Allozyme analysis of the four species of Hypostomus (Teleostei: Loricariidae) from the Ivaí river, upper Paraná river basin, Brazil - doi: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v35i4.16355

Allozyme electrophoresis analysis were performed in four species of Hypostomus (Loricariidae), H. albopunctatus, H. hermanni, H. regani, e Hypostomus sp. 1/NUP 5612 from the Ivaí river, a tributary of the upper Paraná river. The study of 14 loci revealed diagnostic characters and exclusive alleles in a low frequency. The heterozygosity ranged from 0.000 in H. albopunctatus to 0.199 in H. hermanni, which was higher than the heterozygosity in other samples of Hypostomus in literature, as well as in other fish groups. Hypostomus albopunctatus and H. regani revealed higher similarity (I = 0.804), while H. hermanni and Hypostomus sp. 1/NUP 5612 showed the least genetic identity (I = 0.569). All samples were genetically distinguished, despite there were several shared alleles. The FST value was 0.671, showing a high genetic differentiation among the samples. Hypostomus sp. 1/NUP 5612 was genetically distinguished from the three congeners by the loci Adh-A and G3pdh-B and by present rare exclusive alleles in other six enzymatic systems.

Karyotype description of possible new species of the Hypostomus ancistroides complex (Teleostei: Loricariidae) and other Hypostominae - doi: 10.4025/actascibiolsci.v34i2.9318

Cytogenetic analyses were performed in four species of the Hypostominae subfamily, three from Hypostomus (Hypostomini) genus and Rhinelepis aspera (Rhinelepini). Three populations of Hypostomus ancistroides were analyzed, which had 2n=68 chromosomes, but presented different karyotype formulas. Hypostomus regani and H. strigaticeps, both from Ivaí river, showed 2n=72 chromosomes with two distinct cytotypes. In turn, R. aspera of the upper Paraná river basin presented 2n=54 chromosome. Multiple Nucleolar Organizer Regions (NORs) have been evidenced by silver nitrate staining in species of Hypostomus and single NOR in R. aspera. The observed variation in the chromosome number and the marked variability in karyotype formulas and NORs reveal a certain amount of karyotype variation in the genus Hypostomus suggesting the probable existence of cryptic species with independent chromosome traits. Therefore, our data can be of great value in discriminating species and understanding their chromosomal evolution.