title: Genome-wide SNPs resolve a key conflict between sequence and allozyme data to confirm another threatened candidate species of river blackfishes (Teleostei: Percichthyidae: Gadopsis).
abstract: Conflicting results from different molecular datasets have long confounded our ability to characterise species boundaries. Here we use genome-wide SNP data and an expanded allozyme dataset to resolve conflicting systematic hypotheses on an enigmatic group of fishes (Gadopsis, river blackfishes, Percichthyidae) restricted to southeastern Australia. Previous work based on three sets of molecular markers: mtDNA, nuclear intron DNA and 51 allozyme loci was unable to clearly resolve the status of a putative fifth candidate species (SWV) within Gadopsis marmoratus. Resolving the taxonomic status of candidate species SWV is particularly critical as based on IUCN criteria this taxon would be considered Critically Endangered. After all filtering steps we retained a subset of 10,862 putatively unlinked SNP loci for population genetic and phylogenomic analyses. Analyses of SNP loci based on maximum likelihood, fastSTRUCTURE and DAPC were all consistent with the previous and updated allozyme results supporting the validity of the candidate Gadopsis species SWV. Immediate conservation actions should focus on preventing take by anglers, protection of water resources to sustain perennial reaches and drought refuge pools, and aquatic and riparian habitat protection and improvement. In addition, a formal morphological taxonomic review of the genus Gadopsis is urgently required.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Peter J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Unmack
authors.affiliation: Molecular Ecology Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sandoval-Castillo
authors.affiliation: Natural Sciences, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, Darwin, NT 0801, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Hammer
authors.affiliation: Australian Centre for Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity, University of Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia; Evolutionary Biology Unit, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.affiliation: Applied Aquatic Ecology Section, Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Environment, Land, Water & Planning, 123 Brown Street, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia.
authors.forename: Tarmo A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Raadik
authors.affiliation: Molecular Ecology Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia. Electronic address: Luciano.Beheregaray@flinders.edu.au.
authors.forename: Luciano B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Beheregaray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D056727:Endangered Species; D005399:Fishes / Q000235:genetics*; D016678:Genome; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D045483:Rivers
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D007527:Isoenzymes
keywords: Australia; Conservation genomics; Freshwater fish; Gadopsis marmoratus; Phylogenomics; ddRAD-seq