High genetic diversity within the morphologically conservative dwarf loach, Kichulchoia brevifasciata (Teleostei: Cobitidae), an endangered freshwater fish from South Korea

Daemin Kim, Kevin W. Conway, Hyung Bae Jeon, Ye Seul Kwon, Yong Jin Won

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

The dwarf loach, Kichulchoia brevifasciata, is a primary freshwater fish endemic to South Korea (Republic of Korea). Due to its limited geographic range, special habitat requirements, and scarcity, this species has been considered one of the most endangered cobitid loaches in the world. Gene tree and species tree reconstruction derived from mitochondrial and nuclear sequence data supports the exclusivity of K. brevifasciata and the existence of two highly distinct genetic lineages (eastern and western lineages). Intraspecific genetic variation based on the corrected genetic distance ranged from 0.0013 to 0.0017 (cytochrome b) and 0-0.0012 (nuclear loci) within each lineage and 0.0349 (cytochrome b) and 0.0037-0.0104 (nuclear loci) between the lineages. Although morphologically homogeneous, eastern and western lineages were estimated to have diverged roughly 2.79 million years ago (4.25-1.42, 95 % HPD). Future conservation efforts for K. brevifasciata should consider these genetically distinct lineages as separate evolutionary entities and adopt conservation efforts accordingly.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)757-769
Number of pages13
JournalConservation Genetics
Volume14
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2013

Keywords

  • Cobitoidea
  • Cypriniformes
  • Divergence time estimation
  • Endangered species
  • Species tree analysis

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