Biogeographical history of the genus Atherina (Pisces: Atherinidae) in the central Eastern Atlantic

Borges, Sergio Moreno; Brito, A.; Francisco, S. M.

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.12/7179

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Authors

Borges, Sergio Moreno

Brito, A.

Francisco, S. M.

Abstract(s)

The biogeographical history of Macaronesian and South African sand-smelt is approached for the first time with the inclusion of A. lopeziana in the genus’ phylogenetic analysis, using a fragment of the mitochondrial control region. The fossil-calibrated phylogeny revealed an early process of vicariance close to the estimated age of Atherina (~ 19 Mya) leading to two old clades separating European from South African sand-smelts; these two groups evolved into the five extant species. The question raised by previous studies about the identity of the Macaronesian sand-smelt was confirmed; A. presbyter reached Canary Islands and Azores (~ 1.1 Ma) and the populations in these archipelagos have remained highly isolated. The poor dispersal capability of this genus in conjunction with the fast cooling events during Pliocene and Pleistocene was pointed out as the main factor causing the isolation and speciation processes of the populations inhabiting these regions.