Phylogenomics of Characidae, a hyper-diverse Neotropical freshwater fish lineage, with a phylogenetic classification including four families (Teleostei: Characiformes)

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Melo, Bruno F. ; Ota, Rafaela P. ; Benine, Ricardo C. ; Carvalho, Fernando R. ; Lima, Flavio C. T. ; Mattox, George M. T. ; Souza, Camila S. ; Faria, Tiago C. ; Reia, Lais ; Roxo, Fabio F. ; Valdez-Moreno, Martha ; Near, Thomas J. ; Oliveira, Claudio

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY; v. 202, n. 1, p. 37-pg., 2024-09-03.

Abstract

Neotropical tetras of the family Characidae form the largest and most taxonomically complex clade within the order Characiformes. Previous phylogenetic relationships concur on the recognition of four major subclades, whereas knowledge on intergeneric and interspecific relationships remains largely incomplete or nonexistent. We sampled 575 specimens of 494 species and 123 genera classified in Characidae, generated new molecular data of ultraconserved elements (UCEs), and used likelihood and Bayesian analyses. The phylogeny (1348 UCE loci: 538 472 bp) yielded clades with unprecedented resolution at species- and genus-levels, allowing us to propose a new classification of former Characidae into four families: Spintherobolidae, Stevardiidae, Characidae, and Acestrorhamphidae. The family Stevardiidae includes nine subfamilies: Landoninae, Xenurobryconinae, Glandulocaudinae, Argopleurinae, Hemibryconinae, Stevardiinae, Planaltininae, Creagrutinae, and Diapominae. The family Characidae includes five subfamilies: Aphyocharacinae, Cheirodontinae, Exodontinae, Tetragonopterinae, and Characinae. The family Acestrorhamphidae congregates 15 subfamilies: Oxybryconinae, Trochilocharacinae, Stygichthyinae, Megalamphodinae, Stichonodontinae, unnamed subfamily, Stethaprioninae, Pristellinae, Jupiabinae, Tyttobryconinae, Hyphessobryconinae, Thayeriinae, Rhoadsiinae, Grundulinae, and Acestrorhamphinae. The phylogeny resolves intergeneric relationships and supports revalidation of Myxiops, Megalamphodus, Ramirezella, Holopristis, and Astyanacinus, synonymy of Aphyodite, Genycharax, and Psellogrammus, and expansion of Cyanogaster, Makunaima, Deuterodon, Hasemania, Hemigrammus, Bario, Ctenobrycon, and Psalidodon. The phylogeny opens avenues for new systematic reviews and redefinitions of included genera. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/06551-0 - Characinae (Actinopterygii: Characiformes: Characidae): molecular identification and interspecific phylogenetic relationships
• Grantee: Camila da Silva de Souza
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 12/03404-2 - State of the art of Hyphessobrycon Durbin types (Characiformes, Characidae) of the European museums
• Grantee: Fernando Rogério de Carvalho
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• FAPESP's process: 20/13433-6 - Phylogeny and molecular identification of fishes of the superorder Ostariophysi (Chordata: Actinopterygii) using genomic approaches
• Grantee: Claudio de Oliveira
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• FAPESP's process: 11/11422-8 - Hyphessobrycon Durbin (Characiformes: Characidae) in the upper rio Paraná basin: taxonomy and systematic
• Grantee: Fernando Rogério de Carvalho
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 16/11313-8 - Phylogeny of the Order Characiformes (Teleostei: Ostariophysi) using ultraconserved elements
• Grantee: Bruno Francelino de Melo
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 17/01970-4 - Integrating morphological and molecular data in the taxonomic and phylogenetic study of the miniature fish Priocharax Weitzman & Vari (Teleostei, Characiformes, Characidae)
• Grantee: George Mendes Taliaferro Mattox
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 21/00242-0 - Systematics and phylogeography of the tetras of the Hyphessobrycon pulchripinnis species-complex (Characiformes: Characidae)
• Grantee: Tiago de Carvalho Faria
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 14/26508-3 - Phylogeny of the hyperdiverse order Characiformes (Teleostei: Ostariophysi) using ultraconserved elements
• Grantee: Claudio de Oliveira
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants