Revisiting Chilean gorgonians (Cnidaria: Octocorallia: Gorgoniidae): taxonomic clarification and molecular phylogeny of Leptogorgia chilensis and Phycogorgia fucata.

Abstract

Most biodiversity studies of eastern Pacific octocorals have focused on the tropical shallow waters from Mexico to Peru, and more recently, on those off Chile. The first description of a Chilean octocoral dates back to the H.M.S. Challenger expedition (1873–1876), and since then, only a few descriptions of new coral species have been published from this region. In addition, the taxonomic status of most gorgonians reported from the temperate Pacific coast of South America remains uncertain due to the loss of the original type material. In this study, we use morphological characters and nuclear and mitochondrial markers to re-evaluate the taxonomy of the Chilean gorgonians <em>Phycogorgia fucata</em> and <em>Leptogorgia chilensis</em>. Our findings support the monophyly of Chilean <em>Leptogorgia</em>, confirm that <em>Leptogorgia chilensis </em>from Chile is distinct from specimens identified as the same species in California, and reveal that <em>P. fucata</em>, despite its unique morphology, should be included in the genus <em>Leptogorgia</em>.