Genetic divergence estimates using p-distances and similar measures were generated for 20,731 vertebrate and invertebrate animal species. The results of this analysis demonstrate that the data series are realistic and interpretable when the p-distance and its various derivates are used. The focus is on vertebrates and fish species in particular and the newest data set. Distance data reveal increasing levels of genetic divergence of the sequences of the two genes, cytochrome b (Cyt-b) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (Co-1), in the five groups compared: populations within species; subspecies, semi-species, or/and sibling species; species within a genus; species from different genera within a family; and species from separate families within an order. Mean unweighted scores of p-distances (%) for these five groups are Cyt-b—1.38 ± 0.30, 5.10 ± 0.91, 10.31 ± 0.93, 17.86 ± 1.36, and 26.36 ± 3.88, respectively; and Co-1—0.89 ± 0.16, 3.78 ± 1.18, 11.06 ± 0.53, 16.60 ± 0.69, and 20.57 ± 0.40, respectively. The estimates show good correspondence with other analyses. These results testify to the applicability of p-distance for most intra-species and inter-species comparisons of genetic divergence up to the order level in animals for the two genes compared. Data reviewed provide empirical and theoretical background on the geographic speciation mode prevalence in species origin and give a framework why per-individual species identification (DNA barcoding) is usually successful.

Algorithms of nucleotide diversity measures and other measures of genetic divergence at the molecular level are analyzed. Based on a database of p-distances, we have compared genetic divergence of populations (1) and taxa of different rank, such as sibling species (2), species within a genus (3), and species from different genera within a family (4). Based on the theory and algorithms of distance calculation from the primary DNA sequences, as well as the actual distances estimated from literature, it is recommended to use in analysis of experimental data a specific model selected from the eight available ones. The empirical data for more than 24 000 vertebrate and invertebrate species demonstrate that the data series are realistic and interpretable when p-distance or its various estimates are used. This testifies to the applicability of p-distance for most interspecies and intraspecies comparisons of genetic divergence up to the family level by two genes compared. Data on p-distances revealed various and increasing levels of genetic divergence of the sequences of genes Cyt-b and Co-1 in four groups compared. Mean unweighted scores of distances for the four groups were as follows: Cyt-b (1) 1.55 ± 0.56, (2) 5.52 ± 1.34, (3) 10.69 ± 1.34, (4) 18.51 ± 2.09 and Co-1 (1) 0.55 ± 0.19, (2) 4.91 ± 0.83, (3) 9.66 ± 0.72, (4) 14.69 ± 1.02. Differences in divergence between the genes themselves at the four levels were also found, although the total mean distances for the two genes did not show statistically significant differences. This conforms to the ample evidence showing different and nonuniform evolution rates of these and other genes and their various regions. The results of the analysis of the nucleotide and allozyme divergence within species and higher taxa of animals, first, are in a good agreement with these results, including data on protein gene markers, and, second, this evidence suggests that in animals, phyletic evolution is likely to prevail at the molecular level, and speciation mainly corresponds to the type D1 (geographic model). The prevalence of the D1 speciation mode does not mean that the other modes are absent. There are at least seven various modes of speciation. Recognition of speciation modes is a task that seems to require construction of a quantitative genetic model (theory) of speciation. Although, in view of a vast diversity of the possible causes of reproductive isolating barriers (RIBs) and speciation initiation, as well as the “empirical nature” of the formalized approach, proposed in the present work, some newly arising questions may be left without an answer. Their solution probably lied in increasing the number of descriptors and members of equations, proposed in this study, on the basis of DNA markers and other genomic characteristics.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) at the protein-coding Cyt-b gene along with data retrieved from GenBank for Co-1 gene fragments and complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of Altai osmans and the nearest relatives of Leuciscinae fish species were compared for the estimation of variability and phylogenetic tree building. Phylogenetic trees were built by four techniques: Bayesian (BA), maximum likelihood (ML), maximum parsimony (MP), and neighbor-joining (NJ). Resolution of Cyt-b trees for species of two genera (Oreoleuciscus and Phoxinus) was quite distinct at all the approaches. For Tribolodon, the single gene trees were not well resolved; however, the mitogenome tree was resolved. Species identification on per individual basis (DNA barcoding) was high for both Cyt-b and Co-1 genes. The trees built using the data for 13 protein mitochondrial genes revealed a complicated phylogenetic pattern within the subfamily Leuciscinae. Scores of the average p-distances at three taxonomic levels were considerably different: (1) 1.16 ± 0.96, (2) 8.21 ± 1.01, and (3) 16.41 ± 0.85 for Cyt-b and (1) 1.04 ± 0.78, (2) 8.30 ± 0.92, and (3) 10.74 ± 0.79 for 13 protein genes of mitogenome, where (1) is intraspecies, (2) is intragenus, and (3) is intrasubfamily levels. Data on mitogenome distances were summarized for the taxonomic hierarchy for the first time. A concordant increase in distance score with growth of the rank of taxa (having the minimum score at the intraspecies level), both for a single gene and the whole mitogenome, substantiates the concept that speciation in the subfamily Leuciscinae in most cases follows the geographic mode. The distinct clustering of Altai osmans, Oreoleuciscus potanini and O. humilis, in the Cyt-b and Co-1 gene trees with small overall genetic distances, obtained for both genes, allows us to consider these taxa as separate but genetically sister species.

The systematics and phylogeny of flatfish is investigated on the complete sequence of nucleotides at subunit 1 cytochrome c oxidase (Co-1) and cytochrome b (Cyt-b) genes. In total 17 species from our collection and some species from GenBank were analyzed. Four types of trees were built: Bayesian (BA), maximum likelihood (ML), maximum parsimony (MP), and neighbor joining (NJ). These trees showed similar topology. Two separate clusters on the trees support subfamily Hippoglossoidinae and Hippoglossinae subdivision and monophyletic status of these taxa. The subfamily Pleuronectinae also can be considered monophyletic, if the tribe Microstomini is excluded from it and genus Lepidopsetta is moved into the tribe Pleuronectini. Mitogenomes represented by 25 complete sequences from NCBI GenBank were analyzed. After alignment two sets of nucleotide sequences were formed and investigated independently. One set included 13 structural genes (14,886 bp), the second set comprised by the mtDNA without ND6 gene (10,457 bp). Both data sets give congruent phylogenetic signal that agreed with conventional views on the taxonomy of the order Pleuronectiformes; however, the first set gives better topology. In BA gene tree there are two well supported nodes which include the representatives of suborders Pleuronectoidei and Psettoidei. Within Pleuronectoidei two superfamilies, Pleuronectoidea and Soleidea are highly supported in BA but in all four kinds of gene trees (BA, ML, MP and NJ) the only superfamily Pleuronectoidea is well supported. At the top of hierarchy, all flatfishes belonging to the order Pleuronectiformes forming also a monophyletic clade in our data, with support level of 100% but in BA tree only. The monophyly of the family Pleuronectidae is well supported both by single gene data and by complete mtDNA sequences.