DNA barcoding of tetraodontidae species from the mediterranean sea: Filling knowledge gaps for improved taxonomic accuracy

Abstract

Most of the Mediterranean members of the family Tetraodontidae are non-native to the region, and include species of both Atlantic and Indo-Pacific origin. Anthropogenic activities are synergistically causing the populations of these non-native species to expand, causing ecological and economical losses in the Mediterranean Sea. The current study evaluated the morphological and the genetic characteristics of six Tetraodontidae species collected from the Mediterranean Sea. Two mitochondrial sequences, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and the control region were studied covering over 1400 bp from each specimen, with Lagocephalus sceleratus and L. suezensis exhibiting the lowest intraspecific divergence, while Torquigener flavimaculosus exhibited the largest intraspecific divergence. Comparative analyses of the current data with other publically available COI data show the need to further evaluate species diversity of Tetraodontidae not only in the Mediterranean but also in their native range. Filling knowledge gaps for improved taxonomic identification of species is essential to accurately track these species and their populations in the Mediterranean and beyond.