Chih-Wei Chang

Lemonpeel (Centropyge flavissima) and yellow (C. heraldi) pygmy angelfishes each consist of two geographically isolated sibling species

Genetic variation was examined in two complex cases of Indo-Pacific pygmy angelfishes (genus Centropyge; Pomacanthidae). The lemonpeel pygmy angelfish C. flavissima (Cuvier and Valenciennes) has a geographically disjunct Indian vs. Pacific distribution and the individuals from these two regions differ by their colour patterns. Previous research on C. flavissima has shown mitochondrial introgression from two related species, C. eibli in the eastern Indian Ocean and C. vrolikii in the Pacific Ocean. Using the 16S rDNA and the CO1 gene as phylogeographic markers, we found no mitochondrial haplotypes in common between Indian Ocean C. flavissima and C. eibli, confirming partial genetic isolation, albeit recent. Also, we found substantial genetic differences between Indian and Pacific C. flavissima populations at the nuclear ETS-2 intron locus. The Indian Ocean form of C. flavissima, thus geographically isolated by >2000 km distance from its Pacific Ocean counterpart, is described as a new species, Centropyge cocosensis sp. nov. Centropyge cocosensis sp. nov. differs in appearance from C. flavissima in having a conspicuous blue iris and a fainter, bluish eye ring. We also found that the yellow pygmy angelfish C. heraldi Woods and Schultz consists of two genetically distinct entities, one distributed widely in the northern tropical Indo-West Pacific, the other distributed in the southern Pacific Ocean. The name originally given to the blackfin pygmy angelfish, C. woodheadi Kuiter, is here resurrected to designate the latter.

Next generation sequencing yields complete mitogenomes of Leopard whipray (Himantura leoparda) and Blue-spotted stingray (Neotrygon kuhlii) (Chondrichthyes: Dasyatidae)

Abstract The Leopard whipray (Himantura leoparda) and Blue-spotted stingray (Neotrygon kuhlii) are distributed in the Indian and West Pacific Ocean and considered as complex species based on morphological and molecular evidences. In this study, we used the next-generation sequencing method to decode two complete mitogenomes of H. leoparda and N. kuhlii. The assembled mitogenome, consisting lengths of 17,690 bp for H. leoparda and 17,974 bp for N. kuhlii, shows 78% identity to each other. Both mitogenomes follow the typical vertebrate arrangement, including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, 2 ribosomal RNAs genes and a non-coding control region of D-loop. D-loop with the lengths 1931 bp (H. leoparda) and 2243 bp (N. kuhlii) is located between tRNA-Pro and tRNA-Phe. The overall GC content is 40.3% for H. leoparda and 39.8% for N. kuhlii. The complete mitogenome of H. leoparda and N. kuhlii provides essential and important DNA molecular data for further phylogenetic and evolutionary analyses for stingray species complex.

One Species Hypothesis to Rule Them All: Consistency Is Essential to Delimitate Species

The newly-desribed Centropyge cocosensis has long been considered a variant of the lemonpeel pygmy angelfish C. flavissima because of their overall similarity in color patterns. DiBattista and co-authors [J. Hered. 107 (2016) 647–653] recently contested the validity of C. cocosensis, based on arguments that are challenged here.

Complete mitogenomes of Armitage angelfish (Apolemichthys armitagei) and Griffisi angelfish (Apolemichthys griffisi) (Teleostei: Pomacanthidae)

Abstract In this study, we used the next-generation sequencing method to deduce complete mitogenomes of Armitage angelfish (Apolemichthys armitagei) and Griffisi angelfish (A. griffisi) for the first time. The assembled mitogenomes, consists 16,551 bp (A. armitagei) and 16,528 bp (A. griffisi) in length, shows 92% identity each other. Both mitogenomes follow the typical vertebrate arrangement, including 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, two ribosomal RNAs genes, and a non-coding control region of D-loop. D-loop contains a length of 828 bp in A. armitagei and 849 bp in A. griffisi and locates between tRNA-Pro and tRNA-Phe. Complete mitogenomes of Armitage angelfish and Griffisi angelfish deduced in this study provide essential and important DNA molecular data for further phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis for marine angelfish.

