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This study aimed to identify species of Astyanax bimaculatus group from four Itaipu Reservoir tributaries (Paraná River Basin) by cytogenetics and molecular markers (COI) to investigate the possible occurrence of cryptic diversity in part of this basin. The four populations showed only one karyotype formula and simple AgNORs. FISH with 18S rDNA probe showed a high variation, and 5S rDNA probes evidenced simple sites in most of the specimens, although multiple sites are present in two specimens. The variations of 5S and 18S cistrons generated 13 cytotypes. The molecular data did not reveal cryptic diversity in the populations; however, its grouping with 82 sequences from other stretches of the Paraná River Basin originated three haplogroups (distances of 3.12% and 8.82%) and 33 haplotypes were identified. DNA Barcode suggests that cytogenetic variations represent a high polymorphism degree, and it identified the analyzed specimens as Astyanax lacustris, which confirms the morphological identification. Our data suggest that the cryptic diversity of this group in the tributaries of the Paraná River Basin is different than the proposed by the synonymizations of A. altiparanae and A. asuncionensis to A. lacustris. This study reinforces the importance of integrative cytogenetics and molecular methods for taxonomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basic and molecular cytogenetic techniques were carried out in 3 Neotropical region populations of catfishes, two of Trachelyopterus galeatus (one from the marshlands of Paraguay River basin and another from Lago Catalão, Amazon River basin) and one of Trachelyopterus porosus, a sympatric population to T. galeatus from the Amazon River basin. This study aimed to describe and understand the structure and evolution of Trachelyopterus B chromosomes, mainly through physical mapping of repetitive elements. A diploid number of 58 chromosomes was found for all individuals, as well as the presence of B chromosomes. For T. porosus this is the first report of a supernumerary. The sympatric species of T. galeatus and T. porosus from Amazon River had 1–3 B chromosomes and T. galeatus from Paraguay River had 1–2 B chromosomes, all of them showed intra- and interindividual numerical variation. Two females of T. porosus exhibited a new variant B chromosome (B2), previously not seen in Auchenipteridae, which might have originated from B1 chromosomes. All B chromosomes were entirely heterochromatic. In contrast to all complement A and B2 chromosomes, in which the telomeric sequences were found in the telomeric regions, B1 chromosomes of all populations were totally marked by (TTAGGG)n probes. (GATA)n sequence sites were found through all complement A chromosomes, but B1 and B2 chromosomes exhibited only a clustered block in one of the chromosome arms. The most frequent B chromosomes (B1) in all populations/species, including those previously studied in Auchenipteridae catfishes, share the following characteristics: totally heterochromatic, small, metacentric, with accumulation of repetitive (TTAGGG)n sequences, and a low number of (GATA)n copies, which might suggest a common ancient origin in Trachelyopterus species/populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromosomal characteristics of Hoplerythrinus unitaeniatus populations from 5 Brazilian river basins, namely Arinos (Amazonas basin), Araguaia, Paraguai, Alto Paraná, and São Francisco were analyzed by conventional Giemsa staining, C-banding, silver nitrate impregnation, and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with 18S and 5S rDNA and telomeric sequence (TTAGGG)n probes. The diploid chromosome number was 2n = 48 in representatives of the populations from Paraguai and Alto Paraná River basins and 2n = 52 for those from the Arinos and Araguaia River basins. The São Francisco population had individuals with 2n = 50 and 52 occurring in sympatry. C-banding showed heterochromatic blocks mainly located at interstitial and pericentromeric positions in most of the chromosomes. Silver nitrate impregnation demonstrated simple NORs for representatives from Arinos and Araguaia River populations and multiple NORs for specimens from Paraguai, Alto Paraná, and São Francisco River populations. FISH with 18S and 5S rDNA probes revealed many chromosomes carrying these cistrons, with up to 21 chromosomes bearing 18S rDNA sites (Alto Rio Paraná basin) and up to 12 chromosomes with 5S rDNA sites (Paraguai basin), besides the occurrence of colocalization in all populations. FISH with telomeric sequence (TTAGGG)n detected sites in the terminal portion of the chromosomes in all populations. These data reinforce the idea that H. unitaeniatus is a species complex. Evolutionary and biogeographical aspects of the group in the Neotropical region are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]