Cryptic Caribbean species of Scorpaena (Actinopterygii: Scorpaeniformes) suggested by cytogenetic and molecular data

Description: Cytogenetic and molecular analyses enabled identification of two cytotypes among individuals of the spotted scorpion fish Scorpaena plumieri from Margarita Island, Venezuela. Cytotype 1 was character- ized by 48 subtelo-acrocentric chromosomes and fundamental number (number of chromosome arms; FN) equalled 48, while cytotype 2 was characterized by two metacentric and 46 subtelo-acrocentric chromosomes and FN was 50. These cytotypes also differed in the location of the ribosomal gene clusters and in the distribution of the constitutive heterochromatin. Moreover, fish from the cytotypes 1 and 2 were found to belong to distinct mitochondrial lineages. The presence of two S. plumieri cyto- types from two lineages separated by high genetic distance suggests that they correspond to sympatric cryptic species.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27488622

Get full text: http://repositorio.educacionsuperior.gob.ec/handle/28000/3921