Evaluating a species phylogeny using ddRAD SNPs: Cyto-nuclear discordance and introgression in the salmonid genus Thymallus (Salmonidae)

Hybridization and introgression are very common among freshwater fishes due to the dynamic nature of hy-drological landscapes. Cyclic patterns of allopatry and secondary contact provide numerous opportunities for interspecific gene flow, which can lead to discordant paths of evolution for mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Here, we used double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRADseq) to obtain a genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) dataset comprehensive for all Thymallus (Salmonidae) species to infer phylogenetic relationships and evaluate potential recent and historical gene flow among species. The newly obtained nuclear phylogeny was largely concordant with a previously published mitogenome-based topology but revealed a few cyto-nuclear discordances. These incongruencies primarily involved the placement of internal nodes rather than the resolution of species, except for one European species where anthropogenic stock transfers are thought to be responsible for the observed pattern. The analysis of four contact zones where multiple species are found revealed a few cases of mitochondrial capture and limited signals of nuclear introgression. Interest-ingly, the mechanisms restricting interspecific gene flow might be distinct; while in zones of secondary contact, small-scale physical habitat separation appeared as a limiting factor, biologically based reinforcement mecha-nisms are presumed to be operative in areas where species presumably evolved in sympatry. Signals of historical introgression were largely congruent with the routes of species dispersal previously inferred from mitogenome data. Overall, the ddRADseq dataset provided a robust phylogenetic reconstruction of the genus Thymallus including new insights into historical hybridization and introgression, opening up new questions concerning their evolutionary history.

Automated summary

Hybridization and introgression are common among freshwater fishes, leading to discordant paths of evolution for mitochondrial and nuclear genomes. Using ddRADseq, a genome-wide SNP dataset was obtained for Thymallus species, revealing phylogenetic relationships and gene flow among species. The analysis showed discordances between mitochondrial and nuclear genomes, as well as signs of mitochondrial capture and limited nuclear introgression in contact zones.