Evolutionary relationships in Southern Pacific hakes Merluccius gayi, Merluccius australis and Merluccius hubbsi (Pisces : Merlucciidae)

A genetic research was made to determinate the evolutionary relationships i n the hakes that inhabit the South Pacific. Forty three enzymatic loci were screened through protein electrophoresis in the species M. gayi, M. austra lis, M. hubbsi and Macruronus magellanicus. The genetic analysis did not sh ow differences between fishes of M. australis from New Zealand with those f rom Southern Chile. The values of genetic identity show a first node groupi ng M. australis and M. hubbsi in close affinity to M. gayi. The phylogeneti c analysis agree with the tree obtained using genetic Distance and Identity . The expression of the loci PGD, XOD and TO are considered autapomorphies for each species. We recognized 20 sinapomorphies for the genus Merluccius. All the four hakes share nine plesiomorphic characters (MDH, G6PDH-2, GAPD H-1, NP-1, CK-1, EST-1, GLIO, PEP-2, FUM). The result supports the hypothes is of an Atlantic origin for M. australis and M. hubbsi.