Description of Poecilia (Acanthophacelus) obscura n. sp., (Teleostei: Poeciliidae), a new guppy species from western Trinidad, with remarks on P. wingei and the status of the “Endler’s guppy”

Abstract

Poecilia obscura, new species, is described from the Oropuche system, Trinidad. A mitochondrial DNA-sequence based molecular phylogenetic analysis revealed the status of the new species as a separate taxon. It is most closely related to the Common guppy, P. reticulata and to the recently described species, P. wingei. It can also be distinguished by morphometrics and gonopodial characteristics from these two species, although the ranges for all values overlap. A definition of the new species on morphology criteria alone is thus impossible. Therefore, P. obscura forms a cryptic species complex with the two other species. P. wingei is now unequivocally defined by the molecular phylogeny as a valid species. The three guppy species are included in the subgenus Acanthophacelus Eigenmann (1907), which is considered as generically different from all other taxa of the Poeciliinae sensu Parenti (1981).

The evolutionary history of Xiphophorus fish and their sexually selected sword: a genome‐wide approach using restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing

“…Divergence time estimates—in million years—were calculated using the fastest and slowest rates of known calibrated molecular clocks in teleost fish [from 0.044 to 0.004 changes/site/Myr (Schories et al . )] in beast . Mean divergence times are indicated in italics, and the upper and lower 95% confidence intervals are shown using a yellow bar.…”

“…Divergence estimations were obtained using lognormal relaxed‐clock with the mean of the fastest and slowest rates of known calibrated molecular clocks in teleost fish (from 0.044 to 0.004 changes/site/Myr (Schories et al . )). The results were parsed with Tracer.…”

An experimental test of alternative population augmentation scenarios

“…; Baillie ) and are sometimes assigned different species designations (Schories et al. ). Our test of the effects of divergent immigrants was therefore replicated across two separate evolutionary lineages.…”

The evolution of placentas and superfetation in the fish genus Poecilia (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae: subgenera Micropoecilia and Acanthophacelus)

“…(2005) later described Poecilia wingei (the Endler's livebearer, Campoma guppy, or Cumaná guppy), a close relative of Poecilia ( Lebistes ) reticulata , and placed both species in the subgenus Acanthophacelus rather than Lebistes . Shories, Meyer & Schartl (2009) described Poecilia ( Acanthophacelus ) obscura , which now represents a third species in the subgenus Acanthophacelus . Poeser et al.…”