INTERSPECIFIC GENETIC DIFFERENTIATION IN WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN SPARIDFISH

Genetic differentiation and phylogenetic relationships among Diplodus bellottii, D. cervinus, Sparus aurata, Pagrus pagrus, D. sargus and D. vulgaris were investigated by examining the electrophoretic patterns of 22 enzymes, from which 35 loci were detected. The six species were fixed for different alleles at the ADH locus which has been suggested to be the most reliable species-specific marker. Average genetic dista nces (D) among the six species increased in proportion to the level of taxonomic status (D = 0.54 between congeneric species and D = 1.04 be tween different genera). Distances among the six species along with th e dendrogram obtained, generally agree with the conventional systemati cs. They fit better with the view including S. aurata and P. pagrus in different genera, in spite of their high morphological similarity. Th is study reveals useful information for progressive aquaculture.