Understanding the spatial scale and structure of marine connectivity is essential for uncovering how ocean currents shape gene flow, population structure and larval transport in reef organisms. We examined range-wide patterns of gene flow and population structure in the tomtate (Haemulon aurolineatum), an abundant reef fish with a broad distribution from southern Brazil to Bermuda in the western Atlantic. We used genome-wide SNPs, mitochondrial DNA sequences and a re-evaluation of morphological variation to assess connectivity, demographic history and lineage boundaries across 22 locations spanning all major biogeographic provinces within the species' range. Population structure and phylogenetic analyses identified three main genetic groups: (1) the Caribbean and Southwestern Atlantic (CSA), (2) the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) and (3) Bermuda (BDA), with further substructure within CSA. Demographic modelling and migration analyses supported early divergence followed by sustained but asymmetric gene flow, particularly into BDA, which acts as a long-term demographic sink, likely maintained by episodic larval input from CSA and GOM. This pattern aligns with previous findings from biophysical models and larval transport studies. Recognized marine barriers such as the Eastern and Western Caribbean breaks contributed to population differentiation, while coastal corridors along Brazil and the Guianas facilitated northward gene flow. Coalescent-based species delimitation supported three species-level lineages, but we interpret these as subspecies: morphologically and genomically distinct, yet not fully reproductively isolated. Taken together, these results demonstrate how asymmetric dispersal and oceanographic isolation can structure genetic diversity in marine organisms by creating peripheral demographic sinks like Bermuda, where limited and unidirectional connectivity promotes long-term differentiation-a pattern we describe as the 'Bermuda Triangle effect.'

A checklist of marine fishes from the Colombian Pacific is presented based on an appraisal of local inventories published in peer-reviewed journals and validation of records with voucher specimens deposited in Colombian marine fish collections and photographic records. Unpublished information collected over several years by the authors is also included. An exhaustive re-evaluation of the taxonomy of all species present in the area was also carried out. As a result, 727 species were confirmed, representing close to 50% of the 1,468 shallow water fish species reported from the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). The diversity of marine fishes in Colombia was classified into three classes, 60 orders, 149 families, and 412 genera. Of these classes, only one species belongs to Myxini (hagfishes), 64 to Chondrichthyes (sharks, rays, and chimaeras), and 663 to Actinopterygii (bony fishes). In addition, 35 new records are presented for the Pacific of Colombia. Finally, all this diversity is characterized according to different ecological variables such as depth and bottom preference, among others, with the following results: 43% of all the species are benthopelagic, 54% of which are predominantly soft bottom dwellers. A total of 283 bony fishes (39% of all the species) are considered to have commercial value or are involved in some trade. Additionally, a list of 77 species that have only been recorded in larval stages is also presented. This comprehensive list provides a valuable resource for future research, conservation efforts, and fisheries management in the Colombian Pacific.

According to the genic view, species are characterized by the genes that underlie functional divergence. Here, we take a phylogenomic approach to assess this view at the scale of a whole radiation. The hamlets (Hypoplectrus spp.) represent a recent radiation of reef fishes from the Greater Caribbean that are reproductively isolated through assortative mating. A total of 335 genomes from 15 locations revealed a single well-supported phylogenetic split among species, with a large share of the radiation unresolved. The polytomic nature of the hamlet radiation is extreme compared to other recent radiations such as Lake Victoria cichlids. At the gene-tree level, we identified just one genomic region, centered around the casz1 transcription factor, with a topology that reflects species differences. These results show that phenotypic diversification and reproductive isolation-two major attributes of species-may unfold in the near-absence of phylogenetic signal, both genome-wide and at the gene-tree level.

Los arrecifes de coral en todo el mundo enfrentan numerosas amenazas, poniendo en peligro tanto los ecosistemas como las comunidades costeras. Recopilar datos poblacionales sobre especies marinas, especialmente depredadores tope como tiburones y rayas, es crucial para una conservación efectiva. En este estudio se presentan datos de ocurrencia y tamaño corporal de cinco especies comunes de peces cartilaginosos observadas durante censos visuales realizados con la técnica de estéreo-video operado por buzo entre 2018 y 2022.

Species in the genus Hypoplectrus are found primarily in coral reefs in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, particularly around Florida and the Bahamas. They are a popular choice for hobbyist saltwater aquariums. Members of this genus are simultaneous hermaphrodites, as they have both male and female sexual organs at the same time as an adult. We present the genome sequences of 7 species of Hypoplectrus. Raw read data and assembled genomes are available in Genbank.

