DNA barcoding for different egyptian and qatari common snappers reveals unexpected cryptic lineages in the blackspot snapper Lutjanus ehrenbergii

Snappers (Lutjaniformes, Lutjanidae) are among the commonest world fish families. They play a vital ecological role as components of coral reef-associated ecosystems. Also, they are very commonly consumed fish. This work implied the application of DNA barcoding to identify some key lutjanids in international fish markets. Samples of Lutjanus ehrenbergii, L. kasmira, L. bohar, L. gibbus, L. argentimaculatus, and L. monostigma were obtained from Hurghada city fish market in the Red Sea, Egypt. Also, samples of L. malabaricus, L. ehrenbergii, and L. fulviflamma were collected from Doha City, Qatar fish markets. These samples were DNA barcoded through sequencing of their mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) and 12SrDNA barcodes. The resulting DNA barcodes exhibited several cases of misidentification. This included L. gibbus which showed mixed identity with L. erythropterus; L. ehrenbergii with L. fulviflamma; L. malabaricus with L. erythropterus and L. sanguineus; and L. kasmira that was misidentified as L. quinquelineatus, L. rufolineatus, L. fulvus, L. boutton, and L. bengalensis. Moreover, the westernmost L. ehrenbergii showed a polyphyletic relationship with its conspecifics in the Indo-Pacific region. The first encompassed Egyptian, Qatari, and the Western Indian Ocean samples. The second encompassed references from Indo-Pacific countries. This discordant phylogenetic pattern referred to a possible cryptic lineage in L. ehrenbergii. Results of the current research supported the need for more extensive, morphogenetic-based authentication of different lutjanids in the Indian Ocean and its related environments.