Phylogeography, genetic diversity and population structure of the freshwater stingray, Paratrygon aiereba (Müller & Henle, 1841) (Myliobatiformes: Potamotrygonidae) in the Colombian Amazon and Orinoco basins

Abstract

The freshwater stingray Paratrygon aiereba have coloration, osteological and morphometric variations that could suggest the existence of more than one species in Colombia. In order to evaluate the phylogeography, population structure and genetic diversity for P. aiereba distributed in the Amazon and Orinoco basins, we amplified Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI) partial region of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in 50 samples from eight different sub-basins. Our results suggest three phylogroups and a vicariance event occurred 43 million years ago proposing how Paratrygon diverged into the basins. A high population structure (Φ_ST = 0.692; p < 0.005) and a value of (K) of 3 were defined. A high genetic diversity within phylogroups was found: Phylogroup A (h = 0.64; π% = 2.48), Phylogroup B (h = 0.552; π% = 1.67), and Phylogroup C (h = 0.49; π% = 0.73). These results should be considered in local management plans, conservation programs and reclassification in at least Amazon and Orinoco.

Keywords:

• Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI)
• mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)
• ornamental stingray
• phylogroups
• high genetic differentiation

Acknowledgments

Additionally, Instituto de Investigación de Recursos Biológicos Alexander Von Humboldt, Fundación Omacha (Beiker Castañeda, Fernando Trujillo, Aldo Curico Leiva y Juan Gabriel Gómez), Sinchi Institute (Cesar Bonilla and Guber Gonzáles) and UNDA family supported the fieldworks with technical assistant, artisanal fishermen, petrol for boat, lodging and food for researchers at Bojonawi Private Nature Reserve, Puerto Carreño-Vichada, Biological Station, Puerto Nariño-Amazon and others including the Amazon, Loretoyacu, Putumayo and Bita rivers. The funders had no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, decision to publish and in writing the manuscript. We thank sequencing laboratory of Universidad de los Andes for its support with the DNA sequences in record time. Special thanks to Cristina Zapata, director of Basic Science Department and Maria Isabel Castro, Biology Program director of Universidad de La Salle for providing us field material and legal documents in order to apply to research grants. Also, we thank geologist Francisco Diaz due to his contribution with sampling map design and we appreciate the support with bioinformatic analyses by biologists Angélica Batista and Damián Pardo. Finally, The Colombian Sciences Ministry (Minciencias/Colciencias) is also acknowledged for its support to DCBB as Postdoctoral Researcher through Francisco José de Caldas Fund (Call No 848 of 2019).

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there are no competing interests related to the current study.

Data availability statement

All data sets used or analyzed in the current study are included in this published article and in its supporting information file. All genetic sequences derived of current study are deposited and available in GenBank (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/genbank/) under accession numbers MW041571 – MW041582, MW041606, MW047101 – MW047104.

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

This study was mainly supported by Fundación Alejandro Ángel Escobar through funds for research project grants known as Colombia Biodiversa under Grant number: NO 07-2017.