Surfing among species, populations and morphotypes: inferring boundaries between two species of new world silversides (Atherinopsidae).

GONZÁLEZ CASTRO, M.; ROSSO, J.J.; MABRAGAÑA, E.; DIAZ DE ASTARLOA, J. M.

COMPTES RENDUS BIOLOGIES

ELSEVIER FRANCE-EDITIONS SCIENTIFIQUES MEDICALES ELSEVIER

Lugar: Paris; Año: 2016 vol. 339 p. 10 - 23

1631-0691

Atherinopsidae are widespread freshwater and shallow marinefishes with singular economic importance. Morphological, genetical andlife cycles differences between marine and estuarine populations werealready reported in this family, suggesting ongoing speciation. Also,coexistence and interbreeding between closely related species weredocumented. The aim of this study was to infer boundaries among: A)Odontesthes bonariensis and O. argentinensis at species level, andintermediate morphs; B) the population of O. argentinensis of MarChiquita Lagoon and its marine conspecifics. To achieve this, weintegrated, meristic, Geometrics Morphometrics and DNA Barcodeapproaches. Four groups were discriminated and subsequently characterizedaccording to their morphological traits, shape and meristic characters.No shared haplotypes between O. bonariensis and O. argentinensis werefound. Significative-meristic and body shape differences between the MarChiquita and marine individuals of O. argentinensis were found,suggesting they behave as well differentiated populations, or evenincipient ecological species. The fact that the Odontesthes morphotypesshared haplotypes with both, O. argentinensis and O. bonariensis, butalso possess meristic and morphometric distinctive traits open newquestions related to the origin of this morphogroup.