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Issue: Vol. 5802 No. 2: 4 May 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-05-04
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5802.2.8
Page range: 364-372
Abstract views: 68
PDF downloaded: 5

Taxonomic reevaluation of Hoplunnis pacifica Lane & Stewart, 1968 and Hoplunnis sicarius Garman, 1889 (Anguilliformes: Nettastomatidae) through morphological and molecular analysis

Tumbes Coastal Laboratory; Instituto del Mar del Perú; José Olaya S/N; Nueva Esperanza; Contralmirante Villar; Tumbes; Perú
Tumbes Coastal Laboratory; Instituto del Mar del Perú; José Olaya S/N; Nueva Esperanza; Contralmirante Villar; Tumbes; Perú
Tumbes Coastal Laboratory; Instituto del Mar del Perú; José Olaya S/N; Nueva Esperanza; Contralmirante Villar; Tumbes; Perú
Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart. Gewann Rosenstein 1; 70191 Stuttgart; Germany
Pisces Hoplunnis junior synonymy DNA barcoding COI gene Peru

Abstract

Since their original descriptions, the eels Hoplunnis sicarius and Hoplunnis pacifica have been reported in the eastern Pacific only at larval and adult stages, respectively. This discrepancy has led to ongoing debate regarding their potential synonymy. To reassess the taxonomic classification of these two species, we conducted morphological and genetic analyses of six adult Hoplunnis specimens collected from the tropical waters off northern Peru. Morphological analyses aligned with the taxonomic descriptions of H. pacifica, while mitochondrial COI gene sequences showed less than 0.32% genetic divergence from sequences attributed to H. sicarius. Furthermore, phylogenetic analyses grouped all specimens within a clade containing H. sicarius, distinct from other species in the genus Hoplunnis and family Nettastomatidae. These findings support the hypothesis that the two names refer to ontogenetic stages of the same species. Therefore, we propose that H. pacifica should be considered a junior synonym of H. sicarius.

 

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How to Cite

Segura, B.R., Sanchez, C.L., Torres, M.G. & Fricke, R. (2026) Taxonomic reevaluation of Hoplunnis pacifica Lane & Stewart, 1968 and Hoplunnis sicarius Garman, 1889 (Anguilliformes: Nettastomatidae) through morphological and molecular analysis. Zootaxa, 5802 (2), 364–372. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5802.2.8