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Analysis of complete mitochondrial DNA sequences of three members of the Montastraea annularis coral species complex (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Scleractinia)

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Abstract

Complete mitochondrial nucleotide sequences of two individuals each of Montastraea annularis, Montastraea faveolata, and Montastraea franksi were determined. Gene composition and order differed substantially from the sea anemone Metridium senile, but were identical to that of the phylogenetically distant coral genus Acropora. However, characteristics of the non-coding regions differed between the two scleractinian genera. Among members of the M. annularis complex, only 25 of 16,134 base pair positions were variable. Sixteen of these occurred in one colony of M. franksi, which (together with additional data) indicates the existence of multiple divergent mitochondrial lineages in this species. Overall, rates of evolution for these mitochondrial genomes were extremely slow (0.03–0.04% per million years based on the fossil record of the M. annularis complex). At higher taxonomic levels, patterns of genetic divergence and synonymous/nonsynonymous substitutions suggest non-neutral and unequal rates of evolution between the two lineages to which Montastraea and Acropora belong.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Javier Jara and Eyda Gomez for help with lab analyses and sample collections, and Antonio Solé-Cava for comments on the manuscript. The study was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation (OCE98-11124).

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Author notes

  1. Hironobu Fukami

    Present address: Seto Marine Biological Laboratory, Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University, Shirahama, Wakayama, 649-2211, Japan

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0202, USA

    Hironobu Fukami & Nancy Knowlton

  2. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa Ancon Box 2072,  , Republic of Panama

    Nancy Knowlton

Authors
  1. Hironobu Fukami
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  2. Nancy Knowlton
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Correspondence to Nancy Knowlton.

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Communicated by Biological Editor H.R. Lasker

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Fukami, H., Knowlton, N. Analysis of complete mitochondrial DNA sequences of three members of the Montastraea annularis coral species complex (Cnidaria, Anthozoa, Scleractinia). Coral Reefs 24, 410–417 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-005-0023-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-005-0023-3

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