Biogeography of Amazonian fishes: deconstructing river basins as biogeographic units

Author(s)

Fernando C. P. Dagosta ^{[1, 2]} ; Mário de Pinna ^[2]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Museu Zool, Ave Nazare 481, BR-04263000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Fundacao Univ Fed Grande Dourados, Fac Ciencias Biol & Ambientais, Rodovia Dourados Itahum, Km 12 Cidade Univ, BR-79804970 Dourados, MS - Brazil

^[3] Universidade de São Paulo. Museu de Zoologia - Brasil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Neotropical Ichthyology; v. 15, n. 3 2017-09-28.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Biogeography of Amazonian fishes (2,500 species in vastly disjunct lineages) is complex and has so far been approached only partially. Here, we tackle the problem on the basis of the largest database yet on geographical distribution and phylogenetic relationships of Amazonian fishes, including all information available. Distributions of 4,095 species (both Amazonian and outgroups) and 84 phylogenetic hypotheses (comprising 549 phylogenetically-informative nodes) were compiled, qualified and plotted onto 46 areas (29 Amazonian and 17 non-Amazonian). The database was analyzed with PAE, CADE, BPA and BPA0, yielding largely congruent results and indicating that biogeographic signal is detectable on multiple dimensions of fish distribution, from single species ranges to cladistic congruence. Agreement is especially pronounced in deeper components, such as Trans-Andean, Cis-Andean, Western Amazon and Orinoco basins. Results show that all major Amazonian tributaries, as well as the Amazon basin itself, are non-monophyletic and constitute hybrid sets of heterogeneous biotic partitions. Amazonian drainages should not be assumed a priori as historically cohesive areas, contrary to widespread practice. Our hypothesis allows re-evaluation of broader issues in historical biogeography, such as the predictive power of biogeographic hypotheses, the vicariant/dispersal duality, the significance of widely distributed taxa, and the need for temporal dimension in biogeographic patterns. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/23419-1 - Biogeographic history of the fishes from the Amazon Basin: a methodological comparative approach
• Grantee: Fernando Cesar Paiva Dagosta
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 16/07246-3 - Incongruence in biogeographic pattern-based analyses: a case study from amazonian fishes
• Grantee: Fernando Cesar Paiva Dagosta
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral