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Vol. 51 No. 8, 2012
Diversity, Distribution, and Molecular Systematics of Octocorals (Coelenterata: Anthozoa) of the Penghu Archipelago, Taiwan
Yehuda Benayahu1,*, Leendert Pieter van Ofwegen2, Chang-feng Dai3, Ming-Shiou Jeng4, Keryea Soong5, Alex Shlagman1, Henryi J. Hsieh6, and Catherine S. McFadden7
1Department of Zoology, George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv Univ., Ramat Aviv 69978, Israel
2Naturalis Biodiversity Center, PO Box 9517, Leiden 2300 RA, the Netherlands
3Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan Univ., Taipei 106, Taiwan
4Research Center for Biodiversity, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei 115, Taiwan
5Institute of Marine Biology, National Sun Yat-sen Univ., Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan
6Penghu Marine Biology Research Center, Fisheries Research Institute, Penghu 880, Taiwan
7Department of Biology, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711-5990, USA
Mariano González-Castro, Ana Laura Ibáñez, Sandra Heras, María Inés Roldán, and María Berta Cousseau (2012) Meristic and different morphometric approaches were employed to assess the discrimination of 7 species of Mugilidae fishes (Mugil cephalus, M. liza, M. curema, M. hospes, Liza aurata, L. ramada, and Chelon labrosus),
but also to contribute to a better understanding of body-shape
differences among this valuable species group. Three types of variables
and their corresponding morphometric approaches were employed: 1)
linear morphometrics measurements (LMMs); 2) interlandmark distances
(IlDs); and 3) coordinate data (landmarks). Before the analyses, data
exhibiting allometric growth were normalized. Data analysis included a
one-way ANOVA (meristic data), a principal component analysis (PCA),
and a cross-validated discriminant analysis (DA). The ANOVA showed
significant differences in both lateral and transverse series scales.
The PCA based on LMMs allowed the characterization of 6 groups,
although some overlap between them was detected. The DA correctly
classified 68.4% of the fishes according to their LMMs. The centroids
of the 8 groups were separated for both the 1st and 2nd discriminant
functions. The morphometric analysis based on IlDs yielded the best
discrimination rates of the 3 approaches employed (96% for the DA). In
the geometric morphometric analysis, the DA correctly classified 83.8%
of the fishes according to their body shape. Although 8 groups were
defined, some overlap among samples was detected. Mugil hospes
was the best defined and most isolated species as observed in both the
PCA and DA. Interestingly, the 3 morphometrics approaches employed
separated M. curema specimens in 2 groups (Argentinean and Mexican samples). Moreover, European and Mexican samples of M. cephalus plotted separately in the PCA of the LMM- and IlD-based approaches. These shape differences among M. curema of Argentina/Mexico and M. cephalus
of Europe/Mexico reinforce the current hypothesis of a species complex,
or even undescribed species as previously suggested by the authors.
Key words: Mugilidae, Landmarks, Meristic characters, Morphometry, Multivariate analysis.
*Correspondence: Tel: 54-223-5456643. E-mail:gocastro@mdp.edu.ar
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