No genetic deviation between two morphotypes of the snipefishes (Macroramphosidae: Macroramphosus) in Japanese waters

• DOI: 10.1007/s10228-014-0443-6
• Publication Date: 2014-10-28T08:46:22Z
• Authors: Taisuke Noguchi; Kay Sakuma; Tomo Kitahashi; Hajime Itoh; Yasunori Kano; Gento Shinohara; Jun Hashimoto; Shigeaki Kojima
• Keywords: 0303 health sciences; 03 medical and health sciences; 14. Life underwater

We examined morphological and molecular characteristics of individuals of Macroramphosus in Japanese waters (the East China Sea and the northwestern Pacific). Two morphotypes (M. scolopax-type and M. gracilis-type) that were differentiated based on 10 quantitative morphological characters were not supported by molecular analyses using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA markers, while a genetic deviation was observed between populations of Macroramphosus from the northwestern Pacific and the northeastern Atlantic. Macroramphosus scolopax-type and M. gracilis-type individuals are thought to be intraspecific morphotypes adapted to plankton and benthos feeding, respectively.