Phylogeny of the East Asian cyprinids inferred from sequences of the mitochondrial DNA control region

With 210 genera and 2010 species, Cyprinidae is the largest freshwater fish family in the world. Several papers, based on morphological and molecular data, have been published and have led to some solid conclusions, such as the close relationships between North American phoxinins and European leuciscins. However, the relationships among major subgroups of this family are still not well resolved, especially for those East Asian groups. In the present paper, the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region, 896-956 base pairs, of 17 representative species of East Asian cyprinids was sequenced and compared with those of 21 other cyprinids to study their phylogenetic relationships. After alignment, there were 1051 sites. The comparison between pairwise substitutions and HKY distances showed that the mtDNA control region was suitable for phylogenetic study. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that there are two principal lineages in Cyprinidae: Cyprinine and Leuciscine. In Cyprinine, the relationships could be a basal Labeoinae, an intermediate Cyprininae, and a diversified Barbinae (including Schizothroaxinae). In Leuciscine, Rasborinae is at the basal position; Gobioninae and Leuciscinae are sister groups; the East Asian cultrin-xenocyprinin taxa form a large monophyletic group with some small affiliated groups; and the positions of Acheilognathinae and Tincinae are still uncertain.

Cymbellaceae and Gomphonemataceae (Bacillariophyta) from the Hengduan Mountains region (southwestern China)

We present a species list of the Gomphonemataceae and Cymbellaceae occurring in the Hengduan Mountains re-ion. These two families were found to be presented in the area by 117 species, varieties and forms belonging to four genera (Amphora, Cymbella, Didymosphenia and Gomphonema). Size, striae density, habitat and distribution in China are given for each taxon. The common taxa were Cymbella aequalis var. piscicultis. C. affinis, C. cesatii, C. cistula var. gibbosa, C. delicatula. C. gracilis, C. hustedtii, C. minuta f. latens, C. minita var. silesiaca, C. naviculiformis, C. parva. C. turgidida, Gomphonema acuminatum var. acuminatum, G. gracile, G. intricatum, G. olivaceum. G. parvulum and G. truncatum var. capitatum. Some morphological features of Cymbella cistula var. capitata, Cymbella sinica var. miyiensis, Gomphonema hedinii and G. kaznakowii were found to differ from previously published descriptions. Taxa typical of high latitude climates encountered during the present study were Cymbella affinis, C. alpina, C. cistula var. cistida, C. delicatula. C. naviculiformis. Didymosphenia geminata, Gomphonema acuminatum var. pusillum, G. constrictum var. capitatum f. turgidum, G. kaznakowii, G. olivaceum, G. subtile var. subtile, G. tergestinum and G. ventricosum.