Molecular phylogeny of Drepaneidae (Actinopteri: Acanthuriformes: Drepaneidae) with two new molecular records from the Oman Sea

The family Drepaneidae comprises the valid genus Drepane and three species: Drepane punctata, Drepane longimana, and Drepane africana. D. punctata and D. longimana were collected from subtidal habitats along the shores of Chabahar Bay. Three COI sequences were obtained for this study, two for D. longimana and one for D. punctata. D. punctata is distinguished from D. longimana by having 8 vertical rows of blackish spots. The second and eighth rows contain only one spot in our specimen; moreover, the odd rows have more spots than the even rows. The two COI sequences of D. longimana are documented for the first time in Iranian waters. The COI sequence of D. punctata is amplified for the first time from Chabahar Bay. The molecular tree displays three clades representing the three Drepane species. Based on our phylogenetic tree, D. punctata and D. longimana are sister taxa, while D. africana is positioned in a distinct clade. To our knowledge and research, this investigation introduces the initial molecular tree encompassing all Drepane representatives. D. punctata and D. longimana are recognized as sister taxa, consistent with their distribution along the east coasts of Africa and the Indo-West Pacific. D. africana is found along the west coasts of Africa and is categorized as a separate clade from the other two species.