title: Molecular phylogenetics of New World searobins (Triglidae; Prionotinae).
abstract: Phylogenetic relationships among members of the New World searobin genera Bellator and Prionotus (Family Triglidae, Subfamily Prionotinae) and among other searobins in the families Triglidae and Peristediidae were investigated using both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences. Phylogenetic hypotheses derived from maximum likelihood and Bayesian methodologies supported a monophyletic Prionotinae that included four well resolved clades of uncertain relationship; three contained species in the genus Prionotus and one contained species in the genus Bellator. Bellator was always recovered within the genus Prionotus, a result supported by post hoc model testing. Two nominal species of Prionotus (P. alatus and P. paralatus) were not recovered as exclusive lineages, suggesting the two may comprise a single species. Phylogenetic hypotheses also supported a monophyletic Triglidae but only if armored searobins (Family Peristediidae) were included. A robust morphological assessment is needed to further characterize relationships and suggest classification of clades within Prionotinae; for the time being we recommend that Bellator be considered a synonym of Prionotus. Relationships between armored searobins (Family Peristediidae) and searobins (Family Triglidae) and relationships within Triglidae also warrant further study.
authors.affiliation: Marine Genomics Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA. Electronic address: david.portnoy@tamucc.edu.
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Portnoy
authors.affiliation: Marine Genomics Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA.
authors.forename: Stuart C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Willis
authors.affiliation: Marine Genomics Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.affiliation: Marine Genomics Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA.
authors.forename: Dominic G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Swift
authors.affiliation: Marine Genomics Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, 6300 Ocean Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78412, USA.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gold
authors.affiliation: Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences and Biodiversity Research and Teaching Collections, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
authors.forename: Kevin W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Conway
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000235:genetics; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008390:Markov Chains; D009010:Monte Carlo Method; D010473:Perciformes / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics*; D010802:Phylogeny; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial
keywords: Mitochondrial DNA; New World fishes; Nuclear DNA; Scorpaeniformes; Teleostei