Molecular phylogenetics and evolution of Holacanthus angelfishes (Pomacanthidae)

Abstract

The angelfish genus Holacanthus includes seven species in the tropical Eastern Pacific and Atlantic. In this study we performed an analysis on all species, the closely related regal angelfish, and the Cortez angelfish, using four mitochondrial and one nuclear marker. Our results support a monophyletic Holacanthus. The Indo-Pacific regal angelfish, Pygoplytes diacanthus, was found to be the closest relative to Holacanthus. We found a split into two clades with divergences that were consistent with the rise of the Isthmus of Panama. An internally calibrated molecular clock thus placed the origin of Holacanthus to ~10.2-7.6 million years ago.