Molecular phylogeny of the Cobitoidea (Teleostei: Cypriniformes) revisited: position of enigmatic loach Ellopostoma resolved with six nuclear genes |
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Authors: | W‐J Chen V Lheknim R L Mayden |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Biology, Saint Louis University, 3507 Laclede Ave, St. Louis, MO 63103, U.S.A.;2. Present address: Institute of Oceanography, National Taiwan University, No. 1 Sec. 4 Roosevelt Rd., Taipei 10617, Taiwan;3. Department of Biology, Prince of Songkla University, P.O. Box 3, Ko Hong, Songkhla 90112, Thailand |
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Abstract: | Molecular variation in six nuclear genes provides substantive phylogenetic evidence for the recognition of a new cypriniform family, the Ellopostomatidae, to include the enigmatic Southern Asia loach genus Ellopostoma. The current six loach families form a monophyletic group, with the Nemacheilidae as the sister group to Ellopostomatidae; Vaillantellidae forms the sister group to all families exclusive of Botiidae. While the superfamily Cobitoidea includes eight families, the monophyly of this large clade within the Cypriniformes remains a vexing problem despite extensive molecular analyses and is in need of further investigation. |
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Keywords: | Cobitoidea Cypriniformes Ellopostoma loaches nuclear gene phylogeny |
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