Biochemical‐genetic and meristic evidence that blue and copper moki (Teleostei: Latridae:Latridopsis) are discrete species

Abstract

Specimens of blue moki Latridopsis ciliaris (Forster in Bloch & Schneider, 1801) from New Zealand were shown to differ from specimens of copper moki Latridopsis forsteri (Castelnau, 1872) using two genetic methods-allozymes and muscle proteins. Allozyme techniques revealed fixed differences between blue and copper moki at 4 out of 15 loci. There was a genetic distance of 0.31-0.34 between population samples of the two colour morphs. The two morphs were also distinguished by iso-electric focusing of muscle proteins. Meristic characters, counted in the specimens studied with genetic markers, revealed diagnostic markers in tubed lateral line scales and scales in the lower transverse series. It is concluded that specimens of blue moki from New Zealand and copper moki from New Zealand and Tasmania are valid species.

Phylogenetic relationships of the silver trumpeterLatris pacifica(Teleostei, Percomorpha, Latridae) based on allozymes and mitochondrial cytochromebsequences

“…In the definitive world "Catalog of fishes", Eschmeyer (1998) listed L. ciliaris as a synonym of L. forsteri. Subsequently, DNA and morphological analyses have confirmed that L. ciliaris and L. forsteri are discrete species (Smith et al 2001).…”

“…Cellulose acetate gel electrophoresis was used to examine 10 enzymes in muscle tissue after the methods of Smith et al (2001). Previous allozyme analyses included specimens of Latridopsis ciliaris, L. forsteri, and four specimens of Latris lineata (Smith et al 2001); these data were included along with new data from seven additional specimens of L. lineata, eight specimens of Mendosoma lineatum, and 11 specimens of L. pacifica.…”

“…Cellulose acetate gel electrophoresis was used to examine 10 enzymes in muscle tissue after the methods of Smith et al (2001). Previous allozyme analyses included specimens of Latridopsis ciliaris, L. forsteri, and four specimens of Latris lineata (Smith et al 2001); these data were included along with new data from seven additional specimens of L. lineata, eight specimens of Mendosoma lineatum, and 11 specimens of L. pacifica. The enzymes tested, loci, and abbreviations used (Enzyme Commission number and buffer system) were: adenylate kinase AK* (2.1 A3, buffer C2); alcohol dehydrogenase ADH* (1.1.1.1, buffer C2); creatine kinase CK* (2.7.3.2, buffer C3); esterase EST* (3.1.1.-, buffer C3); glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase G3PDH* (1.1.1.8, buffer C1); glucose-6-phosphate isomerase GPI-1* and GPI-2* (5.3.1.9, buffer C1); L-lactate dehydrogenase LDH-2* (1.1.1.27, buffer C1); malate dehydrogenase MDH* (1.1.1.37, buffer C1); malic enzyme MEP-2* (1.1.1.40, buffer C2); and phosphoglucomutase PGM-2* (5.4.2.2, buffer C1).…”

“…The phylogenetic relationships of the five species of Latridae are uncertain. Increasingly, molecular techniques are being used to resolve taxonomic relationships of closely related fish species (e.g., Rocha-Olivares et al 1999), including the Latridae (Smith et al 2001), and to provide molecular phylogenies (e.g., Burridge 1999;Okazaki et al 2001). Within the Latridae the generic taxonomy has been confused, with the limits and diagnostic characters of genera poorly understood, in particular for Latris and Latridopsis.…”

“…This paper complements the taxonomic description of the new species of silver trumpeter (Roberts 2003) and compares cytochrome b mitochondrial DNA sequences in silver trumpeter with sequences from the other four species of Latridae. In addition we have used allozyme loci that distinguish L. ciliaris and L. forsteri (Smith et al 2001) to provide another class of genetic marker, to determine the genetic relationships of silver trumpeter (Latris pacifica).…”