The galaxiid fishes exhibit a gondwanan distribution. We use mitochondrial DNA sequences to test conflicting vicariant and dispersal biogeographic hypotheses regarding the Southern Hemisphere range of this freshwater group. Although phylogenetic resolution of cytochrome b and 16S rRNA sequences is largely limited to more recent divergences, our data indicate that the radiation can be interpreted as several relatively recent dispersal events superimposed on an ancient gondwanan radiation. Genetic relationships contradict the findings of recent morphological analyses of galaxioid fishes. In particular, we examine several hypotheses regarding phylogenetic placement of the enigmatic Lepidogalaxias. Although most workers consider Lepidogalaxias to be an unusual scaled member of the Southern Hemisphere galaxioids, it has also been suggested that this species is related to the Northern Hemisphere esocoids. Our data strongly suggest that this species is not a galaxiid, and the alternative hypothesized esocoid relationship cannot be rejected. The species-rich genus Galaxias is shown to be polyphyletic and the generic taxonomy of the Galaxiinae is reassessed in the light of phylogenetic relationships. Juvenile saltwater-tolerance is phylogenetically distributed throughout the Galaxiinae, and the loss of this migratory phase may be a major cause of speciation.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Research Division:	Biological Sciences
Research Group:	Genetics
Research Field:	Molecular Evolution
Objective Division:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Group:	Expanding Knowledge
Objective Field:	Expanding Knowledge in the Environmental Sciences
UTAS Author:	Waters, JM (Associate Professor Jon Waters)
ID Code:	20195
Year Published:	2000
Web of Science® Times Cited:	87
Deposited By:	Zoology
Deposited On:	2000-08-01
Last Modified:	2004-12-06
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