Integrative taxonomy of genus Strongylura van Hasselt, 1824 (Belonidae) from Indian waters

Thomas, Toji and Abdussamad, E M and Sijad, B (2026) Integrative taxonomy of genus Strongylura van Hasselt, 1824 (Belonidae) from Indian waters. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of India, 68 (1). pp. 32-44. ISSN 2321-7898

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Abstract

The genus Strongylura (Belonidae) comprises several morphologically similar species, which have historically led to taxonomic ambiguities, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. The present study addresses these challenges through an integrative taxonomic assessment of three closely related species- Strongylura incisa, S. leiurus, and S. strongylura-collected from Indian waters between 2021 and 2023. Detailed morphometric and meristic analyses were conducted along with mitochondrial DNA (COI) sequencing to examine species boundaries. The results clearly support the distinctiveness of each species. S. incisa is characterised by a slender body, relatively longer snout and lower jaw, fewer predorsal scales, and a moderately emarginate caudal fin. S. leiurus exhibits a deeper body profile, higher predorsal scale and anal fin ray counts, and lacks caudal pigmentation, setting it apart from its congeners.S. strongylura is morphologically robust, with a shorter snout, fewer vertebrae and predorsal scales, and a rounded or truncated caudal fin with dark posterior margins. Pairwise genetic distances (K2P) ranging from 17.8 to 23.7% among the three species ofStrongylura clearly support the distinctiveness and exceed typical COI divergence thresholds for teleosts. Comparative analysis with previously described species from other ocean basins further highlights these distinctions, reinforcing the reliability of combined morphological and molecular approaches. This study enhances the taxonomic resolution within Strongylura in Indian waters and provides a baseline for future biodiversity and fisheries assessments of the group.

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