1
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Bressman NR. Terrestrial capabilities of invasive fishes and their management implications. Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:icac023. [PMID: 35511196 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Amphibious fishes have many adaptations that make them successful in a wide variety of conditions, including air-breathing, terrestrial locomotor capabilities, and extreme tolerance of poor water quality. However, the traits that make them highly adaptable may allow these fishes to successfully establish themselves outside of their native regions. In particular, the terrestrial capabilities of invasive amphibious fishes allow them to disperse overland, unlike fully aquatic invasive fishes, making their management more complicated. Despite numerous amphibious fish introductions around the world, ecological risk assessments and management plans often fail to adequately account for their terrestrial behaviors. In this review, I discuss the diversity of invasive amphibious fishes and what we currently know about why they emerge onto land, how they move around terrestrial environments, and how they orient while on land. In doing so, I use case studies of the performance and motivations of nonnative amphibious fishes in terrestrial environments to propose management solutions that factor in their complete natural history. Because of their terrestrial capabilities, we may need to manage amphibious fishes more like amphibians than fully aquatic fishes, but to do so, we need to learn more about how these species perform in a wide range of terrestrial environments and conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah R Bressman
- Salisbury University, Department of Biology, 1101 Camden Avenue, Salisbury, Maryland, USA, 21801
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2
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Lutek K, Donatelli CM, Standen EM. Patterns and processes in amphibious fish: biomechanics and neural control of fish terrestrial locomotion. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:275243. [PMID: 35502693 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Amphibiousness in fishes spans the actinopterygian tree from the earliest to the most recently derived species. The land environment requires locomotor force production different from that in water, and a diversity of locomotor modes have evolved across the actinopterygian tree. To compare locomotor mode between species, we mapped biomechanical traits on an established amphibious fish phylogeny. Although the diversity of fish that can move over land is large, we noted several patterns, including the rarity of morphological and locomotor specialization, correlations between body shape and locomotor mode, and an overall tendency for amphibious fish to be small. We suggest two idealized empirical metrics to consider when gauging terrestrial 'success' in fishes and discuss patterns of terrestriality in fishes considering biomechanical scaling, physical consequences of shape, and tissue plasticity. Finally, we suggest four ways in which neural control could change in response to a novel environment, highlighting the importance and challenges of deciphering when these control mechanisms are used. We aim to provide an overview of the diversity of successful amphibious locomotion strategies and suggest several frameworks that can guide the study of amphibious fish and their locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Lutek
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada, K1N 6N5
| | - C M Donatelli
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada, K1N 6N5
| | - E M Standen
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Canada, K1N 6N5
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3
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Graham M, Socha JJ. Dynamic movements facilitate extreme gap crossing in flying snakes. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272323. [PMID: 34581414 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
In arboreal habitats, direct routes between two locations can be impeded by gaps in the vegetation. Arboreal animals typically use dynamic movements, such as jumping, to navigate these gaps if the distance between supports exceeds their reaching ability. In contrast, most snakes only use the cantilever crawl to cross gaps. This behavior imposes large torques on the animal, inhibiting their gap-crossing capabilities. Flying snakes (Chrysopelea), however, are known to use dynamic behaviors in a different arboreal context: they use a high-acceleration jump to initiate glides. We hypothesized that flying snakes also use jumping take-off behaviors to cross gaps, allowing them to cross larger distances. To test this hypothesis, we used a six-camera motion-capture system to investigate the effect of gap size on crossing behavior in Chrysopelea paradisi, and analyzed the associated kinematics and torque requirements. We found that C. paradisi typically uses cantilevering for small gaps (<47.5% snout-vent length, SVL). Above this distance, C. paradisi were more likely to use dynamic movements than cantilevers, either arching upward or employing a below-branch loop of the body. These dynamic movements extended the range of horizontal crossing to ∼120% SVL. The behaviors used for the largest gaps were kinematically similar to the J-loop jumps used in gliding, and involved smaller torques than the cantilevers. These data suggest that the ability to jump allows flying snakes to access greater resources in the arboreal environment, and supports the broader hypothesis that arboreal animals jump across gaps only when reaching is not mechanically possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Graham
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - John J Socha
- Department of Biomedical Engineering and Mechanics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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4