Complete mitogenomes of Woodhead's angelfish (Centropyge woodheadi) and Herald's angelfish (Centropyge heraldi) (Teleostei: Pomacanthidae)

Abstract In this study, we used the next-generation sequencing method to deduce two complete mitogenomes of Woodheads angelfish (Centropyge woodheadi) and Heralds angelfish (Centropyge heraldi) for the first time. The assembled mitogenome, consisting of 16 863 and 16 836 bp, shows 95.3% identity to each other. Both mitogenome follow a typical vertebrate arrangement, including 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, 2 ribosomal RNAs genes and a non-coding control region of D-loop. D-loop contains 1158 bp in C. woodheadi and 1129 bp in C. heraldi and locates between tRNA-Pro and tRNA-Phe. The overall GC content is 47.9% for C. woodheadi and 47.5% for C. heraldi. The complete mitogenomes of C. woodheadi and C. heraldi provide an essential and important DNA molecular data for phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis for marine angelfish.

Complete mitogenomes of Cocos lemonpeel angelfish (Centropyge flavissima) and Eibl’s angelfish (Centropyge eibli) (Teleostei: Pomacanthidae)

Abstract In this study, we used the next-generation sequencing method to deduce two complete mitogenomes of Cocos lemonpeel angelfish (Centropyge flavissima) and Eibl’s angelfish (Centropyge eibli) for the first time. The assembled mitogenome, consisting of 17 010 bp and 17 101 bp, showing 98.3% identity each other. Both mitogenomes follow the typical vertebrate arrangement, including 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a non-coding control region of D-loop. D-loop contains 1302 bp in C. flavissima and 1392 bp in C. eibli and locates between tRNA-Pro and tRNA-Phe. The overall GC content is 45.2% for C. flavissima and 44.9% for C. eibli. Complete mitogenomes of C. flavissima and C. eibli provide essential and important DNA molecular data for phylogenetic and evolutionary analysis for marine angelfishes.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Vermiculated angelfish (Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus) (Perciformes: Pomacanthidae)

Abstract In this study, the complete mitogenome sequence of the Vermiculated angelfish (Chaetodontoplus mesoleucus) (Perciformes: Pomacanthidae) has been sequenced by the next-generation sequencing method. The assembled mitogenome consisting of 16,998 bp, including 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and two ribosomal RNAs genes. The overall base composition of vermiculated angelfish is 27.6% for A, 30.7% for C, 16.1% for G, and 25.6% for T and show 85% identities to Bluestripe angelfish C. septentrionalis in the same genus. The complete mitogenome of the Vermiculated angelfish provides essential and important DNA molecular data for further phylogeography and evolutionary analysis for marine angelfishes.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Tiger angelfish, Apolemichthys kingi (Perciformes: Pomacanthidae)

Abstract In this study, the complete mitogenome sequence of the Tiger angelfish, Apolemichthys kingi (Perciformes: Pomacanthidae), has been sequenced by the next-generation sequencing method. The assembled mitogenome consisting of 16,816 bp includes 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and two ribosomal RNAs genes. The overall base composition of Tiger angelfish is 28.1% for A, 29.4% for C, 16.7% for G, 25.7% for T and show 86% identities to flame angelfish Centropyge loriculus. The complete mitogenome of the Tiger angelfish provides essential and important DNA molecular data for further phylogeography and evolutionary analysis for marine angelfish phylogeny.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the Spectacled angelfish, Chaetodontoplus conspicillatus (Perciformes: Pomacanthidae)

Abstract In this study, the complete mitogenome sequence of the Spectacled angelfish, Chaetodontoplus conspicillatus (Perciformes: Pomacanthidae) has been sequenced by next-generation sequencing method. The assembled mitogenome consisting of 16,988 bp, includes 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs and 2 ribosomal RNAs genes. The overall base composition of C. conspicillatus is 27.8% for A, 29.9% for C, 16.3% for G and 26.0% for T and show 92% identities to Bluestripe angelfish C. septentrionalis. The complete mitogenome of the C. conspicillatus, provides essential and important DNA molecular data for further phylogeography and evolutionary analysis for marine angelfish phylogeny.

Next generation sequencing yields the complete mitochondrial genome of the Regal angelfish, Pygoplites diacanthus (Perciformes: Pomacanthidae)

Abstract In this study, the complete mitogenome sequence of the Regal angelfish, Pygoplites diacanthus (Perciformes: Pomacanthidae) has been sequenced by the next-generation sequencing method. The assembled mitogenome consisting of 16,784 bp includes 13 protein coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs, and two ribosomal RNAs genes. The overall base composition of Regal angelfish is 28.5% for A, 28.9% for C, 16.3% for G, 26.4% for T and show 85% identities to flame angelfish Centropyge loricula. The complete mitogenome of the Regal angelfish provides essential and important DNA molecular data for further phylogeography and evolutionary analysis for marine angelfish phylogeny.