SEQUENCE LENGTH AND VARIATION IN THE MITOCHONDRIAL CONTROL REGION OF 2 FRESH-WATER GOBIID FISHES BELONGING TO RHINOGOBIUS (TELEOSTEI, GOBIOIDEI)

The control region (D-loop) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was amplified and sequenced for eight samples of the rhinogobies Rhinogobius macula fasciatus and R. giurinus from Taiwan and southern China. The control regions of both species are of 841-842 bp; the length of these sequenc es being the most compact among all known sequences in teleost fishes. Three conserved sequence blocks (CSB) were observed. The full D-loop and tRNA(Phe) gene sequences were determined and compared with other f ishes. The interspecific sequence divergence between the two species i s 11.3-11.7%; and the intraspecific variation in R. guirinus 0.8-1.8%. Results suggest that the control region of Rhinogobius is informative for phylogenetic reconstruction at both intraspecific and interspecif ic levels in this gobiid genus. (C) 1998 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.