Beyond tree-like evolution in ostariophysan fishes

A phylogenetic network with four reticulation events among early-diverging ostariophysan lineages fits better than a strictly tree-like model, though reticulation placement remains uncertain.

• Why it matters: Tree-based phylogenies struggle to represent speciation processes like introgression and hybridization, and network analyses need reliable support measures and uncertainty assessment.
• What they did: The study develops composite-likelihood branch and topological support metrics for phylogenetic networks, then tests competing ostariophysan evolutionary scenarios against these statistics.
• The result: Using the best network hypothesis, a first network-based biogeographic reconstruction (Fitch parsimony) matches prior Laurasia–Gondwana ancestry patterns after Pangea breakup and also flags some long-distance dispersal.

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