Red Sea fishes in the Mediterranean Sea: a preliminary investigation of a biological invasion using DNA barcoding

摘要: Aim More than 90 marine fish species in the Mediterranean have been determined to be alien of Red Sea origin date and therefore it is important prioritize research into cataloguing their distribution impacts. The aims this study were establish a barcode library for fishes probable initiate analyses invasion dynamics. Location Mediterranean Sea. Methods Specimens exotic collected directly from off coast Lebanon or obtained markets Lebanon. Samples first identified morphologically later barcoded using universal cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) mitochondrial marker. Barcodes compared with GenBank BOLD database entries analysed genetic similarity indexes neighbour-joining distance trees. Results In total, 156 specimens collected, corresponding 43 species. sequence between these sequences closest matches ranged 100% 83.5%. 2% criterion, often used as threshold assigning positive identification, was met 31 (72%) Sequences remaining (28%) matched databases that either same genus (congeneric) family (confamilial). In two cases, namely Plotosus lineatus Sargocentron rubrum, barcoding revealed possible complex (P. lineatus) multiple unrecognized existing (S. rubrum). Main conclusions Our presents preliminary DNA library, useful identifying correctly Sea. results show most could identified, yet data also uncovered some taxa unresolved taxonomy cases cryptic invasions.