Merluccius tasmanicus Matallanas & Lloris 2006 is a junior synonym of M. australis (Hutton 1872) (Gadiformes: Merluciidae) based on morphological and molecular data

MARIANA Y. DELI ANTONI; SERGIO M. DELPIANI; ANDREW L. STEWART; MARIANO GONZALEZ-CASTRO; JUAN M. DIAZ DE ASTARLOA

ZOOTAXA

MAGNOLIA PRESS

Lugar: Auckland; Año: 2015 vol. 3956 p. 29 - 55

1175-5326

The high intraspecific variation among and the conservative external morphology of Merluccius spp. have resulted in seriousidentification difficulties. Four hundred and twenty fresh and preserved specimens of Merluccius were analyzed, includingthe type series of Merluccius australis, M. tasmanicus and M. hubbsi; specimens of M. hubbsi from Argentina,Brazil and Uruguay, and individuals of M. australis from Argentina and New Zealand were examined. The nomenclaturalstatus of the type specimens of M. australis is discussed and the designation of a lectotype and a paralectotype is proposed.The comparative study of morphology, meristic, traditional and landmark-based morphometry, both external and internal,and through DNA-based Barcoding molecular tools demonstrates that Merluccius tasmanicus is a junior synonym of Merlucciusaustralis. Meristic and morphometric characters of types of M. tasmanicus completely overlap those of M. australis,whereas M. hubbsi show fewer scales along the lateral line, total vertebrae, second dorsal and anal-fin rays. A trendof a longer snout and wider head in M. australis and M. tasmanicus, and larger eyes and longer pelvic fins, in M. hubbsiwas observed. While discriminant characters were found in the internal elements (hyomandibula, urohyal and sagitta otolith)between M. hubbsi and M. australis, none were observed between M. australis and those reported for M. tasmanicus.DNA barcoding analyses found no evidence of the existence of other species of Merluccius besides M. hubbsi and M. australis.