Phylogenetic relationships of mormyrid electric fishes (Mormyridae; Teleostei) inferred from cytochrome b sequences.

ABSTRACT

The Mormyridae are African osteoglossomorph freshwater fishes of great interest because of their electric organs. They have become an important model in studies of electrophysiology and behavior but their phylogenetic relationships are poorly known. Phylogenetic relationships among mormyrids were determined by comparing cytochrome b sequences (588 bp) of 27 species belonging to 15 genera. Results showed that the Petrocephalus species (subfamily Petrocephalinae) are the sister-group of all other mormyrids (subfamily Mormyrinae). The monophyly of the Mormyrinae was supported, as well as three original intra-Mormyrinae clades. Three genera, Marcusenius, Pollimyrus, and Brienomyrus, were found to be polyphyletic with high support. Some of these polyphylies are tentatively explained. The results confirmed that the lateral ethmoid bone was lost several times within the Mormyrinae. These findings emphasize the necessity of systematic studies and taxonomic revision of the Mormyridae. The tree obtained from the mitochondrial data showed a single rise of each electrocyte type except for electrocyte with penetrating stalk ("Pa"). Constraining the single occurrence of electrocyte type Pa did not require an excessive number of extra steps (1.86%).