1
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Tosto NM, Rose E, Mason HD, Mank JE, Flanagan SP. Sexual Selection on Non-Ornamental Traits Is Underpinned by Evidence of Genetic Constraints on Sex-Biased Expression in Dusky Pipefish. Mol Ecol 2024:e17550. [PMID: 39400380 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 09/10/2024] [Accepted: 09/26/2024] [Indexed: 10/15/2024]
Abstract
Species lacking distinct secondary sex characteristics, such as differences in size or morphology, are often thought to experience lower levels of sex-specific selection in comparison to highly sexually dimorphic organisms. However, monomorphism in classic visible traits could be a result of genetic or physiological constraints that prevent the sexes from reaching divergent fitness optima. Additionally, biochemical and molecular work have revealed a variety of less easily observed phenotypes that nonetheless exhibit profound dimorphism. Sex-specific selection could act on these more subtle, less visible, traits. We investigate sex-specific selection in the polygynandrous dusky pipefish (Syngnathus floridae), which lacks distinct secondary sexual characteristics such as size, colour and morphological dimorphism. Using experimental breeding populations, we revealed that although males and females have similar opportunities for sexual selection, only males experience significant sexual selection pressures on body size. We also investigated patterns of sex-biased and sex-specific gene expression in gonads, livers and gills, and tested whether genes with highly divergent expression patterns between the sexes are more likely to be tissue-specific, and therefore relieved of genetic constraints. Sex bias in gene expression was widespread, although the reproductive organs had the most sex-biased and sex-specific genes. Sex-specific selection on gene expression in gills was primarily related to immune response, whereas the liver and gonads had a wide variety of cellular processes, as well as reproductive proteins, showing sex-biased expression. These sex-biased genes showed higher organ-specificity in their expression patterns, suggesting that pleiotropic constraints might have historically impacted the evolution of sex-specific expression patterns. Altogether, we find evidence for ongoing and historical sex-specific selection in the dusky pipefish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Tosto
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Emily Rose
- Department of Biology, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia, USA
| | - Heather D Mason
- Department of Biology, University of Tampa, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Judith E Mank
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sarah P Flanagan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
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2
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Sundin J, Freese M, Marohn L, Blancke T, Hanel R. Occurrence of the pugnose pipefish Bryx dunckeri in the Sargasso Sea. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024; 104:1231-1236. [PMID: 38145952 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Juvenile specimens of the pugnose pipefish, Bryx dunckeri, were collected during a multipurpose research survey conducted within the Sargasso Sea Subtropical Convergence Zone, extending the known distribution range of this species to include open ocean areas of the Western North Atlantic. Novel spatial data are of scientific interest as information on the distribution, population structure, and population size of this species is limited. Additionally, we present detailed photographs and morphological data on the collected specimens. The results are discussed in relation to the dispersal abilities and population structure in syngnathids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefin Sundin
- Department of Aquatic Resources, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Drottningholm, Sweden
| | - Marko Freese
- Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Lasse Marohn
- Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Tina Blancke
- Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Reinhold Hanel
- Thünen Institute of Fisheries Ecology, Federal Research Institute for Rural Areas, Forestry and Fisheries, Bremerhaven, Germany
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3
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van Eyndhoven F, Cameron EZ, Flanagan SP. High rates of male courtship in a female-ornamented pipefish. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2023; 10:231428. [PMID: 37885981 PMCID: PMC10598436 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
