Phyletic evolution of mitochondrial DNA genomes in
Wolffish (Anarhichas spp.) vs Codfish (Gadus spp. & relatives)

(KA Johnstone et al. 2007. Can J Zool 85, 115; MW Coulson et al. 2006. Genome 49,1115)

    Three species of Wolffish (Anarhichas spp.) are found in Newfoundland waters. Comparison of their complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) genome sequences (16,543 bp) shows that they are only about half as closely related as different species of Cod (Gadus spp.) from the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The two most closely related species, Striped and Spotted Wolffish (A. lupus and A. minor, respectively) are only about twice as differentiated as trans-Pacific populations of Pacific Cod.


©2007  Steven M. Carr