Snakehead (Teleostei: Channidae) diversity and the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot

Rüber, Lukas; Tan, Heok Hui; Britz, Ralf (2020). Snakehead (Teleostei: Channidae) diversity and the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity hotspot. Journal of zoological systematics and evolutionary research, 58(1), pp. 356-386. Wiley 10.1111/jzs.12324

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The collision of the Indian and Eurasian landmasses in the Cenozoic was a decisive
factor in shaping biodiversity patterns in Southern and Southeastern Asia. While
most studies thus far have focused on the biotic interchange between India and
Eurasia and evolutionary diversification on or around the Tibetan Plateau, little attention
has been paid to the biodiversity buildup in the Eastern Himalaya biodiversity
hotspot (EHH) which harbors over 540 freshwater fish species with a high
degree of endemicity. An important component of the regional ichthyofauna are
snakehead fishes of the family Channidae comprising throughout their African‐
Asian distribution 47 valid species, but a poorly known species‐level diversity. In
order to evaluate channid intrarelationships and biogeography, a temporal and geographic
framework of channid evolution in conjunction with a critical reevaluation
of the channid fossil record is warranted. Based on molecular data, we provide a
comprehensive species‐level phylogeny based on 223 channid individuals belonging
to 37 species and one additional currently undescribed species. The first split within
channids separates the African genus Parachanna from the Asian genus Channa
which can be divided into eight distinct species groups (Argus, Asiatica, Gachua,
Lucius, Marulius, Micropeltes, Punctata, and Striata groups). Large intraspecific divergences
were observed within several species and potentially indicate additional
species‐level diversity. Almost 40% of the channid species are narrow‐range endemics
belonging to the Gachua group. These are found in the EHH making this
area an outstanding hotspot for endemic channid diversity. The large majority of the
EHH endemics are restricted to the southern foothills of the Eastern Himalaya and
the Shillong‐Mikir Hills Plateau, areas west of the Indoburman Ranges. Our results
reveal complex and difficult to interpret biogeographic patterns indicating that both
vicariance and dispersal events have potentially been responsible in shaping current
distribution patterns in Asian channids. We recognize †Parachanna fayumensis as
the oldest reliable channid fossil and argue that the three oldest so‐called channid
fossils (i.e., †Eochanna chlorakkiensis, †Anchichanna kuldanensis, and †Ophiocephalus
lydekkeri) lack clear diagnostic features that would allow them to be unequivocally
placed within Channidae.

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