TY - JOUR
T1 - Taxonomic assessment of species of the genus Octopus from the northeastern Pacific via morphological, molecular and morphometric analyses
AU - Díaz-Santana-Iturrios, Mariana
AU - Salinas-Zavala, César Augusto
AU - García-Rodríguez, Francisco Javier
AU - Granados-Amores, Jasmín
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright 2019 Díaz-Santana-Iturrios et al.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - Species of the genus Octopus from the northeastern Pacific are ecologically and economically important; however, their taxonomy is confusing and has not been comprehensively assessed. In this study, we performed a taxonomic evaluation of these species considering the morphological characteristics of the original descriptions, a molecular analysis of partial COI-gene sequences, and a traditional morphometry analysis of nine body measurements. Several interesting findings were obtained with our results: for instance, we updated the diagnoses of some species by including characters such as the number of lamellae per demibranch and the presence of chromatophores in the visceral sac; we deposited partial COI-gene sequences of species that had not been incorporated into the GenBank repository; and according to the morphometric analysis, we confirmed that the lengths of arms I–IV are relevant to discriminate the species under study. The taxa evaluated were morphologically, molecularly and morphometrically well-delimited; however, features such as funnel organ shape and arm length proportions in regard to dorsal mantle length are either not included in the diagnosis of the genus Octopus or overlap with other genera. Hence, this information, combined with the results obtained from the molecular analysis, supports the generic re-assignation of two of the species evaluated.
AB - Species of the genus Octopus from the northeastern Pacific are ecologically and economically important; however, their taxonomy is confusing and has not been comprehensively assessed. In this study, we performed a taxonomic evaluation of these species considering the morphological characteristics of the original descriptions, a molecular analysis of partial COI-gene sequences, and a traditional morphometry analysis of nine body measurements. Several interesting findings were obtained with our results: for instance, we updated the diagnoses of some species by including characters such as the number of lamellae per demibranch and the presence of chromatophores in the visceral sac; we deposited partial COI-gene sequences of species that had not been incorporated into the GenBank repository; and according to the morphometric analysis, we confirmed that the lengths of arms I–IV are relevant to discriminate the species under study. The taxa evaluated were morphologically, molecularly and morphometrically well-delimited; however, features such as funnel organ shape and arm length proportions in regard to dorsal mantle length are either not included in the diagnosis of the genus Octopus or overlap with other genera. Hence, this information, combined with the results obtained from the molecular analysis, supports the generic re-assignation of two of the species evaluated.
KW - Octopod
KW - Octopodidae
KW - Octopuses
KW - Species discrimination
KW - Taxonomic problems
KW - Taxonomic tools
KW - Taxonomy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85076173109&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.7717/peerj.8118
DO - 10.7717/peerj.8118
M3 - Artículo
C2 - 31803534
SN - 2167-8359
VL - 2019
JO - PeerJ
JF - PeerJ
IS - 11
ER -