Evolutionary history of lamprey paired speciesLampetra fluviatilis(L.) andLampetra planeri(Bloch) as inferred from mitochondrial DNA variation

Abstract

A remarkable trend in the evolution of lampreys is the occurrence in most genera of 'paired species', in which the parasitic anadromous lampreys are believed to have given rise to nonparasitic freshwater resident populations. The present work examines the phylogeography of the European paired species Lampetra fluviatilis and Lampetra planeri, in an attempt to elucidate species pair evolutionary history. We studied sequence variation in cytochrome b and ATPase 6, 8 mitochondrial genes in 63 individuals from 21 localities of the paired species throughout their distribution range. Results from the phylogenetic and nested clade analyses were largely consistent, suggesting the existence of three major evolutionary lineages: lineage I and possibly lineage II are widespread throughout Europe, while the most ancestral lineage III is apparently restricted to the Iberian Peninsula. The high genetic diversity observed in the Iberian Peninsula is probably the result of refugial persistence and subsequent accumulation of variation over several ice ages, whereas the low levels of genetic diversity observed in central and northern Europe should reflect a rapid postglacial colonization. Results suggest that L. planeri originated within at least two distinct evolutionary lineages, rejecting the single origin hypothesis. The observed lack of taxa monophyly within lineage I may be the result of ongoing gene flow if the two taxa are alternate life-history forms of a single species. However, structure within lineage I is also consistent with the hypothesis of divergence of taxa after postglacial dispersion (around 2000 generations ago) with incomplete lineage sorting. Further testing of the alternative hypotheses is warranted.

Genetic calibration of species diversity among North America's freshwater fishes

“…Adults of nonparasitic species do not migrate, are smaller, and have less developed teeth than parasitic lampreys (46). Although the current taxonomy considers all parasitic and nonparasitic lampreys as distinct species, our results, along with those of several previous studies (46)(47)(48)(49)(50)(51)(52)(53), stress the need to revisit lamprey taxonomy.…”

“…Lack of divergence between two pairs of lamprey has also been observed at allozymes [Lampetra fluviatilis/Lampetra planeri (49) and Lampetra ayresii /Lampetra richardsoni (50)]. The relationship between L. fluviatilis and L. planeri was previously analyzed using mtDNA (47,49). Okada et al (51) and Yamazaki et al (52) also investigated the relationships between the nonparasitic Lethenteron kessleri and two other nonparasitic species using mtDNA.…”

Genetic relationships of brook lamprey of the genus Lampetra in a Pyrenean stream in Spain

“…These studies have also shown that the southern populations of L. planeri are clearly differentiated (Espanhol et al 2007;Pereira et al 2010). Using mtDNA non-coding region I, Pereira et al (2010) proposed that some of the Portuguese populations of this species, namely the ones of the rivers Sado, Nabão, São Pedro and Inha, correspond to different conservation units (see Fig.…”

“…Espanhol et al (2007), using ATPase and cytochrome b genes of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), provided unequivocal evidence that the genealogy of the European Lampetra species does not conform to a model of two separate species, one migratory and parasitic and the other including all brook lampreys. On the contrary, brook lamprey haplotypes appeared in different branches of the phylogenetic tree amongst haplotypes of L. fluviatilis.…”

“…Two studies on the phylogeography of L. planeri in West Europe have been made (Espanhol et al 2007;Pereira et al 2010). Espanhol et al (2007), using ATPase and cytochrome b genes of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), provided unequivocal evidence that the genealogy of the European Lampetra species does not conform to a model of two separate species, one migratory and parasitic and the other including all brook lampreys.…”