Blind to morphology: genetics identifies several widespread ecologically common species and few endemics among Indo‐Pacific cauliflower corals ( Pocillopora , Scleractinia)
Abstract
Aim: Using high‐resolution genetic markers on samples gathered from across their wide distributional range, we endeavoured to delimit species diversity in reef‐building Pocillopora corals. They are common, ecologically important, and widespread throughout the Indo‐Pacific, but their phenotypic plasticity in response to environmental conditions and their nearly featureless microskeletal structures confound taxonomic assignments and limit an understanding of their ecology and evolution. Location: Indo‐Pacific, Red Sea, Arabian/Persian Gulf. Methods: Sequence analysis of nuclear ribosomal (internal transcribed spacer 2, ITS 2) and mitochondrial (open reading frame) loci were combined with population genetic data (seven microsatellite loci) for Pocillopora samples collected throughout the Indo‐Pacific, Red Sea and Arabian Gulf, in order to assess the evolutionary divergence, reproductive isolation, frequency of hybridization and geographical distributions of the genus. Results: Between five and eight genetically distinct lineages comparable to species were identified with minimal or no hybridization between them. Colony morphology was generally incongruent with genetics across the full range of sampling, and the total number of species is apparently consistent with lower estimates from competing morphologically based hypotheses (about seven or eight taxa). The most commonly occurring genetic lineages were widely distributed and exhibited high dispersal and gene flow, factors that have probably minimized allopatric speciation. Uniquely among scleractinian genera, this genus contains a monophyletic group of broadcast spawners that evolved recently from an ancestral brooder. Main conclusions: The delineation of species diversity guided by genetics fundamentally advances our understanding of Pocillopora geographical distributions, ecology and evolution. Because traditional diagnostic features of colony and branch morphology are proving to be of limited utility, the identification of Pocillopora species for future ecological and experimental work should rely on genetic characters that will improve research and aid in conservation strategies for these and other reef‐building corals, including the detection of real and mistaken endemic populations.
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Strong isolation of Red Sea populations from the Western Indian Ocean has previously been reported for corals, fishes, arthropods, echinoderms, molluscs and sponges, although some studies found no barriers for some fish species.
“Strong isolation of Red Sea populations from the WIO has been previously reported for corals (Pinzón et al. 2013), fishes (discussed, e.g., in Froukh and Kochzius 2008;DiBattista et al. 2013DiBattista et al. , 2016)), arthropods (e.g., Iacchei et al. 2016), echinoderms (Vogler et al. 2008), molluscs (e.g., Hui et al. 2016) and sponges (Wörheide et al. 2008), although some studies found no”
From Population genetics of the brooding coral Seriatopora hystrix reveals patterns of strong genetic differentiation in the Western Indian Ocean (2021) · cites this paper as Pinzón et al. 2013
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- Authors
- Pinzón, J. H., Sampayo, E., Cox, E., Chauka, L. J., Chen, C. A., Voolstra, C. R., & LaJeunesse, T. C.
- Affiliations
- Pennsylvania State University (US)
- University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (US)
- University of Dar es Salaam (TZ)
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica (TW)
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (SA)
- Corresponding author
- LaJeunesse, Todd C.
- ORCID
- Venue
- Journal of Biogeography
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2013-04-05
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1595-1608
- ISSN
- 0305-0270 (ISSN-L)
- 1365-2699
- OpenAlex
- W2149681625
- Cited by
- 169
- References
- 80
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 10 · 2024: 15 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 9 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 5
- FWCI
- 13.26
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Biogeography (publishedVersion)
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology Repository (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Coral and Marine Ecosystems Studies
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic diversity and population structure
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Oceanography › Marine Biology and Ecology Research
- Keywords
- Pocillopora, species delimitation, coral taxonomy, hybridization, reproductive isolation, gene flow, dispersal, morphological plasticity, monophyly, broadcast spawning, endemic populations, Indo-Pacific, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, coral conservation
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