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Regional endemism and cryptic species revealed by molecular and morphological analysis of a widespread species of Neotropical catfish.

ABSTRACT: The lower Central American landscape was fully emergent approximately three million years ago, an event which marked the beginning of the Great American biotic interchange. Freshwater fishes participated in the biotic interchange. Because primary freshwater fishes are restricted to freshwater, they provide an excellent system for investigating the interplay of historical and recent processes on the assembly, structure and diversity of the regions' aquatic ecosystems. We focused on examining the history of diversification for a species of catfish (Pimelodella chagresi) whose distribution spans multiple, isolated drainage basins across the Isthmian landscape and into north-western South America. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA haplotypes and morphological traits indicated that P. chagresi, as currently recognized, comprises a species complex. In addition, along the Pacific slope of Panama, repeated dispersion, diversification, extinction and possibly hybridization are thought to underlie a complex distribution of haplotypes. Overall, the results underscore the tremendous importance of historical processes on regional biodiversity.

SUBMITTER: Martin AP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1690641 | biostudies-literature | 2000 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Regional endemism and cryptic species revealed by molecular and morphological analysis of a widespread species of Neotropical catfish.

Martin A P AP Bermingham E E

Proceedings. Biological sciences 20000601 1448

The lower Central American landscape was fully emergent approximately three million years ago, an event which marked the beginning of the Great American biotic interchange. Freshwater fishes participated in the biotic interchange. Because primary freshwater fishes are restricted to freshwater, they provide an excellent system for investigating the interplay of historical and recent processes on the assembly, structure and diversity of the regions' aquatic ecosystems. We focused on examining the ...[more]

PMID: 10885519

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Project description:BACKGROUND: The digenean species of Echinostoma (Echinostomatidae) with 37 collar spines that comprise the so-called 'revolutum' species complex, qualify as cryptic due to the interspecific homogeneity of characters used to differentiate species. Only five species were considered valid in the most recent revision of the group but recent molecular studies have demonstrated a higher diversity within the group. In a study of the digeneans parasitising molluscs in central and northern Europe we found that Radix auricularia, R. peregra and Stagnicola palustris were infected with larval stages of two cryptic species of the 'revolutum' complex, one resembling E. revolutum and one undescribed species, Echinostoma sp. IG. This paper provides morphological and molecular evidence for their delimitation. METHODS: Totals of 2,030 R. auricularia, 357 R. peregra and 577 S. palustris were collected in seven reservoirs of the River Ruhr catchment area in Germany and a total of 573 R. peregra was collected in five lakes in Iceland. Cercariae were examined and identified live and fixed in molecular grade ethanol for DNA isolation and in hot/cold 4% formaldehyde solution for obtaining measurements from fixed materials. Partial fragments of the mitochondrial gene nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) were amplified for 14 isolates. RESULTS: Detailed examination of cercarial morphology allowed us to differentiate the cercariae of the two Echinostoma spp. of the 'revolutum' species complex. A total of 14 partial nad1 sequences was generated and aligned with selected published sequences for eight species of the 'revolutum' species complex. Both NJ and BI analyses resulted in consensus trees with similar topologies in which the isolates from Europe formed strongly supported reciprocally monophyletic lineages. The analyses also provided evidence that North American isolates identified as E. revolutum represent another cryptic species of the 'revolutum' species complex. CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight the need for further analyses of patterns of interspecific variation based on molecular and morphological evidence to enhance the re-evaluation of the species and advance our understanding of the relationships within the 'revolutum' group of Echinostoma.

Dataset Information

Regional endemism and cryptic species revealed by molecular and morphological analysis of a widespread species of Neotropical catfish.

Publications

Regional endemism and cryptic species revealed by molecular and morphological analysis of a widespread species of Neotropical catfish.

Similar Datasets

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