AFLPs congruent with morphological differentiation of Asian common minnow Zacco (Pisces: Cyprinidae) in Taiwan

Morphological and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analyses were used to examine the evolutionary relationships among Asian common minnows (Zacco spp.) in Taiwan, where four morphotypes were recently reported. Congruent results from the two sets of analyses indicate that the four morphotypes represent four separate morphometric clades with distinct AFLPs. Consequently, we conclude that four species exist in Taiwan and the systematics of Zacco should be revised accordingly. We also discuss conservation implications and offer a key to the four proposed Zacco species.