Project description:Six main mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lineages have been described in minnow (Zacco platypus) samples obtained from northern, western and southern China. Perdices et al. (2004) predicted that further sampling of other tributaries might discover more lineages of this species. In this study, we collected 26 Zacco platypus individuals in the Huangshan area of eastern China and determined the cytochrome b (cytb) sequence variations. Combined with reported data in GenBank, we identified ten matrilines (Zacco A-J) in a total of 169 samples, with relatively high molecular divergence found among them. The Huangshan population had the greatest genetic variation among all sampled regions and hosted six of the ten matrilines. Our results highlight the significance of the Huangshan area for the conservation of Zacco platypus.
Project description:Introduced freshwater fishes considerably influence the ecology and populations of native species. Previous research has revealed that introduced Zacco platypus may hybridize with chubs that are sister but distinct genera. However, we have little knowledge of Z. platypus' mate choice or its impact on Taiwanese chubs. Therefore, this study identified the interspecific mating behavior between introduced Z. platypus and native Opsariichthys evolans and evaluated the former's invasive impact on cohabitants. Our observations showed that interspecific mating pairs do occur between Z. platypus male(s) and O. evolans female(s). Fifty-three percent of spawning events were interspecific mating and only 43% were between native O. evolans mating pairs. This study showed that Z. platypus male satellites might prefer to engage with Z. platypus, while O. evolans might engage by chance. However, introduced males of Z. platypus may be unable to recognize conspecific females. Meanwhile, introduced females of Z. platypus also have a mate choice preference for males of Z. platypus. Therefore, Z. platypus male hybridization might significantly reduce the successful mating ratio of O. evolans, leading to a dramatic reduction in native O. evolans offspring in the future.
Project description:Studies on personality have revealed that some personality traits are strongly correlated; thus, researchers may be able to acquire data for variables related to different personality traits from one measurement. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to test whether spontaneous movement traits used in fish personality measurements are correlated or vary among different contexts in a common Chinese cyprinid fish, the pale chub (Zacco platypus, Cyprinidae). The median swimming speed, percent time spent moving and median turning rate were measured in a boldness context (with a shelter available), then in an exploration context (with a novel object nearby) and finally in a control context (i.e., with no shelter or novel object). The median swimming speed, percent time spent moving, and median turning rate all showed positive correlations between the control and the other two contexts, which suggests that future studies might use spontaneous swimming variables measured in exploration or boldness contexts to avoid the need to carry out a separate activity test. Further analysis comparing the distance to and latency to explore the novel object between the exploration context (with the novel object present) and control context (with an imaginary object at the same position) showed that the amount of time it took for the fish to first reach the object for exploration was significantly shorter in an exploration context than in a control context. This suggests that latency to explore might be useful as a variable indicating exploration in the pale chub in the future.
| S-EPMC7085894 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Phylogenetic relationships in Dendrosenecio