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Schwaner MJ, Hsieh ST, Braasch I, Bradley S, Campos CB, Collins CE, Donatelli CM, Fish FE, Fitch OE, Flammang BE, Jackson BE, Jusufi A, Mekdara PJ, Patel A, Swalla BJ, Vickaryous M, McGowan CP. Future Tail Tales: A Forward-Looking, Integrative Perspective on Tail Research. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:521-537. [PMID: 33999184 PMCID: PMC8680820 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Synopsis Tails are a defining characteristic of chordates and show enormous diversity in function and shape. Although chordate tails share a common evolutionary and genetic-developmental origin, tails are extremely versatile in morphology and function. For example, tails can be short or long, thin or thick, and feathered or spiked, and they can be used for propulsion, communication, or balancing, and they mediate in predator-prey outcomes. Depending on the species of animal the tail is attached to, it can have extraordinarily multi-functional purposes. Despite its morphological diversity and broad functional roles, tails have not received similar scientific attention as, for example, the paired appendages such as legs or fins. This forward-looking review article is a first step toward interdisciplinary scientific synthesis in tail research. We discuss the importance of tail research in relation to five topics: (1) evolution and development, (2) regeneration, (3) functional morphology, (4) sensorimotor control, and (5) computational and physical models. Within each of these areas, we highlight areas of research and combinations of long-standing and new experimental approaches to move the field of tail research forward. To best advance a holistic understanding of tail evolution and function, it is imperative to embrace an interdisciplinary approach, re-integrating traditionally siloed fields around discussions on tail-related research.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Schwaner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA
| | - S T Hsieh
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | - I Braasch
- Department of Integrative Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior (EEB), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - S Bradley
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Guelph, Guelph N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - C B Campos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sacramento State University, Sacramento, CA 95819, USA
| | - C E Collins
- Department of Biological Sciences, Sacramento State University, Sacramento, CA 95819, USA
| | - C M Donatelli
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - F E Fish
- Department of Biology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383, USA
| | - O E Fitch
- Department of Integrative Biology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior (EEB), Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - B E Flammang
- Department of Biological Sciences, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102, USA
| | - B E Jackson
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Longwood University, Farmville, VA 23909, USA
| | - A Jusufi
- Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
| | - P J Mekdara
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - A Patel
- Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7701, South Africa
| | - B J Swalla
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - M Vickaryous
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Guelph, Guelph N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - C P McGowan
- Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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5
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Schwaner MJ, Hsieh ST, Swalla BJ, McGowan CP. An introduction to an evolutionary tail: EvoDevo, structure and function of post-anal appendages. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:352-357. [PMID: 34124748 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although tails are common and versatile appendages that contribute to evolutionary success of animals in a broad range of ways, a scientific synthesis on the topic had yet to be initiated. For our Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (SICB) symposium we brought together researchers from different areas of expertise (e.g., robotosists, biomechanists, functional morphologists, and evolutionary and developmental biologists), to highlight their research but also to emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of this topic. The four main themes that emerged based on the research presented in this symposium are: 1) How do we define a tail? 2) Development and regeneration inform evolutionary origins of tails, 3) Identifying key characteristics highlights functional morphology of tails, 4) Tail multi-functionality leads to the development of bioinspired technology. We discuss the research provided within this symposium, in light of these four themes. We showcase the broad diversity of current tail research and lay an important foundational framework for future interdisciplinary research on tails with this timely symposium.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Schwaner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - S T Hsieh
- Department of Biology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - B J Swalla
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - C P McGowan
- Department of Integrative Anatomical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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6
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McFarlane W, Rossi GS, Wright PA. Amphibious fish 'get a jump' on terrestrial locomotor performance after exercise training on land. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.213348. [PMID: 31570512 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.213348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Many amphibious fishes rely on terrestrial locomotion to accomplish essential daily tasks, but it is unknown whether terrestrial exercise improves the locomotor performance of fishes on land. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that terrestrial exercise improves locomotion in amphibious fishes out of water as a result of skeletal muscle remodeling. We compared the jumping performance of Kryptolebias marmoratus before and after an exercise training regimen, and assessed the muscle phenotype of control and exercise-trained fish. We found that exercise-trained fish jumped 41% farther and 48% more times before reaching exhaustion. Furthermore, exercise training resulted in the hypertrophy of red muscle fibers, and an increase in red muscle capillarity and aerobic capacity. Lactate accumulation after jumping indicates that white muscle is also important in powering terrestrial jumps. Overall, skeletal muscle in K. marmoratus is highly responsive to terrestrial exercise, and muscle plasticity may assist in the effective exploitation of terrestrial habitats by amphibious fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- William McFarlane
