research article: molecular phylogeny of combtooth blennies (teleostei: blenniidae) in the persian gulf and oman sea

This study collected 27 blenniid specimens of 10 species from intertidal and subtidal habitats in the persian gulf and oman sea. the specimens were preserved and taxonomically identified before the genomic dna extraction. the coi marker was then amplified and sequenced. additional sequences from related subfamilies were obtained from genbank. phylogenetic reconstruction was carried out using bayesian and phenetic methods. the study aimed to evaluate the phylogenetic position of the newly studied specimens and reconstruct the phylogenetic relationships among representatives of the blenniidae. the amplification of the coi marker for istiblennius edentulus and salarias fasciatus in iran is a significant advancement in understanding phylogeny, genetic diversity, and evolutionary connections in the area. a phylogenetic analysis was conducted using molecular data from this study and previous research from the southern waters of iran. the study revealed that the subfamilies blenniinae and salariinae are paraphyletic and two tribes, parablenniini and omobranchini, form monophyletic groups. istiblennius is considered a paraphyletic genus. omobranchus mekranensis and o. punctatus are in a closer relationship than o. fasciolatus, which is grouped at a further distance. the phylogenetic tree places ecsenius in a monophyletic clade at the furthest distance from other taxa, suggesting it may warrant a separate tribe rather than a genus.