@article {499, title = {Species delimitation and phylogenetic relationships in a genus of African weakly-electric fishes (Osteoglossiformes, Mormyridae, Campylomormyrus)}, journal = {Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution}, year = {2016}, month = {Jan-04-2016}, abstract = {

African weakly-electric fishes (Mormyridae) are able to communicate through species-specific electric signals; this feature might have favoured the evolutionary radiation observed in this family (over 200 species) by acting as an effective pre-zygotic isolation mechanism. In the present study we used mitochondrial (cytb) and nuclear (rps7, scn4aa) markers in order to reconstruct a species-phylogeny and identify species boundaries for the genus Campylomormyrus, by applying inference methods based on the multispecies coalescent model. Additionally, we employed 16 microsatellite markers, landmark-based morphometric measurements, and electro-physiological analyses as independent lines of evidence to the results obtained from the sequence data. The results show that groups that are morphologically different are also significantly divergent at the genetic level, whereas morphologically similar groups, displaying dissimilar electric signals, do not show enough genetic diversity to be considered separate species. Furthermore, the data confirm the presence of a yet undescribed species within the genus Campylomormyrus.

}, keywords = {Campylomormyrus, Geometric morphometrics, Microsatellites, Mormyridae, Multispecies-coalescent, Species-delimitation}, issn = {10557903}, doi = {10.1016/j.ympev.2016.04.035}, url = {http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S1055790316300781}, author = {Lamanna, Francesco and Frank Kirschbaum and Ernst, Anja R.R. and Philine G.D. Feulner and Victor Mamonekene and Paul, Christiane and Ralph Tiedemann} } @article {480, title = {Comparative histology of the adult electric organ among four species of the genus Campylomormyrus (Teleostei: Mormyridae)}, journal = {Journal of Comparative Physiology A}, volume = {201}, year = {2015}, month = {Jan-04-2015}, pages = {357 - 374}, abstract = {

The electric organ (EO) of weakly electric mormyrids consists of flat, disk-shaped electrocytes with distinct anterior and posterior faces. There are multiple species-characteristic patterns in the geometry of the electrocytes and their innervation. To further correlate electric organ discharge (EOD) with EO anatomy, we examined four species of the mormyrid genus Campylomormyrus possessing clearly distinct EODs. In C. compressirostris, C. numenius, and C. tshokwe, all of which display biphasic EODs, the posterior face of the electrocytes forms evaginations merging to a stalk system receiving the innervation. In C. tamandua that emits a triphasic EOD, the small stalks of the electrocyte penetrate the electrocyte anteriorly before merging on the anterior side to receive the innervation. Additional differences in electrocyte anatomy among the former three species with the same EO geometry could be associated with further characteristics of their EODs. Furthermore, in C. numenius, ontogenetic changes in EO anatomy correlate with profound changes in the EOD. In the juvenile the anterior face of the electrocyte is smooth, whereas in the adult it exhibits pronounced surface foldings. This anatomical difference, together with disparities in the degree of stalk furcation, probably contributes to the about 12 times longer EOD in the adult.

}, issn = {0340-7594}, doi = {10.1007/s00359-015-0995-6}, url = {http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00359-015-0995-6}, author = {Paul, Christiane and Victor Mamonekene and Vater, Marianne and Philine G.D. Feulner and Engelmann, Jacob and Ralph Tiedemann and Frank Kirschbaum} } @article {889, title = {Adaptive radiation in African weakly electric fish (Teleostei: Mormyridae: Campylomormyrus): a combined molecular and morphological approach}, journal = {Journal of Evolutionary Biology}, volume = {20}, year = {2007}, month = {01/2007}, pages = {403 - 414}, abstract = {

We combined multiple molecular markers and geometric morphometrics to revise the current taxonomy and to build a phylogenetic hypothesis for the African weakly electric fish genus Campylomormyrus. Genetic data (2039 bp DNA sequence of mitochondrial cytochrome b and nuclear S7 genes) on 106 specimens support the existence of at least six species occurring in sympatry. We were able to further confirm these species by microsatellite analysis at 16 unlinked nuclear loci and landmark-based morphometrics. We assigned them to nominal taxa by comparisons to type specimens of all Campylomormyrus species recognized so far. Additionally, we showed that the shape of the elongated trunk-like snout is the major source of morphological differentiation among them. This finding suggests that the radiation of this speciose genus might have been driven by adaptation to different food sources.

}, issn = {1420-9101}, doi = {10.1111/j.1420-9101.2006.01181.x}, author = {Philine G.D. Feulner and Frank Kirschbaum and Victor Mamonekene and Ketmaier, V. and Ralph Tiedemann} } @article {167, title = {Electrophysiological and molecular genetic evidence for sympatrically occuring cryptic species in African weakly electric fishes (Teleostei: Mormyridae: Campylomormyrus)}, journal = {Biology Letters Evolutionary Biology}, volume = {39}, year = {2006}, pages = {198-208}, abstract = {

For two sympatric species of African weakly electric Wsh, Campylomormyrus tamandua and Campylomormyrus numenius, we moni- tored ontogenetic diVerentiation in electric organ discharge (EOD) and established a molecular phylogeny, based on 2222 bp from cyto- chrome b, the S7 ribosomal protein gene, and four Xanking regions of unlinked microsatellite loci. In C. tamandua, there is one common EOD type, regardless of age and sex, whereas in C. numenius we were able to identify three diVerent male adult EOD waveform types, which emerged from a single common EOD observed in juveniles. Two of these EOD types formed well supported clades in our phyloge- netic analysis. In an independent line of evidence, we were able to aYrm the classiWcation into three groups by microsatellite data. The correct assignment and the high pairwise FST values support our hypothesis that these groups are reproductively isolated. We propose that in C. numenius there are cryptic species, hidden behind similar and, at least as juveniles, identical morphs.

}, doi = {10.1016/j.ympev.2005.09.008}, author = {Philine G.D. Feulner and Frank Kirschbaum and Victor Mamonekene and Ketmaier, V. and Ralph Tiedemann} }