Genomic-based revelation of genetic structure and adaptive characterization of Schizopygopsis malacanthus in the Jinsha River and Yalong River

As a highly specialized class of schizothoracine fishes, Schizopygopsis malacanthus has attracted much attention due to its widespread distribution. To investigate the impact of the Qinghai‒Tibet movement on S. malacanthus, we analyzed the genetic evolutionary history of this species. These results showed that there was a high level of genetic differentiation between Jinsha River (JSR) populations and Yalong River (YLR) populations. The genetic diversity of intra-YLR populations was higher than that of the intra-JSR populations. There was gene exchange of the Suwalong population to the Huoqu and Ganzi populations. Furthermore, both of the JSR and YLR populations exhibited a gradual increase in the genetic differentiation index from low to high altitudes, and the effective population of high-elevation populations has gradually expanded. In high-altitude populations, the selected genes were enriched in DNA repair, light transduction, and energy metabolism, reflecting the genetic basis for their migration to higher altitudes. S. malacanthus populations had the higher genetic differentiation and genetic diversity in the JSR and its main tributary YLR. Therefore, we should preserve high-elevation natural river sections as much as possible and reserve habitats for their migration and diffusion.