Research Article

DNA Barcoding of the Synodus randalli Cressey, 1981, from Iskenderun Bay, Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye

Number: 2026 March 17, 2026
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DNA Barcoding of the Synodus randalli Cressey, 1981, from Iskenderun Bay, Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye

Abstract

The Indo-Pacific lizardfish Synodus randalli has entered the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal and has rapidly expanded its range since it was first recorded in 2023. In this study, ten S. randalli specimens collected from the Iskenderun Bay (Türkiye) were genetically characterized using the COI barcode region. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that all Mediterranean S. randalli sequences form a highly supported monophyletic clade, clearly distinct from S. synodus and other species. Pairwise K2P distances indicated a distinct barcoding difference between S. randalli and S. synodus. Density plots, histograms, and box plots confirmed that intra- and inter-species variation ranges did not completely overlap. ASAP species delimitation analysis yielded two well-defined clusters corresponding to the two species. Overall, our results provide the first robust COI reference sequences for Mediterranean S. randalli, confirm its genetic distinctiveness, and demonstrate the reliability of COI barcodes for tracking non-native Synodontidae in the rapidly warming Mediterranean Sea.

Keywords

mtDNA COI gene, Barcoding gap, Phylogenetic analysis, Alien species

Supporting Institution

Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TUBITAK)

Project Number

223O555

Ethical Statement

We declare that our research does not require ethical committee approval as it involves collecting non-living specimens from fishermen.

Thanks

This study was supported by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye (TUBITAK) under Grant Number 223O555. The authors thank to TUBITAK for their supports. Also, this work was prepared from a section of Sebilenur Yılmaz's Master's thesis

References

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APA
Yılmaz, S., & Doğdu, S. A. (2026). DNA Barcoding of the Synodus randalli Cressey, 1981, from Iskenderun Bay, Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye. Journal of Anatolian Environmental and Animal Sciences, 2026. https://doi.org/10.35229/jaes.1843277
AMA
1.Yılmaz S, Doğdu SA. DNA Barcoding of the Synodus randalli Cressey, 1981, from Iskenderun Bay, Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye. JAES. 2026;(2026). doi:10.35229/jaes.1843277
Chicago
Yılmaz, Sebilenur, and Servet Ahmet Doğdu. 2026. “DNA Barcoding of the Synodus Randalli Cressey, 1981, from Iskenderun Bay, Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye”. Journal of Anatolian Environmental and Animal Sciences, nos. 2026. https://doi.org/10.35229/jaes.1843277.
EndNote
Yılmaz S, Doğdu SA (March 1, 2026) DNA Barcoding of the Synodus randalli Cressey, 1981, from Iskenderun Bay, Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye. Journal of Anatolian Environmental and Animal Sciences 2026
IEEE
[1]S. Yılmaz and S. A. Doğdu, “DNA Barcoding of the Synodus randalli Cressey, 1981, from Iskenderun Bay, Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye”, JAES, no. 2026, Mar. 2026, doi: 10.35229/jaes.1843277.
ISNAD
Yılmaz, Sebilenur - Doğdu, Servet Ahmet. “DNA Barcoding of the Synodus Randalli Cressey, 1981, from Iskenderun Bay, Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye”. Journal of Anatolian Environmental and Animal Sciences. 2026 (March 1, 2026). https://doi.org/10.35229/jaes.1843277.
JAMA
1.Yılmaz S, Doğdu SA. DNA Barcoding of the Synodus randalli Cressey, 1981, from Iskenderun Bay, Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye. JAES. 2026. doi:10.35229/jaes.1843277.
MLA
Yılmaz, Sebilenur, and Servet Ahmet Doğdu. “DNA Barcoding of the Synodus Randalli Cressey, 1981, from Iskenderun Bay, Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye”. Journal of Anatolian Environmental and Animal Sciences, no. 2026, Mar. 2026, doi:10.35229/jaes.1843277.
Vancouver
1.Sebilenur Yılmaz, Servet Ahmet Doğdu. DNA Barcoding of the Synodus randalli Cressey, 1981, from Iskenderun Bay, Eastern Mediterranean, Türkiye. JAES. 2026 Mar. 1;(2026). doi:10.35229/jaes.1843277