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Giulia S Rossi
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
| | - Patricia A Wright
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada N1G 2W1
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7
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Farley GM, Wise MJ, Harrison JS, Sutton GP, Kuo C, Patek SN. Adhesive latching and legless leaping in small, worm-like insect larvae. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:222/15/jeb201129. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.201129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Jumping is often achieved using propulsive legs, yet legless leaping has evolved multiple times. We examined the kinematics, energetics and morphology of long-distance jumps produced by the legless larvae of gall midges (Asphondylia sp.). They store elastic energy by forming their body into a loop and pressurizing part of their body to form a transient ‘leg’. They prevent movement during elastic loading by placing two regions covered with microstructures against each other, which likely serve as a newly described adhesive latch. Once the latch releases, the transient ‘leg’ launches the body into the air. Their average takeoff speeds (mean: 0.85 m s−1; range: 0.39–1.27 m s−1) and horizontal travel distances (up to 36 times body length or 121 mm) rival those of legged insect jumpers and their mass-specific power density (mean: 910 W kg−1; range: 150–2420 W kg−1) indicates the use of elastic energy storage to launch the jump. Based on the forces reported for other microscale adhesive structures, the adhesive latching surfaces are sufficient to oppose the loading forces prior to jumping. Energetic comparisons of insect larval crawling versus jumping indicate that these jumps are orders of magnitude more efficient than would be possible if the animals had crawled an equivalent distance. These discoveries integrate three vibrant areas in engineering and biology – soft robotics, small, high-acceleration systems, and adhesive systems – and point toward a rich, and as-yet untapped area of biological diversity of worm-like, small, legless jumpers.
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Affiliation(s)
- G. M. Farley
- Biology Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - M. J. Wise
- Department of Biology, Roanoke College, Salem, VA 24153, USA
| | - J. S. Harrison
- Biology Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - G. P. Sutton
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK
| | - C. Kuo
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Grosshaderner Strasse 2, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - S. N. Patek
- Biology Department, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA
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8
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Bressman NR, Simms M, Perlman BM, Ashley-Ross MA. Where do fish go when stranded on land? Terrestrial orientation of the mangrove rivulus Kryptolebias marmoratus. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2019; 95:335-344. [PMID: 30242836 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 09/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The goal of the present study was to determine which sensory cues the mangrove rivulus Kryptolebias marmoratus, a quasi-amphibious, hermaphroditic fish, uses to orient in an unfamiliar terrestrial environment. In a laboratory setting, K. marmoratus were placed on a terrestrial test arena and were provided the opportunity to move toward reflective surfaces, water, dark colours v. light colours, and orange colouration. Compared with hermaphrodites, males moved more often toward an orange section of the test arena, suggesting that the response may be associated with camouflage or male-male competition, since only males display orange colouration. Younger individuals also moved more often toward the orange quadrant than older individuals, suggesting age-dependent orientation performance or behaviour. Sloped terrain also had a significant effect on orientation, with more movement downhill, suggesting the importance of the otolith-vestibular system in terrestrial orientation of K. marmoratus. By understanding the orientation of extant amphibious fishes, we may be able to infer how sensory biology and behaviour might have evolved to facilitate invasion of land by amphibious vertebrates millions of years ago.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah R Bressman
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Mark Simms
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Benjamin M Perlman
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California
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9
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Minicozzi M, Kimball D, Finden A, Friedman S, Gibb AC. Are Extreme Anatomical Modifications Required for Fish to Move Effectively on Land? Comparative Anatomy of the Posterior Axial Skeleton in the Cyprinodontiformes. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2019; 303:53-64. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.24117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2017] [Revised: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel Kimball
- Department of Biology Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona
| | - Alex Finden
- Department of Biology Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona
| | - Sarah Friedman
- Department of Evolution and Ecology University of California Davis California
| | - Alice C. Gibb
- Department of Biology Northern Arizona University Flagstaff Arizona
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10
