Abstract

ROMAN-VALENCIA, CÉSAR  and  VANEGAS-RIOS, JAMES A.. Phylogenetic and biogeographic analysis of species the genus Bryconamericus (Characiformes, Characidae) from lower Central America. Caldasia [online]. 2009, vol.31, n.2, pp.393-406. ISSN 0366-5232.

A preliminary hypothesis for the monophyly of Bryconamericus species from lower Central America is presented based on an analysis of molecular characters (mtDNA) that results in the following phylogenetic relationships: (B. emperador (B. gonzalezoi (B. bayano, (B. terrabensis, B. scleroparius)))). This hypothesis is a step towards understanding the phylogenetic relationships within the genus, increasing the probability of Bryconamericus being a natural group. The hypothesis of relationships among the analyzed species is congruent with our findings based on morphological characters. Through cladistic biogeography, area cladograms, resolved area cladograms, and Dispersal-Vicariance Analysis (DIVA), the biogeographic hypothesis for species of Bryconamericus is shown to be related to a process of dispersal from Northwestern South America that allowed colonization of lower Central America. Simultaneously, extinction events occurred, and geologic rearrangements caused geographic isolation of populations and vicariance.

Keywords : Biogeography; Characidae; molecular systematics; freshwater fish.

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