Adaptive radiation in African weakly electric fish (Teleostei: Mormyridae:Campylomormyrus): a combined molecular and morphological approach

Abstract

We combined multiple molecular markers and geometric morphometrics to revise the current taxonomy and to build a phylogenetic hypothesis for the African weakly electric fish genus Campylomormyrus. Genetic data (2039 bp DNA sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome b and nuclear S7 genes) on 106 specimens support the existence of at least six species occurring in sympatry. We were able to further confirm these species by microsatellite analysis at 16 unlinked nuclear loci and landmark-based morphometrics. We assigned them to nominal taxa by comparisons to type specimens of all Campylomormyrus species recognized so far. Additionally, we showed that the shape of the elongated trunk-like snout is the major source of morphological differentiation among them. This finding suggests that the radiation of this speciose genus might have been driven by adaptation to different food sources.