Ecological Factors and Diversification among Neotropical Characiforms

Morphological and DNA sequence data has been used to propose hypotheses of relationships within the Characiformes with minimal comparative discussion of causes underpinning the major intraordinal diversification patterns. We explore potential primary morphological factors controlling the early diversification process in some Neotropical characiforms as the first step to identifying factors contributing to the pronounced intraordinal morphological and species diversity. A phylogenetic reconstruction based on 16S rDNA (mitochondrial) and 18S rDNA (nuclear) genes provided the framework for the identification of the main morphological differences among the Acestrorhynchidae, Anostomidae, Characidae, Ctenoluciidae, Curimatidae, Cynodontidae, Gasteropelecidae, Prochilodontidae and Serrasalmidae. Results indicate an initial split into two major groupings: (i) species with long dorsal-fin bases relative to the size of other fins (Curimatidae, Prochilodontidae, Anostomidae, Serrasalmidae) which primarily inhabit lakes, swamps, and rivers (lineage I); and (ii) species with short dorsal-fin bases (Acestrorhynchidae, Gasteropelecidae, Characidae) which primarily inhabit creeks and streams (lineage II). The second diversification stage in lineage I involved substantial morphological diversification associated with trophic niche differences among the monophyletic families which range from detritivores to large item predators. Nonmonophyly of the Characidae complicated within lineage II analyzes but yielded groupings based on differences in pectoral and anal fin sizes correlated with life style differences.España, Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia CGL2006-02155 BO

Global diversity patterns of freshwater fishes - Potential victims of their own success

Aim To examine the pattern and cumulative curve of descriptions of freshwater fishes world-wide, the geographical biases in the available information on that fauna, the relationship between species richness and geographical rarity of such fishes, as well as to assess the relative contributions of different environmental factors on these variables. Location Global. Methods MODESTR was used to summarize the geographical distribution of freshwater fish species using information available from data-based geographical records. The first-order jackknife richness estimator was used to estimate the completeness of such data in all terrestrial 1-degree cells world-wide. An a-shape procedure was used to build range maps capable of providing relatively accurate species richness and geographical rarity values for each grid cell. We also examined the explanatory capacity of a high number of environmental variables using multiple regressions and Support Vector Machine. Results Cumulative species description curves show that a high number of species of freshwater fishes remain to be discovered. Completeness values indicate that only 199 one-degree grid cells, mainly located in eastern North America and Europe, could be considered as having relatively accurate inventories. Range maps provide species richness values that are positively and significantly related to those resulting from the first-order jackknife richness estimator. The relationship between species richness and geographical rarity is triangular, so that these species-rich cells are those with a higher proportion of distributionally rare species. Species richness is predicted by climatic and/or productivity variables but geographical rarity is not. Main conclusions In general, species-rich tropical areas harbour a higher number of narrowly distributed species although comparatively species-poor subtropical cells may also contain narrowly distributed species. Historical factors may help to explain the faunistic composition of these latter areas; a supposition also supported by the low predictive capacity of climatic and productivity variables on geographical rarity values

Predicting the effects of climate change on future freshwater fish diversity at global scale

The aim of the present study was to predict future changes in biodiversity attributes (richness, rarity, heterogeneity, evenness, functional diversity and taxonomic diversity) of freshwater fish species in river basins around the world, under different climate scenarios. To do this, we use a new methodological approach implemented within the ModestR software (NOO3D) which allows estimating simple species distribution predictions for future climatic scenarios. Data from 16,825 freshwater fish species were used, representing a total of 1,464,232 occurrence records. WorldClim 1.4 variables representing average climate variables for the 1960¿1990 period, together with elevation measurements, were used as predictors in these distribution models, as well as in the selection of the most important variables that account for species distribution changes in two scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathways 4.5 and 6.0). The predictions produced suggest the extinction of almost half of current freshwater fish species in the coming decades, with a pronounced decline in tropical regions and a greater extinction likelihood for species with smaller body size and/or limited geographical ranges.We acknowledge institutional support from the Unit of Information Resources for Research at the Unit of Information Resources for Research at the "Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas" (CSIC) for the article-processing charges contribution

A procedure to assess the spatial variability in the importance of abiotic factors affecting distributions: the case of world freshwater fishes

