Closing the genomic gap: the need for coordinated fish genomics in Argentina

Authors

  • Alejandro S. Mechaly Instituto de Investigaciones en Biodiversidad y Biotecnología (INBIOTEC-CONICET), Mar del Plata, Argentina - Fundación para Investigaciones Biológicas Aplicadas (FIBA), Mar del Plata, Argentina - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4396-0955
    • Yamila P. Cardoso Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina - Laboratorio de Sistemática y Biología Evolutiva, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo (FCNyM), Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP), Paseo del Bosque S/N, B1900FWA - La Plata, Argentina https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3497-4359

      DOI:

      https://doi.org/10.47193/mafis.3912026010111

      Keywords:

      conservation genetics, aquaculture genomics, genetic diversity, fisheries, genome

      Abstract

      Fish genomics has become an essential tool to explore the genetic basis of biological processes, such as biodiversity, evolution, and adaptation, as well as for direct applications in conservation, aquaculture, and fisheries management. Argentina, home to more than 1,100 fish species and diverse aquatic ecosystems, holds enormous potential for genomic research. Although historically underrepresented in global databases, recent progress (including genome sequencing of commercially and ecologically important species) signals growing momentum in the field. This note provides an overview of the current state of fish genomics in Argentina, highlights notable contributions, and underscores the need for high-quality genome assemblies, national coordination, and broader taxonomic coverage to ensure that the country’s biodiversity is adequately represented and preserved.

      Downloads

      Download data is not yet available.

      References

      Bauni V, Bertonatti C, Giacchino A, Schivo F, Mabragaña E, Roesler I, Rosso JJ, Teta P, Williams JD, Abba AM, et al. 2022. Biodiversity of vertebrates in Argentina: patterns of richness, endemism and conservation status. ZooKeys. 1085: 101-127. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1085.76033 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1085.76033

      Bista I, McCarthy SA, Wood J, Ning Z, Detrich III HW, Desvignes T, Postlethwait J, Chow W, Howe K, Torrance J, et al. 2020. The genome sequence of the channel bull blenny, Cottoperca gobio (Günther, 1861). Wellcome Open Res. 5: 148. DOI: https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16012.1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16012.1

      Campanella D. 2014. Evolutionary history and whole genome sequence of pejerrey (Odontesthes bonariensis): new insights into sex determination in fishes [PhD thesis]. Washington: The George Washington University. https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/mp48sd085.

      Cheng CHC, Rivera-Colón AG, Minhas BF, Wilson L, Rayamajhi N, Vargas-Chacoff L, Catchen JM. 2023. Chromosome-level genome assembly and circadian gene repertoire of the Patagonia blennie Eleginops maclovinus, the closest ancestral proxy of Antarctic Cryonotothenioids. Genes. 14: 1196. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14061196 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14061196

      Fan G, Song Y, Yang L, Huang X, Zhang S, Zhang M, Yang X, Chang Y, Zhang H, Li Y, et al. 2020. Initial data release and announcement of the 10,000 Fish Genomes Project (Fish10K). Gigascience. 9 (8): 80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/gigascience/giaa080 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/gigascience/giaa080

      Fricke R, Eschmeyer WN, Van der Laan R, editors. 2025. Eschmeyer’s catalog of fishes: genera, species, references. http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatmain.asp.

      Cardoso YP, Brancolini F, Paracampo AH, Lizarralde MS, Covain R, Montoya-Burgos JI. 2016. Hypostomus formosae, a new catfish species from the Paraguay river basin with redescription of H. boulengeri (Siluriformes: Loricariidae). Ichthyol Explor Freshw. 27: 9-23.

