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Differentiation of coral trout (Plectropomus leopardus) based on an analysis of morphology and complete mitochondrial DNA: Are cryptic species present?

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Abstract

Two morphotypes of Plectropomus leopardus have been identified; morphometric and meristic analyses show that there is no diagnostic difference between them. A difference in color pattern was the most appropriate phenotypic character with which to distinguish between the two morphotypes. Complete mitochondrialDNA sequencing, however, indicated a clear difference between the two morphotypes. Barcoding analysis revealed no significant difference (P>0.05) in CO1 or ND2 divergence among intramorphotypic individuals, even between geographically separated populations, whereas the intermorphotypic CO1 and ND2 divergences were large enough (averaging 0.95% for CO1 and 1.37% for ND2) to clearly discriminate between the two morphotypes. The color pattern difference, geographical distribution, together with the mtDNA and barcode sequencing data, suggest that the two morphotypes should be of two subspecies or even two species.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen, 361005, China

    Xiaopeng Cai, Meng Qu, Shaoxiong Ding, Hangjun Wang, Hongjie Wang & Yongquan Su

  2. Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures, Swingle Hall, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, 36849, USA

    Luyi Hu

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  1. Xiaopeng Cai
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  2. Meng Qu
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  3. Shaoxiong Ding
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  4. Hangjun Wang
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  5. Hongjie Wang
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  6. Luyi Hu
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  7. Yongquan Su
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Correspondence to Shaoxiong Ding.

Additional information

Foundation item: Key Programof the Science and Technology Department Foundation of Fujian Province under contract No. 2007N0050; the Seed Industry Innovation and Industrialization Project of Fujian Province, China (on the subtopic of groupers).

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Cai, X., Qu, M., Ding, S. et al. Differentiation of coral trout (Plectropomus leopardus) based on an analysis of morphology and complete mitochondrial DNA: Are cryptic species present?. Acta Oceanol. Sin. 32, 40–46 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-013-0304-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13131-013-0304-6

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