Evolutionary history of Heptapteridae catfishes using ultraconserved elements (Teleostei, Siluriformes)

Abstract

Heptapteridae is composed of 228 valid species allocated in 24 genera, making it the most diverse family within superfamily Pimelodoidea, a clade endemic to the Neotropical freshwaters. Heptapterids are widely distributed from southern Mexico to the Pampas of Argentina and occupy a variety of habitats generally in small‐ to medium‐sized rivers. To evaluate the phylogenetic relationships of Heptapteridae, we used a matrix with 1,319 ultraconserved elements (UCEs) from the genome from 56 specimens spanning 42 species and 24 genera of Heptapteridae and 19 related siluriform taxa. Maximum likelihood, Bayesian and coalescent‐based analyses strongly supported the monophyly of Heptapteridae and confirmed previous hypotheses of a sister relationship between Heptapteridae and Conorhynchos conirostris. We provide the evidence to recognize two subfamilies: (1) Rhamdiinae (Goeldiella, Rhamdella, Rhamdia, Brachyrhamdia, Pimelodella) and (2) Heptapterinae; with two tribes: Brachyglaniini new tribe (Gladioglanis, Myoglanis, Brachyglanis and Leptorhamdia) and Heptapterini (Mastiglanis, Chasmocranus, Cetopsorhamdia, Pariolius, Phenacorhamdia, Nemuroglanis, Imparfinis, Taunayia, Rhamdioglanis, Acentronichthys, Rhamdiopsis and Heptapterus). Inside Heptapterini, we recognize five subclades and provide putative morphological synapomorphies. This paper represents the first molecular hypothesis of intergeneric and interspecific relationships helping to better delineate heptapterid taxa.

Phylogenomics of the bumblebee catfishes (Siluriformes: Pseudopimelodidae) using ultraconserved elements

“…Results support the monophyly of Pimelodoidea (Figure 3) with Heptapteridae sister to Pimelodidae + Pseudopimelodidae as supported by previous morphological and genetic studies (Arcila et al, 2017; Hardman, 2005; Sullivan et al, 2006, 2013); however, our analyses did not include pimelodoids Conorhynchos and Phreatobiidae. Importantly, all phylogenetic reconstructions strongly support the monophyly of Pseudopimelodidae (Figure 2) again corroborating previous morphological (Lundberg et al, 1991; Ortega‐Lara & Lehmann, 2006; de Pinna, 1998; Shibatta & Vari, 2017) and genetic studies (Arcila et al, 2017; Hardman, 2005; Silva et al, 2021; Sullivan et al, 2006, 2013).…”

“…Importantly, all phylogenetic reconstructions strongly support the monophyly of Pseudopimelodidae (Figure 2) again corroborating previous morphological (Lundberg et al, 1991;Ortega-Lara & Lehmann, 2006;de Pinna, 1998;Shibatta & Vari, 2017) and genetic studies (Arcila et al, 2017;Hardman, 2005;Silva et al, 2021;Sullivan et al, 2006Sullivan et al, , 2013. moderately prolonged, extending only as far as boundary between the mesencephalon and telencephalon and not contacting the latter) (Abrahão et al, 2018).…”

Redefinition of Heptapterus (Heptapteridae) and description of Heptapterus carmelitanorum, a new species from the upper Paraná River basin in Brazil

“…Our circumscription of Heptapterus also reflects that little knowledge is currently available on Heptapterini phylogeny. Because Silva et al (2021) recovered 'Imparfinis' (= Heptapterus) borodini as closely related to H. mustelinus, we opted provisionally for including that species, along with the morphologically similar H. carmelitanorum and H. hollandi in Heptapterus [those species are considered by Bockmann and Slobodian (2017) to form "new genus D"].…”

“…What, then, can phylogeny say about the matter, if pre-cladistic classificatory schemes seem to have failed? A phylogenetic study (Silva et al 2021) has recovered both 'I.' borodini and 'I.'…”

Two new, remarkably colored species of the Neotropical catfish genus Cetopsorhamdia Eigenmann & Fisher, 1916 (Siluriformes, Heptapteridae) from Chapada dos Parecis, western Brazil, with an assessment of the morphological characters bearing on their phylogenetic relationships

“…Among heptapterids, a state like that exhibited by Cetopsorhamdia is also present in Taunayia Miranda-Ribeiro, 1918, a condition thought to be homoplastic, considering that these genera are distantly related to each other (cf. Bockmann, 1998;Silva et al, 2021). In members of Brachyglanis Eigenmann, 1912, Brachyrhamdia Myers, 1927, Leptorhamdia Eigenmann, 1918, and Myoglanis Eigenmann, 1912, and in Rhamdella aymarae Miquelarena & Menni, 1999, Rhamdia enfurnada Bichuette & Trajano, 2005, Rhamdia guasarensis DoNascimiento, Provenzano & Lundberg, 2004, and Rhamdia quelen (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824, the posterior cranial fontanel is totally or partially closed (cf.…”