The African hexaploid Torini (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae): review of a tumultuous history.
Discipline
Biological sciences
Subject
Vertebrates
Audience
Scientific
Date
2016Metadata
Show full item recordDescription
A review of the tumultuous history of the alpha- and genus-level taxonomy of the hexaploid African Torini, i.e. Labeobarbus s.l. (synonym: Varicorhinus), as well as of the closely related monospecific genera Acapoeta and Sanagia, is provided. The main purpose of the present paper is to provide a continental framework for multidisciplinary research on this megadiverse vertebrate group. Based on the inspection of almost all relevant type specimens, a complete and fully annotated checklist of all valid species and junior synonyms is provided for each of the four nominal genera. It comprises ∼275 nominal taxa, 125 of which are valid African Labeobarbus spp. and three of which are formally named hybrid phenotypes. Particular attention is drawn to the diversity and taxon-specific distribution of mouth phenotypes, which previously served as generic identification characters, i.e. rubberlips with strongly developed, sometimes hypertrophied lips and a mental lobe, and chiselmouths (former Varicorhinus spp.) with a cornified sharp cutting edge on their lower jaw. Interestingly, many species are polymorphic and include a large array of intermediate mouth phenotypes. The recurrent occurrence of similar mouth phenotype diversity within, but also far beyond, the borders of Labeobarbus s.l. is highlighted, raising numerous evolutionary questions.
Citation
Vreven, E.; Musschoot, T.; Snoeks, J.; Schliewen, U.K. (2016). The African hexaploid Torini (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae): review of a tumultuous history.. , Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Vol. 177, 231 305, DOI: 10.1111/zoj.12366.Identifiers
Type
Article
Peer-Review
Yes
Language
eng