Phylogeography of the Korean endemic Coreoleuciscus (Cypriniformes: Gobionidae): the genetic evidence of colonization through Eurasian continent to the Korean Peninsula during Late Plio-Pleistocene

• Published in: Genes & genomics Vol. 44; no. 6; pp. 709 - 719
• Main Authors: Jeon, Hyung-Bae, Song, Ha Youn, Suk, Ho Young, Bang, In-Chul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Nature Singapore 01.06.2022; Springer; Springer Nature B.V; 한국유전학회
• Subjects: Analysis; Animal Genetics and Genomics; Animals; Biological diversity; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Colonization; Coreoleuciscus; Cypriniformes - genetics; Cytochrome c; Divergence; DNA, Mitochondrial - genetics; Endemic species; Fresh water; Genetic diversity; Genetic research; Human Genetics; Life Sciences; Microbial Genetics and Genomics; Mitochondria; Phylogenetics; Phylogeny; Phylogeography; Plant Genetics and Genomics; Pleistocene; Republic of Korea; Research Article; Speciation; Water utilities; 생물학; Republic of Korea; Korean Peninsula; COI; Endemism; mtDNA; Phylogeography; Coreoleuciscus
• ISSN: 1976-9571; 2092-9293
• DOI: 10.1007/s13258-022-01243-y

Background Freshwater endemism is thought to have been formed through the vicariance of connected water systems or the process by which ancestral populations colonized specific areas. The Korean Peninsula is well recognized for its high level of freshwater endemism with about 40% of freshwater fish species being endemic. Objective In this study, we attempted to reconstruct the process of speciation and phylogenetic dispersal of Coreoleuciscus species, which is endemic in the Korean Peninsula. Methods We used fossil-calibrated divergence time estimation and ancestral distributional reconstruction to infer phylogeographic reconstruction of Coreoleuciscus based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidate subunit I (COI) sequences (1551 bp). Results Our phylogeographic analysis based on a total of 626 individuals revealed that the two Coreoleuciscus species have originated from the independent colonization of different lineages in the ancestral populations, probably during the Late Plio-Pleistocene. The full-scale expansion of Coreoleuciscus populations appears to have taken place after major river structures were completed on the Korean Peninsula. We also provided evidence that the common ancestors of Coreoleuciscus was distributed in Eastern Eurasian continent and subsequently dispersed into the tip of East Asia. High genetic diversity was mainly concentrated in large drainage populations, while small populations showed an monomorphism, which could give important implications for planning the conservation and management of Coreoleuciscus . Conclusions The phylogenetic background of the rheophilic Coreoleuciscus species can be explained by the colonizer hypothesis that the endemic freshwater fish originated from the common ancestor in continental region.