Distribution and current conservation status of the Mexican Goodeidae (Actinopterygii, Cyprinodontiformes)

Abstract

The current distribution and abundance of the 40 species of Goodeidae fishes known from Mexico are described, and a total of 84 Evolutionarily Significant Units (ESUs) is designated within these species. Two species and four ESUs are likely extinct with no captive populations, and three species and eight ESUs are probably extinct in the wild but have at least one captive population in Mexico, the United States, or Europe. Of the 35 extant species, the analyses indicate that nine should be considered as critically endangered, 14 as endangered, nine as vulnerable, and only three as least concern. Twenty-seven of these species have experienced substantial declines in distribution or abundance or both since 2000, and only eight appear to have remained relatively stable. Of the 72 extant ESUs, our analyses indicate that 29 should be considered as critically endangered, 21 as endangered, 18 as vulnerable, and only four as least concern. Brief summaries of the historic and current distributions and abundance of each species are provided, as well as ESU. Three strategies are recommended to conserve Mexican goodeids: protect the best-quality remaining habitats where goodeids still persist, restore degraded habitat and re-introduce species or ESUs where practical, and establish captive populations to ensure continued survival of the many species and ESUs that will almost inevitably go extinct in the coming years. Limited resources require cooperation and collaboration between scientists, conservationists, and aquarium hobbyists for successful captive maintenance.

Genetic differentiation in the genus Characodon: implications for conservation and taxonomy

“…The members of the subfamily Goodeinae are small-bodied freshwater fishes widespread throughout the Mexican highlands and adjacent areas, encompassing approximately 40 species. Goodeids are notable for their unusual reproductive biology among fishes, typified of the waterfall (Artigas-Azas, 2014), making it an inappropriate name for populations downstream of the waterfall (Lyons et al, 2019).…”

Diversidad taxonómica alfa y beta del ensamblaje de peces continentales de la cuenca del río Ameca, México

“…Lamentablemente, son zonas que no cuentan con ningún esquema de protección para la ictiofauna o sus hábitats, esto a pesar de ser sitios prioritarios acuáticos epicontinentales. Esta información es particularmente relevante debido a que, actualmente, la biodiversidad de los ecosistemas de agua dulce enfrenta una grave crisis mundial, donde un grupo severamente afectado son los peces (Albert et al, 2020;Lyons et al, 2019). Por tal motivo, científicos expertos han determinado que los esfuerzos de conservación se deben enfocar en incidir en políticas que promuevan el agua limpia, la restauración de los ecosistemas de agua dulce y la recuperación de sus servicios ecosistémicos (Albert et al, 2020).…”

Genetic differentiation among populations of the blackfin goodea Goodea atripinnis (Cyprinodontiformes: Goodeidae): implications for its evolutionary history

“…Since the Neogene, the uplift of the TMVB has promoted a long history of genesis and modification of water drainages and the formation of new geographic barriers and montane habitats. These geologic events have had a significant impact on the diversification of aquatic taxa in the region (Anducho‐Reyes et al ., 2008; Beltrán‐López et al ., 2018; Domínguez‐Domínguez et al ., 2008a, 2010, 2016; Ferrusquía‐Villafranca, 1993; Huidobro et al ., 2006; Lyons et al ., 2019; Mateos et al ., 2002, 2019; Pérez‐Rodríguez et al ., 2009, 2016).…”

“…The goodeines (subfamily Goodeinae) are one of the most prevalent groups of freshwater fishes in central Mexico. Several species within the subfamily are widespread, whereas others are restricted to a few river systems or even a single spring (Domínguez‐Domínguez et al ., 2010; Foster & Piller, 2018; Lyons et al ., 2019; Miller et al ., 2005; Parker et al ., 2019). The goodeines with their widespread distribution across central Mexico, high species diversity, wide range of body shapes (as influenced by habitat) and exceptional ecomorphological disparity are considered a model system for understanding adaptive radiation and the biogeographic history of one of the most important faunal transitional zones in the world (Doadrio & Domínguez, 2004; Domínguez‐Domínguez et al ., 2006, 2010; Foster & Piller, 2018; Helmstetter et al ., 2016; Parker et al ., 2019).…”

“…Despite the recognition of these three described species, recent molecular studies using a reduced number of samples and a single mitochondrial gene have concluded that Goodea is comprised of only a single species, G. atripinnis (Domínguez‐Domínguez et al ., 2010; Foster & Piller, 2018; Webb et al ., 2004). Other authors, however, have proposed to include the Pánuco River basin population as an independent Evolutionarily Significant Unit rather than a separate species (Lyons et al ., 2019).…”