Molecular phylogenetic relationships of the family Rajidae in the Korean waters

Abstract

Skates and rays of the fish family Rajidae are found worldwide in marine waters, including about 30 genera and at least 290 valid species (Jeong and Nakabo 2009). In Korean waters, there occur nine species belonging to 4 genera (Dipturus, Hongeo, Okamejei, and Raja Jeong, 1999 Ebert & Compagno, 2007). Although McEacharan and Dunn (1998) made an attempt to analyze the phylogeny of skates using morphological characters, the evolutionary relationship among the Rajid species was not resolved because of the morphological conservatism. In this study, we investigated the molecular phylogeny of the Korean Rajid species together with 3 foreign species imported as seafood in order to determine the evolutionary relationship of the Korean Rajid species and to establish an objective molecular marker for the skates in the market. For this, the complete mitochondrial genome and two nuclear genes (SCFD2, RAG-1) were analyzed. The molecular phylogenies were reconstructed by Maximum Likelihood, Neighbor-Joining and Bayesian methods.ongeo, Okamejei, and Raja Jeong, 1999 Ebert & Compagno, 2007). Although McEacharan and Dunn (1998) made an attempt to analyze the phylogeny of skates using morphological characters, the evolutionary relationship among the Rajid species was not resolved because of the morphological conservatism. In this study, we investigated the molecular phylogeny of the Korean Rajid species together with 3 foreign species imported as seafood in order to determine the evolutionary relationship of the Korean Rajid species and to establish an objective molecular marker for the skates in the market. For this, the complete mitochondrial genome and two nuclear genes (SCFD2, RAG-1) were analyzed. The molecular phylogenies were reconstructed by Maximum Likelihood, Neighbor-Joining and Bayesian methods.