In species with sex-specific signalling traits that appear to be ornamental (i.e. are conspicuous and with no obvious natural selection benefit), the ornamented sex typically initiates courtship and is most active in courtship. Here, we report for the first time courtship displays in the extremely sexually dimorphic, female-ornamented wide-bodied pipefish (Stigmatopora nigra), revealing unexpected behaviours. Females use their sex-specific ornament during courtship displays, as expected, but rarely in female-female interactions. Surprisingly, males initiated 61% of reciprocated courtship bouts and chased females in 17% of the bouts. This chasing behaviour could be a form of male harassment or be indicative of female disinterest in ardent males, either of which was unexpected to be found in this female-ornamented species. Our results highlight the need to study the details of species' behaviours in considering the potential roles of sexual selection and sexual conflict in shaping sexual dimorphism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fleur van Eyndhoven
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - Elissa Z. Cameron
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
| | - Sarah P. Flanagan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch 8140, New Zealand
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4
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Tosto NM, Beasley ER, Wong BBM, Mank JE, Flanagan SP. The roles of sexual selection and sexual conflict in shaping patterns of genome and transcriptome variation. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:981-993. [PMID: 36959239 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-02019-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism is one of the most prevalent, and often the most extreme, examples of phenotypic variation within species, and arises primarily from genomic variation that is shared between females and males. Many sexual dimorphisms arise through sex differences in gene expression, and sex-biased expression is one way that a single, shared genome can generate multiple, distinct phenotypes. Although many sexual dimorphisms are expected to result from sexual selection, and many studies have invoked the possible role of sexual selection to explain sex-specific traits, the role of sexual selection in the evolution of sexually dimorphic gene expression remains difficult to differentiate from other forms of sex-specific selection. In this Review, we propose a holistic framework for the study of sex-specific selection and transcriptome evolution. We advocate for a comparative approach, across tissues, developmental stages and species, which incorporates an understanding of the molecular mechanisms, including genomic variation and structure, governing gene expression. Such an approach is expected to yield substantial insights into the evolution of genetic variation and have important applications in a variety of fields, including ecology, evolution and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Tosto
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Emily R Beasley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Bob B M Wong
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Judith E Mank
- Department of Zoology and Biodiversity Research Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Sarah P Flanagan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
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5
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Ramesh B, Small CM, Healey H, Johnson B, Barker E, Currey M, Bassham S, Myers M, Cresko WA, Jones AG. Improvements to the Gulf pipefish Syngnathus scovelli genome. GIGABYTE 2023; 2023:gigabyte76. [PMID: 36969711 PMCID: PMC10038202 DOI: 10.46471/gigabyte.76] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The Gulf pipefish Syngnathus scovelli has emerged as an important species for studying sexual selection, development, and physiology. Comparative evolutionary genomics research involving fishes from Syngnathidae depends on having a high-quality genome assembly and annotation. However, the first S. scovelli genome assembled using short-read sequences and a smaller RNA-sequence dataset has limited contiguity and a relatively poor annotation. Here, using PacBio long-read high-fidelity sequences and a proximity ligation library, we generate an improved assembly to obtain 22 chromosome-level scaffolds. Compared to the first assembly, the gaps in the improved assembly are smaller, the N75 is larger, and our genome is ~95% BUSCO complete. Using a large body of RNA-Seq reads from different tissue types and NCBI's Eukaryotic Annotation Pipeline, we discovered 28,162 genes, of which 8,061 are non-coding genes. Our new genome assembly and annotation are tagged as a RefSeq genome by NCBI and provide enhanced resources for research work involving S. scovelli..
