The South American and Australian percichthyids and perciliids. What is new about them?

Abstract

A study including morphological characters and mitogenomics of South American and Australian fishes previously assigned to Percichthyidae was conducted. Results generated from these different data sets reveal major disagreements concerning the content and interpretation of the so-called percichthyids. A phylogenetic analysis based on 54 morphological characters suggests the existence of two major clades: (1) Percichthyidae, including the South American Percichthys and the Australian taxa Macquaria australasica, Macquaria (= Plectroplites), and Maccullochella; (2) Perciliidae with the South American genus Percilia at the base plus more advanced Australian genera Nannoperca, Nannatherina, Bostockia, and Gadopsis. In contrast, molecular and mitogenomic evidence suggests only one clade (Percichthyidae), with the exclusion of species of Macquaria (= Percalates). Additionally, the results reveal the existence of various taxonomic problems, such as the current interpretation of only one species of Percichthys in Argentina, an interpretation that is not supported by the present study; the existence of cryptic species of Percilia as well as of Gadopsis, Nannoperca, and Macquaria that will increase the diversity of the genera; and the need for an extensive revision of species previously assigned to Percalates versus Macquaria. Disagreements point to the need to develop further research on the so-called percichthyids and perciliids.

Multiple drainage reversal episodes and glacial refugia in a Patagonian fish revealed by sequenced microsatellites

“…We acknowledge that some authors [59] consider that all Percichthys populations in Chile, including those in the southern Chile, are not P. trucha, but a different species entirely, Percichthys chilensis, a view the genetic and phylogeographic data we report in this study do not support (see below).…”

Human‐induced habitat fragmentation effects on connectivity, diversity, and population persistence of an endemic fish, Percilia irwini, in the Biobío River basin (Chile)

“…The basin is home to 18 out of 45 native fish species found throughout Chile (Campos, Ruiz, & Gavilán, ; Habit, Dyer, & Vila, ). Here, we use Percilia irwini (Eigenmann, 1927), a species endemic to the basin (Arratia & Quezada‐Romegialli, ), as a model to examine the effects of fragmentation on genetic diversity. Percilia irwini is a small (length ≤ 90 mm) relatively short‐lived (4 years) benthopelagic fish usually found in shallow areas (<1 m) with rocky substrate and slow (<0.5 m/s) moving waters (Habit & Belk, ).…”

Endocrine Disruptor Impacts on Fish From Chile: The Influence of Wastewaters

“…This factor is relevant when evaluating EDCs, given that the same authors highlight in their review that intersex has a natural incidence rate between 0.5 to 55% of the specimens, depending on the species, and may confuse the study design. In this regard, Arratia and Quezada-Romegialli ( 82 ) comment on the development of P. gillissi gonads, indicating that this species presents a prostatic hermaphroditism, based on conversations and observations by Riffo during the years 1974–1975 (G. Arratia comm pers). However, Riffo ( 83 ) indicates that the development in all tests (1 male out of 4 in August 1974; 1 male out of 22 in January 1975) is a rudimentary non-functional hermaphroditism that he attributes to an involution process.…”