Robust Sensory Traits Across Light Habitats: Visual Signals but Not Receptors Vary in Centrarchids Inhabiting Distinct Photic Environments

Molecular Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 11, 2025

ABSTRACT Visual communication in fish is often shaped by their light environment, which influences both sensory (e.g., eye size, opsin gene expression) and signalling traits body reflectance). This study explores the phenotypic variation visual of six species centrarchids (Centrarchidae) inhabiting two contrasting environments. We measured morphological, molecular to determine across photic conditions. Our findings reveal significant interspecific but no consistent between Centrarchids showed robust systems with green‐sensitive rh2 red‐sensitive lws genes representing main chromatic channels, expression remaining largely unaffected distinct habitats. also found evolution genes, although these changes were not associated environmental However, reflectance displayed species‐specific responses conditions, suggesting that may be more flexible than traits. Overall, our results challenge generality current paradigm ecology, portrays as highly tunable owing highlights potential evolutionary or developmental constraints on centrarchid implications for adaptability various habitats novel threats.

Language: Английский

Repeated Divergence in Opsin Gene Expression Mirrors Photic Habitat Changes in Rapidly Evolving Crater Lake Cichlid Fishes

The American Naturalist, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 203(5), P. 604 - 617

Published: Jan. 11, 2024

AbstractSelection pressures differ along environmental gradients, and traits tightly linked to fitness (e.g., the visual system) are expected track such variation. Along adaptation local conditions might be due heritable nonheritable environmentally induced Disentangling these sources of phenotypic variation requires studying closely related populations in nature laboratory. The Nicaraguan lakes represent an gradient photic from clear crater very turbid great lakes. From two old, lakes, Midas cichlid fish (

Language: Английский

Visual pigment chromophore usage in Nicaraguan Midas cichlids: phenotypic plasticity and genetic assimilation of cyp27c1 expression

Hydrobiologia, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Aug. 2, 2024

Abstract The wide-ranging photic conditions found across aquatic habitats may act as selective pressures that potentially drive the rapid evolution and diversity of visual system in teleost fish. Teleost fish fine-tune their sensitivities by regulating two components pigments, opsin protein chromophore. Compared with variation, chromophore usage has received little attention. Nicaraguan Midas cichlid species complex, Amphilophus cf citrinellus [Günther 1864], independently colonized seven isolated crater lakes different conditions, resulting several recent adaptive radiations. Here, we investigate variation cyp27c1 , main enzyme modulating exchange. We measured expression environments wild, its genetic component laboratory-reared fish, response to light during development. significantly predict wild populations this seems be genetically assimilated populations. Furthermore, light-induced exhibited genotype-by-environment interactions our manipulative experiments. Overall, within-lake was higher inversely related gene along gradient, emphasizing key role ecology

Language: Английский