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Affiliation(s)
- Balan Ramesh
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
| | - Clay M. Small
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
- Presidential Initiative in Data Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Hope Healey
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Bernadette Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
| | - Elyse Barker
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
| | - Mark Currey
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Susan Bassham
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Megean Myers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
| | - William A. Cresko
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
- Presidential Initiative in Data Science, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA
| | - Adam Gregory Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA
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6
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Long X, Charlesworth D, Qi J, Wu R, Chen M, Wang Z, Xu L, Fu H, Zhang X, Chen X, He L, Zheng L, Huang Z, Zhou Q. Independent Evolution of Sex Chromosomes and Male Pregnancy-Related Genes in Two Seahorse Species. Mol Biol Evol 2022; 40:6964685. [PMID: 36578180 PMCID: PMC9851323 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msac279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Unlike birds and mammals, many teleosts have homomorphic sex chromosomes, and changes in the chromosome carrying the sex-determining locus, termed "turnovers", are common. Recent turnovers allow studies of several interesting questions. One question is whether the new sex-determining regions evolve to become completely non-recombining, and if so, how and why. Another is whether (as predicted) evolutionary changes that benefit one sex accumulate in the newly sex-linked region. To study these questions, we analyzed the genome sequences of two seahorse species of the Syngnathidae, a fish group in which many species evolved a unique structure, the male brood pouch. We find that both seahorse species have XY sex chromosome systems, but their sex chromosome pairs are not homologs, implying that at least one turnover event has occurred. The Y-linked regions occupy 63.9% and 95.1% of the entire sex chromosome of the two species and do not exhibit extensive sequence divergence with their X-linked homologs. We find evidence for occasional recombination between the extant sex chromosomes that may account for their homomorphism. We argue that these Y-linked regions did not evolve by recombination suppression after the turnover, but by the ancestral nature of the low crossover rates in these chromosome regions. With such an ancestral crossover landscape, a turnover can instantly create an extensive Y-linked region. Finally, we test for adaptive evolution of male pouch-related genes after they became Y-linked in the seahorse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Long
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China,Research Center for Intelligent Computing Platforms, Zhejiang Lab, Hangzhou 311100, China
| | - Deborah Charlesworth
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3LF, UK
| | - Jianfei Qi
- Department of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research Institute of Fujian, Xiamen 361013, China
| | - Ruiqiong Wu
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology & Southern Center for Biomedical Research, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Meiling Chen
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology & Southern Center for Biomedical Research, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Zongji Wang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Luohao Xu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Honggao Fu
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology & Southern Center for Biomedical Research, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xueping Zhang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Developmental and Neural Biology & Southern Center for Biomedical Research, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, Fujian, China
| | - Xinxin Chen
- Department of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research Institute of Fujian, Xiamen 361013, China
| | - Libin He
- Department of Aquaculture, Fisheries Research Institute of Fujian, Xiamen 361013, China
| | | | | | - Qi Zhou
- Corresponding authors: E-mails: ; ;
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7
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Johnson BD, Anderson AP, Small CM, Rose E, Flanagan SP, Hendrickson-Rose C, Jones AG. The evolution of the testis transcriptome in pregnant male pipefishes and seahorses. Evolution 2022; 76:2162-2180. [PMID: 35863060 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
In many animals, sperm competition and sexual conflict are thought to drive the rapid evolution of male-specific genes, especially those expressed in the testes. A potential exception occurs in the male pregnant pipefishes, where females transfer eggs to the males, eliminating testes from participating in these processes. Here, we show that testis-related genes differ dramatically in their rates of molecular evolution and expression patterns in pipefishes and seahorses (Syngnathidae) compared to other fish. Genes involved in testis or sperm function within syngnathids experience weaker selection in comparison to their orthologs in spawning and livebearing fishes. An assessment of gene turnover and expression in the testis transcriptome suggests that syngnathids have lost (or significantly reduced expression of) important classes of genes from their testis transcriptomes compared to other fish. Our results indicate that more than 50 million years of male pregnancy have removed syngnathid testes from the molecular arms race that drives the rapid evolution of male reproductive genes in other taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Clayton M Small
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, Oregon, 97403
| | - Emily Rose
- Department of Biology, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia, 31698
| | - Sarah P Flanagan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, 8041, New Zealand
| | | | - Adam G Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, 83844
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8
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He L, Long X, Qi J, Wang Z, Huang Z, Wu S, Zhang X, Luo H, Chen X, Lin J, Yang Q, Huang S, Zhou Q, Zheng L. Genome and gene evolution of seahorse species revealed by the chromosome-level genome of Hippocampus abdominalis. Mol Ecol Resour 2022; 22:1465-1477. [PMID: 34698429 PMCID: PMC9298228 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Seahorses belong to the teleost family Syngnathidae that evolved a distinct body plan and unique male pregnancy compared to other teleosts. As a classic model for studying evolution of viviparity and sexual selection of teleosts, seahorse species still lack a publicly available high-quality reference genome. Here, we generated the genome assembly of the big-belly seahorse, Hippocampus abdominalis with long-read and Hi-C technologies. We managed to place over 99% of the total length of 444.7 Mb of assembled genome into 21 linkage groups with almost no gaps. We reconstructed a phylogenomic tree with the big-belly seahorse genome and other representative Syngnathidae and teleost species. We also reconstructed the historical population dynamics of four representative Syngnathidae species. We found the gene families that underwent expansion or contraction in the Syngnathidae ancestor were enriched for immune-related or ion transporter gene ontology terms. Many of these genes were also reported to show a dynamic expression pattern during the pregnancy stages of H. abdominalis. We also identified putative positively selected genes in the Syngnathidae ancestor or in H. abdominalis, whose mouse mutants are enriched for abnormal craniofacial and limb morphological phenotypes. Overall, our study provides an important genome resource for evolutionary and developmental studies of seahorse species, and candidate genes for future experimental works.
