Clements, KLavery, STrnski, TKnudsen, Steen2013-09-262013http://hdl.handle.net/2292/20774This study examined evolution, biogeography and taxonomy of the family Kyphosidae on a global scale. Molecular data (both mtDNA and nuclear loci) represented all species and were collected over the entire distribution of the family, and examination of more than 100 morphological characters recorded for more than 650 museum specimens. Species delimitation and diagnosis for the group was revised based on the coherence between clusters of the molecular and morphological data. Twelve species in Kyphosidae were recognised as valid. An undescribed species from Western Australia was identified from differences in both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, and by the difference in the number of precaudal- and caudal vertebrae, caudal peduncle depth, and gill rakers. Kyphosid relationships were inferred by combining sequence data from a quarter of the mitochondrial genome and three nuclear markers from species representing the genera: Atypichthys, Girella, Graus, Hermosilla, Hyperoglyphe, Kuhlia, Kyphosus, Medialuna, Microcanthus, Neoscorpis, Oplegnathus, Scorpis and Sectator. An origin in the early Miocene was inferred for Kyphosidae by using fossil calibrations in the phylogenetic analysis. The molecular phylogeny implies a subtropical, Indo-Pacific origin for the family, with recent and rapid diversification in the tropics, a result that contrasts with the common notion of herbivorous marine reef fish taxa originating in low latitudes. Herbivorous feeding is the ancestral state in Kyphosidae, indicating that zooplanktivory in the tropical Sectator ocyurus is derived. Hermosilla and Sectator were both considered junior synonyms of Kyphosus. The assumed endemic Kyphosus sectatrix in the Atlantic Ocean is found to be synonymous with Kyphosus pacificus in the Indo-Pacific, and K. vaigiensis in Indo-Pacific is synonymous with K. incisor in the Atlantic Ocean and K. analogus in the eastern Pacific. An identification key is presented for the all species of Kyphosidae. A phylogeographic study of four Kyphosus species found broad dispersal between oceans, with dispersal across previously identified oceanic barriers. Population expansion has likely been facilitated by the capacity for long distance dispersal by juveniles, and enabled Kyphosidae to colonise marine reefs in low to intermediate latitudes worldwide.Items in ResearchSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. Previously published items are made available in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher.https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/docs/uoa-docs/rights.htmThesisCopyright: The Authorhttp://purl.org/eprint/accessRights/OpenAccessQ111963975