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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 55(2)

Deep phylogenetic structure has conservation implications for ornate rainbowfish (Melanotaeniidae : Rhadinocentrus ornatus) in Queensland, eastern Australia

Timothy J. Page A B , Suman Sharma A and Jane M. Hughes A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Cooperative Research Centre for Freshwater Ecology, Centre for Riverine Landscapes, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan Campus, Qld. 4111, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: t.page@griffith.edu.au

Marine and Freshwater Research 55(2) 165-172 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF03139
Submitted: 10 September 2003  Accepted: 22 December 2003   Published: 31 March 2004

Abstract

The freshwater fish, Rhadinocentrus ornatus Regan, 1914, has a patchy distribution through coastal drainages of Queensland and New South Wales, eastern Australia. Isolated populations of R. ornatus are found on several islands, as well as in a disjunct northern population 350 km from its nearest conspecific population. Deoxyribonucleic acid was extracted and sequenced for the mitochondrial ATPase gene to describe the geographic and genetic subdivision within the species. Four major clades were identified. These clades diverged between two and seven million years ago and so represent long-term divisions and possible units of conservation. There are conservation implications in that the narrow and localised distribution of R. ornatus overlaps with an area of large-scale land clearing, high human population and threats from introduced exotic fish. A particularly high centre of Rhadinocentrus diversity in the Tin Can Bay area of Queensland presents some interesting questions about the evolution of the genus Rhadinocentrus.

Extra keywords: ATPase, mitochondrial DNA, phylogeography, wallum.


Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the following people for help in the field: Kaye Stuart; Gio Carini, Ben Cook, James Fawcett, Mia Hillyer, Joel Huey, Carl Murray (Griffith University); Jon Marshall, Alisha Steward (Qld. Department of Natural Resources and Mines); James Diana (University of Michigan); Peter Fugelli (University of Qld.); Dave Hurwood (Qld. University of Technology); John Evans (SCRUB) and Allan Tonks. Specimens were provided by: Alicia and Brian Toon, Tim Marsden (Qld. Deptartment of Primary Industries), Mick Smith (Ecosystem Health Monitoring Project), Mick McGrouther (Australian Museum). Jing Ma and Rodney Eastwood helped with laboratory and analysis work. Chris Marshall and Mark Kennard helped with fish questions. We also thank two anonymous referees for their helpful comments. Funding was provided by the CRC for Freshwater Ecology, Australian Postgraduate Award (TJP) and Tangalooma Marine and Research Foundation (TJP). Fish were sampled under Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service and Department of Primary Industries permits.


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