DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Phylogenetics of the Lamprologini (Teleostei: Cichlidae) Based on Morphology and Molecules

作为研究非洲大湖慈鲷科鱼类进化和物种形成的模式类群，亮鲷科鱼类已被纳入最近的几项分子研究中。然而，这些研究只使用了一两个基因，而且只包括了不到三分之一的亮鲷科鱼类，而忽略了西非和中非河流慈鲷科鱼类的多样性。没有人使用形态学。本研究将使用形态学和来自几个线粒体和核基因的DNA序列彻底调查七鳃鳗的遗传学，对刚果河和坦噶尼喀湖七鳃鳗和不同的外群进行详尽的采样，包括其他湖泊谱系和来自西非和中非的河流慈鲷的完整采样。通过解决非洲丽鱼辐射中的lamprologines的位置，这项研究将大大提高对丽鱼生殖的认识。在lamprologines内，它将阐明有趣的进化问题，包括河流和湖泊之间的transitionses的数量和性质，贝壳居住的进化和伴随的小型化，以及组内形态趋同的程度。除了提高我们对大型热带湖泊物种形成的理解，这些新的系统发育见解将有助于政策制定者规划保护战略。

Lamprologines, a model group for studying the evolution and speciation ofAfrican Great Lake cichlids, have been included in several recent molecular studies.However, these studies have used only one or two genes, and have included fewer than athird of lamprologine species, while neglecting the diversity of riverine cichlids in Westand Central Africa. None have employed morphology. This study will thoroughlyinvestigate lamprologine phylogenetics using both morphology and DNA sequences fromseveral mitochondrial and nuclear genes, exhaustively sampling both Congo River andLake Tanganyika lamprologines and diverse outgroups, including other lacustrinelineages and a complete sampling of riverine cichlids from West and Central Africa. Byresolving the placement of lamprologines within the African cichlid radiation, this studywill greatly improve knowledge of cichlid phylogeny. Within lamprologines, it will shedlight on intriguing evolutionary questions, including the number and nature of transitionsbetween rivers and lakes, the evolution of shell-dwelling and concomitant miniturization,and the extent of morphological convergence within the group. In addition to improvingour understanding of speciation in large tropical lakes, these new phylogenetic insightswill assist policy makers in planning conservation strategies.