Data from: A new species of logperch endemic to Tennessee (Percidae: Etheostomatinae: Percina)

Percina apina, the Tennessee Logperch, is described as a new species endemic to Tennessee and distributed in the Duck River system and Whiteoak Creek. The earliest collection records for Percina apina date to 1971 and the species was identified as Percina burtoni, the Blotchside Logperch. A phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) published in 2006 showed that populations identified as Percina burtoni in the Duck River system and Whiteoak Creek were a new and undescribed species. In this study, we test the hypothesis that Percina burtoni is composed of multiple species through analyses of mtDNA, nuclear genetic variation, and traditional meristic trait morphology. Our analyses of morphological divergence, nuclear genotypes, mtDNA gene trees, and comparisons with other sister species pairs of logperches confirm the distinctiveness of Percina apina. Morphologically, Percina apina is distinguished from Percina burtoni through higher average numbers of lateral line scales (93.1 versus 89.9); pored lateral line scales (91.6 versus 88.8); rows of transverse scales (38.1 versus 33.6); and scales around the caudal peduncle (36.2 versus 33.5). The two species also differ in patterns of pigmentation; the lateral blotches in Percina apina are typically wider than high, whereas the blotches tend to be higher than wide in Percina burtoni. We recommend that future species descriptions of North American freshwater fishes leverage available genetic resources and include molecular phylogenetic assessments in analyses of taxon distinctiveness. In addition, we advocate the deposition of morphological data used in species descriptions to online data repositories to ensure that other researchers are able to evaluate and modify hypotheses of species delimitations.

田纳西镖鲈（Percina apina, Tennessee Logperch）为一新描述物种，系田纳西州特有，分布于达克河（Duck River）水系与白橡溪（Whiteoak Creek）。该物种最早的采集记录可追溯至1971年，当时其被鉴定为斑体镖鲈（Percina burtoni, Blotchside Logperch）。2006年发表的一项线粒体DNA（mtDNA）系统发育分析显示，达克河水系与白橡溪中被归为斑体镖鲈的种群实为一个未被正式描述的新物种。
本研究通过线粒体DNA、核遗传变异（nuclear genetic variation）以及传统可数性状形态学（meristic trait morphology）分析，验证“斑体镖鲈由多个物种构成”这一假说。研究团队通过形态分化、核基因型、线粒体DNA基因树（gene trees）分析，并与其他镖鲈姐妹物种种组（sister species pairs）进行比对，证实了田纳西镖鲈的物种独立性。
形态学上，田纳西镖鲈与斑体镖鲈可通过多项特征区分：平均侧线鳞（lateral line scales）数更高（93.1 对 89.9）、有孔侧线鳞（pored lateral line scales）数（91.6 对 88.8）、横列鳞（transverse scales）行数（38.1 对 33.6）以及尾柄周围鳞片数（36.2 对 33.5）。二者的色素沉着模式（patterns of pigmentation）亦存在差异：田纳西镖鲈的侧斑（lateral blotches）通常宽大于高，而斑体镖鲈的斑块则多为高大于宽。
本研究建议，未来北美淡水鱼类的物种描述工作应充分利用现有遗传资源，并在类群独立性分析中纳入分子系统发育评估。此外，本研究倡议将物种描述中所用的形态学数据提交至在线数据存储库（online data repositories），以确保其他研究者能够对物种界定（species delimitations）假说进行验证与修正。