Dieciocho especies de lenguados de la familia Paralichthyidae son conocidas del Caribe conti­nental colombiano; quince de ellas tienen material depositado en la Colección de Referencia del INVEMAR. La información de las tres restantes se obtuvo de material bibliográfico. Los géneros más especiados en el área son Citharichthys (ocho especies) y Syacium (tres especies). Los géneros Ancylopsetta y Cyclopsetta incluyen dos especies cada uno; A. cycloidea es un nuevo registro para la costa norte de Colombia. Etropus, Gastropsetta y Paralichthys tienen una especie cada uno en aguas del Caribe colombiano. Se incluyen claves genéricas y específicas; las especies examinadas están ilustradas para facilitar su identificación.

It has been proposed that species associated with shallow rocky bottoms in the southern Colombian Caribbean Sea are affected by two biogeographic barriers: the Magdalena River plume (MRP) and the combination of the absence of rocky bottoms and the almost permanent upwelling in the Guajira peninsula (ARB+PUG). We evaluated whether these barriers had generalized genomic effects on the phylogeographic structure of the West Indian top shell (Cittarium pica), a crucial fishery resource in many areas of the Caribbean Sea. Ten species specific microsatellite loci, 55,112 SNPs from ddRADseq, and COI gene were used on samples of C. pica collected at five Colombian localities (Cabo de la Vela; Santa Marta; Cartagena; Isla Fuerte; and Capurgan ' a). Genetic structure analyses performed for microsatellite and SNP loci indicated that there are three genetic groups of C. pica in Colombia (pop 1: Cabo de la Vela; pop 2: Santa Marta; pop 3: Cartagena+Isla Fuerte+Capurgan ' a). However, both SNPs and COI gene were congruent in showing a phylogeographic break caused by only the ARB + PUG (AMOVA: phi CT-SNP=0.224, p < 0.05; phi CT-COI=0.722, p < 0.05), which was confirmed by the maximum likelihood and network trees. In contrast, MRP was shown to be a permeable barrier to gene flow. Demographic history analysis indicated that C. pica experienced historical changes in population size during the last glaciation period. Cittarium pica is a biological model to demonstrate how the ARB + PUG barrier could affect marine organisms living in shallow rocky habitats, mainly those lacking larvae or having a short-lived larval phase in the southern Caribbean Sea. Finally, some recommendations for fisheries management and conservation C. pica populations are discussed.

Octopus insularis is a shallow-water octopus distributed throughout the western Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. To evaluate its phylogeographic pattern, mitochondrial markers (16S rRNA and COIII) and genome-wide nuclear markers (SNP's) were analyzed in individuals from artisanal fishing in different locations of the Colombian Caribbean coast. Mitochondrial analyzes displayed novel haplotypes (16S = H2, H3 and H4; COIII = H2-H7) and haplotypes shared with distant geographic areas (16S = H1 COIII = H1). The COIII gene did not show genetic differentiation between the analyzed localities, while the 16S gene showed significant differences between Santa Marta and Isla Fuerte. COIII's demographic analysis indicated that the species' effective population size has remained constant. Inferences were made from next-generation genomic data with restriction site-associated DNA (ddRAD-seq) and 6769 polymorphic loci. The pairwise FST test indicated that there are low but significant differences between localities; however, the general molecular analysis of variance (AMOVA) and the principal coordinate analysis showed a lack of spatial structure in the populations analyzed. The Mantel test found no correlation between genetic distance and geographic distance, and the genetic structure analyses showed the presence of one genetic stock. The information obtained in this study indicates the genetic connectivity of O. insularis in the southwestern Caribbean, the absence of putative biogeographic barriers that affect its gene flow, and the crucial role played by life history strategies (planktonic paralarvae) and oceanographic factors to define the current distribution of its genetic diversity in this region.

We present the complete genome sequences of Malacoctenus gilli, Malacoctenus tetranemus, Malacoctenus triangulates. Illumina sequencing was performed on genetic material from museum specimens. The reads were assembled using a de novo method followed by a finishing step. The raw and assembled data are available via Genbank.

