Rev. biol. mar. oceanogr. 47(3): 573-579

Nota Científica

Origin, diversification, and historical biogeography of the giant kelps genus Macrocystis: Evidences from Bayesian phylogenetic analysis

Marcela P. Astorga¹, Cristián E. Hernández², Cynthia P. Valenzuela¹,

Jorge Avaria-Llautureo^2,3 & Renato Westermeier¹

¹Instituto de Acuicultura, Universidad Austral de Chile, Sede Puerto Montt, Casilla 1327, Puerto Montt, Chile

²Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular y Filoinformática, Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile

³Programa de Magíster en Ciencias Mención Zoología, Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Oceanográficas, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile

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We evaluate the genetic divergence between the two morphs of the genus Macrocystis found in the Chilean coast (pyrifera and integrifolia), and the historical relationships with the other morphs of the genus using the ITS-2 DNA region sequences. The analyses sustain that the morphotypes, and its distribution, have a strong phylogenetic signal, indicating that historical process associated to the diversification has determined the current distribution and morphological variability. Finally, the pyrifera morph is the most probable ancestor of the actual morphological variability of the genus, which originated in the Northeastern Pacific and later colonized the Southern Pacific.

Key words:  Bayesian phylogenetics, Comparative method, ITS

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