Genetic identification of bucktooth parrotfish Sparisoma radians (Valenciennes, 1840) (Labridae, Scarinae) by chromosomal and molecular markers.

Fabilene Gomes Paim,Iracilda Sampaio,Paulo Roberto Antunes De Mello Affonso,José Henrique Souza Galdino Brandão,Débora Diniz

doi:10.1590/s1415-47572014005000024

Abstract

Parrotfishes (Labridae, Scarinae) comprise a large marine fish group of difficult identification, particularly during juvenile phase when the typical morphology and coloration of adults are absent. Therefore, the goal of this study was to test cytogenetic markers and DNA barcoding in the identification of bucktooth parrtotfish Sparisoma radians from the northeastern coast of Brazil. Sequencing of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) confirmed all studied samples as S. radians, and all showed high similarity (99–100%) with Caribbean populations. The karyotype of this species was divergent from most marine Perciformes, being composed of 2n = 46 chromosomes. These consisted of a large number of metacentric and submetacentric pairs with small amounts of heterochromatin and GC-rich single nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) not syntenic to 5S rDNA clusters. These are the first data about DNA barcoding in parrotfish from the Brazilian province and the first refined chromosomal analysis in Scarinae, providing useful data to a reliable genetic identification of S. radians.

Highlights

Scarinae (Labridae) encompasses about 10 genera and 99 species of marine fish, popularly known as parrotfish (Helfman et al, 2009; Parenti and Randall, 2011)
The color patterns commonly used to a precise identification of Sparisoma species are best observed in fresh specimens only, and they might vary according to sex and ontogenetic state (Bernardi et al, 2000)
In the case of Labridae, cytogenetic studies have shown that Robertsonian rearrangements and pericentric inversions accounted for the divergent karyotypes in several species when compared to the plesiomorphic condition for marine Perciformes (2n = 48 acrocentric chromosomes) (Sena and Molina, 2007a, 2007b; Molina et al, 2012a)

Summary

Introduction

Scarinae (Labridae) encompasses about 10 genera and 99 species of marine fish, popularly known as parrotfish (Helfman et al, 2009; Parenti and Randall, 2011). In the case of Labridae, cytogenetic studies have shown that Robertsonian rearrangements and pericentric inversions accounted for the divergent karyotypes in several species when compared to the plesiomorphic condition for marine Perciformes (2n = 48 acrocentric chromosomes) (Sena and Molina, 2007a, 2007b; Molina et al, 2012a).

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Results

Conclusion