Aim: Amphiamerican New World fishes provide a unique opportunity to explore the impact of geological processes and the formation of geographic barriers on biological diversification across both spatial and temporal dimensions. We employed phylogenetic and biogeographic methods to assess the impact of the emergence of the Isthmus of Panama on the evolutionary history of snooks. Location: Eastern tropical Pacific and western Atlantic Oceans. Methods: Bayesian methods were used for phylogenetic inference and divergence time estimation, incorporating the fossil record of Carangidae, Centropomidae, Istiophoriformes, Latidae and Sphyraenidae to establish a timeline using the methods of stratigraphic intervals for node calibration density specification. Biogeographic models were fitted to test the hypothesis that transisthmian vicariant events are coeval with the Isthmus closure. To estimate ancestral range probability and perform stochastic mapping, we utilised BioGeoBears and the parameters from the best-fitting model. This allowed us to estimate the quantity and kind of biogeographical events. Results: Our results suggest a sister relationship between Centropomidae and Sphyraenidae with a common ancestor that originated in the Upper Cretaceous (similar to 78.51 Ma). The biogeographic model BAYAreaLIKE + j indicated speciation in sympatry and dispersal (founder effect) as the primary modes of speciation in the genus Centropomus. The dispersion in the family Centropomidae was estimated from the Tropical Eastern Pacific to the tropical western Atlantic since the Oligocene. Main Conclusions: The alignment of divergence times with ancestral species distributions suggests a possible synchrony between the current distribution in Centropomus species and the processes of the formation of the Isthmus of Panama during the Miocene. However, the evidence of only two transisthmic pair suggests that this event was not determinant in allopatric interbasin speciation. Furthermore, recent diversification events within each basin imply an influence of post-closure environmental conditions on the evolution of this group of fishes.

DATA REPORT article Front. Mar. Sci., 16 February 2024Sec. Marine Biology Volume 11 - 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1327438

El trabajo se realizó en la Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta en cuatro estaciones de muestreo en el período de febrero 1993 a enero 1994. Se capturaron en total 890 individuos de Bairdiella ronchus (Cuvier), en su gran mayoría con atarraya mediante el método de corral. Los rangos de tallas variaron entre 66 y 231 mm de longitud total y 3.5 a 156.2 g de peso total. Esta especie es típica estuarina, se distribuye en salinidades comprendidas entre 7.3 y 37.3 y se caracteriza como carnívora, y consumidor de tercer orden, pues se alimenta principalmente de peces y crustáceos (decápodos). De acuerdo con el índice de importancia relativa los peces son el alimento principal y los crustáceos el alimento secundario; durante la época seca consume principalmente peces y en época de lluvia crustáceos. Los juveniles y adultos se alimentan tanto de peces como de crustáceos.

Coral reefs inside Cartagena Bay have disappeared, largely due to the constant discharge of contaminated, sediment-rich freshwater from the Dique Channel. Recently, which might be the last healthy coral reef in the bay was found between Bocachica and Barú. Despite the unfavorable conditions for coral development, this reef exhibits an average coral cover of around 45 %. To study its fish diversity, inventories were made between 2015 and 2019, based on censuses during errant dives, band transects, photographs, and video recordings. A list of all fish species observed at Varadero reef, where 147 species belonging to 49 families have been recorded is presented; seven of those species (5%) are cataloged under threat. This study is the first approach to the fish diversity in this unusual reef, and a starting point for future studies that address the functionality and proper conservation of this ecosystem, currently threatened by projects that seek to dredge it.

Opinión¿Y para qué dos mares? Two seas for what?Et pourquoi deux mers?"Francia cartografiará los genes de las especies submarinas para ayudar a proteger su vasta vida marina".Así se titula un artículo de la sección de ciencia de la Radio France Internationale (RFI), un medio de comunicación y emisora de la radio pública francesa que divulga noticias e información de actualidad desde París (https://www.rfi.fr/en/scienceand-technology/20230114-france-to-map-genes-of-underwater-species-to-help-protectits-vast-sea-life).

Con el fin de comparar histológicamente los sistemas reproductivos de diferentes linajes de batoideos se examinaron 93 ejemplares (62 hembras y 31 machos) de cuatro especies: Narcine bancroftii (familia Narcinidae), Rhinobatos percellens (familia Rhinobatidae), Urotrygon venezuelae (familia Urotrygonidae) y Dasyatis guttata (familia Dasyatidae). Se diferenciaron tres tipos de sistemas femeninos: R. percellens ejemplifica un sistema generalizado; U. venezuelae y D. guttata muestran un ovario que alberga ovocitos con estructuras internas únicas; N. bancroftii posee el ovario más derivado, en cuanto a la presencia y forma de estructuras exclusivas. Sin embargo, al ser las características claramente autapomórficas no es posible plantear hipótesis de relaciones a partir de los sistemas femeninos. Las diferencias son relativamente menos profundas en los sistemas masculinos, con N. bancroftii mostrando un testículo generalizado, mientras R. percellens presenta cierto grado de lobulación externa; D. guttata presenta un testículo de tipo Radial, que en U. venezuelae aparece modificado.