Understanding the factors shaping species' distributions is a key longstanding topic in ecology with unresolved issues. The aims were to test whether the relative contribution of abiotic factors that set the geographical range of freshwater fish species may vary spatially and/or may depend on the geographical extent that is being considered. The relative contribution of factors, to discriminate between the conditions prevailing in the area where the species is present and those existing in the considered extent, was estimated with the instability index included in the R package SPEDInstabR. We used 3 different extent sizes: 1) each river basin where the species is present (local); 2) all river basins where the species is present (regional); and 3) the whole Earth (global). We used a data set of 16,543 freshwater fish species with a total of 845,764 geographical records, together with bioclimatic and topographic variables. Factors associated with temperature and altitude show the highest relative contribution to explain the distribution of freshwater fishes at the smaller considered extent. Altitude and a mix of factors associated with temperature and precipitation were more important when using the regional extent. Factors associated with precipitation show the highest contribution when using the global extent. There was also spatial variability in the importance of factors, both between species and within species and from region to region. Factors associated with precipitation show a clear latitudinal trend of decreasing in importance toward the equator

Ecological Factors and Diversification among Neotropical Characiforms

Morphological and DNA sequence data has been used to propose hypotheses of relationships within the Characiformes with minimal comparative discussion of causes underpinning the major intraordinal diversification patterns. We explore potential primary morphological factors controlling the early diversification process in some Neotropical characiforms as the first step to identifying factors contributing to the pronounced intraordinal morphological and species diversity. A phylogenetic reconstruction based on 16S rDNA (mitochondrial) and 18S rDNA (nuclear) genes provided the framework for the identification of the main morphological differences among the Acestrorhynchidae, Anostomidae, Characidae, Ctenoluciidae, Curimatidae, Cynodontidae, Gasteropelecidae, Prochilodontidae and Serrasalmidae. Results indicate an initial split into two major groupings: (i) species with long dorsal-fin bases relative to the size of other fins (Curimatidae, Prochilodontidae, Anostomidae, Serrasalmidae) which primarily inhabit lakes, swamps, and rivers (lineage I); and (ii) species with short dorsal-fin bases (Acestrorhynchidae, Gasteropelecidae, Characidae) which primarily inhabit creeks and streams (lineage II). The second diversification stage in lineage I involved substantial morphological diversification associated with trophic niche differences among the monophyletic families which range from detritivores to large item predators. Nonmonophyly of the Characidae complicated within lineage II analyzes but yielded groupings based on differences in pectoral and anal fin sizes correlated with life style differencesThis study was supported by the AMAPEZ project (CGL2006-02155 BOS) of the MEC (Ministry of Education and Science) under FEDER funds from the XUNTA de Galicia and by contributions from the Universidad de Vigo, the Universidad de Antioquia, and the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. A. Manjarrés-Hernández gratefully acknowledges a grant from COLCIENCIASS

Modestr : a software tool for studying of colombian aquatic ecosystems

ABSTRACT: The aim of this manuscript is to show the usefulness of the software package ModestR in studies of distribution of Colombian marine and freshwater species. This software is free available at the Website: . To show and test the potential of ModestR, here an exemplar assessment is presented of a database using all valid species of freshwater shes of the orders Characiformes and Siluriformes, and their geographical records available in the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF, 2012), and of the order Carcharhiniformes as representatives of marine species. ModestR includes, in its initial phase, two applications: DataManager and MapMaker. The application DataManager is designed for an integrated taxonomic information and maps of the distribution of any species group. The application MapMaker has been designed to generate species distribution maps in four different ways: 1) by importing a CSV le with the name of the species and their geographical coordinates, 2) importing the geographical records automatically from GBIF, 3) importing geographical coordinates generated by distribution models, and 4) making expert maps by selecting distribution areas, according to the types of habitats occupied by the species. The possibility of working with habitats is one of the most important contributions of ModestR and, in particular, that are mapped small lotic ecosystems (creeks, streams, etc.), large lotic ecosystems (rivers) and lentic ecosystems (ponds, lakes, reservoirs, swamps, etc.). Moreover, it is also possible to select marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Therefore, although the manuscript has been focused on species of aquatic ecosystems, ModestR also allows the same type of studies with terrestrial species.RESUMEN: El objetivo de este trabajo es mostrar las utilidades del programa informático ModestR, en estudios sobre distribución de especies en ecosistemas marinos y de agua dulce de Colombia. Este programa se encuentra disponible en la Web de manera gratuita: . Para enseñar y probar el funcionamiento de ModestR se trabajó con los datos disponibles en el Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF, 2012) de los órdenes Characiformes y Siluriformes, como ejemplo de especies de peces dulciacuícolas, y del orden Carcharhiniformes de especies marinas. ModestR incluye en su fase inicial, dos aplicaciones: DataManager y MapMaker. La aplicación DataManager está diseñada para realizar manejo integrado de información taxonómica y mapas de distribución de cualquier grupo de especies. La aplicación MapMaker permite generar mapas de distribución de especies de cuatro formas diferentes: 1) importando un archivo CSV con el nombre de las especies y las coordenadas geográ cas, 2) importando los datos automáticamente del GBIF, 3) importando las coordenadas geográ cas generadas de modelos de distribución y 4) realizando mapas expertos, lo cual consiste en seleccionar las áreas de distribución, de acuerdo a los tipos de hábitats en que ocurre la o las especies en estudio. La posibilidad de trabajar con hábitats es una de las contribuciones más importantes de ModestR y, en particular, la de que los hábitats lóticos pequeños (quebradas, arroyos, etc.), los lóticos grandes (ríos) y los lenticos (lagunas, lagos, embalses, ciénagas, etc.) están cartogra ados con muy alta resolución. Además, también se diferencian los ecosistemas marino y terrestre. A pesar de que este estudio se enfocó en especies de ecosistemas acuáticos, ModestR permite también realizar el mismo tipo de ejercicios con especies terrestres

