Comparative Zone Electropherograms of Muscle Myogens and Blood Hemoglobins of Marine and Freshwater Vertebrates and Their Application to Biochemical Systematics
The muscle myogens of approximately 50 species of fishes, representing specimens from three (Elasmobranchii, Holocephali, Teleostomi) of the four living classes of fishes of the superclass, Gnathostomata, have been separated by starch gel zone electrophoresis. Evidence is presented for the virtual constancy and species specific nature of these myogen as well as their corresponding multiple hemoglobin patterns. The interspecific and intergeneric similarities of myogen patterns within any one family (Salmonidae as well as Scorpaenidae) were remarkably parallel with the existing morphometric classification. The same degree of relationship was not observed in the corresponding hemoglobin patterns. The usefulness of myogen, and less frequently, hemoglobin patterns for obtaining phylogenetic information as well as for species identification purposes is discussed.