title: Molecular identification and morphological description of Micropogonias megalops, Cynoscion othonopterus, C. reticulatus and Menticirrhus nasus larvae, collected in the upper Gulf of California during Summer 2012.
abstract: Sciaenidae fish larvae were collected from the upper Gulf of California during September 2012 using a conical net (505 μm) through surface tows. These were pre-classified into four larval morphotypes, based on external characteristics (mainly meristic and pigmentation). Partial sequences of cytochrome c oxidase, subunit 1 and 16S rRNA (16S) genes of mitochondrial DNA, were used in molecular genetic identification from each larval morphotype. Genetic results indicated the identification of four larval morphotypes as Micropogonias megalops, Cynoscion othonopterus, C. reticulatus and Menticirrhus nasus. Pigmentation patterns of larvae described after molecular genetic identification made it possible to distinguish between M. megalops, M. nasus and C. othonopterus (postflexion). However, pigmentation was not reliable for differentiating between preflexion larvae of C. othonopterus and C. reticulatus. From these results, both morphological and genetic approaches were proposed as complementary tools in taxonomic studies of ichthyoplankton, particularly in early fish larvae identification of congeneric species with similar morphological characteristics.
authors.affiliation: a Instituto Politécnico Nacional-Centro Interdisciplinario De Ciencias Marinas , La Paz , Mexico.
authors.forename: Rosabel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Camacho-Gastélum
authors.affiliation: a Instituto Politécnico Nacional-Centro Interdisciplinario De Ciencias Marinas , La Paz , Mexico.
authors.forename: Noé
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Díaz-Viloria
authors.affiliation: a Instituto Politécnico Nacional-Centro Interdisciplinario De Ciencias Marinas , La Paz , Mexico.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Velasco
authors.affiliation: a Instituto Politécnico Nacional-Centro Interdisciplinario De Ciencias Marinas , La Paz , Mexico.
authors.forename: Sylvia P A
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Jiménez-Rosenberg
authors.affiliation: b Centro De Investigaciones Biológicas Del Noroeste , La Paz , Mexico.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Perez-Enriquez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D050259:Genes, Mitochondrial; D014644:Genetic Variation; D007814:Larva / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D008800:Mexico; D010473:Perciformes / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV
keywords: Cytochrome c oxidase; Sciaenidae larvae; molecular markers; molecular taxonomy; subunit 1