Reidentification of Decapterus macarellus and D. macrosoma (Carangidae) reveals inconsistencies with current morphological taxonomy in China.

ABSTRACT: Decapterus macarellus and D. macrosoma are economically important pelagic fish species that are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical seas. The two species are often mistakenly identified due to their morphological similarities as described in the Chinese literature on fish identification. In this study, D. macarellus and D. macrosoma samples were collected in the Eastern Indian Ocean and the South China Sea and reidentified using morphological and DNA barcoding techniques. The characteristics that distinguish the two species primarily include the scute coverage of the straight portion of the lateral line (the most indicative characteristic for classification), the shape of the predorsal scaled area and its location relative to the middle axis of the ey

SUBMITTER: Zhang L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7688621 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature