Genetic Variability and Relationships of the Threaded Sculpin Gymnocanthus pistilliger (Cottidae)

Abstract Comparative molecular genetics study was performed for the threaded sculpin Gymnocanthus pistilliger from the Sea of Okhotsk, the Sea of Japan, and the Bering Sea. According to the analysis of mitochondrial DNA genes, the species heterogeneity is found, which does not relate to its geographical distribution. Gymnocanthus pistilliger is characterized by a closely related relationship with Gymnocanthus intermedius , the genetic differentiation between these species is low if considering them different species. The analysis of the obtained results in molecular genetics and morphological data published by other authors, suggest that G. pistilliger and G. intermedius represent either geographical forms (subspecies) of the same species, or evolutionarily young species.