Molecular systematics of two Mediterranean blenniid species from the genus Salaria (Perciformes, Blenniidae): Salaria basilisca and S. pavo

An exhaustive phylogeny of the combtooth blenny genus Salaria (Pisces, Blenniidae) shows introgressive hybridization and lack of reciprocal mtDNA monophyly between the marine species Salaria basilisca and Salaria pavo.

A comprehensive phylogeny of the genus Salaria based on mitochondrial and nuclear markers grouped the extant species of the genus in well-characterised marine and freshwater clades, thus rejecting the hypothesis of a polytypic origin of the freshwater Salaria populations and supporting the occurrence of a single invasion event of the inland waters by the genus. Based on both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA datasets, the Salaria species of the freshwater clade proved to be vicariant taxa originating from a common ancestor which could possibly spread throughout the circum-Mediterranean inland waters during the late Miocene Messinian salinity crisis, then experiencing a process of allopatric dif…