Genetic diversity patterns of lionfish in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean

<strong>The present study applied genetic markers to describe the early stages of the lionfish bioinvasion of the equatorial Southwestern Atlantic and the Brazilian coast, to determine the origin and diversity of the invading fish, and potential dispersal routes, as well as to help in the management of this ongoing bioinvasion. Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA markers were sequenced in invasive lionfish specimens from the Brazilian coast and compared with <em>Pterois</em> spp. sequences available from the public NCBI and BOLD databases for identification purposes and to better elucidate the invasion and establishment of lionfish in the Southwestern Atlantic.</strong>