Mitogenomic phylogenetic analyses of Leptogorgia virgulata and Leptogorgia hebes (Anthozoa: Octocorallia) from the Gulf of Mexico provides insight on Gorgoniidae divergence between Pacific and Atlantic lineages

Abstract

The use of genetics in recent years has brought to light the need to reevaluate the classification of many gorgonian octocorals. This study focuses on two Leptogorgia species—Leptogorgia virgulata and Leptogorgia hebes—from the northwestern Gulf of Mexico (GOM). We target complete mitochondrial genomes and mtMutS sequences, and integrate this data with previous genetic research of gorgonian corals to resolve phylogenetic relationships and estimate divergence times. This study contributes the first complete mitochondrial genomes for L. ptogorgia virgulata and L. hebes. Our resulting phylogenies stress the need to redefine the taxonomy of the genus Leptogorgia in its entirety. The fossil‐calibrated divergence times for Eastern Pacific and Western Atlantic Leptogorgia species based on complete mitochondrial genomes shows that the use of multiple genes results in estimates of more recent speciation events than previous research based on single genes. These more recent divergence times are in agreement with geologic data pertaining to the formation of the Isthmus of Panama.

Three new species of the sea fan genus Leptogorgia (Octocorallia, Gorgoniidae) from the Gulf of California, Mexico

“…Approximately 500 quantitative monitoring transects, each one covering an area of 30 m², were surveyed during extensive annual ecological expeditions located along the peninsular coast and at 25 islands of the Gulf of California (1995-2019, Islas Marías Archipelago (2010 and 2018), Bahía Banderas (2013) and Bahía Magdalena (2013-2014) ( Fig. 1).…”

“…This taxonomical problem is particularly accentuated by multiple species having wide interspecific and intraspecific variability of morphotypes and chromotypes. The molecular evidence strongly suggests that genus Leptogorgia has deep genetic divergence among morphologically similar species, with multiple genetic geographically restricted lineages (Poliseno et al 2017;Soler-Hurtado et al 2017a, b;Olvera et al 2018;Silvestri et al 2019).…”