Filogenia e biogeografia dos Tetraodontidae, com ênfase no gênero Colomesus (Gill, 1885)

Abstract

The Tetraodontidae comprises an Acantomorpha fish family popularly known as pufferfishes , with circumglobal distribution, and composed of 189 species grouped in 19 genera. Occurring in seas, estuaries and rivers between the tropical and temperate regions, they are mainly characterized by the characteristic four dental plates; by the capability to inflate their body in stressful situations; by the presence of the neurotoxin Tetrodotoxin / Saxitoxin in its tissues, being responsible for numerous cases of fatal poisoning in many countries including Brazil; and by having the smallest genome among vertebrates which puts them as models for the study of the genome evolution of the group. Aspects of the phylogeny and biogeography of Tetraodontidae were investigated based on molecular data where the results obtained on recent mitogenomics analysis were compared with results obtained from four separate databases based on the genes 12S, 16S, COI and ND1. Our results show the most comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Tetraodontidae performed to date, representing one third of the diversity of the family, and they partially corroborate previous results, although they disagree about the monophyly of previously well-supported groups. Additionally, the results suggest a new Colomesus species from the Tocantins drainage, Brazil.