      Cardoso YP, Brancolini F, Protogino L, Paracampo A, Bogan S, Posadas P, Montoya-Burgos JI. 2019. An integrated approach clarifies the cryptic diversity in Hypostomus Lacépède 1803 from the Lower La Plata Basin. An Acad Bras Cienc. 91 (2): e20180131. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765201920180131 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765201920180131

      Graciano RCD, Oliveira RS, Santos IM, Yazbeck GM. 2022. Genomic resources for Salminus brasiliensis. Front Genet. 13: 855718. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2022.855718 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2022.855718

      Hirt-Chabbert JA, Mechaly AS, Tapia C. 2024. Seafood in Argentina: marine fish species, seasonal occurrence and prices. Rev Fish Biol Fish. 34 (2): 753-774. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-024-09836-4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11160-024-09836-4

      Hughes LC, Ortí G, Huang Y, Sun Y, Baldwin CC, Thompson AW, Arcila D, Betancur-R R, Li C, Becker L, et al. 2018. Comprehensive phylogeny of ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii) based on transcriptomic and genomic data. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 115 (24): 6249-6254. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1719358115 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1719358115

      Li S, Liu K, Cui A, Hao X, Wang B, Wang H-Y, Jiang Y, Wang Q, Feng B, Xu Y, et al. 2022. Chromosome-level genome assembly of yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi). Front Genet. 12: 825742. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2021.825742 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fgene.2021.825742

      Lu G, Luo M. 2020. Genomes of major fishes in world fisheries and aquaculture: status, application and perspective. Aquac Fish. 5 (4): 163-173. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aaf.2020.05.004 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aaf.2020.05.004

      Mascali FC, Mastrochirico-Filho VA, Posner VM, Rubiolo JA, Hashimoto DT, Villanova GV. 2024. High-quality genome assembly and annotation of the pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus: an aquatic genetic resource of South American aquaculture. Aquacult Int. 32: 8981-9003. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-024-01601-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10499-024-01601-5

      Mascali FC, Posner VM, Romero Marano EA, del Pazo F, Hermida M, Sánchez S, Mazzoni TS, Martinez P, Rubiolo JA, Villanova GV. 2022. Development and validation of sex-specific markers in Piaractus mesopotamicus. Aquaculture. 558. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2022.738374 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2022.738374

      Mechaly AS, Awruch C, Cabrita E, Costas B, Fernandes JMO, Gallego V, Hirt- Chabbert J, Konstantinidis I, Olivera C, Ramos-Júdez S, et al. 2024. Cutting-edge methods in teleost and chondrichthyan reproductive biology. Rev Fish Sci Aquac. 33 (1): 77-112. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23308249.2024.2377999 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/23308249.2024.2377999

      Mechaly AS, Elizur A, Escobar-Aguirre S, Hirt-Chabbert J, Inohuye Rivera RB, Knibb W, Nocillado J, Pérez-Urbiola JC, Premachandra HKA, Somoza GM, et al. 2025. Advances in reproduction, nutrition and disease research in the yellowtail kingfish (Seriola lalandi) aquaculture. Rev Aqua. 17: e70034. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/raq.70034 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/raq.70034

      Rhie A, McCarthy SA, Fedrigo O, Damas J, Formenti G, Koren S, Uliano-Silva M, Chow W, Fungtammasan A, Kim J, et al. 2021. Towards complete and error-free genome assemblies of all vertebrate species. Nature. 592: 737-746. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03451-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03451-0

      Roa-Varon A, Pirro S. 2022. The complete genome sequences of 18 species of Gadiformes (Actinopterygii, Chordata). Biodivers Genomes. DOI: https://doi.org/10.56179/001c.56079 DOI: https://doi.org/10.56179/001c.56079

      Ryder D, Stone D, Minardi D, Riley A, Avant J, Cross L, Soeffker M, Davidson D, Newman A, Thomson P, et al. 2024. De novo assembly and annotation of the Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) genome. BMC Genomics 25: 233. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-024-10141-4 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-024-10141-4

      Schartl M, Woltering JM, Irisarri I, Du K, Kneitz S, Pippel M, Brown T, Franchini P, Li J, Li M, et al. 2024. The genomes of all lungfish inform on genome expansion and tetrapod evolution. Nature. 634: 96-103. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07830-1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07830-1

      Downloads

      Published

      2025-12-22

      How to Cite

      Mechaly, A. S., & Cardoso, Y. P. (2025). Closing the genomic gap: the need for coordinated fish genomics in Argentina. Marine and Fishery Sciences (MAFIS), 39(1). https://doi.org/10.47193/mafis.3912026010111