A distinct island population of threatened freshwater fish: to
split or lump?

J 2016

A distinct island population of threatened freshwater fish: to split or lump?

VANHOVE, Maarten Pieterjan, Marcelo KOVACIC and Stamatis ZOGARIS

Basic information

Original name

A distinct island population of threatened freshwater fish: to split or lump?

Authors

VANHOVE, Maarten Pieterjan (56 Belgium, guarantor, belonging to the institution), Marcelo KOVACIC (191 Croatia) and Stamatis ZOGARIS (300 Greece)

Edition

Hydrobiologia, DORDRECHT, Springer, 2016, 0018-8158

Other information

Language

English

Type of outcome

Článek v odborném periodiku

Field of Study

10600 1.6 Biological sciences

Country of publisher

Netherlands

Confidentiality degree

není předmětem státního či obchodního tajemství

Impact factor

Impact factor: 2.056

RIV identification code

RIV/00216224:14310/16:00088657

Organization unit

Faculty of Science

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10750-016-2765-z

UT WoS

000379019900006

Keywords in English

Conservation; Endemism; Gobioidei; Greece; Knipowitschia; Sand gobies

Abstract

V originále

Freshwater fishes in the Balkans display high percentages of endemic species, many being limited to restricted distributions. Their management, for example, through identification of priority areas for conservation or through re-introduction, is hampered by a poor understanding of their taxonomic diversity and interrelationships. We evaluate the identity of a sand goby belonging to Knipowitschia, limited to a single wetland on the Greek island of Zakynthos. Its representatives morphologically differ sufficiently from their congeners to qualify as a separate species. However, in view of the similarity in mitochondrial ribosomal DNA sequences, the evolutionary plasticity of said morphological characters, and in the absence of a taxonomic revision of the Ionian Ecoregion's Knipowitschia gobies, describing it as a new species seems unjustified and premature. Rather, we advocate that its unique habitus and its vulnerability as the island's only resident freshwater fish necessitate conservation efforts as a kind of "phenotypically significant unit". We also propose sand gobies as flagships for wetlands in the region. This case study suggests a possible approach for fish conservation prioritization in the region, taking a precautionary angle in order to avoid taxonomic inflation, which is an imminent risk given the importance of nominal species and endemics in conservation policy.

Links

GBP505/12/G112, research and development project

Name: ECIP - Evropské centrum ichtyoparazitologie

Investor: Czech Science Foundation

Citovat

VANHOVE, Maarten Pieterjan, Marcelo KOVACIC and Stamatis ZOGARIS. A distinct island population of threatened freshwater fish: to split or lump? Hydrobiologia. DORDRECHT: Springer, 2016, vol. 777, No 1, p. 79-93. ISSN 0018-8158. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10750-016-2765-z.

@article{1371963,
   author = {Vanhove, Maarten Pieterjan and Kovacic, Marcelo and Zogaris, Stamatis},
   article_location = {DORDRECHT},
   article_number = {1},
   doi = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10750-016-2765-z},
   keywords = {Conservation; Endemism; Gobioidei; Greece; Knipowitschia; Sand gobies},
   language = {eng},
   issn = {0018-8158},
   journal = {Hydrobiologia},
   title = {A distinct island population of threatened freshwater fish: to split or lump?},
   volume = {777},
   year = {2016}
}

TY  - JOUR
ID  - 1371963
AU  - Vanhove, Maarten Pieterjan - Kovacic, Marcelo - Zogaris, Stamatis
PY  - 2016
TI  - A distinct island population of threatened freshwater fish: to split or lump?
JF  - Hydrobiologia
VL  - 777
IS  - 1
SP  - 79-93
EP  - 79-93
PB  - Springer
SN  - 00188158
KW  - Conservation
KW  - Endemism
KW  - Gobioidei
KW  - Greece
KW  - Knipowitschia
KW  - Sand gobies
N2  - Freshwater fishes in the Balkans display high percentages of endemic species, many being limited to restricted distributions. Their management, for example, through identification of priority areas for conservation or through re-introduction, is hampered by a poor understanding of their taxonomic diversity and interrelationships. We evaluate the identity of a sand goby belonging to Knipowitschia, limited to a single wetland on the Greek island of Zakynthos. Its representatives morphologically differ sufficiently from their congeners to qualify as a separate species. However, in view of the similarity in mitochondrial ribosomal DNA sequences, the evolutionary plasticity of said morphological characters, and in the absence of a taxonomic revision of the Ionian Ecoregion's Knipowitschia gobies, describing it as a new species seems unjustified and premature. Rather, we advocate that its unique habitus and its vulnerability as the island's only resident freshwater fish necessitate conservation efforts as a kind of "phenotypically significant unit". We also propose sand gobies as flagships for wetlands in the region. This case study suggests a possible approach for fish conservation prioritization in the region, taking a precautionary angle in order to avoid taxonomic inflation, which is an imminent risk given the importance of nominal species and endemics in conservation policy.
ER  -

VANHOVE, Maarten Pieterjan, Marcelo KOVACIC and Stamatis ZOGARIS. A distinct island population of threatened freshwater fish: to split or lump? \textit{Hydrobiologia}. DORDRECHT: Springer, 2016, vol.~777, No~1, p.~79-93. ISSN~0018-8158. Available from: https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10750-016-2765-z.

Detailed Information on Publication Record