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Colour forms of Amazonian cichlid fish represent reproductively isolated species

2006; Oxford University Press; Volume: 19; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1420-9101.2006.01088.x

1420-9101

Jonathan Stuart Ready, Iracilda Sampaio, Horácio Schneider, Christina Cleo Vinson, THISIANE DOS SANTOS, George F. Turner,

Fish Biology and Ecology Studies

Abstract Laboratory mate choice experiments have confirmed species status for cichlid fish in the African Great Lakes that differ in colour and little else. Colour differences between allopatric populations of the South American cichlid genus Apistogramma are known for many species, yet the status of such populations has not been previously tested. Analysis of the genetic relationships and mate choice characteristics of populations previously described as Apistogramma caetei from eastern Amazonia indicates genetic differentiation into at least three allopatric lineages, which also show strong prezygotic isolation through female mate choice, confirming them as Biological species. If future studies confirm that this result is indicative of a general trend, the species richness of the South American cichlid fishes may presently be seriously underestimated.