Abstract
Specimens of Starksia were collected throughout the western Atlantic, and a 650-bp portion of the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase-c subunit I (COl) was sequenced as part of a re-analysis of species diversity of western Central Atlantic shorefishes. A neighbor-joining tree constructed from the sequence data suggests the existence of several cryptic species. Voucher specimens from each genetically distinct lineage and color photographs of vouchers taken prior to dissection and preservation were examined for diagnostic morphological characters. The results suggest that Starksia atlantica, Starksia lepicoelia, and Starksia sluiteri are species complexes, and each comprises three or more species. Seven new species are described. DNA data usually support morphological features, but some incongruence between genetic and morphological data exists. Genetic lineages are only recognized as species if supported by morphology. Genetic lineages within western Atlantic Starksia generally correspond to geography, such that members of each species complex have a very restricted geographical distribution. Increasing geographical coverage of sampling locations will almost certainly increase the number of Starksia species and species complexes recognized in the western Atlantic. Combining molecular and morphological investigations is bringing clarity to the taxonomy of many genera of morphologically similar fishes and increasing the number of currently recognized species. Future phylogenetic studies should help resolve species relationships and shed light on patterns of speciation in western Atlantic Starksia.
Highlights
The description of six new species of Caribbean Starksia by Williams and Mounts (2003) capped more than 100 years of systematic research on this New World labrisomid genus
Thirteen of the 21 currently recognized western Atlantic Starksia species are represented in the tree: S. atlantica, S. culebrae, S. elongata, S. fasciata, S. guttata, S. hassi, S. lepicoelia, S. multilepis, S. nanodes, S. occidentalis, S. ocellata, S. sluiteri, and S. starcki
We note that our material of S. elongata, S. fasciata, S. hassi, and S. multilepis is from the type localities of those species or relatively close by; the type locality of S. starcki, is Florida, and our specimen is from Belize
Summary
The description of six new species of Caribbean Starksia by Williams and Mounts (2003) capped more than 100 years of systematic research on this New World labrisomid genus. For small cryptic reef fishes such as Starksia blennies, we do not know where we stand in terms of understanding species diversity, and our current concepts may be surprisingly incomplete. 30 m) rock and coral reefs in the western Central Atlantic and eastern Pacific oceans. They are small (Atlantic species are generally < 40 mm SL) and cryptic, but they often exhibit bright orange or red coloration in life. Twenty-one species are currently recognized in the western Atlantic (Williams and Mounts 2003), six of which are considered members of the S. ocellata species complex (Greenfield 1979)
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