Evolutionary history of the reef fishAnisotremus interruptus(Perciformes: Haemulidae) throughout the Tropical Eastern Pacific

Research reveals that the reef fish Anisotremus interruptus exhibits distinct genetic groups across the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP), with populations from the Galapagos and Revillagigedo archipelagos showing significant divergence. The study, using mitochondrial and nuclear markers, found that continental TEP individuals lack genetic structure but experienced population expansion during the Pleistocene. Notably, the open sea gap between oceanic islands and the mainland acts as a barrier to gene flow, unlike sandy gaps in the TEP. This suggests that oceanic isolation plays a critical role in shaping the species' evolutionary history.

Palmerín‐Serrano, P. N., Tavera, J., Espinoza, E., Angulo, A., Martínez‐Gómez, J. E., González‐Acosta, A. F., & Domínguez‐Domínguez, O. (2020). Evolutionary history of the reef fishAnisotremus interruptus(Perciformes: Haemulidae) throughout the Tropical Eastern Pacific. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 59(1), 148–162. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzs.12392