MOLECULAR SYSTEMATICS OF 15 OLD-WORLD CICHLID SPECIES USING ALLOZYME DATA

The evolutionary relationships among 15 cichild species, from six diff erent genera, were investigated using allozyme data from 40 protein co ding loci in an attempt to elucidate relationships between species whi ch could previously not be established on morphological grounds. Dendr ograms were constructed by using both genetic distances and binary cod ed presence or absence of alleles. The results obtained using cladisti cal methods and consensus trees were more consistent with hypothesized morphological-based phylogenies, compared to results obtained using p henetic methods. It is suggested that the predatory and substratum-spa wning Hemichromis elongatus (Guichenot) is separated from the herbivor ous (and substratum-spawning) Tilapia species and that the latter grou p of fish are separated from the mouth-brooding and omnivorous Oreochr omis species. It is also evident that the above-mentioned genera are c onsistently separated from the mouthbrooding genera Chetia, Pharyngoch romis and Serranochromis, which are predators.