Cryptic species in the Neotropical fish genus Curimatopsis (Teleostei, Characiformes)

Abstract

Cryptic species in the Neotropical fish genus Curimatopsis (Teleostei, Characiformes). -Zoologica Scripta, 00, 000-000. Detritivores of the fish family Curimatidae are assigned to eight genera, one of which, the Curimatopsis, with only five species, is the least speciose genus and sister to other seven genera in the family. Ongoing morphological investigations reveal, however, the likely existence of additional species. In this study, fifty-one specimens of Curimatopsis from multiple rivers of the Amazon, Paraguay and Suriname drainages were identified morphologically according to the present species concepts and then barcoded using the universal cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) mitochondrial marker. Species delimitation analyses were conducted using Bayesian methods through the general mixed Yule-coalescent analysis combined with conventional likelihood, genetic distance and haplotypic diversity approaches. We found eleven well-supported clusters that represent four of the named species and seven cryptic, undescribed species of Curimatopsis. Our results show a clear delimitation of species boundaries constrained by distinct Amazonian river ecotones that may have promoted intrageneric lineage diversification. This is the first of a series of genetic studies applicable to future taxonomic, phylogenetic and evolutionary studies across the Curimatidae.

DNA barcoding confirms the occurrence of Rhamdia branneri and Rhamdia voulezi (Siluriformes: Heptapteridae) in the Iguaçu River Basin

“…The integration between the molecular and traditional taxonomic identification is a relevant association and can promote the identification of a greater number of species than currently described (Steinke, Hanner, 2011). Presently, there is a range of studies addressing the Neotropical ichthyofauna through DNA barcoding, suggesting and revealing several new species (Pereira et al, 2011;Rosso et al, 2012;Gomes et al, 2015;Ramirez, Galetti Jr., 2015;Melo et al, 2016). However, the success of the identification of species from molecular data depends on the precise taxonomic identification and availability of reference sequences (Ward et al, 2009)…”

An inventory of coastal freshwater fishes from Amapá highlighting the occurrence of eight new records for Brazil

“…Besides Curculionichthys , three other taxa represent putative undescribed species: Curimatopsis sp., a member of the cryptic lineage Curimatopsis aff. crypticus (Melo et al 2016), Lithoxus sp. from Rio Amapá and Apistogramma sp.…”

Genetic Applications in the Conservation of Neotropical Freshwater Fish

“…mtDNA has been a marker of choice for reconstructing historical patterns of population demography, admixture, biogeography and speciation [88,176] and can help identify cryptic individuals in many Neotropical fish species [177]. However, the main problem in genetic studies aimed at the maintenance of biodiversity is the difficulty of developing a method of species identification, since there are millions of unidentified and unknown species.…”

“…The Neotropical freshwater ichthyofauna is considered the most diverse in the world, and very few fish species have been identified. It has been estimated that 30-40% of species have not been described, and genetic identification is a challenge, even with molecular techniques [176,177].…”