Phylogenetic relationships among pangasiid catfish species (Siluriformes, Pangasiidae) and new insights on their zoogeography (original) (raw)

With the aim of detecting phylogenetic relationships among Pangasiidae catfishes, 23 enzyme loci were studied on 18 nominal species ofthe genera Pangasius and Helicophagus (Roberts & Vidthayanon, 1991). In order to assess the taxonomic position of Laides genus in the Schilbeidae or in the Pangasiidae, 2 species belonging to the genus Laides and 1 species of the genus Pseudeutropius (Silurifonnes, Schilbeidae) were added in the study. The results indicate that the species Laides hexanema and Laides sinensis appear to be genetically related with the Pangasiidae. The phylogenetic tree obtained shows a clustering of species which validate the genus Helicophagus but indicates that the genus Pangasius is polyphyletic. The genus Pangasius is composed of 3 genetic differentiated groups. Group 1 is composed by 3 species belonging to two different morphological entities validated by Roberts and Vidthayanon (1991) as possible subgenus. Pangasius hypophthalmus and P. gigas which share common genetic characters validate the subgenus Pangasianodon. The possession of many private alleles by P. pleurotaenia confirms the morphological originality of this species which was therefore considered to belong to the monotypic subgenus Pteropangasius. The second group consists of P. micronema, P. macronema, P. lithostoma and P. polyuranodon and the last group represents all the other species of the genus Pangasius. By contrast Neopangasius considered as a possible subgenus by Roberts and Vidthayanon (1991) is polyphyletic. Although relative genetic similarities were found between P. humeralis and P. nieuwenhuisii which are located in group 3, the species P. lithostoma appears to be more closely related to species belonging to the group 2. By reference to the Helicophagus genus, the genetic distances estimated between these genetic entities suggest that Pangasianodon and Pteropangasius could be elevated to the genus level. Low genetic distance between groups 2 and 3 lead us to maintain species of both groups in the genus Pangasius. In the same way the genus Laides could be placed in Pangasiidae as proposed by Roberts (1989). The results also confirm the nominal species revision proposed by Roberts and Vidthayanon (1991). New insights are given in this paper, like the presence of Pangasius djambal in all major basins of Sumatra and the fact that, contrarily to previous statements, this species was never utilised for aquaculture in Indonesia so far. Helicophagus typus is not extinct, three specimens were caught in the Batang Hari river (Sumatra) in February 1997 and two specimens in the Kapuas river (West Kalimantan) in June 1997. Two possible new species were discovered, the first one (ref. spl) occurring in Sumatra (Musi, Batang Hari and Indragiri rivers), in Kalimantan (Mahakam River) and in Vietnam (Mekong delta), the second one (ref. sp2) was observed in East Kalimantan (Berau River). The taxon spl shares several characteristics with Pangasius pangasius. However this latter species is not supposed to be represented in the Mekong River nor in Indonesian waters.

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