Exploring the species distribution and origin biodiversity of the freshwater fish at the Lang Biang plateau, Vietnam

Tóm tắt

Freshwater fish at the Lang Biang plateau, an important source of protein and sportfishing for the local people, remains poorly known. This lacking, due to the poor surveying and a situation of taxonomic chaos throughout Vietnam, makes difficulties in accurately identifying specimens and interpreting the published survey results. Our study from 2011 to 2022 on revising the indigenous fish fauna provided the phylogenetic relationship and the geographic distribution. The studied fish species were classified and phylogenetically deduced based on the molecular biology. The evolutionary and phylogenetic relationships, integrated the modified global fish phylogenetic data and delineated factors of fish distribution, were also discussed. A total of 55 indigenous species, belonging to 47 genera, 22 families, 07 orders from 444 specimens collected at seven sampling sites, were identified. Cypriniformes with 37 species (67%) was the most diverse order. Biogeographically, three distinct fish faunas occurred in the Lang Biang plateau: one associated with the Kratie–Stung Treng freshwater ecoregion, one with the Mekong delta, and the third with the Southern Annam. Fishes in the Lang Biang plateau’s middle are not particularly rich in species, but the percentage of endemic taxa is high (13% of 7 species). These species were suckers with flattened bodies in adaptation to the swift waterflow in the area.