Mitochondrial cytochrome b analysis reveals two invasive lionfish species with strong founder effects in the western Atlantic

Abstract

Lionfish (Scorpaenidae, Pteroinae) are venomous predatory fish that are native to the Indo‐Pacific region and have recently become established in the western Atlantic Ocean. Since the invasion was first documented in 2000, the number of lionfish in the Atlantic has increased substantially and spurred a series of investigations regarding their biology and potential impacts on the ecosystem. The present study uses haplotypes from the mitochondria‐encoded cytochrome b (cyt b) locus to determine the number of lionfish species involved in the Atlantic invasion and the decrease in genetic diversity that accompanied the invasion. The cyt b data reveal that Pterois volitans along with a small number of Pterois miles are present in the Atlantic Ocean and that a strong founder effect has resulted in a large decrease in genetic diversity compared with native lionfish populations.