New records of two deep-sea eels collected from the Western Pacific Ocean based on COI and 16S rRNA genes

Abstract

Background: Two deep-sea eels collected from the Western Pacific Ocean are described in this study. Based on their morphological characteristics, the two deep-sea eel specimens were assumed to belong to the cusk-eel family Ophidiidae and the cutthroat eel family Synaphobranchidae.

Methods and results: To accurately identify the species of the deep-sea eel specimens, we sequenced the mitochondrial genes (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I [COI] and 16S ribosomal RNA [16S rRNA]). Through molecular phylogenetic analysis based on mtDNA COI and 16S rRNA gene sequences, these species clustered with the genera Bassozetus and Synaphobranchus, suggesting that the deep-sea eel specimens collected are two species from the genera Bassozetus and Synaphobranchus in the Western Pacific Ocean, respectively.

Conclusions: This is the first study to report new records of the genera Bassozetus and Synaphobranchus from the Western Pacific Ocean based on COI and 16S rRNA genes.

Keywords: 16S ribosomal RNA; Deep-sea; Eel; Mitochondrial DNA; Phylogenetic analysis; cytochrome c oxidase subunit I.