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Development of G: a test in an amphibious fish. Heredity (Edinb) 2018; 122:696-708. [PMID: 30327484 DOI: 10.1038/s41437-018-0152-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 09/16/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Heritable variation in, and genetic correlations among, traits determine the response of multivariate phenotypes to natural selection. However, as traits develop over ontogeny, patterns of genetic (co)variation and integration captured by the G matrix may also change. Despite this, few studies have investigated how genetic parameters underpinning multivariate phenotypes change as animals pass through major life history stages. Here, using a self-fertilizing hermaphroditic fish species, mangrove rivulus (Kryptolebias marmoratus), we test the hypothesis that G changes from hatching through reproductive maturation. We also test Cheverud's conjecture by asking whether phenotypic patterns provide an acceptable surrogate for patterns of genetic (co)variation within and across ontogenetic stages. For a set of morphological traits linked to locomotor (jumping) performance, we find that the overall level of genetic integration (as measured by the mean-squared correlation across all traits) does not change significantly over ontogeny. However, we also find evidence that some trait-specific genetic variances and pairwise genetic correlations do change. Ontogenetic changes in G indicate the presence of genetic variance for developmental processes themselves, while also suggesting that any genetic constraints on morphological evolution may be age-dependent. Phenotypic correlations closely resembled genetic correlations at each stage in ontogeny. Thus, our results are consistent with the premise that-at least under common environment conditions-phenotypic correlations can be a good substitute for genetic correlations in studies of multivariate developmental evolution.
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11
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James WR, Styga JM, White S, Marson KM, Earley RL. Phenotypically plastic responses to predation threat in the mangrove rivulus fish (Kryptolebias marmoratus): behavior and morphology. Evol Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-018-9952-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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12
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Styga JM, Houslay TM, Wilson AJ, Earley RL. Ontogeny of the morphology-performance axis in an amphibious fish (Kryptolebias marmoratus). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2018. [PMID: 29537626 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Establishing links between morphology and performance is important for understanding the functional, ecological, and evolutionary implications of morphological diversity. Relationships between morphology and performance are expected to be age dependent if, at different points during ontogeny, animals must perform in different capacities to achieve high fitness returns. Few studies have examined how the relationship between form and function changes across ontogeny. Here, we assess this relationship in the amphibious mangrove rivulus (Kryptolebias marmoratus) fish, a species that is both capable of and reliant on "tail-flip jumping" for terrestrial locomotion. Tail-flip jumping entails an individual transferring its weight to the caudal region of the body, launching itself from the substrate to navigate to new aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats. By combining repeated trials of jumping performance in 237 individuals from distinct age classes with a clearing and staining procedure to visualize bones in the caudal region, we test the hypotheses that as age increases (i) average jumping performance (body lengths jumped) will increase, (ii) the amount of variation for each trait will change, and (iii) the patterns of covariation/correlation among traits, which tell us about the integration of form with function, will also change. We find a significant increase in size-adjusted jumping performance with age, and modification to the correlation structure among traits across ontogeny. However, we also find that significant links between form and function evident in young animals disappear at later ontogenetic stages. Our study suggests that different functional mechanisms may be associated with high performance at different stages of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Styga
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Thomas M Houslay
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter-Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK
| | - Alastair J Wilson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter-Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK
| | - Ryan L Earley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
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13
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Mayerl CJ, Pruett JE, Summerlin MN, Rivera ARV, Blob RW. Hindlimb muscle function in turtles: is novel skeletal design correlated with novel muscle function? ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:2554-2562. [PMID: 28476892 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.157792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Variations in musculoskeletal lever systems have formed an important foundation for predictions about the diversity of muscle function and organismal performance. Changes in the structure of lever systems may be coupled with changes in muscle use and give rise to novel muscle functions. The two extant turtle lineages, cryptodires and pleurodires, exhibit differences in hindlimb structure. Cryptodires possess the ancestral musculoskeletal morphology, with most hip muscles originating on the pelvic girdle, which is not fused to the shell. In contrast, pleurodires exhibit a derived morphology, in which fusion of the pelvic girdle to the shell has resulted in shifts in the origin of most hip muscles onto the interior of the shell. To test how variation in muscle arrangement might influence muscle function during different locomotor behaviors, we combined measurements of muscle leverage in five major hindlimb muscles with data on muscle use and hindlimb kinematics during swimming and walking in representative semiaquatic cryptodire (Trachemys scripta) and pleurodire (Emydura subglobosa) species. We found substantial differences in muscle leverage between the two species. Additionally, we found that there were extensive differences in muscle use in both species, especially while walking, with some pleurodire muscles exhibiting novel functions associated with their derived musculoskeletal lever system. However, the two species shared similar overall kinematic profiles within each environment. Our results suggest that changes in limb lever systems may relate to changes in limb muscle motor patterns and kinematics, but that other factors must also contribute to differences in muscle activity and limb kinematics between these taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jenna E Pruett
