Evolutionary History and Taxonomic Reappraisal of Coral Reef Rabbitfishes (Siganidae): Patterns of Lineage Diversification and Speciation
Rabbitfish (Siganidae) are coral reef fish that are distributed across diverse habitats that include estuaries, mangroves, reefs, and even seaweed mats. Given their ecological diversity and natural widespread distributions across the Indo-Pacific region, we were interested to investigate the evoluti...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/11/1109 |
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| author | Siti Zulaiha Zolkaply Thinh Dinh Do Md Asaduzzaman Ying Giat Seah David Hurwood Peter Mather Md Moshiur Rahman Li Lian Wong |
| author_facet | Siti Zulaiha Zolkaply Thinh Dinh Do Md Asaduzzaman Ying Giat Seah David Hurwood Peter Mather Md Moshiur Rahman Li Lian Wong |
| author_sort | Siti Zulaiha Zolkaply |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Rabbitfish (Siganidae) are coral reef fish that are distributed across diverse habitats that include estuaries, mangroves, reefs, and even seaweed mats. Given their ecological diversity and natural widespread distributions across the Indo-Pacific region, we were interested to investigate the evolutionary history of this group and patterns of divergence that have contributed to their present-day distributions. In the present study, samples were collected from the South China Sea to study taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships, and divergence times. We investigated the taxonomic relationships among modern rabbitfish species, reconstructed their molecular phylogeny, and estimated divergence times among selected lineages based on a fragment of the mtDNA cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and sequences of the nuclear rhodopsin retrogene (RHO). Our results indicate that modern rabbitfish likely originated in the Indo-West Pacific during the late Eocene [37.4 million years ago (mya)], following which they diverged into three major clades during the Pliocene/Pleistocene. Subsequent diversification and origins of the majority of siganids may likely be associated with episodes of paleo-oceanographic events, including greenhouse and glaciation events (Eocene–Miocene) as well as major plate tectonic events (Pliocene–Pleistocene). Some modern siganid species may naturally hybridize with congeneric species where their geographical ranges overlap. A comprehensive taxonomic analysis revealed that the phylogeny of Siganidae (cladogenesis of Clades I, II, and III) is characterized by divergence in several external morphological characters and morphometric parameters. Our study demonstrates that morphological characteristics, geographical heterogeneity, and environmental change have contributed to siganids’ historical diversification. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:42:03Z |
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| issn | 2079-7737 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T05:42:03Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
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| series | Biology |
| spelling | doaj.art-42be5f5109be4230a9e78cd558b293192023-11-22T22:27:28ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372021-10-011011110910.3390/biology10111109Evolutionary History and Taxonomic Reappraisal of Coral Reef Rabbitfishes (Siganidae): Patterns of Lineage Diversification and SpeciationSiti Zulaiha Zolkaply0Thinh Dinh Do1Md Asaduzzaman2Ying Giat Seah3David Hurwood4Peter Mather5Md Moshiur Rahman6Li Lian Wong7Institute of Marine Biotechnology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu 21030, MalaysiaInstitute of Marine Environment and Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Haiphong 04000, VietnamDepartment of Marine Bioresource Science, Faculty of Fisheries, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Khulshi, Chattogram 4225, BangladeshFaculty of Fisheries and Food Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu 21030, MalaysiaFaculty of Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, AustraliaAustralian Rivers Institute, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, AustraliaFisheries and Marine Resource Technology Discipline, Khulna University, Khulna 9208, BangladeshInstitute of Marine Biotechnology, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu 21030, MalaysiaRabbitfish (Siganidae) are coral reef fish that are distributed across diverse habitats that include estuaries, mangroves, reefs, and even seaweed mats. Given their ecological diversity and natural widespread distributions across the Indo-Pacific region, we were interested to investigate the evolutionary history of this group and patterns of divergence that have contributed to their present-day distributions. In the present study, samples were collected from the South China Sea to study taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships, and divergence times. We investigated the taxonomic relationships among modern rabbitfish species, reconstructed their molecular phylogeny, and estimated divergence times among selected lineages based on a fragment of the mtDNA cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and sequences of the nuclear rhodopsin retrogene (RHO). Our results indicate that modern rabbitfish likely originated in the Indo-West Pacific during the late Eocene [37.4 million years ago (mya)], following which they diverged into three major clades during the Pliocene/Pleistocene. Subsequent diversification and origins of the majority of siganids may likely be associated with episodes of paleo-oceanographic events, including greenhouse and glaciation events (Eocene–Miocene) as well as major plate tectonic events (Pliocene–Pleistocene). Some modern siganid species may naturally hybridize with congeneric species where their geographical ranges overlap. A comprehensive taxonomic analysis revealed that the phylogeny of Siganidae (cladogenesis of Clades I, II, and III) is characterized by divergence in several external morphological characters and morphometric parameters. Our study demonstrates that morphological characteristics, geographical heterogeneity, and environmental change have contributed to siganids’ historical diversification.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/11/1109rabbitfishcytochrome oxidase I (COI)nuclear rhodopsin retrogene (RHO)nuclear DNAmorphologyphylogenetic |
| spellingShingle | Siti Zulaiha Zolkaply Thinh Dinh Do Md Asaduzzaman Ying Giat Seah David Hurwood Peter Mather Md Moshiur Rahman Li Lian Wong Evolutionary History and Taxonomic Reappraisal of Coral Reef Rabbitfishes (Siganidae): Patterns of Lineage Diversification and Speciation Biology rabbitfish cytochrome oxidase I (COI) nuclear rhodopsin retrogene (RHO) nuclear DNA morphology phylogenetic |
| title | Evolutionary History and Taxonomic Reappraisal of Coral Reef Rabbitfishes (Siganidae): Patterns of Lineage Diversification and Speciation |
| title_full | Evolutionary History and Taxonomic Reappraisal of Coral Reef Rabbitfishes (Siganidae): Patterns of Lineage Diversification and Speciation |
| title_fullStr | Evolutionary History and Taxonomic Reappraisal of Coral Reef Rabbitfishes (Siganidae): Patterns of Lineage Diversification and Speciation |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolutionary History and Taxonomic Reappraisal of Coral Reef Rabbitfishes (Siganidae): Patterns of Lineage Diversification and Speciation |
| title_short | Evolutionary History and Taxonomic Reappraisal of Coral Reef Rabbitfishes (Siganidae): Patterns of Lineage Diversification and Speciation |
| title_sort | evolutionary history and taxonomic reappraisal of coral reef rabbitfishes siganidae patterns of lineage diversification and speciation |
| topic | rabbitfish cytochrome oxidase I (COI) nuclear rhodopsin retrogene (RHO) nuclear DNA morphology phylogenetic |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/10/11/1109 |
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