Effects of Pleistocene climatic and geomorphological changes on the population structure of the restricted-range catfish Trichogenes longipinnis (Siluriformes: Trichomycteridae) |
| |
| Authors: | Sergio M Q Lima Anderson V Vasconcellos Waldir M Berbel-Filho Cristiano Lazoski Cláudia A M Russo Ivan Sazima |
| |
| Institution: | 1. Laboratório de Biodiversidade Molecular, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária, CCS, Bloco A, 21941-470 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil;2. Laboratório de Ictiologia Sistemática e Evolutiva, Departamento de Botanica e Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59.978-970 Natal, RN, Brazil (present address)smaialima@gmail.com;4. Laboratório de Genética Pesqueira e da Conserva??o, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, Departamento de Genética, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro 20550-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil (present address);5. Laboratório de Ictiologia Sistemática e Evolutiva, Departamento de Botanica e Zoologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, 59.978-970 Natal, RN, Brazil (present address);6. Laboratório de Biologia Evolutiva Teórica e Aplicada, Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária, CCS, Bloco A, 21941-470 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil;7. Museu de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, 13083-970 Campinas, SP, Brazil;8. Projeto Dacnis, Estrada do Rio Escuro 4754, 11680-000 Ubatuba, SP, Brazil |
| |
| Abstract: | Trichogenes longipinnis Britski & Ortega is a narrowly distributed endemic and phenotypically variable catfish from the coastal basins of the Serra do Mar range in southeast Brazil. We examined patterns of mtDNA variation of this species in coastal basins of the Serra do Mar to determine the influences of past climatic and geomorphological processes in connection with the currently isolated basins. Allozyme data were also used to test the hypothesis that the different spotting patterns in the different areas could be the result of cryptic speciation. Regardless of body pigmentation, T. longipinnis specimens from across the basins were found to belong to a single species, but the populations were structured in accordance with the current hydrological watersheds, in four management units across the three distinct basins of its geographic distribution. Thus, the current genetic distribution may be best explained by both marine regressions and orogeny. Based on the low levels of genetic variation and high population structure observed, we suggest that T. longipinnis should be classified as “vulnerable” in the Brazilian red list of threatened fauna. Furthermore, we propose that the headwaters of the Parati-Mirim River basin should be incorporated as an extension of the Bocaina National Park to protect its genetically differentiated lineages. |
| |
| Keywords: | allozymes Atlantic Forest conservation genetics mitochondrial DNA molecular systematics river capture sea level fluctuations |
|
|