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849 USA
| | - Morgan N Summerlin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
| | | | - Richard W Blob
- Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
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14
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Kelley JL, Yee MC, Brown AP, Richardson RR, Tatarenkov A, Lee CC, Harkins TT, Bustamante CD, Earley RL. The Genome of the Self-Fertilizing Mangrove Rivulus Fish, Kryptolebias marmoratus: A Model for Studying Phenotypic Plasticity and Adaptations to Extreme Environments. Genome Biol Evol 2016; 8:2145-54. [PMID: 27324916 PMCID: PMC4987111 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evw145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The mangrove rivulus (Kryptolebias marmoratus) is one of two preferentially self-fertilizing hermaphroditic vertebrates. This mode of reproduction makes mangrove rivulus an important model for evolutionary and biomedical studies because long periods of self-fertilization result in naturally homozygous genotypes that can produce isogenic lineages without significant limitations associated with inbreeding depression. Over 400 isogenic lineages currently held in laboratories across the globe show considerable among-lineage variation in physiology, behavior, and life history traits that is maintained under common garden conditions. Temperature mediates the development of primary males and also sex change between hermaphrodites and secondary males, which makes the system ideal for the study of sex determination and sexual plasticity. Mangrove rivulus also exhibit remarkable adaptations to living in extreme environments, and the system has great promise to shed light on the evolution of terrestrial locomotion, aerial respiration, and broad tolerances to hypoxia, salinity, temperature, and environmental pollutants. Genome assembly of the mangrove rivulus allows the study of genes and gene families associated with the traits described above. Here we present a de novo assembled reference genome for the mangrove rivulus, with an approximately 900 Mb genome, including 27,328 annotated, predicted, protein-coding genes. Moreover, we are able to place more than 50% of the assembled genome onto a recently published linkage map. The genome provides an important addition to the linkage map and transcriptomic tools recently developed for this species that together provide critical resources for epigenetic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses. Moreover, the genome will serve as the foundation for addressing key questions in behavior, physiology, toxicology, and evolutionary biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna L Kelley
- School of Biological Sciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
| | - Muh-Ching Yee
- Department of Plant Biology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, California
| | - Anthony P Brown
- School of Biological Sciences and Center for Reproductive Biology, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington
| | | | - Andrey Tatarenkov
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, California
| | | | | | | | - Ryan L Earley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
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15
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Moran CJ, Ferry LA, Gibb AC. Why does Gila elegans have a bony tail? A study of swimming morphology convergence. ZOOLOGY 2016; 119:175-181. [PMID: 27157474 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2016.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2015] [Revised: 02/03/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Caudal-fin-based swimming is the primary form of locomotion in most fishes. As a result, many species have developed specializations to enhance performance during steady swimming. Specializations that enable high swimming speeds to be maintained for long periods of time include: a streamlined body, high-aspect-ratio (winglike) caudal fin, a shallow caudal peduncle, and high proportions of slow-twitch ("red") axial muscle. We described the locomotor specializations of a fish species native to the Colorado River and compared those specializations to other fish species from this habitat, as well as to a high-performance marine swimmer. The focal species for this study was the bonytail (Gila elegans), which has a distinct morphology when compared with closely related species from the Southwestern United States. Comparative species used in this study were the roundtail chub (Gila robusta), a closely related species from low-flow habitats; the common carp (Cyprinus carpio), an invasive cyprinid also found in low-flow habitats; and the chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus), a model high-performance swimmer from the marine environment. The bonytail had a shallow caudal peduncle and a high-aspect-ratio tail that were similar to those of the chub mackerel. The bonytail also had a more streamlined body than the roundtail chub and the common carp, although not as streamlined as the chub mackerel. The chub mackerel had a significantly higher proportion of red muscle than the other three species, which did not differ from one another. Taken together, the streamlined body, narrow caudal peduncle, and high-aspect-ratio tail of the bonytail suggest that this species has responded to the selection pressures of the historically fast-flowing Colorado River, where flooding events and base flows may have required native species to produce and sustain very high swimming speeds to prevent being washed downstream.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clinton J Moran
- Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA.
