and esteros) is presented. 600 species, belonging to 318 genera and 110 families are reported. Included are species collected in the area, species that were sighted (and positively identified), and species reported in the literature for southern Sinaloa and/or adjoining areas. An important aspect of the check-list is that it includes the rocky-shore fishes of an area which plays a key role in the northward dispersion of these fishes in the Gulf of California. Key words: marine fishes, check-list, Mazatlan, southern Sinaloa, Gulf of California, Mexico.
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Biochemical and morphological evolution of Hawaiian bonefishes (Albula). Syst. Zool., 30:125–146.—Electrophoretic analysis of the protein products of 84 presumed gene loci for over 180 specimens reveals that two distinct species of bonefishes occur in Hawaiian waters. Both species are characterized by low levels of within-species variation (H = 0.005 and 0.022). However, the two species are well differentiated from each other; they possess fixed allelic differences at about 70% of the loci screened and have a calculated genetic distance of 1.16. There is no evidence that the two species hybridize although they co-occur on both a macro and a microgeographic scale. The magnitude of genetic differentiation between the two species suggests that they have been separate genetic units for approximately the last 20–30 million years. Although the two species of bonefishes in Hawaii are superficially very similar morphologically, there are a number of significant differences. The distributions of vertebral counts for the two species are completely non-overlapping, and the mean values for several meristic variables (including numbers of lateral-line scales, branchiostegal rays, and gill rakers) are significantly different in the two species. The single best field character for diagnosis is the shape of the lower jaw which is broadly rounded in one species and more angular and pointed in the other species. A number of traits associated with the head and feeding (lower jaw shape, number of gill rakers, shapes of tooth patches, and number of teeth) differ in the two species. Stepwise discriminant function analysis using 31 morphological characters demonstrates that the two species have distinctively different overall morphologies and that they can be distinguished with over 99% accuracy.
Book
Estuarine, coastal lagoon, and vicarious fishes of Mexico: a catalog, with keys. Available online: https://books.google.es/books?id=Yz5h7auT99gC&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22Ictiofauna+estuarino-lagunar+y+vicaria+de+M%C3%A9xico%22&hl=es&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwipw8mQtIbVAhXJYyYKHZnABZoQ6AEIJjAA#v=onepage&q=%22Ictiofauna%20estuarino-lagunar%20y%20vicaria%20de%20M%C3%A9xico%22&f=false
Chapter
This chapter highlights the biogeography of fishes with perspectives from the Panamanian isthmus as it provides a rich landscape to study the evolution of fish and molecules. It focuses on fish biogeography, particularly the geography of conspecific populations of tropical marine and freshwater fishes. It provides an insight into the mechanics and reliability of mitochondrial molecular clocks functioning across shallow spans of time. Conspecific populations, if differentiated, can provide historical information about a region. Molecules, particularly mtDNA, are well suited for reconstructing the evolutionary relationships among conspecific populations. For species or species groups demonstrating little or no phylogenetically informative morphological variation, molecules can provide a taxonomy that can be easily and immediately placed in a phylogenetic context. Tabular representations are provided for the geographic scaling of species groups like the Panama Isthmus, the circumtropical Abudefduf, and Neotropical freshwater fishes. A reasonable conclusion follows that molecular and genetic analysis can provide rapid means for surveying regional biotic diversity. Phylogenetic history and/or genetic diversity should be used in biodiversity indices to emphasize the phylogenetic and genetic distinctiveness of some groups compared to others.