A genomic look into the evolution and biogeography of the ichthyofauna of the Albertine rift

The landscape we observe today is the result of ancient changes in geology and past fluctuations in climate. Just as these forces shaped landscapes, they molded the genomes of the organisms that inhabit them. Hence, the genomic record offers a glimpse into the past, equally rich as that of the geological and fossil record. However, just as the forces of time eroded away the geological record, extinctions did so for the genomic record. Hence, only a few species have sufficient evolutionary history and geographic distributions for their genomes to contain this rich information. We propose a novel model organism: Clarias gariepinus that does allow for this. Its wide ecological range, pan- continental distribution and old evolutionary history make it stand out from all other tropical freshwater vertebrates and render its genome an ideal record of the changing environments of the African continent. I will characterize its age by investigating the evolutionary history of its family, incorporating fossil evidence. I will delineate its population structure, quantify its morphological stability and identify the mechanisms which did cause it to speciate. I will use its demographic and evolutionary history to date major events such as changes in hydrology and fluctuations in climate. Finally, knowledge of the species’ genome will also allow us to protect it, as the native populations suffer from human-induced introductions and translocations.