Phylogeny, Diversification, and Biogeography of Garra (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) Reveals Multiple Cross‐Drainage Dispersals in Southeast Asia

• Published in: Ecology and evolution Vol. 14; no. 11; pp. e70448 - n/a
• Main Authors: Wang, Zhi‐Bang, Oo, Thaung Naing, Zheng, Lan‐Ping, Chen, Xiao‐Yong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England John Wiley & Sons, Inc 01.11.2024; John Wiley and Sons Inc; Wiley
• Subjects: Biogeography; Calibration; Cyprinidae; Cytochrome; Datasets; Dispersal; Diversification; Eocene; Garra; Genes; Geographical distribution; Morphology; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; River basins; Sample size; species delimitation; Taxonomy; Middle East; Southeast Asia; Myanmar (Burma); China; Africa; South Asia; Garra; species delimitation; phylogeny; biogeography
• ISSN: 2045-7758; 2045-7758
• DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70448

ABSTRACT Garra, a kind of small‐ to medium‐sized fish, is widely distributed from southern Eurasia to central Africa. As one of the most diverse genera of Cyprinidae, investigating the phylogeny and biogeography of Garra remains challenging. In this study, we combined sequences of Garra samples collected from Myanmar with sequences downloaded from GenBank to investigate the phylogeny, diversification, and biogeography of Garra on a global scale, with an emphasis on Southeast Asia. Species delimitation results indicated that there are at least 22 potential species, including eight undescribed species in Myanmar, suggesting that the diversity of Garra in this region have been largely underestimated. Diversification analysis suggested a relatively high diversification rate in the early branches of Garra. Ancestral distribution reconstruction results revealed that Garra originated from the Irrawaddy River basin in the late Eocene, approximately 34 million years ago, with subsequent dispersals across different drainages influenced by the uplift of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau. Our study provided a new insight into the evolutionary history of Garra and the basis for further research on this genus. Garra, a small‐ to middle‐sized freshwater fish, is one of the most diverse genera within Cyprinidae. Investigating the phylogeny and biogeography of Garra under a comprehensive species sampling framework remains challenging, due to the lack of Southeast Asian species, which has hindered our understanding of the evolutionary history of Garra. In this study, we conducted analyses by combining sequences of Garra samples collected from Myanmar with published sequences to investigate phylogeny, diversification, and biogeography of Garra on a global scale, with a specific focus on Southeast Asia. Our results revealed that Garra was originated from the Irrawaddy River basin with subsequent dispersals across different drainages influenced by the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau uplift.