title: Evidence for the evolutionary origin of goldfish derived from the distant crossing of red crucian carp × common carp.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Distant hybridization can generate transgressive hybrid phenotypes that lead to the formation of new populations or species with increased genetic variation. In this study, we produced an experimental hybrid goldfish (EG) by distant crossing of red crucian carp (Carassius auratus) × common carp (Cyprinus carpio) followed by gynogenesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We evaluated the phenotype, ploidy level, gonadal structure, and 5S rDNA of the EG. Diploid EG possessed a high level of genetic variation, which was stably inherited. In particular, the EG combined transgressive phenotypes, including a forked tail and shortened caudal peduncle, traits that are present in common goldfish. The EG and common goldfish share a number of morphological and genetic similarities.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using the EG, we provide new evidence that goldfish originated from hybridization of red crucian carp × common carp.
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Fish Developmental Biology of Education Ministry of China, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China. lsj@hunnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Shaojun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tao
authors.forename: Chun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kaikun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002347:Carps / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics*; D002678:Chimera / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D049810:Genetic Speciation; D006054:Goldfish / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000235:genetics*; D006066:Gonads / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006824:Hybridization, Genetic; D059785:Karyotype; D008297:Male; D010641:Phenotype; D011003:Ploidies; D012341:RNA, Ribosomal, 5S / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D012341:RNA, Ribosomal, 5S