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Phylogeography Of The Neotropical Fish Genus Rhoadsia (Teleostei: Characidae) In Ecuador, Roberto Valentino Cucalón Tamayo

College of Science and Health Theses and Dissertations

Western Ecuador is considered a biodiversity hotspot. Nevertheless, studies of population genetic structure and variation are rare, especially in aquatic species. The genus Rhoadsia is an endemic freshwater fish in this region with two recognized species, Rhoadsia minor and R. altipinna. Little is known about the evolutionary relationships of their populations, and due to morphological similarities, their validity as distinct species has been questioned. The present study uses a phylogeographic approach to examine the evolutionary history of the genus and the validity of the two described species. Furthermore, I investigated the possible geographical origin of the genus based on patterns …