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Molecular phylogenetic analyses of shallow-water Caribbean octocorals

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Abstract

Octocorals, especially gorgonians, are conspicuous on Caribbean coral reefs, but there is no consensus regarding species relationships. Mitochondrial protein-coding genes [NADH-dehydrogenase subunits 2 (ND2) and 6 (ND6), and mutS homolog (msh1), 1633 bp] from 28 shallow-water species were sequenced to develop the first molecular phylogeny for Caribbean octocorals. The specimens were collected primarily in the Caribbean or off Brazil in 1999–2001. Morphological characters (sclerites and axial ultrastructure) were also examined in order to map them onto the molecular phylogeny. Analyses of both nucleotide and amino acid substitutions using maximum parsimony and likelihood (including maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analysis) generated very similar results, with most nodes having high levels of support. These molecular results were significantly different from the generally accepted classification. Neither Plexauridae nor Gorgoniidae were monophyletic. Plexaurella spp., nominal plexaurids, were basal to the gorgoniids, sharing many morphological characters with them. This corroborates previous findings using secondary metabolites and biosynthetic pathways. The sea fans, Gorgonia spp. and Pacifigorgia spp., as well as the pinnate gorgonians, Muriceopsis flavida and Pseudopterogorgia spp., did not have sea fan or pinnate relatives, suggesting there has been convergent evolution of colony form. Caribbean plexaurids appeared more derived and/or recently evolved according to both morphological and molecular data (e.g. Eunicea spp. and Plexaura spp.). Molecular phylogenetics is a promising approach for reconstructing phylogenetic relationships among octocorals as well as to understand their complex morphology. Electronic Supplementary Material is available if you access this article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00227-003-1018-7. On that page (frame on the left side), a link takes you directly to the supplementary material.

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Acknowledgements

J.A. Sánchez acknowledges the Society of Systematic Biologists awards for graduate students (2000), the Lerner-Gray Grant, American Museum of Natural History (2001), Fulbright-Laspau-COLCIENCIAS doctoral scholarship (1998–2002), the Smithsonian Institution short-term visitor fellowship (2001), and the Graduate Group in Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, UB (SUNY), for their support. Additional funding for the project came from grants to H.R.L. from the New York Sea Grant Institute (R/XG-9) and National Undersea Research Center, Caribbean Marine Research Center (CMRC 99-3301). We specially thank M.A. Coffroth for providing laboratory resources. Comments from and discussions with C. Mitchell, D.J. Taylor, S.D. Cairns, M.A. Coffroth, G. Yan, and two anonymous reviewers greatly improved the manuscript. A.D. Rodriguez (U. Puerto Rico), J. Pawlik (UNCW), and W. Fenical (Scripps) provided support for field trips. Assistance from C. Gutierrez-Rodriguez, S. Santos, T. Swain, T. Shearer, and M. Boller greatly helped during field collections and laboratory analyses. Thanks to M. Semeraro and C. Castro (Phyllogorgia dilatata), Brazil, A. Brash (Vanderbilt University, Plexaura homomalla), and W. O'Neal (UNCW, Leptogorgia virgulata) for providing material. P. Bush (UB-SUNY, Inst. Center), S. Whittaker, and S. Braden (Scanning Electron Laboratory, NMNH, Smithsonian Institution) assisted with SEM analyses.

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  1. J. A. Sánchez

    Present address: Department of Systematic Biology and Laboratories of Analytical Biology, Smithsonian Institution, P.O. Box 37012, NMNH W 329 MRC-0163, 20013-7012, Washington, D.C., USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, University at Buffalo (SUNY), 109 Cooke Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260, USA

    J. A. Sánchez & H. R. Lasker

  2. Department of Biology, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711, USA

    C. S. McFadden

  3. Department of Biology, College of Charleston, Grice Marine Laboratory, 205 Fort Johnson Road, Charleston, SC 29412, USA

    S. C. France

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  1. J. A. Sánchez
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Correspondence to J. A. Sánchez.

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Communicated by J.P. Grassle, New Brunswick

Electronic Supplementary Material is available if you access this article at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00227-003-1018-7. On that page (frame on the left side), a link takes you directly to the supplementary material.

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Sánchez, J.A., McFadden, C.S., France, S.C. et al. Molecular phylogenetic analyses of shallow-water Caribbean octocorals. Marine Biology 142, 975–987 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-003-1018-7

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