title: Status of the eastern Pacific agujon needlefish Tylosurus pacificus (Steindachner, 1876) (Beloniformes: Belonidae).
abstract: Tylosurus pacificus (Steindachner, 1876) is confirmed to have full species rank based on: 1) sympatry with T. acus melanotus at Isla Gorgona and in Panamá; 2) level of morphological differentiation in numbers of vertebrae, dorsal and anal fin rays; and 3) level of mtDNA differentiation. The eastern Pacific agujon needlefish is found from the Gulf of California, Mexico, to Peru, including the Galápagos Islands.
authors.affiliation: National Marine Fisheries Service Systematics Laboratory, National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC 20560-0153, USA. collette.bruce@nmnh.si.edu
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Collettte
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Banford
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023761:Beloniformes / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000032:analysis*; D010140:Pacific Ocean
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial