Molecular phylogeny of some gobies (Teleostei, Gobiidae) from Iranian water bodies

The members of family Gobiidae are usually small, cryptic, and often overlooked in scientific studies of coastal marine communities. This family (Suborder: Gobioidei) is comprised of five subfamilies, including Sicydiinae, Gobionellinae, Oxudercinae, Amblyopinae, Gobiinae. Three subfamilies Oxudercinae, Amblyopinae, and Gobiinae are recorded from subtidal and intertidal zones of southern Iranian waters. Stonogobiops nematodes is recorded from the examined area for the first time. This study presents the molecular reconstruction of seven goby speciesies from the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Makran for the first time, using the nuclear Rag1 and Rhodopsin genes. The phylogeny combines the sequences of 51 species from GenBank with those of seven species (Boleophthalmus dussumieri, Periophthalmus waltoni, Scartelaos tenuis, Acentrogobius dayi, Cryptocentroides arabicus, Istigobius ornatus, Stonogobiops nematodes) collected from the coastal area of the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Makran and sequenced.