NEW PUBLICATION: The complete mitochondrial genome of the Reef Manta Ray, Mobula alfredi, from Hawaii

ABSTRACT: We provide the complete mitochondrial genome of the reef manta ray, Mobula alfredi, using an ezRAD approach. The total length o f the mitogenome was 18,166 bp and contained 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNAs genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and one non-coding control region. The geneorganization and length are similar to other Mobula species. This reference mitogenome that includes the control region is expected to be a valuable resource for molecular-based species identification, population genomics, and phylogeography.

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New Publication: Genomic assessment of larval odyssey: self-recruitment and biased settlement in the Hawaiian surgeonfish Acanthurus triostegus sandvicensis

I am happy to share our recent publication characterizing larval dispersal patterns of manini, Acanthurus triostegus, around Oʻahu. We found that most dispersal originated on southern and eastern shores with the majority of settlement occurring in East Oʻahu. Kāneʻohe Bay was found to act as a sink for many parts of the island and self-recruitment was observed in four regions around the island with the shortest distance between the collection of the parent and offspring being 0.25 km (observed in south Kāneʻohe Bay). Very little recruitment was observed on the western and northern side. Overall, these findings support traditional native Hawaiian resource management systems (e.g., moku, ahupuaʻa) on eastern and southern shores.

NEW PUBLICATION: Species Radiations in the Sea: What the Flock?

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Abstract

Species flocks are proliferations of closely-related species, usually after colonization of depauperate

habitat. These radiations are abundant on oceanic islands and in ancient freshwater lakes, but rare

in marine habitats. This contrast is well documented in the Hawaiian Archipelago, where terrestrial

examples include the speciose silverswords (sunflower family Asteraceae), Drosophila fruit flies,

and honeycreepers (passerine birds), all derived from one or a few ancestral lineages. The marine

fauna of Hawai‘i is also the product of rare colonization events, but these colonizations usually

yield only one species. Dispersal ability is key to understanding this evolutionary inequity. While

terrestrial fauna rarely colonize between oceanic islands, marine fauna with pelagic larvae can

make this leap in every generation. An informative exception is the marine fauna that lack a pelagic

larval stage. These low-dispersal species emulate a “terrestrial” mode of reproduction (brooding,

viviparity, crawl-away larvae), yielding marine species flocks in scattered locations around the

world. Elsewhere, aquatic species flocks are concentrated in specific geographic settings,

including the ancient lakes of Baikal (Siberia) and Tanganyika (eastern Africa), and Antarctica. These

locations host multiple species flocks across a broad taxonomic spectrum, indicating a unifying

evolutionary phenomenon. Hence marine species flocks can be singular cases that arise due to

restricted dispersal or other intrinsic features, or they can be geographically clustered, promoted

by extrinsic ecological circumstances. Here, we review and contrast intrinsic cases of species

flocks in individual taxa, and extrinsic cases of geological/ecological opportunity, to elucidate the

processes of species radiations.