[RML] genetic tree stuff

peter.unmack at ASU.Edu
Mon, 13 Mar 2000 21:36:25 -0700 (MST)

G'day folks

I've put up a couple clades for y'all to have a squiz at.
http://www.peter.unmack.net/biogeog/clades/

Which is what should be relatively self explanatory. I should provide an
initial warning, don't try to read too much into this data, it is only very
preliminary and hasn't been thoroughly checked (although the basic patterns
won't change). There are two sets of data, Australian rainbows, and
Percichthyidae with related Perciform families. This is all rather quick and
dirty. Percichthyid stuff is based on the entire cytochrome B gene (on the
mitochondrial genome), rainbows on the first 550 bps of cyt. B. Unfortunately
I only have half sequences for several percichthyid taxa like E. vittata,
Gadopsis, N. oxleyana, Percilia, hence haven't been able to add them in. I'm
working on getting some sequence to design more specific primers (I'm using
cyprinid ones at the moment!).

As far as the rainbow stuff goes there is nothing too surprising in there, it
largely finds what those in Moritz's lab have found. However, there are some
differences too. First important point is don't pay too much attention to the
branch ends which contain all the splendidas, nor those with fluviatilis and
duboulayi as they are largely unresolvable with this amount of sequence for
this gene.

It seems that where M. exquisita occurs it has usually "shared" its mtDNA
with the local splendida (although it appears the opposite way for the one
population Moritz examined). Additionally, splendida types tend to have
"shared" mtDNA when coexistant with M. nigrans. I need to look at the Cape
York populations I have to see if this holds true there too. Two additionally
interesting things crop up, 1/ the northern pops of M. duboulayi (shown as
dub?) (Baffle and Kolan) come out in the fluv-dub clade except for the
northern most population (Mullet Ck) which has splendida mtDNA. 2/ Fish from
the upper Comet River (Fitzroy drainage) which "should" be M.s.splendida fall
out in the fluv-dub clade (as yet I can't tell exactly whose mtDNA), while
other Fitzroy River pops examined have typical splendida mtDNA.

I also examined two hybrids provided via Neil Armstrong, one from Cairns which
has M. trifasciata mtDNA, the other from the Drysdale which probably has M.
gracilis mtDNA (can't tell until I get a sample of gracilis to compare).
Hence, at least we know who their mothers were (mtDNA is maternally inherited,
you only get your mothers copy). Many of these interesting issues won't be
better resolved until two things happen, 1/ I get sequence from a faster
evolving gene which provides better fine scale resolution so I can distinguish
between populations within clades, and 2/ I can get some nuclear gene sequence
to compare to this data. This should provide insight into what is going on
with nigrans-splendida and exquisita-splendida. If anyone is heading out into
the field around Darwin west to the Kimberley's and is willing to drop a fish
or two into ethanol please let me know as I have looked at all of the
populations I have so far and it would be nice to fill in some gaps.

Please do not reprint any of this data as it is only preliminary. I've only
put it out for interests sake and so those who helped me obtain fish get to
share the results as they come in.

Cheers
Peter J Unmack peter.unmack at asu.edu
---------------------------------------------------------------
DESERT FISHES RULE: To boldly thrive where no other fish can make it!

Desert Springs Action Committee at http://www.tkphotos.com/dsac/
Desert Fishes Council http://www.utexas.edu/depts/tnhc/.www/fish/dfc
Australian Desert Fishes as above just add australi or click on Australia
Australian Freshwater Fish Biogeography at http://www.peter.unmack.net/biogeog
North American Native Fishes Association at http://www.nanfa.org
Native Fish Australia at http://www.nativefish.asn.au
Aquatic Conservation Network at http://www.acn.ca

"The biggest cause of trouble in the world today is that the stupid
people are so sure about things and the intelligent folks are so full
of doubts." -Betrand Russell