2.1 | Sample collection
We collected 108 Sinocyclocheilus individuals from 24 populations
in the central Yunnan Basin (Fig. 1) . The caudal fin or muscle
tissue from each individual was preserved in 95% ethanol for DNA
extraction. The individuals were stored in 10% methanol to facilitate
taxonomic identification and deposited in the Kunming Institute of
Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KIZ). Data from additional samples
was sourced from the National Center of Biotechnology Information
(NCBI). Information associated with each sample is provided inTable 1 .
Sinocyclocheilus fishes are listed under Class II of the
nationally protected animals classification in China. All specimens used
in this study were collected with the permission of the relevant animal
protection government departments in China. The study also complied with
the current laws on animal research in China. and no more than five
individuals were collected from each population.