Almost a century of oblivion: Integrative taxonomy allows the resurrection of the longnose skate Zearaja brevicaudata (Marini, 1933) (Rajiformes; Rajidae)

GABBANELLI, VALERIA; DÍAZ DE ASTARLOA, JUAN MARTÍN; GONZALEZ-CASTRO, MARIANO; VAZQUEZ, DIEGO MARTÍN; MABRAGAÑA, EZEQUIEL

COMPTES RENDUS BIOLOGIES

ELSEVIER FRANCE-EDITIONS SCIENTIFIQUES MEDICALES ELSEVIER

Año: 2018

1631-0691

Zearaja chilensis has been reported from Southern Brazil in the Southwest Atlantic (SWA)to northern Chile in the Southeast Pacific (SEP), and it was listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.Recent molecular studies have called into question the conspecificity between specimensfrom these opposite coasts of South America, which can have implications for theconservation status of the species. To verify the identity of specimens identified asZ. chilensis, 47 individuals from SWA and 22 from SEP were examined. By comparingexternal morphology, spinulation pattern, clasper, egg cases, and mitochondrialcytochrome c oxidase I (COI) sequence data, differences between groups were found.Adults from SWA presented longer snout length and shorter tail than those from SEP.Dermal denticles were restricted to the rostral area in SWA skates, whereas in SEP skatesmost of the dorsal surface was covered with denticles. Marked differences in themorphology of several components of clasper were noticeable. Egg cases of SWA skateshad thinner lateral keels than those of SEP. Molecular analysis revealed two well-definedcohesive clusters, corresponding to SWA and SEP specimens, respectively. Average K2Pdistance between groups was 3.4%, higher than expected for intraspecific differences, andsequences were assigned to different BINs. These integrative approaches strongly supportthat specimens from SWA known as Z. chilensis correspond to a different nominal speciesthan those from SEP. Herein, Z. brevicaudata (Marini 1933) is resurrected from synonymywith Z. chilensis.