Global diversity patterns of freshwater fishes – potential victims of their own success

Patricia Pelayo-Villamil [et al.]Aim: To examine the pattern and cumulative curve of descriptions of freshwater fishes world-wide, the geographical biases in the available information on that fauna, the relationship between species richness and geographical rarity of such fishes, as well as to assess the relative contributions of different environmental factors on these variables.Location: Global.Methods: ModestR was used to summarize the geographical distribution of freshwater fish species using information available from data-based geographical records. The first-order jackknife richness estimator was used to estimate the completeness of such data in all terrestrial 1-degree cells world-wide. An α-shape procedure was used to build range maps capable of providing relatively accurate species richness and geographical rarity values for each grid cell. We also examined the explanatory capacity of a high number of environmental variables using multiple regressions and Support Vector Machine.Results: Cumulative species description curves show that a high number of species of freshwater fishes remain to be discovered. Completeness values indicate that only 199 one-degree grid cells, mainly located in eastern North America and Europe, could be considered as having relatively accurate inventories. Range maps provide species richness values that are positively and significantly related to those resulting from the first-order jackknife richness estimator. The relationship between species richness and geographical rarity is triangular, so that these species-rich cells are those with a higher proportion of distributionally rare species. Species richness is predicted by climatic and/or productivity variables but geographical rarity is not.Main conclusions: In general, species-rich tropical areas harbour a higher number of narrowly distributed species although comparatively species-poor subtropical cells may also contain narrowly distributed species. Historical factors may help to explain the faunistic composition of these latter areas; a supposition also supported by the low predictive capacity of climatic and productivity variables on geographical rarity values.Peer reviewe

Fish, Gymnotiformes, Apteronotidae, Apteronotus magdalenensis (Miles, 1945): distribution extension of an endangered endemic knifefish, in northern Colombia

Non

Fish, Gymnotiformes, Apteronotidae, Apteronotus magdalenensis (Miles, 1945): distribution extension of an endangered endemic knifefish, in northern Colombia

Non

A procedure to assess the spatial variability in the importance of abiotic factors affecting distributions: the case of world freshwater fishes

Understanding the factors shaping species' distributions is a key longstanding topic in ecology with unresolved issues. The aims were to test whether the relative contribution of abiotic factors that set the geographical range of freshwater fish species may vary spatially and/or may depend on the geographical extent that is being considered. The relative contribution of factors, to discriminate between the conditions prevailing in the area where the species is present and those existing in the considered extent, was estimated with the instability index included in the R package SPEDInstabR. We used 3 different extent sizes: 1) each river basin where the species is present (local); 2) all river basins where the species is present (regional); and 3) the whole Earth (global). We used a data set of 16,543 freshwater fish species with a total of 845,764 geographical records, together with bioclimatic and topographic variables. Factors associated with temperature and altitude show the highest relative contribution to explain the distribution of freshwater fishes at the smaller considered extent. Altitude and a mix of factors associated with temperature and precipitation were more important when using the regional extent. Factors associated with precipitation show the highest contribution when using the global extent. There was also spatial variability in the importance of factors, both between species and within species and from region to region. Factors associated with precipitation show a clear latitudinal trend of decreasing in importance toward the equator