First multi-locus timetree of seabreams and porgies (Percomorpha: Sparidae)

Sparid fishes represent one of the major radiations of predominantly temperate-water benthic fishes. Previous molecular phylogenetic studies suggested that many traditional taxonomic groups, often based on dentition characters, do not correspond to monophyletic groups, suggesting repeated convergence in trophic ecology. In spite of the rich sparid fossil record, no comprehensive, multi-locus timetree based on sparid fossils currently exists for this group. We used a supermatrix approach to assemble a dataset of five loci and 91 sparid species, and time-calibrated this new phylogeny using eight sparid fossils. Our study corroborates the non-monophyly of the traditional sparids without the inclusion of the family Centracanthidae, as well as that of many sparid genera. Based on phylogenetic comparative analyses we find robust support for a scenario of multiple radiations and suggest that these were driven by the invasion of multiple geographic regions by different lineages, as well as by the transition to different trophic ecologies.