Taxonomy of Moenkhausia australis Eigenmann, 1908 (Characiformes, Characidae) with a discussion on its phylogenetic relationships

Abstract

The species Moenkhausia australis was described based on two specimens from arroyos Trementina and Chagalalina, Rio Paraguai basin, Paraguay. Its taxonomic history is complex and for many years the species was considered a synonym of Moenkhausia sanctaefilomenae. Moenkhausia australis shares a reticulated color pattern with the Moenkhausia oligolepis/M. sanctaefilomenae complex, being more similar within the species included in the complex to M. oligolepis, M. sanctaefilomenae, and M. forestii, with which it shares a prepelvic region laterally compressed, a feature also observed in Bario steindachneri. The laterally compressed prepelvic region is inferred to be putatively synapomorphic for the subgroup herein denominated as Moenkhausia oligolepis group. Our results, based on both molecular and morphological data, support the validity of Moenkhausia australis, which can be readily distinguished from the other members of the group by possessing the following combination of characters: complete lateral line, 23–27 scales in the lateral line, and five scales series above and below the lateral line. Our analysis also indicates three genetic structured populations of M. australis, from Rio Paraguai, upper Rio Paraná, and Rio Madeira basins. Since they are not diagnosable by morphological characters, we conservatively maintain these three genetic lineages as a single species.

Moenkhausia andrica (Characiformes: Characidae): a new species from the rio Tapajós basin, Brazil, with minute fin hooklets in females

“…Molecular studies within the Moenkhausia oligolepis / M. sanctaefilomenae complex have reported a high COI genetic divergence (greater than 9%) among taxonomically valid species (Benine et al ., 2009; Reia et al ., 2019). The mitochondrial data analysis showed that the samples of M. andrica from the Arinos, Papagaio and Sangue rivers present a low genetic divergence (3%, Table 3).…”

Molecular cytogenetic analyses reveal extensive chromosomal rearrangements and novel B chromosomes in Moenkhausia (Teleostei, Characidae)

“…The greatest diversity of this group can be found in the bodies of water of the Amazon and Guiana basins ( Lima et al , 2003 ). Given their ample geographical distribution and morphological diversity, the Moenkhausia species represent an interesting group for evolutionary ( Benine et al , 2009 ; Mirande 2010 ; Oliveira et al , 2011 ; Mariguela et al , 2013 ), taxonomic ( Benine et al , 2007 ; Marinho and Langeani 2010 ; Pastana and Dagosta 2014 ; Reia et al , 2019 ), ontogenetic ( Walter 2012 ), and cytogenetic studies ( Portela et al , 1988 ; Foresti et al , 1989 ; Portela-Castro et al , 2001 ; Dantas et al , 2007 ; Hashimoto et al , 2012b ; Scudeler et al , 2015 ; Utsunomia et al , 2016 ).…”

Ichthyofauna of the ribeirão Sucuri, tributary of rio Tietê, upper rio Paraná basin, southeastern Brazil

“…It is possible specimens of Hemigrammus marginatus collected bySerra et al (2015) are M. bonita. Specimens collected in the ribeirão Sucuri have a complete lateral line, as in M. australis Eigenmann, 1908, but they differ in the number of transversal scale rows above and below lateral line (4 vs 5) Reia et al (2019). identified the specimens of the socalled Moenkhausia oligolepis group from the upper Paraná basin (except from Mato Grosso do Sul state) as Moenkhausia cf.…”