Identity of H. zebra clarified

[Silurus]

Multiple gene sequences provide stunning news on the identity of Hypancistrus zebra (Siluriformes: Loricariidae).

Abstract

Leoni de Sousa and John Schaefer

The Zebra Pleco was first presented by the German aquarists journal DATZ in 1989. This journal gives “L-numbers” to undescribed species and forms of loricariids in order to catalog them. The Zebra Pleco’s number was L46. Soon it became a very popular among aquarists. In 1991 Isbrücker and Nijssen described the fish as Hypancistrus zebra. Its distribution is limited to Xingu river, with most of the individuals living in an area near Altamira called “volta grande”. Now, 20 years after its scientific description, a huge hydroelectric power plant will be installed in the Xingu river. As consequence of the project, the “volta grande” will dry as the water will pass through a bypass. Thus, H. zebra is seriously threatened by extinction. Therefore we analyzed DNA-sequences from several genes of H. zebra and closely related species. We were able to gain sequences from 314 individuals of 10 forms of Hypancistrus known from the Xingu river, including a sample from the holotype of H. zebra. As already expected from hybridization experiments, all forms are very closely related. But our data revealed a stunning result: the DNA sequences from the holotype of H. zebra are clearly distinct from that of the individuals commonly identified as H. zebra (p = 0.0002). Actually, the holotype grouped with the individuals from a form known as Hypancistrus spec. L173. Our results will have deep impact on recent taxonomy and the revision of the genus in progress by scientists at INPA.

Keywords: Hypancistrus, Loricariidae, multiple gene analysis

Pdf here.

[pleco_breeder]

Link for the pdf isn't working.

Larry

[pleco_breeder]

It didn't hit me till I had a moment to think about this, and feel free to correct me as I haven't read anything about zoological standards in almost a decade, but wouldn't this mean that the actual Hypancistrus zebra is L173 since the holotype is clearly that species? This makes me curious as well about the paratypes in the original paper.

Larry

[Suckermouth]

Oh wow. I am happy people are actually working on this (and publishing).

pleco_breeder, you are correct. But if the holotype of H. zebra is L173, I question the utility of describing L46 as a different species, even if L46 and L173 are genetically distinct. Seriously, the holotype has straight lines just like what we normally call L46. I'm not a fan of cryptic species, but since it's never affected anything I've ever seen, I actually don't know how you diagnose them if there is no morphological distinction. Also, I would've never predicted cryptic species to affect loricariids, least of all Hypancistrus; this suggests that their color patterns are actually conserved while their genes diverge. I would've thought Hypancistrus would have the opposite problem, with many color patterns matched to relatively invariant genes due to rapidly changing coloration, as often seen in cichlids.

I await the website to start working again, I need this paper and I want it now...

[pleco_breeder]

To think, for years a lot of rather intelligent individuals have been thinking that all the L Hypancistrus would be a couple species displaying phenotype variations. Now we get to find out that there is actually substantial genetic divergence.

I hate posting multiple times in a single thread, and normally avoid commenting in the scientific threads, but I'm actually quite excited about this paper.

Larry

[Suckermouth]

You're telling me. I've been just starting working on Hypancistrus and I really want to know what's going on.

Doesn't look like the sequences are on Genbank... Of course since I haven't seen the paper I don't know if their sequences have GenBank accession numbers, but it would be incredibly helpful for me to be able to see some of those sequences...

[TwoTankAmin]

I am also most interested in the results. I have gotten to this site but was stopped due to language issues. The English version was almost useless.
http://www.ufrgs.br/ufrgs/

Maybe somebody else can navigate there.

[Silurus]

Anyone noticed the date (GMT +1 for users in the Western Hemisphere) the original thread was posted? ;)

(C'mon, admit it. You were just playing along.)

[Suckermouth]

Oh man, you sure made a fool out of me...

[Silurus]

I'll give credit where it is due. This was the brainchild of Acanthicus and Jools. I was merely the messenger.

(Although I would have made the abstract a little more technical to make it more convincing.)

[Shane]

Anyone noticed the date (GMT +1 for users in the Western Hemisphere) the original thread was posted?

My screen shows your posting was made 31 March at 11:07 pm.

I thought the extensive use of the L Numbering system in a scientific paper quite odd.

Despite the date of the posting being before 1 April, it was still agood one

-Shane

[Jools]

It was Acanthicus's idea and work, I just liked the idea of collaboration with l-welse.com. It was sporting of Silurus to go along with it too.

Jools