Evolutionary and biogeographical approach on Australoheros angiru (Cichlidae) from lagoons in a dividing plateau between the basins of the Iguassu River and the Uruguay River, Brazil

Australoheros is represented by species of Cichlidae spread over different Brazilian river systems. Individuals of Australoheros angiru were collected in isolated lagoons at 950 m of altitude in a dividing plateau between the basins of the Iguassu River and the Uruguay River, located in the São Lourenço do Oeste region (Santa Catarina State), and subject to basic and molecular cytogenetic analyzes. Moreover, a review about the occurrence and collections sites of A. angiru was used to the clarification of biogeographical issues of Australoheros and other species of fish that are common between the basins of the Uruguay River and Iguassu River. The analysis by conventional staining with Giemsa found a diploid number of 48 chromosomes (18 submetacentric + 30 subtelocentric/acrocentric) for males and females, without sex chromosome differentiation. The nucleolar organizing regions identified by silver impregnation and by fluorescence in situ hybridization with 18S rDNA probes showed to be simple, located on the end of the short arm of subtelocentric chromosome pair 15. Heterochromatin was observed in the centromeric region of most of the chromosomes of the complement, in addition to coincide with the nucleolar organizing regions. The data presented in this study are the first reports on the location of sites of 5S rDNA for Australoheros, being located in interstitial position on the long arm of subtelocentric chromosome pair 11. The basic and molecular cytogenetic data presented here contribute to the better understanding of chromosomal evolution of Cichlidae, act as interesting tools for taxonomy and phylogeny of the group, in addition to help in understanding the dispersion of A. angiru between the two hydrographic basins.