Regular Intergeneric Hybridization of Leuciscine Cyprinids (Cyprinidae, Leuciscinae) in the Dnipro Affluant

Abstract

The large-scale hybridization of fishes of the subfamily Leuciscinae in the subordinate systems of the Dnipro River basin is presented by the data on two pairs of species, roach Rutilus rutilus × bream Abramis brama, and bleak Alburnus alburnus × rudd Scardinius erythrophthalmus. The hybridization and occurrence of F1 hybrids are confirmed with allozyme spectra and morphological characters on series of samples. A complete morphometric analysis of the characteristics of bleak and rudd hybrids was performed. The paper discusses the intergeneric hybridization in nature, which is a unique phenomenon characteristic only of some groups of cyprinids. The most likely reason is the overestimation of the taxonomic status of European cyprinids, which is confirmed by the insignificant level of intergeneric genetic divergence.