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Affiliation(s)
- Libin He
- Fisheries Research Institute of FujianXiamenChina
| | - Xin Long
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences InstituteZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Jianfei Qi
- Fisheries Research Institute of FujianXiamenChina
| | - Zongji Wang
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences InstituteZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Institute of Animal Sex and DevelopmentZhejiang Wanli UniversityNingboChina
| | - Zhen Huang
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Sustainable Utilization of Featured Marine Bioresources, College of Life ScienceFujian Normal UniversityFuzhouChina
| | - Shuiqing Wu
- Fisheries Research Institute of FujianXiamenChina
| | - Xingtan Zhang
- Shenzhen BranchGuangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern AgricultureGenome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at ShenzhenChinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesShenzhenChina
| | - Huiyu Luo
- Fisheries Research Institute of FujianXiamenChina
| | - Xinxin Chen
- Xiamen Xiaodeng Aquatic Science and Technology Company LimitedXiamenChina
| | - Jinbo Lin
- Xiamen Xiaodeng Aquatic Science and Technology Company LimitedXiamenChina
| | - Qiuhua Yang
- Fisheries Research Institute of FujianXiamenChina
| | - Shiyu Huang
- Fisheries College of Jimei UniversityXiamenChina
| | - Qi Zhou
- MOE Laboratory of Biosystems Homeostasis and Protection and Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Cancer Molecular Cell Biology, Life Sciences InstituteZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
- Department of Neuroscience and Developmental BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital School of Medicine School of Medicine, Zhejiang UniversityZhejiang UniversityHangzhouChina
| | - Leyun Zheng
- Fisheries Research Institute of FujianXiamenChina
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9
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Fritzsche K, Henshaw JM, Johnson BD, Jones AG. The 150th anniversary of The Descent of Man: Darwin and the impact of sex-role reversal on sexual selection research. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The year 2021 marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin’s extraordinary book The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex. Here, we review the history and impact of a single profound insight from The Descent of Man: that, in some few species, females rather than males compete for access to mates. In other words, these species are ‘sex-role reversed’ with respect to mating competition and sexual selection compared to the majority of species in which sexual selection acts most strongly on males. Over the subsequent 150 years, sex-role-reversed species have motivated multiple key conceptual breakthroughs in sexual selection. The surprising mating dynamics of such species challenged scientists’ preconceptions, forcing them to examine implicit assumptions and stereotypes. This wider worldview has led to a richer and more nuanced understanding of animal mating systems and, in particular, to a proper appreciation for the fundamental role that females play in shaping these systems. Sex-role-reversed species have considerable untapped potential and will continue to contribute to sexual selection research in the decades to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karoline Fritzsche
- Institute of Biology I, University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Jonathan M Henshaw
- Institute of Biology I, University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, D-79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | | | - Adam G Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
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10
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Gardner KM, Mennill DJ, Savi LM, Shangi NE, Doucet SM. Sexual selection in a tropical toad: Do female toads choose brighter males in a species with rapid colour change? Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Katrina M. Gardner
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Windsor Windsor ON Canada
| | - Daniel J. Mennill
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Windsor Windsor ON Canada
| | - Lincoln M. Savi
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Windsor Windsor ON Canada
| | - Nicole E. Shangi
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Windsor Windsor ON Canada
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11
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Liu Y, Wu Y, Qin G, Chen Y, Wang X, Lin Q. Bioaccumulation and reproductive toxicity of bisphenol A in male-pregnant seahorse (Hippocampus erectus) at environmentally relevant concentrations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 753:141805. [PMID: 32911163 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Seahorses, with brood pouch in adult males, are a bioindicator species that exhibit specialized reproductive strategy of "male pregnancy". Bisphenol A (BPA), one of the most pervasive endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), is hazardous for reproductive, immune, and neurological systems. However, no evidence of BPA toxicity to the male-pregnant animals is available. Herein, the reproductive toxicity of BPA was evaluated in lined seahorses (Hippocampus erectus) following exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations (10, 100, and 1000 μg/L) through physiological, histological, and transcriptional analyses. Our results indicated BPA bioaccumulation to be positively correlated with exposure doses in both sexes. Ovarian failure was only observed in the high-dose BPA treatment group, accompanied by the apoptosis of follicular cells and up-regulation of pro-apoptotic genes. However, brood pouches maintenance were surprisingly inhibited at low concentration, and transcriptomic analysis revealed disturbed profiles of genes involved in the extracellular matrix and cell-cell adhesion pathways. Interestingly, seahorse testes were less sensitive to BPA exposure than that in other teleosts. Thus, our study suggests that BPA at environmentally relevant concentrations might cause reproductive dysfunction in seahorses, potentially exerting adverse effects on the seahorse population since most of them inhabit shallow coastal areas with prevalent estrogenic contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yali Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, PR China
| | - Yongli Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, PR China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China
| | - Geng Qin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, PR China
| | - Yu Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, PR China
| | - Xin Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, PR China
| | - Qiang Lin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, PR China; Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory (Guangzhou), Guangzhou 511458, PR China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, PR China.
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12
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Whittington CM, Friesen CR. The evolution and physiology of male pregnancy in syngnathid fishes. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2020; 95:1252-1272. [PMID: 32372478 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12607] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2019] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The seahorses, pipefishes and seadragons (Syngnathidae) are among the few vertebrates in which pregnant males incubate developing embryos. Syngnathids are popular in studies of sexual selection, sex-role reversal, and reproductive trade-offs, and are now emerging as valuable comparative models for the study of the biology and evolution of reproductive complexity. These fish offer the opportunity to examine the physiology, behavioural implications, and evolutionary origins of embryo incubation, independent of the female reproductive tract and female hormonal milieu. Such studies allow us to examine flexibility in regulatory systems, by determining whether the pathways underpinning female pregnancy are also co-opted in incubating males, or whether novel pathways have evolved in response to the common challenges imposed by incubating developing embryos and releasing live young. The Syngnathidae are also ideal for studies of the evolution of reproductive complexity, because they exhibit multiple parallel origins of complex reproductive phenotypes. Here we assay the taxonomic distribution of syngnathid parity mode, examine the selective pressures that may have led to the emergence of male pregnancy, describe the biology of syngnathid reproduction, and highlight pressing areas for future research. Experimental tests of a range of hypotheses, including many generated with genomic tools, are required to inform overarching theories about the fitness implications of pregnancy and the evolution of male pregnancy. Such information will be widely applicable to our understanding of fundamental reproductive and evolutionary processes in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla M Whittington
- The University of Sydney, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia.,The University of Sydney, Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Sydney, New South Wales, 2006, Australia
| | - Christopher R Friesen
- The University of Wollongong, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia.,Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute (IHMRI), University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia
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13
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Moser FN, Wilson AB. Reproductive isolation following hybrid speciation in Mediterranean pipefish (Syngnathus spp.). Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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14
