Chromosome-level genome assembly of the spangled emperor, Lethrinus nebulosus (Forsskål 1775).

Spangled emperor, Lethrinus nebulosus (Forsskål 1775), is a tropical marine fish of economic and cultural importance throughout the Indo-West Pacific. It is one of the most targeted recreational fishes in the Gascoyne Coast Bioregion of Western Australia where it serves as an indicator species for recreational fishing. Here, we present a highly accurate, near-gapless, chromosome-level, haplotype-phased reference genome assembly of L.

Demographic histories shape population genomics of the common coral grouper ().

Many coral reef fishes display remarkable genetic and phenotypic variation across their geographic ranges. Understanding how historical and contemporary processes have shaped these patterns remains a focal question in evolutionary biology since they reveal how diversity is generated and how it may respond to future environmental change. Here, we compare the population genomics and demographic histories of a commercially and ecologically important coral reef fish, the common coral grouper ( [Lacépède 1802]), across two adjoining regions (the Great Barrier Reef; GBR, and the Coral Sea, Australia) spanning approximately 14 degrees of latitude and 9 degrees of longitude.

Does color matter? Molecular and ecological divergence in four sympatric color morphs of a coral reef fish.

Non-sex-linked color polymorphism is common in animals and can be maintained in populations via balancing selection or, when under diversifying selection, can promote divergence. Despite their potential importance in ecological interactions and the evolution of biodiversity, their function and the mechanisms by which these polymorphisms are maintained are still poorly understood. Here, we combine field observations with life history and molecular data to compare four sympatric color morphs of the coral reef fish (family Cirrhitidae) in the central Red Sea.

Comparative demography of commercially important species of coral grouper, Plectropomus leopardus and P. laevis, from Australia's great barrier reef and Coral Sea marine parks.

Understanding the spatial and environmental variation in demographic processes of fisheries target species, such as coral grouper (Genus: Plectropomus), is important for establishing effective management and conservation strategies. Herein we compare the demography of Plectropomus leopardus and P. laevis between Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP), which has been subject to sustained and extensive fishing pressure, and the oceanic atolls of Australia's Coral Sea Marine Park (CSMP), where there is very limited fishing for reef fishes.