The phylogenetic relationships among 26 species of salmonid fishes (family Salmonidae) were studied using the RAG1 gene as phylogenetic marker. No unambiguous relationships between thymalllins, coregonins, and salmonins it was possible to establish. It seems likely, that divergence of these lineages took place during rather short time interval (about 3 to 4 million years). The thymallins are thought to be the first separated lineage. The genera of the subfamily Salmoninae form two distinct monophyletic groups, repre sented by (1) Brachymystax and Hucho and (2) Salmo, Parahucho, Salvelinus, Parasalmo and Oncorhynchus. Ancestral forms of these two evolutionary lineages could diverge at the Oligocene-Miocene boundary (about 24 million years ago). It is suggested that diversification of the main lineages within the second group was rather rapid, and took place in middle Miocene (about 19-16 million years ago). Moreover, the lineages of Salvelinus, Parasalmo and Oncorhynchus were the latest to diverge. It seems likely that divergence of the Pros opium and Coregonus ancestral lineages occurred during the same time interval.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.