| | - Lara A Ferry
- School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, Arizona State University, 4701 W. Thunderbird Rd., Glendale, AZ 85306, USA
| | - Alice C Gibb
- Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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Perlman BM, Ashley-Ross MA. By land or by sea: a modified C-start motor pattern drives the terrestrial tail-flip. J Exp Biol 2016; 219:1860-5. [PMID: 27045097 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.128744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Aquatic C-start escape responses in teleost fishes are driven by a well-studied network of reticulospinal neurons that produce a motor pattern of simultaneous contraction of axial muscle on the side of the body opposite the threatening stimulus, bending the fish into the characteristic C, followed by a traveling wave of muscle contraction on the contralateral side that moves the fish away from the threat. Superficially, the kinematics of the terrestrial tail-flip resemble the C-start, with the anterior body rolling up and over the tail into a tight C shape, followed by straightening as the fish launches off of the caudal peduncle into ballistic flight. We asked if similar motor control is used for both behaviors in the amphibious mangrove rivulus, Kryptolebias marmoratus. Fine-wire bipolar electrodes were percutaneously inserted into repeatable paired axial locations in five individual fish. Electromyograms synchronized with high-speed video were made of aquatic C-starts, immediately followed by terrestrial tail-flips. Tail-flips took longer to complete than aquatic escapes; correspondingly, muscles were activated for longer durations on land. In the tail-flip, activity was seen in contralateral posterior axial muscle for an extended period of time during the formation of the C shape, likely to press the caudal peduncle against the ground in preparation for launch. Tail-flips thus appear to be produced by modification of the motor pattern driving the aquatic C-start, with differences consistent with the additional requirement of overcoming gravity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin M. Perlman
- Wake Forest University, Department of Biology, 1834 Wake Forest Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27106, USA
| | - Miriam A. Ashley-Ross
- Wake Forest University, Department of Biology, 1834 Wake Forest Road, Winston-Salem, NC 27106, USA
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Turko AJ, Wright PA. Evolution, ecology and physiology of amphibious killifishes (Cyprinodontiformes). JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2015; 87:815-835. [PMID: 26299792 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.12758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2013] [Accepted: 06/24/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The order Cyprinodontiformes contains an exceptional diversity of amphibious taxa, including at least 34 species from six families. These cyprinodontiforms often inhabit intertidal or ephemeral habitats characterized by low dissolved oxygen or otherwise poor water quality, conditions that have been hypothesized to drive the evolution of terrestriality. Most of the amphibious species are found in the Rivulidae, Nothobranchiidae and Fundulidae. It is currently unclear whether the pattern of amphibiousness observed in the Cyprinodontiformes is the result of repeated, independent evolutions, or stems from an amphibious common ancestor. Amphibious cyprinodontiforms leave water for a variety of reasons: some species emerse only briefly, to escape predation or capture prey, while others occupy ephemeral habitats by living for months at a time out of water. Fishes able to tolerate months of emersion must maintain respiratory gas exchange, nitrogen excretion and water and salt balance, but to date knowledge of the mechanisms that facilitate homeostasis on land is largely restricted to model species. This review synthesizes the available literature describing amphibious lifestyles in cyprinodontiforms, compares the behavioural and physiological strategies used to exploit the terrestrial environment and suggests directions and ideas for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Turko
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 488 Gordon Street, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - P A Wright
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 488 Gordon Street, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
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Witt WC, Wen L, Lauder GV. Hydrodynamics of C-Start Escape Responses of Fish as Studied with Simple Physical Models. Integr Comp Biol 2015; 55:728-39. [PMID: 25920507 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icv016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the most-studied unsteady locomotor behaviors exhibited by fishes is the c-start escape response. Although the kinematics of these responses have been studied extensively and two well-defined kinematic stages have been documented, only a few studies have focused on hydrodynamic patterns generated by fishes executing escape behaviors. Previous work has shown that escape responses by bluegill sunfish generate three distinct vortex rings, each with central orthogonal jet flows, and here we extend this conclusion to two other species: stickleback and mosquitofish. Jet #1 is formed by the tail during Stage 1, and moves in the same direction as Stage-2 movement of the fish, thereby reducing final escape-velocity but also rotating the fish. Jet #2, in contrast, moves approximately opposite to the final direction of the fish's motion and