| Autor: |
Ramirez JL; Laboratório de Biodiversidade Molecular e Conservação, Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil., Birindelli JL; Departamento de Biologia Animal e Vegetal, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Brazil., Carvalho DC; Laboratório de Genética da Conservação, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Vertebrados, PUC Minas, Belo Horizonte, Brazil., Affonso PRAM; Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Jequié, Brazil., Venere PC; Departamento de Biologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Cuiabá, Brazil., Ortega H; Departamento de Ictiología, Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru., Carrillo-Avila M; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Surcolombiana, Huila, Colombia., Rodríguez-Pulido JA; Grupo de Investigación en Genética y Reproducción Animal, Universidad de los Llanos, Villavicencio, Colombia., Galetti PM Jr; Laboratório de Biodiversidade Molecular e Conservação, Departamento de Genética e Evolução, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil. |
| Abstrakt: |
Molecular studies have improved our knowledge on the neotropical ichthyofauna. DNA barcoding has successfully been used in fish species identification and in detecting cryptic diversity. Megaleporinus (Anostomidae) is a recently described freshwater fish genus within which taxonomic uncertainties remain. Here we assessed all nominal species of this genus using a DNA barcode approach (Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I) with a broad sampling to generate a reference library, characterize new molecular lineages, and test the hypothesis that some of the nominal species represent species complexes. The analyses identified 16 (ABGD and BIN) to 18 (ABGD, GMYC, and PTP) different molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) within the 10 studied nominal species, indicating cryptic biodiversity and potential candidate species. Only Megaleporinus brinco, Megaleporinus garmani , and Megaleporinus elongatus showed correspondence between nominal species and MOTUs. Within six nominal species, a subdivision in two MOTUs was found, while Megaleporinus obtusidens was divided in three MOTUs, suggesting that DNA barcode is a very useful approach to identify the molecular lineages of Megaleporinus , even in the case of recent divergence (< 0.5 Ma). Our results thus provided molecular findings that can be used along with morphological traits to better define each species, including candidate new species. This is the most complete analysis of DNA barcode in this recently described genus, and considering its economic value, a precise species identification is quite desirable and fundamental for conservation of the whole biodiversity of this fish. |
