Phylogeny of the Neotropical cichlid fish tribe Cichlasomatini (Teleostei: Cichlidae) based on morphological and molecular data, with the description of a new genus

Abstract

Phylogenetic relationships among cichlasomatine cichlids were studied using an extensive taxon sampling and both morphological and molecular data sets. A new genus, Andinoacara n. gen. with six species (A. pulcher-rivulatus group of previous authors) from trans-andean South America and NW cis-andean South America, is described based on results of phylogenetic and diagnosability analyses and tests of alternative topologies Our results demonstrate that cichlasomatine cichlid diversity is divided into five principal lineages composed of eleven genera and three suprageneric clades: the [(Bujurquina, Tahuantinsuyoa), (Andinoacara) (BAT) clade; the (Cleithracara, (Nannacara, Ivanacara)] clade (NIC) plus Laetacara and ¢Aequidens¢ hoehnei; and the (Aequidens, Cichlasoma) clade, where Aequidens is paraphyletic to Cichlasoma. Two former Aequidens species are additionally transferred into Krobia (K. potaroensis, K. paloemeuensis). ¢Aequidens¢ hoehnei probably represents a unique evolutionary lineage and would thus qualify for a separate generic status. Molecular data are yet not available for this species and its generic status requires further study. Relationships between the three suprageneric clades and between Acaronia and Krobia could not be convincingly resolved with our data set of two mitochondrial (16S and cyt b) and two nuclear (S7 and RAG1) molecular markers and 96 morphological characters.

Sympatry and syntopy of cichlids (Teleostei: Cichlidae) in the Selva Central, upper Ucayali river basin, Peru

“…Apart from very few anatomical characters, virtually all external characters separating Tahuantinsuyoa from Bujurquina are ecomorphological characters not reflecting phylogeny but only habitat preferences (Říčan et al 2016, this study). All of these are identical between Tahuantinsuyoa and B. labiosa (Kullander 1996), as already demonstrated by morphological phylogenies (Musilová et al 2009). Morphological phylogeny with ordered multistate characters, which emphasizes ecomorphological characters (since most are meristic or body shape characters, hence, multistate), place B. labiosa as the sister species of Tahuantinsuyoa, which is an inner group of Bujurquina (Musilová et al 2009).…”

“…All of these are identical between Tahuantinsuyoa and B. labiosa (Kullander 1996), as already demonstrated by morphological phylogenies (Musilová et al 2009). Morphological phylogeny with ordered multistate characters, which emphasizes ecomorphological characters (since most are meristic or body shape characters, hence, multistate), place B. labiosa as the sister species of Tahuantinsuyoa, which is an inner group of Bujurquina (Musilová et al 2009). Only analyses with unordered multistate characters find the 2 genera monophyletic with the similarity between Tahuantinsuyoa and B. labiosa interpreted as convergence (Musilová et al 2009).…”

“…Bujurquina labiosa has not been studied for those anatomical characters that supposedly separate Bujurquina and Tahuantinsuyoa (Kullander 1986, Kullander 1991, nor was it included in the previously conducted molecular phylogenetic studies that found the 2 genera as sister groups (Musilová et al 2008, Musilová et al 2009). Apart from very few anatomical characters, virtually all external characters separating Tahuantinsuyoa from Bujurquina are ecomorphological characters not reflecting phylogeny but only habitat preferences (Říčan et al 2016, this study).…”

“…Morphological phylogeny with ordered multistate characters, which emphasizes ecomorphological characters (since most are meristic or body shape characters, hence, multistate), place B. labiosa as the sister species of Tahuantinsuyoa, which is an inner group of Bujurquina (Musilová et al 2009). Only analyses with unordered multistate characters find the 2 genera monophyletic with the similarity between Tahuantinsuyoa and B. labiosa interpreted as convergence (Musilová et al 2009). The few critical anatomical characters separating Tahuantinsuyoa and B. labiosa have not been checked in B. labiosa and thus it remains to be demonstrated that they are not ecomorphological characters as well and whether there is merit in keeping Tahuantinsuyoa as a separate genus from Bujurquina.…”

“…Tahuantinsuyoa is, based on present knowledge (Musilová et al 2008, Musilová et al 2009), the sister genus of Bujurquina. Tahuantinsuyoa chipi is very similar to its sister species T. macantzatza (Kullander, 1986), differing in having a dark spot on the head (adjacent to the posterosuperior orbital rim), instead of a caudal-inclined dark nape band (connected with the transversal band posteriorly), and in having a long dark suborbital stripe below the eye of about uniform width, instead of one which is distinctly wider ventrally.…”