En las comunidades coralinas, los peces herbívoros ocupan un papel principal en el mantenimiento y control de algas que son la base de la cadena trófica en los arrecifes coralinos. Entre los peces herbívoros de los arrecifes de coral, la familia Acanthuridae es de las más abundantes. Los efectos en los arrecifes de esta familia pueden variar en función de sus densidades, la estabilidad del ecosistema y sus interacciones, por lo que determinar el estado de sus poblaciones resulta de interés. En el archipiélago de San Andrés, Providencia y Santa Catalina (ASAP) falta información del estado actual de las abundancias y densidades de este grupo. Por lo tanto, mediante censos visuales de especies del género Acanthurus se estimaron los estados poblacionales en comunidades coralinas del ASAP y las diferencias poblacionales entre los sitios evaluados, lo cual evidenció un total de 6075 individuos, además de una relación positiva de abundancias en las islas de San Andrés y Providencia con respecto a las islas cayos Bolívar y Serrana. En cuanto a la preferencia de hábitat de juveniles se encontró una especialización y preferencia de hábitat de A. coeruleus por las zonas arrecifales, entretanto A. tractus mostró preferencia por los manglares.

The objective of this study was to explore ontogenetic changes in functional morphological traits of the invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans) and to test if they were associated with the ontogenetic dietary shifts previously documented for this species. We calculated nine functional indices based on body morphology, six associated with fish locomotion and three with prey capture functionality. In juvenile fish, the morphology associated with feeding provides greater mechanical advantages during prey capture due to higher feeding speeds. In contrast, in adults' locomotion is more efficient and is related to enhanced sustained swimming as the invader grows, but the suction index (related to the ability to generate flow rate to the mouth during feeding) decreases as lionfish grow bigger. Our results suggest ontogenetic changes in functional morphological features related to feeding and locomotion in the invader P. volitans, but these modifications do not seem to be the main driver of their ontogenetic dietary change.

Chanos chanos es un pez óseo marino y estuarino, distribuido en las porciones tropicales de los océanos Índico y Pacífico. En noviembre de 2021 fue pescado un ejemplar de esta especie de unos 85 cm de longitud horquilla en la costa caribeña frente a San Bernardo del Viento (Colombia). Se carece de una explicación cierta a su presencia en el Caribe, pero es importante estar atentos a futuros avistamientos en las aguas caribeñas de esta especie exótica.

Con el propósito de conocer la variación ecológica de la tilapia del Nilo Oreochromis niloticus en el norte de Colombia, se recolectaron 392 individuos en dos lagunas costeras, un embalse, dos ciénagas y tres centros piscícolas. El análisis discriminante canónico libre del efecto del tamaño (CDA-SF) de 21 medidas morfométricas entre 10 puntos anatómicos reveló discriminación entre las poblaciones naturalizadas y domesticadas. El CDA-SF también reveló variación morfométrica dentro de cada grupo. En las poblaciones naturalizadas se identificaron tres morfotipos, uno para cada categoría de sistema (dulceacuícola, estuarino y alcalino). Todos los resultados fueron atribuidos a las condiciones ambientales (salinidad, alcalinidad, temperatura y condiciones morfoedáficas), al tipo de alimento consumido por cada tipo de población en cada cuerpo de agua y al tipo de hábitat (silvestre y confinado).

The comparative phylogeography of marine species with contrasting dispersal potential across the southern Caribbean Sea was evaluated by the presence of two putative barriers: the Magdalena River plume (MRP) and the combination of the absence of a rocky bottom and the almost permanent upwelling in the La Guajira Peninsula (ARB + PUG). Three species with varying biological and ecological characteristics (i.e., dispersal potentials) that inhabit shallow rocky bottoms were selected: Cittarium pica (PLD < 6 days), Acanthemblemaria rivasi (PLD < 22 days), and Nerita tessellata (PLD > 60 days). We generated a set of SNPs for the three species using the ddRad-seq technique. Samples of each species were collected in five locations from Capurganá to La Guajira. For the first time, evidence of a phylogeographic break caused by the MRP is provided, mainly for A. rivasi (AMOVA: ΦCT = 0.420). The ARB + PUG barrier causes another break for A. rivasi (ΦCT = 0.406) and C. pica (ΦCT = 0.224). Three populations (K = 3) were identified for A. rivasi and C. pica, while N. tessellata presented one population (K = 1). The Mantel correlogram indicated that A. rivasi and C. pica fit the hierarchical population model, and only the A. rivasi and C. pica comparisons showed phylogeographic congruence. Our results demonstrate how the biological traits of these three species and the biogeographic barriers have influenced their phylogeographic structure.