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The taxonomic identity and distribution of the eel cod Muraenolepis (Gadiformes: Muraenolepididae) around South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

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Abstract

Fishes of the genus Muraenolepis are regularly caught in commercial and research fishing in the waters around South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, but for many years there has been uncertainty about the specific identity of the species being caught. Here, we used morphological and molecular data to clarify the identity of specimens of Muraenolepis caught in trawl surveys and longline fisheries in South Georgia and South Sandwich Island waters. Type specimens of M. marmorata, M. microps and M. orangiensis were examined, together with specimens caught in trawl surveys around South Georgia. Morphological and molecular (mitochondrial 16S and cox1 sequence) data from specimens collected throughout the Southern Ocean indicate four clades and confirm the presence of just one species (M. marmorata) on the South Georgia continental shelf. The data also confirm that M. microps is a junior synonym of M. marmorata, which has a broad distribution around sub-Antarctic islands in the Southern Ocean extending as far south as the South Orkneys and the southern South Sandwich Islands. Muraenolepis evseenkoi is the main species caught in longline fisheries in the South Sandwich Islands and, with a more southerly distribution, is not known from around South Georgia. A third species (M. kuderskii) is also reported from around South Georgia and one specimen was considered to belong to this species. In total, there are eight recognised species of muraenolepidids in two genera, with six species having an Antarctic distribution.

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Data availability

Data from this study will be made available through the BAS Polar Data Centre (https://doi.org/10.5285/6C462D80-45EE-4B2F-BF71-9C8DE3DB19D1). Molecular sequences used in this study have been submitted to the DNA Data Bank of Japan and assigned the accession numbers LC599089–LC599328.

Code availability

Not applicable.

Notes

  1. Originally described as M. marmoratus, but should be M. marmorata.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks to Peter Smith, Steve Parker and Peter Macmillan (NIWA), Guy Duhamel and Romain Causse (MNHN, Paris), Paul Brickle (SAERI) and Judith Brown and Sue Gregory (GSGSSI) for providing samples. Samples from Kerguelen came from the POKER 1 survey in 2006. Thanks to all personnel involved in the South Georgia Groundfish Surveys (2004–2006) for supporting sample collection and to Dr. Katharine Ganley (KEP Medic) for X-rays. The CCAMLR Secretariat (Daphnis de Pooter) kindly facilitated access to longline catch data. Thanks to Phil Hurst and Kevin Webb of the Photographic Unit of the Natural History Museum, London, for providing photographs of specimens. This study built on work undertaken by EF as part of a PhD, supervised by Andy Brierley (St Andrews University), Alex Rogers (University of Oxford) and Melody Clark (British Antarctic Survey). The authors thank Paul Brickle, Joe Eastman and an anonymous reviewer for their constructive comments on the manuscript.

Funding

The groundfish surveys were funded by the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI). MAC and PH were funded by a Grant to BAS from GSGSSI and the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. British Antarctic Survey, NERC, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB23 0ET, UK

    E. Fitzcharles, P. R. Hollyman & M. A. Collins

  2. Scottish Association for Marine Science, Oban, Argyll, PA37 1QA, Scotland, UK

    W. P. Goodall-Copestake

  3. Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 5BD, UK

    J. S. Maclaine

  4. School of Biological, Environmental and Earth Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

    M. A. Collins

Authors
  1. E. Fitzcharles
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  2. P. R. Hollyman
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  3. W. P. Goodall-Copestake
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  4. J. S. Maclaine
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  5. M. A. Collins
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Contributions

The study was conceived by EF and MAC. EF undertook all lab work and preliminary analysis. WPG-C undertook the molecular analysis. PH contributed to the data analysis. JM provided access to and undertook examination of reference material, including X-rays. MAC collected the samples and did the initial morphological measurements. All authors contributed to the preparation of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. A. Collins.

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The authors have no conflicts of interest in respect of this study.

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All the samples analysed in this study were collected on an opportunistic basis from commercial fishing or research surveys and there was no specific sampling for this study.

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Fitzcharles, E., Hollyman, P.R., Goodall-Copestake, W.P. et al. The taxonomic identity and distribution of the eel cod Muraenolepis (Gadiformes: Muraenolepididae) around South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Polar Biol 44, 637–651 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-021-02819-2

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