Diversity, Distribution, and Biogeography of Freshwater Fishes in Guangxi, China

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has one of the most abundant aquatic biodiversity in China, and it is a hotspot of global biodiversity research. In the present study, we explored the diversity, distribution, and biogeography of freshwater fishes in Guangxi. Our results showed that 380 species of freshwater fishes were recorded in Guangxi; the species diversity from northwest to southeast gradually decreased for most Sub−basins; the spatial turnover component was the main contributor to beta diversity; the freshwater fish system belonged to the South China division in the Southeast Asiatic subregion of the Oriental region. ABSTRACT: The Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has the largest number of cavefish species in the world and is a global biodiversity hotspot. In this study, a species list of freshwater fishes in 12 Sub−basins of Guangxi was compiled systematically. Moreover, the species composition and distribution of the diversity were analyzed via the G-F index, taxonomic diversity index, and beta diversity index. Results showed that 380 species of freshwater fishes were recorded in this region, which belonged to 158 genera in 43 families and 17 orders in 2 phyla, in which 128 species of endemic fishes and 83 species of cavefish accounted for 33.68% and 21.84%, respectively. The species diversity from northwest to southeast gradually decreased for most Sub−basins. The G-F index has generally risen in recent years. The taxonomic diversity index showed that the freshwater fish taxonomic composition in Guangxi is uneven. The spatial turnover component was the main contributor to beta diversity. A cluster analysis showed that the 12 Sub−basins in the study area could be divided into four groups, and the phylogenetic relationships of freshwater fishes in Guangxi generally reflect the connections between water systems and geological history. The freshwater fish system in Guangxi, which belonged to the South China division in the Southeast Asiatic subregion of the Oriental region, originated in the early Tertiary period. The results will provide the information needed for freshwater fish resource protection in Guangxi and a reference for promoting the normalization of fish diversity conservation in the Pearl River Basin and other basins.