Molecular phylogeny and biometrics of lessepsian puffer fish Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) from Mediterranean and Red Seas, Egypt

Phylogenetic comparison for lessepsian puffer fish Lagocephalus sceleratus (Gmelin, 1789) from the Egyptian waters (Mediterranean and Red Seas) was performed using morphological and genetic characteristics to confirm its identification and to recognize any variations due to differences in both habitats. A similar identity in body description from both habitats was observed. Slight phenotyping variations in some morphological measurements were observed with no significant difference. The correlation between the reference length and most of morphological indices was similar (0.99) for both habitats. Molecular phylogeny, using two primers (16S rRNA and Cytochrome b) showed similar size bands at 600 bp and 400 bp ladders for both primers respectively in both habitats. The obtained sequences were aligned showing an identity (more than 99%) to the published sequences of L. sceleratus indicating high genetic resemblance. So, the present populations from both habitats don’t appear to be separated species, indicating no obvious genetic variations after its migration into new habitat, expecting that, genetic differentiation may occur very slowly. This supported the idea that both morphological and genetic characteristics are recommended to be used together in identification and phylogenetic relations of the population from two habitats. The specific primers 16S rRNA and Cyt b showed confirmable tools to support the same target where the environmental variations may alter phenotypic variations.