Comparative application of direct sequencing, PCR-RFLP, and cytogenetic markers in the genetic characterization of Pimelodus (Siluriformes: Pimelodidae) species: possible implications for fish conservation.

Pimelodus (Pimelodidae) is a genus comprising a group of South American species with complex taxonomic relationships. Cytogenetics, polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and sequencing data of mitochondrial genes were analyzed to characterize 4 Pimelodus species: P. fur, P. heraldoi, P. maculatus, and Pimelodus sp. All populations presented 2n = 56 chromosomes and distinct karyotypic formulae. The heterochromatin distribution pattern and the number and location of 5S and 18S rDNA sites are discussed. The application of PCR-RFLP markers and sequencing of mitochondrial DNA genes provided species-specific haplotypes, which