Genetic and morphological variation of the lanternfish lampanyctodes hectoris (myctophiformes: myctophidae) off Southern Africa
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Date
2001
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Taylor and Francis Group
Abstract
Genetic and morphological variation within the southern African population of Lampanyctodes hectoris was
analysed. A total of 15 enzymes, encoding 22 isozyme loci, was examined (n = 327); seven were polymorphic.
The percentage of polymorphic loci ranged from 13.6 to 27.3%. The mean heterozygosity was generally low
and ranged from 0.003 to 0.005. Genetic divergences between specimens from four areas along the west coast
of southern Africa were negligible, genetic distance values (D) ranging from 0 to 0.00011. The results showed
the population of L. hectoris to be genetically invariant. Principal Component Analysis was performed separately
on ratios of 13 morphometric and 6 meristic variables (n = 446), and there was evidence of extensive overlap
between fish from all areas. However, discriminant analysis suggested some morphological variability within
this population. Although genetically the population of L. hectoris seems to be homogenous, morphologically it
appears to be variable. A combination of these results suggests that there is no clear genetic basis for the slight
morphological differentiation within the population.
Description
Keywords
Agulhas Bank, Population genetics, Lanternfish, Southern Africa, Biology
Citation
Florence, W. K. et al. (2001). Genetic and morphological variation of the lanternfish lampanyctodes hectoris (myctophiformes: myctophidae) off Southern Africa. , South African Journal of Marine Science, 249(1), 193-203. 10.2989/025776102784528466