Recent radiation of Iberian barbel fish (Teleostei, Cyprinidae) inferred from cytochrome b genes

Nucleotide sequence fragments of the mitochondrial DNA gene encoding cytoch rome b were examined in 26 individuals belonging to the seven species of Ba rbus endemic to the Iberian Peninsula: Barbus haasi, B, bocagei, a, graells ii, B, sclateri, B, comiza, B, guiraonis, and B, microcephalus, Six of the seven currently recognized species can be distinguished on the basis of the ir cytochrome b nucleotide sequences, Sequence divergence estimates for Spa nish species of Barbus (0-6.5%) are, in general, low in comparison to those reported for other fish species, and hybrid individuals were found. All of these observations suggest a recent radiation. The inferred phylogenetic t ree has two main clades, one including a, graellsii, B, guiraonis, and B, m icrocephalus, and the other the remaining species groups.