contains the bulk of the total fluid-momentum powering the escape response. Jet #3 forms during Stage 2 in the mid-body region and moves in a direction approximately perpendicular to jets 1 and 2, across the direction of movement of the body. In this study, we used a mechanical controller to impulsively move passively flexible plastic panels of three different stiffnesses in heave, pitch, and heave + pitch motions to study the effects of stiffness on unsteady hydrodynamics of escape. We were able to produce kinematics very similar to those of fish c-starts and also to reproduce the 3-jet hydrodynamic pattern of the c-start using a panel of medium flexural stiffness and the combined heave + pitch motion. This medium-stiffness panel matched the measured stiffness of the near-tail region of fish bodies. This motion also produced positive power when the panel straightened during stage 2 of the escape response. More flexible and stiffer panels resulted in non-biological kinematics and patterns of flow for all motions. The use of simple flexible models with a mechanical controller and program of fish-like motion is a promising approach for studying unsteady behaviors of fish which can be difficult to manipulate experimentally in live animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- William C Witt
- *Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, China 100191; Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Li Wen
- *Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, China 100191; Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - George V Lauder
- *Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544, USA; School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, China 100191; Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
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Heads or tails: do stranded fish (mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis) know where they are on a slope and how to return to the water? PLoS One 2014; 9:e104569. [PMID: 25162613 PMCID: PMC4146521 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquatic vertebrates that emerge onto land to spawn, feed, or evade aquatic predators must return to the water to avoid dehydration or asphyxiation. How do such aquatic organisms determine their location on land? Do particular behaviors facilitate a safe return to the aquatic realm? In this study, we asked: will fully-aquatic mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) stranded on a slope modulate locomotor behavior according to body position to facilitate movement back into the water? To address this question, mosquitofish (n = 53) were placed in four positions relative to an artificial slope (30° inclination) and their responses to stranding were recorded, categorized, and quantified. We found that mosquitofish may remain immobile for up to three minutes after being stranded and then initiate either a "roll" or a "leap". During a roll, mass is destabilized to trigger a downslope tumble; during a leap, the fish jumps up, above the substrate. When mosquitofish are oriented with the long axis of the body at 90° to the slope, they almost always (97%) initiate a roll. A roll is an energetically inexpensive way to move back into the water from a cross-slope body orientation because potential energy is converted back into kinetic energy. When placed with their heads toward the apex of the slope, most mosquitofish (>50%) produce a tail-flip jump to leap into ballistic flight. Because a tail-flip generates a caudually-oriented flight trajectory, this locomotor movement will effectively propel a fish downhill when the head is oriented up-slope. However, because the mass of the body is elevated against gravity, leaps require more mechanical work than rolls. We suggest that mosquitofish use the otolith-vestibular system to sense body position and generate a behavior that is "matched" to their orientation on a slope, thereby increasing the probability of a safe return to the water, relative to the energy expended.
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Built for speed: strain in the cartilaginous vertebral columns of sharks. ZOOLOGY 2014; 117:19-27. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2013.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2013] [Revised: 10/22/2013] [Accepted: 10/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Axial systems and their actuation: new twists on the ancient body of craniates. ZOOLOGY 2013; 117:1-6. [PMID: 24468089 DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2013.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2013] [Accepted: 11/26/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Craniate animals--vertebrates and their jawless sister taxa--have evolved a body axis with powerful muscles, a distributed nervous system to control those muscles, and an endoskeleton that starts at the head and ends at the caudal fin. The body axis undulates, bends, twists, or holds firm, depending on the behavior. In this introduction to the special issue on axial systems and their actuation, we provide an overview of the latest research on how the body axis functions, develops, and evolves. Based on this research, we hypothesize that the body axis of craniates has three primary, post-cranial modules: precaudal, caudal, and tail. The term "module" means a portion of the body axis that functions, develops, and evolves in relative independence from other modules; "relative independence" means that structures and processes within a module are more tightly correlated in function, development, and behavior than the same processes are among modules.
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