Phylogeography and RAPD-PCR variation in Hoplias malabaricus (Bloch, 1794) (Pisces, Teleostei) in southeastern Brazil

Abstract

In the Rio Doce basin of southeastern Brazil, the freshwater fish Hoplias malabaricus (trahira) is a widespread predatory characin and one of the few resilient native fishes in a highly impacted lake system. In order to test for genetic differentiation in populations within this basin and for biogeographic relationships among populations of this species in other basins, a study was conducted using RAPD-PCR analysis of Rio Doce samples (N = 63) and phylogeographic analyses with mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotypes, including the Rio Grande and Macacu river basins. In the Rio Doce basin, the patterns of genetic similarity of RAPD-PCR markers (individual fingerprinting and Nei's genetic distance) suggest the existence of two genetically different groups, one composed of the lacustrine populations Carioca and Dom Helvécio, and the other of riverine and the remaining lacustrine populations. The differences in the RAPD-PCR patterns may be explained by the existence of sub-basins within this lacustrine system. A maximum parsimony tree of cytochrome b fragment (383 base pairs) supports the view that trahiras of the Rio Doce share a complex biogeographic history with those of neighboring basins. The phylogeographic patterns may be explained by a common history of the watersheds of the Rio Doce, Paraíba do Sul, and Rio Grande basins, corroborating the hypothesis of a Plio-Pleistocene separation of these drainage systems, forming the Mantiqueira "divortium aquarium".

Revision of the Neotropical trahiras of the Hoplias lacerdae species-group (Ostariophysi: Characiformes: Erythrinidae) with descriptions of two new species

“…Similar distributions are reported for other fish species (Menezes, 1988;Vari & Harold, 2001). Dergam et al (2002) Current knowledge of the geological history of eastern South America indicates that the origin of coastal rivers involved successive erosion of the eastern margin of the platform associated with consequent upland river capture, giving rise to the various independent basins draining into the Atlantic Ocean (Potter, 1997;Ribeiro, 2006). According to these authors, six major uplift events created megadomes that worked synergistically with marginal erosion and upland stream capture along the Atlantic coast of South America when the latter and Africa were separated during the opening of the Atlantic Ocean.…”

Genetic variability in four fish species (Pimelodus maculatus, Prochilodus lineatus, Salminus brasiliensis and Steindachneridion scripta) from Uruguay River basin

“…This species is abundant and widespread in the Uruguay River basin (Zaniboni Filho and Schulz, 2003). According to Dergam et al (2002), widely distributed species might present genetic variation patterns which are not expected as a result of their evolutionary histories. Genus Pimelodus is considered to be complex, where taxonomy of species and populations similar to the type-species P. maculatus is not well established at the species level (Lundberg et al, 1991, Almeida et al, 2003.…”

Cytogenetic and DNA barcoding reveals high divergence within the trahira, Hoplias malabaricus (Characiformes: Erythrinidae) from the lower Amazon River

“…This conclusion was further reinforced by morphological (Rosa et al, 2009;Piorsky, 2010) and molecular data 2002;Santos et al, 2009;Piorsky, 2010;Pereira et al, 2013). Thus, the available chromosomal, morphological and DNA evidence provide strong support for the existence of a complex of cryptic species within the typical Hoplias malabaricus morphotype, which requires careful taxonomic revision.…”

“…australis Oyakawa &Mattox, 2009. The monotypic Hoplias malabaricus group is composed of H. malabaricus (Bloch, 1794), which is believed to encompass a species complex (Bertollo et al, 2000;Dergam et al, 2002;Santos et al, 2009).…”