Phylogeography of Limia vittata (Cyprinodontiformes: Poeciliidae): geographical distribution of mitochondrial haplotypes is comparable to other Cuban poeciliids

The genus Limia is endemic to the Greater Antilles with a single species in Cuba, Limia vittata, widespread in lowland ecosystems. The limited data available regarding its population structure suggest that its levels of intraspecific divergence are lower compared to other Cuban poeciliids. Furthermore, little is known about the dispersal pathways and demographic changes experienced by present-day populations. By analysing two mitochondrial markers and testing scenarios of dispersal and vicariance, we provide insights into the evolutionary history of L. vittata. Here, we show that this species is formed by three genetically differentiated and geographically delimited groups of populations. We also found moderate intraspecific divergence and a mtDNA pattern of high haplotype diversity and low nucleotide diversity which is consistent with a rapid demographic expansion. Our Bayesian analysis recovered dispersal from eastern to western Cuba as the most likely scenario explaining the current distribution of this species. Limia vittata exhibited a distinct regional distribution of haplogroups that corresponds to major core landmasses within Cuba, along with a signature of rapid population expansion during relatively recent palaeoclimatic changes that occurred during the formation of the archipelago. Similar phylogeographic patterns have been identified in other freshwater and terrestrial taxa on the island.