Genetic divergence between and within two color morphotypes of Parapercis sexfasciata (Perciformes: Pinguipedidae) from Tosa Bay, southern Japan

The anterior half of the mitochondrial DNA control region (mtCR) sequence (ca. 400 base pairs) was compared between two color morphotypes ( A, B) of Parapercis sexfasciata from Tosa Bay, southern Japan, using 16 and 21 specimens, respectively. Intramorphotypic mtCR divergences were only 0.0 - 0.5% and 1.0 - 2.5% for morphotypes A and B, respectively. In contrast, intermorphotypic mtCR divergence was much greater, 12.7 - 14.0%. Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis using a neighbor-joining algorithm, with P. multifasciata as an outgroup, showed that each morphotype was reciprocally monophyletic. These results and the distinct coloration and overlapping distribution indicate that the two color morphotypes of P. sexfasciata represent two distinct species. Mismatch distribution analysis suggested that both morphotypes had undergone population expansion; however, estimates of initial population sizes and mutational timescales suggested that morphotype B comprises historically larger and older populations than morphotype A.