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Molecular systematics of the Awaous banana complex (River gobies; Teleostei: Oxudercidae )
Author(s) -
McMahan Caleb D.,
Elías Diego J.,
Li Yue,
DomínguezDomínguez Omár,
RodriguezMachado Sheila,
MoralesCabrera Alejandra,
VelásquezRamírez Diana,
Piller Kyle R.,
Chakrabarty Prosanta,
Matamoros Wilfredo A.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of fish biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.672
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1095-8649
pISSN - 0022-1112
DOI - 10.1111/jfb.14783
Subject(s) - biology , phylogeography , goby , ecology , clade , teleostei , species complex , meristics , systematics , population , zoology , phylogenetic tree , fishery , taxonomy (biology) , fish <actinopterygii> , gene , genetics , demography , sociology
Diadromous fishes can exhibit interesting evolutionary and population‐level patterns given their use of freshwater and marine environments as part of their life histories. The River goby genus Awaous are prominent members of riverine ichthyofaunas and occur throughout Atlantic and Pacific slopes of the Americas from the southern United States to Ecuador and Brazil. Here we study the widespread and polymorphic Awaous banana complex to assess phylogeographic patterns and test previous hypotheses that all populations of this species in the Americas belong to the same species. Analysis of sequence data based on the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene shows multiple clades within the Atlantic and Pacific basins, which correspond to previously described species. Additionally, haplotype analysis demonstrates unique and unconnected networks between these species. Within these clades we document biogeographic patterns that are congruent with results of other co‐occurring diadromous species, as well as a novel biogeographic pattern for the region. Our results support the recognition of distinct species of Awaous in the Atlantic ( A. banana and A. tajasica ) and Pacific ( A. transandeanus ) basins. These results are concordant with previously established morphological characters permitting the separation of these species.