Whole-genome fossil-calibrated phylogeny of Leuciscidae

The fish family Leuciscidae is one of the largest and most diverse families of fishes within the group of so-called carp-like fishes. It includes more than 700 species, with the common dace (Leuciscus leuciscus) being its typical representative. They are therefore an important ecological and evolutionary component of most aquatic communities in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, inhabiting a wide variety of habitats ranging from muddy marshes to karst caves. While they primarily prefer temperate climates, there are a few members of the family extending into the far north of Siberia and Alaska, as well as into northern Africa, southern Arabia and Mexico. These fish are found in environments ranging from the melting snow waters of northern Siberia to the hot springs and warm lowlands of Algeria, where the water temperature can reach 38 C. They can also withstand extremely low oxygen levels. Consequently, they exhibit great diversity in body shape, environmental preferences, behaviour and distribution. Despite being widespread and common, there are still some mysteries remaining in the Leuciscidae family. For example, the evolutionary relationships between species and groups of species remain unclear. According to the most widely held view, they originated in Central Asia and spread to Europe and North America, possibly in two waves of colonisation. However, this hypothesis has not yet been proven. Thus, to address some of the remaining questions, this project will examine the relationships between species and groups of species, including extinct members, which will be incorporated into the study through their fossils. The relationships between extant species will be investigated using the most modern research techniques, such as the analysis of complete genomes. Understanding how this family spread across Europe and North America is one of the project`s key goals, which will be achieved by combining all these analyses. This interdisciplinary project will bring together scientists from various fields, including ichthyologists, palaeontologists, and bioinformaticians, to enhance our understanding of the remarkable Leuciscidae family of fish.