Relationships Among Percid Fishes (Teleostei: Percidae) as Evidenced by Mitochondrial DNA Sequence Data

这项建议的目的是测试茶树属选定物种之间的进化关系，并测试该属相对于其近亲Percina和Crystallaria的单系性。这些属组成了北美第二大淡水鱼类群和Persidae科的大多数物种。Etheostoma是最大的属(114种，而Percina和Crystallaria分别为34种和1种)。然而，该属的单系性还不是很确定，18个亚属之间的关系也存在许多问题。利用聚合酶链式反应和直接测序技术，扩增并测序了15种油菜属、4种Percina属和两个外类群：Crystallaria asprella和Stistedion canadense的12S核糖体基因的一部分(800bp)和细胞色素b基因的一段(450bp)。这将使我能够对Etheostoma的单性进行初步测试，探索某些Etheostoma实际上与Percina更密切的关系的可能性，并就Etheostoma选定的种组之间的关系得出一些初步结论。使用几个简约标准的系统发育分析将被用来检验替代的关系假说。刺镖之间关系的解决将有助于更好地了解北美淡水鱼的起源和多样性，并提高我们研究这一特殊类群的物种形成、历史生态和比较行为的能力。

The objectives of this proposal are to test the evolutionary relationships among selected species of the genus Etheostoma and to test the monophyly of this genus relative to its closest relatives, Percina and Crystallaria. These genera comprise the second largest group of North American freshwater fishes and the majority of species in the family Percidae. Etheostoma is the largest genus (114 species compared to 34 species of Percina and one species of Crystallaria). However, the monophyly of the genus is not well established and numerous problems exist concerning the relationships among the 18 subgenera. Polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing protocols will be used to amplify and sequence parts of the 12S ribosomal gene (800 base pairs) and a segment of the cytochrome-b genes (450 base pairs) of 15 species of Etheostoma, four species of Percina, and two outgroups, Crystallaria asprella, and Stizostedion canadense. This will allow me to perform a preliminary test of the monophyly of Etheostoma, explore the possibility that some Etheostoma are actually more closely related to Percina, and arrive at some preliminary conclusions regarding the relationships among selected species groups of Etheostoma. Phylogenetic analysis employing several parsimony criteria will be used to test alternate hypotheses of relationship. Resolution of the relationships among darters will lead to a better understanding of the origin and diversification of the North American freshwater fish fauna and enhance our ability to study the speciation, historical ecology, and comparative behavior of this speciose group.