Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Evolutionary significance of introgressive hybridization in cyprinid fishes

Nature volume 362, pages 444–446 (1993)Cite this article

Abstract

BOTANISTS have long recognized introgressive hybridization as important in the evolution of plants1, 2. Hybridization among animals is also common3, yet few zoologists have considered it evolutionarily important4–6. We report here that in the genus Gila, a morphologically diverse group of minnows from western North America7, we have discovered a pervasive influence of hybridization throughout their evolutionary histories. Gene exchange among distinctive forms has contributed to existing diversity, supporting the hypothesis that introgressive hybridization can play a significant role in evolution of vertebrates.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Anderson, E. Introgressive Hybridization (Wiley, New York, 1941).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Grant, V. Plant Speciation 2nd edn (Columbia Univ. Press, New York, 1981).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Harrison, R. G. in Oxford Surveys in Evolutionary Biology Vol. 7 (eds Futuyma, D. & Antonovics, J.) 69–128 (Oxford University Press, New York, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Mayr, E. 1963. Animal Species and Evolution (Belknap, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1963).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  5. Lewontin, R. C. & Birch, L. C. Evolution 20, 315–336 (1966).

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Short, L. L. Ann. Mo. Bot. Gdn 59, 447–453 (1972).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Lee, D. S. et al. (eds) Atlas of North American Freshwater Fishes (NC State Mus. Nat. Hist., Raleigh, 1980).

  8. Smith, G. R., Miller, R. R. & Sable, W. D. Proc. First Conf. Sci. Res. Nat. Parks 1, 613–623 (1979).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Rinne, J. N. Wasmann J. Biol. 34, 65–107 (1976).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Douglas, M. E., Minckley, W. L. & Tyus, H. M. Copeia 1989, 653–662 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Smith, G. R. Trans. Bonneville Chapter Am. Fish. Soc. 1983, 1–8 (1983).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Holden, P. B. & Stalnaker, C. B. Copeia 1970, 409–420 (1970).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. DeMarais, B. D., Dowling, T. E., Douglas, M. E., Minckley, W. L. & Marsh, P. C. Proc. natn. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 89, 2747–2752 (1992).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Hubbs, C. L. & Miller, R. R. Bull. Univ. Utah 38, Biol. Ser. 10, 17–144 (1948).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Wolfe, E. W. in Landscapes of Arizona (eds Smiley, T., Nations, J., Péwė, T. & Schafer, J) 111–136 (University Press America, New York, 1984).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Smith, G. R. Syst. Biol. 41, 41–57 (1992).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Sigler, W. F. & Miller, R. R. Fishes of Utah (UT St. Dept. Fish & Game, Salt Lake City, 1963).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Hubbs, C. L., Miller, R. R. & Hubbs, L. C. Mem Calif. Acad. Sci. 7, 1–259 (1974).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Miller, R. R. Copeia 1945, 104–110 (1945).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Minckley, W. L., Hendrickson, D. A. & Bond, C. E. in The Zoogeography of North American Freshwater Fishes (eds Hocutt, C. H. & Wiley, E. O.) 519–613 (Wiley, New York, 1986).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Neigel, J. E. & Avise, J. C. in Evolutionary Processes and Theory (eds Nevo, E. & Karlin, S.) 515–534 (Academic, New York, 1986).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  22. Pamilo, P. & Nei, M. Molec. biol. Evol. 5, 568–583 (1988).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Dowling, T. E. & Brown, W. M. Syst. Zool. 38, 126–143 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Felsenstein, J. Evolution 39, 783–791 (1985).

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Winograd, I. J. et al. Science 258, 255–260 (1992).

    Article  ADS  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Axelrod, D. I. Calif. Acad. Sci. Occ. Pap. 132, 1–74 (1979).

    Google Scholar 

  27. Arnold, M. L. A. Rev. ecol. Syst. 23, 237–261 (1992).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Rieseberg, L. H. & Brunsfeld, S. in Plant Molecular Systematics (eds Soltis, D. E., Soltis, P. S. & Doyle, J. J.) 151–176 (Chapman and Hall, New York, 1992).

    Book  Google Scholar 

  29. Shaklee, J. B., Allendorf, F. W., Morizot, D. C. & Whitt, G. S. Trans. Am. Fish. Soc. 119, 2–15 (1990).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Swofford, D. L. & Selander, R. B. J. Hered. 72, 281–283 (1981).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Nei, M. Genetics 89, 583–590 (1978).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  32. Murphy, R. M., Sites, J. W. Jr, Buth, D. G. & Haufler, C. H. in Molecular Systematics (eds Hillis, D. M. & Moritz, C.) 45–126 (Sinauer, Sunderland, MA, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  33. Swofford, D. & Berlocher, S. H. Syst. Zool. 36, 293–325 (1987).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Nei, M., Stephens, J. C. & Saitou, N. Molec. biol. Evol. 2, 66–85 (1985).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Nei, M. & Tajima, F. Genetics 105, 207–217 (1983).

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  36. Dowling, T. E., Moritz, C. & Palmer, J. D. in Molecular Systematics (eds Hillis, D. M. & Moritz, C.) 250–317 (Sinauer, Sunderland, MA, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  37. Swofford, D. L. Phylogenetic Analysis Using Parsimony, version 3.0q (IL Nat. Hist. Surv., Champaign, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, 85287-1501, USA

    Thomas E. Dowling & Bruce D. DeMarais

Authors
  1. Thomas E. Dowling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Bruce D. DeMarais
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dowling, T., DeMarais, B. Evolutionary significance of introgressive hybridization in cyprinid fishes. Nature 362, 444–446 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1038/362444a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/362444a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing