Received: 22 July 2019 | Revised: 25 October 2019 | Accepted: 28 October 2019 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5847 ORIGINAL RESEARCH Mitogenomic phylogenetic analyses of Leptogorgia virgulata and Leptogorgia hebes (Anthozoa: Octocorallia) from the Gulf of Mexico provides insight on Gorgoniidae divergence between Pacific and Atlantic lineages Samantha Silvestri | Diego F. Figueroa | David Hicks | Nicole J. Figueroa School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Abstract Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA The use of genetics in recent years has brought to light the need to reevaluate the Correspondence classification of many gorgonian octocorals. This study focuses on two Leptogorgia Diego F. Figueroa, School of Earth, species—Leptogorgia virgulata and Leptogorgia hebes—from the northwestern Gulf of Environmental, and Marine Sciences, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, One Mexico (GOM). We target complete mitochondrial genomes and mtMutS sequences, West University Boulevard, Brownsville, TX and integrate this data with previous genetic research of gorgonian corals to resolve 78520, USA. Email:
[email protected] phylogenetic relationships and estimate divergence times. This study contributes the first complete mitochondrial genomes for L. ptogorgia virgulata and L. hebes. Our re- Funding information TPWD-ARP, Grant/Award Number: 475342; sulting phylogenies stress the need to redefine the taxonomy of the genus Leptogorgia University of Texas Rio Grande Valley; in its entirety. The fossil-calibrated divergence times for Eastern Pacific and Western Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Atlantic Leptogorgia species based on complete mitochondrial genomes shows that and Medicine, Grant/Award Number: the use of multiple genes results in estimates of more recent speciation events than 2000007266; National Sea Grant Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric previous research based on single genes.