Origin of species diversity in the catfish genus Hypostomus (Siluriformes: Loricariidae) inhabiting the Paraná river basin, with the description of a new species

Abstract

Within the Loricariidae, the genus Hypostomus is one of the most diversified freshwater catfish groups. Using new se-quence data from the mitochondrial Control Region (D-loop) we examined the phylogeny of this genus. Our phylogeneticanalyses suggest that, in the Paraná river basin, species diversity in the genus Hypostomus has been shaped by two proc-esses: 1) by inter-basin diversification, generating groups of species that inhabit different basins, as a result of dispersalevents; and 2) via intra-basin speciation as a result of basin fragmentation due to past marine transgressions, which pro-duced groups of species within a basin. Using the D-loop as a molecular clock, each event of diversification was datedand linked with documented hydrological events or sea level changes. We also assessed the possible dispersal routes be-tween the Paraná and Uruguay rivers, in addition to the obvious dispersal route via the Río de la Plata estuary. Finally, wedescribe a new species of Hypostomus inhabiting Middle Paraná river, Hypostomus arecuta n. sp. This species can be sep-arated from all other Hypostomus by having light roundish dots on a darker background and by number of premaxillary/ dentary teeth.