Abstract
Aphyocypris normalis (Teleostei: Cyprinidae) is an endemic species in South China, but little is known about its genetic structure. This study examined the population structure of A. normalis using sequences of the mitochondrial DNA control region and cytochrome b gene (2,086 bp). In total, 107 specimens were collected from nine populations. All 105 mtDNA haplotypes were identified as belonging to two allopatric phylogroups. The results of a statistical dispersal-vicariance analysis (S-DIVA) suggested that the ancestral populations of A. normalis were distributed widely on Hainan Island and east of the Leizhou Peninsula. A comparison of the fixation indices NST (0.532) and GST (0.004) revealed that the phylogeny and geography had a significant relationship. Our study found that (1) the Wuzhishan and Yinggeling Mountain Range was an important barrier limiting gene exchange between populations on both sides; (2) cyclic climate changes may have shaped migrations and population differentiations; and (3) different colonization times caused different population diversities between codistributed species. In addition, the inter- and intraspecific diversities of the genus Aphyocypris were estimated.
Highlights
Hainan Island is located in the transitional zone between tropical and temperate zones
The genus Aphyocypris was included in Danioninae, Liao et al (2011) reassigned this genus into Opsariichthyinae
Based on the genetic variations, our study supported the synonymization of Pararasbora (P. moltrechti), Yaoshanicus (Y. arcus) and Nicholsicypris (N. normalis) with Aphyocypris (Liao et al 2011)
Summary
Hainan Island is located in the transitional zone between tropical and temperate zones. Our study found that some freshwater fishes, e.g., Glyptothorax hainanensis and Opsariichthys hainanensis, are considered endemic to Hainan Island, but previous studies (Chen et al 2007; Lin et al 2016) have found that these two species are distributed in the Pearl River subregion. According to phylogeographic studies of freshwater fishes (e.g., genus Glyptothorax see Chen et al 2007; Garra orientalis see Yang et al 2016; genus Opsariichthys see Lin et al 2016), during Pleistocene glaciations, migrants probably moved between mainland China and island populations. The gene flows were interrupted when Hainan Island was separated from mainland China by the sinking of the Qiongzhou Strait (Morton and Blackmore 2001; Yap 2002)
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