Phylogeny and biogeography of hogfishes and allies (Bodianus, Labridae)

Bodianus wrasses comprise one of the most diverse genera of labrids. Also known as hogfishes due to the presence of a large pig-like snout, Bodianus species are found in warm waters across the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To this date no densely sampled molecular phylogeny is available for this group, and a single morphological study did not include two genera (Clepticus and Semicossyphus) that have been shown to belong within hogfishes by molecular studies. Our study produced the first multi-locus molecular phylogeny of Bodianus species, and corroborated the non-monophyly of this group without the inclusion of the Creole wrasse (Clepticus) and the sheepheads (Semicossyphus). We further showed that hogfishes and allies started to radiate during the Early Miocene, ∼20Ma, and that while this group originated in the Indo-western and South-western Pacific, it experienced multiple episodes during which it successfully invaded different geographic regions and/or ocean basins.