Astroblepus Catfish Specimen Catalog for Integrative Taxonomy Study in Ecuador

395 specimens of Andean catfish from the Esmeraldas River basin in Ecuador were analyzed using DNA barcoding and geometric morphometrics. The dataset, authored by Kevin P. Chugá-Puetate and last updated in April 2026, supports an integrative taxonomy study that identified seven evolutionary lineages. This work suggests underestimated species diversity and highlights the need for taxonomic revision and conservation.

Use Cases

• Species delimitation analysis based on COI gene DNA barcoding data.
• Morphological cluster analysis based on geometric morphometric measurements.
• Assessing altitudinal distribution as a driver of divergence among fish lineages.
• Validating and revising taxonomic classifications for the genus Astroblepus.

Strengths

• Integrates data from 395 specimens, with 386 used for morphometrics and 33 for genetics.
• Applies a multi-method approach combining DNA barcoding, geometric morphometrics, and traditional morphology.
• Results identify seven evolutionary lineages, exceeding the five species previously recognized in the basin.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• The 22.4 KB file size indicates a very small, likely summary-level dataset.

Provenance

Source

Kevin P. Chugá-Puetate via figshare

Collection Method

Specimens were collected and analyzed using integrative taxonomy (DNA barcoding, geometric morphometrics, traditional morphology).

Freshness

Last updated 2026-04-22 17:44:48; freshness should be verified.

Geography

Esmeraldas River basin, Ecuador