4.3 | Implications for the conservation and management
Additional studies on the morphology and genetic structures ofSinocyclocheilus fishes will be required to confirm our findings that populations from the Chenglong vauclusian spring (C) and the Fuming vauclusian spring (F) have diverged. Although much efforts have been made to protect populations of S. grahami from human exploitation in accordance with the national protection scheme (Yue & Chen, 1998), little remains known regarding the conservation of this species through management practices (Li, 2001). Our findings reveal that geographic populations of S. grahami have formed (especially within the vauclusian spring) thereby meeting a key criterion for this species being considered an evolutionary significant unit (ESU) (Ryder, 1986). Although it is difficult, We therefore propose that the eight clades or even more of the Dianchi Lake Basin should be treated as ESUs ofS. grahami for future conservation and management efforts. Vauclusian spring provides a lebensraum for cave fish, but it also hinders gene exchange between species, so it should be specially protect.
Table 1 Details of sampling sites, the number ofSinocyclocheilus individuals collected, and additional samples sourced from NCBI.