Microrasbora erythromicron

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"Microrasbora" erythromicron
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Superclass: Osteichthyes
Class: Actinopterygii
Subclass: Neopterygii
Infraclass: Teleostei
Superorder: Ostariophysi
Order: Cypriniformes
Family: Cyprinidae
Subfamily: Danioninae
Genus: see text
Species: see text
Binomial name
"Microrasbora" erythromicron
Annandale, 1918
Synonyms

Danio erythromicron (Annandale, 1918)

"Microrasbora" erythromicron is a species of cyprinid, in recent times usually classified as a member of the genus Microrasbora. This species is endemic to Inle Lake in Myanmar. It has many similarities with members of Danio as well as with Microrasbora species, as well as several rather unique traits (like an unusual color pattern), and its generic placement remains unclear.

Contents

[edit] Taxonomy and systematics

In 1999, it was suggested to transfer the species to the genus Danio based on morphological data, but it was cautioned that more research would be necessary[1]. A phylogenetic analysis of Danio found it indeed close to that genus, but its precise placement was still indeterminable[2]. Subsequent analysis of DNA sequence data confirmed that the present species was closer to Danio than to Microrasbora sensu stricto and it was recommended to place it into Danio[3].

However, only a few weeks before the latter analysis went into print, a new danionin from the Salween drainage (to which Inle Lake belongs), living not far from the home of "M." erythromicron, was scientifically described - the Celestial Pearl Danio (Celestichthys margaritatus). This fish only came to widespread notice in 2006[4], and was initially known in the aquarium fish trade as "Microrasbora sp. 'Galaxy'", as it is very similar to "M." erythromicron in morphology but has a quite different and spectacular coloration. Its distinctness caused the erection of a new genus Celestichthys, presently monotypic, and as it seems also intermediate between Danio and Microrasbora sensu stricto. Due to its recent discovery and description, the Celestial Pearl Danio was not included in the last phylogenetic study[5], and hence, it is possible that "M." erythromicron will eventually be placed in Celestichthys. On the other hand, the new species is strikingly different in coloration and completely allopatric, and a satisfying evolutionary scenario would be rather hard to build. Therefore it seems more likely that the present species will eventually wind up in another monotypic genus, perhaps the sister taxon of Celestichthys, perhaps a more distant lineage that evolved independently from the same stock that gave rise to Celestichthys, Danio and Microrasbora proper.[6]

[edit] See also

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Kottelat & Witte (1999)
  2. ^ Fang (2003)
  3. ^ Mayden et al. (2007)
  4. ^ It was long known to the local population, where it had a reputation as a food for poor people: Clarke (2007a)
  5. ^ Though published in 2007, the actual research took place earlier, when C. margaritatus had not yet or just recently come to the notice of scientists.
  6. ^ Roberts (2007)

[edit] References

  • Clarke, Matt (2007a): Galaxy rasbora under threat. Pract. Fishkeeping Version of 2007-FEB-05. Retrieved 2007-FEB-20.
  • Fang, Fang (2003): Phylogenetic Analysis of the Asian Cyprinid Genus Danio (Teleostei, Cyprinidae). Copeia '2003(4): 714–728. DOI:10.1643/IA03-131.1 HTML abstract
  • Kottelat, M. & Witte, K.E. (1999): Two new species of Microrasbora from Thailand and Myanmar, with two new generic names for small Southeast Asian cyprinid fishes (Teleostei: Cyprinidae). Journal of South Asian Natural History 4(1): 49-56.
  • Mayden, Richard L.; Tang, Kevin L.; Conway, Kevin W.; Freyhof, Jörg; Chamberlain, Sarah; Haskins, Miranda; Schneider, Leah; Sudkamp, Mitchell; Wood Robert M.; Agnew, Mary; Bufalino, Angelo; Sulaiman, Zohrah; Miya, Masaki; Saitoh, Kenji & He, Shunping (2007): Phylogenetic relationships of Danio within the order Cypriniformes: a framework for comparative and evolutionary studies of a model species. Journal of Experimental Zoology B: Molecular and Developmental Evolution 308B(5): 1-13. doi:10.1002/jez.b.21175 (HTML abstract)
  • Roberts, Tyson R. (2007): The "Celestial pearl danio", a new genus and species of colourful minute cyprinid fish from Myanmar (Pisces: Cypriniformes). Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 55(1): 131-140. PDF fulltext

[edit] External links


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