Genetic and morphological analyses reveal a complex biogeographic pattern in the endemic barbel populations of the southern Italian peninsula.

ABSTRACT: The Italian peninsula is a biodiversity hotspot, with its freshwater fish fauna characterized by high levels of local endemism. Two endemic fluvio-lacustrine fishes of the genus Barbus (barbel, family Cyprinidae) have allopatric distributions in the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic basins of Italy. Barbus plebejus inhabits the mid- to northern Adriatic basins, while B. tyberinus is widespread in all central-northern basins draining into the Tyrrhenian Sea. For basins in Southern Italy draining into the southern parts of these seas, there remains a knowledge gap on their barbel populations due to no previous genetic and morphological studies, despite their apparent biogeographic isolation. Correspondingly, this study quantified the presence and distribution of barbels in the Adr

SUBMITTER: Zaccara S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6787835 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature