title: Phylogenetic relationships of freshwater fishes of the genusCapoeta(Actinopterygii, Cyprinidae) in Iran.
abstract: The Middle East contains a great diversity ofCapoetaspecies, but their taxonomy remains poorly described. We used mitochondrial history to examine diversity of the algae-scraping cyprinidCapoetain Iran, applying the species-delimiting approaches General Mixed Yule-Coalescent (GMYC) and Poisson Tree Process (PTP) as well as haplotype network analyses. Using the BEAST program, we also examined temporal divergence patterns ofCapoeta. The monophyly of the genus and the existence of three previously described main clades (Mesopotamian, Anatolian-Iranian, and Aralo-Caspian) were confirmed. However, the phylogeny proposed novel taxonomic findings withinCapoeta. Results of GMYC, bPTP, and phylogenetic analyses were similar and suggested that species diversity in Iran is currently underestimated. At least four candidate species,Capoetasp4,Capoetasp5,Capoetasp6, andCapoetasp7, are awaiting description.Capoeta capoetacomprises a species complex with distinct genetic lineages. The divergence times of the three mainCapoetaclades are estimated to have occurred around 15.6-12.4 Mya, consistent with a Mio-Pleistocene origin of the diversity ofCapoetain Iran. The changes in Caspian Sea levels associated with climate fluctuations and geomorphological events such as the uplift of the Zagros and Alborz Mountains may account for the complex speciation patterns inCapoetain Iran.
authors.affiliation: Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology Department CSIC Madrid Spain.
authors.forename: Hamid Reza
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1029-4236
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Ghanavi
authors.affiliation: Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology Department CSIC Madrid Spain.
authors.forename: Elena G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.affiliation: Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology Department CSIC Madrid Spain.
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Doadrio
keywords: Iran; Middle East; biodiversity; cyprinid; freshwater fish species; phylogeography