Molecular Phylogeny of Grey Mullets (Teleostei: Mugilidae) in Greece: Evidence from Sequence Analysis of mtDNA Segments

• Published in: Biochemical genetics Vol. 45; no. 7-8; pp. 623 - 636
• Main Authors: Papasotiropoulos, Vasilis, Klossa-Kilia, Elena, Alahiotis, Stamatis N, Kilias, George
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Boston : Springer US 01.08.2007; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Animals; Chelon labrosus; DNA, Mitochondrial - genetics; Evolution; Genetic Variation; Genetics; Greece; Grey mullets; Lagoons; Liza aurata; Liza ramada; Liza saliens; Mitochondrial DNA; Mugil cephalus; Mugilidae; Mugilidae family; Phylogeny; Sequence Analysis, DNA; Sequencing; Smegmamorpha - genetics; Taxa; Teleostei; Topology; Greece; MED, Greece
• ISSN: 0006-2928; 1573-4927
• DOI: 10.1007/s10528-007-9101-2

Mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis has been used to explore genetic differentiation and phylogenetic relationships among five species of the Mugilidae family, Mugil cephalus, Chelon labrosus, Liza aurata, Liza ramada, and Liza saliens. DNA was isolated from samples originating from the Messolongi Lagoon in Greece. Three mtDNA segments (12s rRNA, 16s rRNA, and CO I) were PCR amplified and sequenced. Sequencing analysis revealed that the greatest genetic differentiation was observed between M. cephalus and all the other species studied, while C. labrosus and L. aurata were the closest taxa. Dendrograms obtained by the neighbor-joining method and Bayesian inference analysis exhibited the same topology. According to this topology, M. cephalus is the most distinct species and the remaining taxa are clustered together, with C. labrosus and L. aurata forming a single group. The latter result brings into question the monophyletic origin of the genus Liza.