Species diversity and phylogeography of the Australoheros autrani group (Teleostei, Cichlidae) in eastern Brazil

Cichlid fishes are an important model system in evolutionary biology, primarily because of their exceptional diversity. However, while some cichlid assemblages, such as the ones of the African Great Lakes, have received considerable attention, others are not well studied, including many riverine species. Here, we focus on the Australoheros autrani species group and first report a new record of Australoheros in the upper Paranaiba River drainage, extending the known distribution range of this genus. Through Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analyses of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of these specimens as well as available sequences, we assigned the newly discovered population to Australoheros barbosae. We corroborate the monophyly of the A. autrani species group and the presence of three species in the upper/middle Paraiba do Sul River basin as well as molecular diagnostic characters for each. Finally, we provide evidence for a recent expansion of A. barbosae.

Automated summary

Cichlid fishes are important in evolutionary biology due to their exceptional diversity. This study reports a new distribution record of Australoheros in the upper Paranaiba River drainage and identifies it as Australoheros barbosae species. The research also confirms the monophyly of the A. autrani species group and provides evidence for the recent expansion of A. barbosae.