Genetic differentiation of the northern Far East cyprinids, Phoxinus and Rhynchocypris

Abstract

Although minnows of the genera Phoxinus and Rhynchocypris (Cyprinidae) are abundantly distributed in the northern Far East region, disagreements on their taxonomy have persisted. Gene products of 18 allozyme or protein coding loci of 21 populations of minnows from the northern Far East were investigated in order to resolve their classification and genetic relationships. Six monophyletic clusters were identified, being consistent with Phoxinus phoxinus, Rhynchocypris oxycephalus, R. percnurus, R. czekanowskii, R. kumgangensis and R. semotilus, plus one paraphyletic group referred to as R. lagowskii.