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Cunha M, Macedo N, Wilson J, Rosenqvist G, Berglund A, Monteiro N. Reduced sexual size dimorphism in a pipefish population where males do not prefer larger females. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:12826-12835. [PMID: 31788217 PMCID: PMC6875581 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Revised: 08/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Within a species' distribution, populations are often exposed to diverse environments and may thus experience different sources of both natural and sexual selection. These differences are likely to impact the balance between costs and benefits to individuals seeking reproduction, thus entailing evolutionary repercussions. Here, we look into an unusual population (Baltic Sea) of the broadnosed pipefish, Syngnathus typhle, where males do not seem to select females based on size and hypothesize that this pattern may derive from a reduction in direct benefits to the male. We further hypothesize that if larger females do not persistently secure a higher reproductive success, either through pre- or postcopulatory sexual selection, a decrease in sexual size dimorphism in the Baltic population should be apparent, especially when contrasted with a well-studied population, inhabiting similar latitudes (Swedish west coast), where males prefer larger females. We found that, in the Baltic population, variation in female quality is low. We were unable to find differences in abortion rates or protein concentration in oocytes produced by females of contrasting sizes. Direct benefits from mating with large partners seem, thus, reduced in the Baltic population. We also found no evidence of any postcopulatory mechanism that could favor larger mothers as embryo development was unrelated to female size. While female size can still be selected through intrasexual competition or fecundity selection, the pressure for large female body size seems to be lower in the Baltic. Accordingly, we found a noticeable decrease in sexual size dimorphism in the Baltic population. We conclude that, although far from negating the significance of other selective processes, sexual selection seems to have a decisive role in supporting pipefish sexual size asymmetries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mário Cunha
- CIBIO/InBIOCentro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos GenéticosUniversidade do PortoVairãoPortugal
| | - Nídia Macedo
- CIBIO/InBIOCentro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos GenéticosUniversidade do PortoVairãoPortugal
| | - Jonathan Wilson
- CIIMARCentro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e AmbientalUniversidade do PortoPortoPortugal
- Wilfrid Laurier UniversityWaterlooOntarioCanada
| | - Gunilla Rosenqvist
- Department of BiologyCBD, NTNUTrondheimNorway
- Department of Earth SciencesBlue Centre GotlandUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Anders Berglund
- Department of Ecology and Genetics/Animal EcologyUppsala UniversityUppsalaSweden
| | - Nuno Monteiro
- CIBIO/InBIOCentro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos GenéticosUniversidade do PortoVairãoPortugal
- Departamento de BiologiaFaculdade de Ciências da Universidade do PortoPortoPortugal
- Faculdade de Ciências da SaúdeCEBIMEDUniversidade Fernando PessoaPortoPortugal
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15
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Anderson AP, Jones AG. Choosy Gulf pipefish males ignore age but prefer active females with deeply keeled bodies. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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16
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Alonzo SH, Servedio MR. Grey zones of sexual selection: why is finding a modern definition so hard? Proc Biol Sci 2019; 286:20191325. [PMID: 31431160 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2019.1325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual selection has long been acknowledged as an important evolutionary force, capable of shaping phenotypes ranging from fascinating and unusual displays to cryptic traits whose function is only uncovered by careful study. Yet, despite decades of research, reaching a consensus definition of the term 'sexual selection' has proved difficult. Here we explore why arriving at a unifying definition of sexual selection is so hard. While some researchers have argued about whether sexual selection should be considered a form of natural selection, we concentrate on where the line between sexual selection and other forms of selection falls. We focus on identifying the 'grey zones' of sexual selection by illustrating cases in which application of the term 'sexual selection' would be considered controversial or ambiguous. We believe that clarifying why sexual selection is so difficult to define is an essential first step forward towards greater clarity, and if possible towards reaching a consensus definition. We suggest that a more nuanced perspective may be necessary, particularly one that specifies for cases of 'sexual selection' why the term is used or whether they fall into a grey zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne H Alonzo
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Maria R Servedio
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27516, USA
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17
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Masonjones HD, Rose E. When more is not merrier: Using wild population dynamics to understand the effect of density on ex situ seahorse mating behaviors. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0218069. [PMID: 31265478 PMCID: PMC6605648 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Seahorses are considered one of the most iconic examples of a monogamous species in the animal kingdom. This study investigates the relationship between stocking density and mating and competitive behavior from the context of the field biology of the dwarf seahorse, Hippocampus zosterae (Jordan & Gilbert). Animals were housed in 38 liter tanks at a range of densities and sex ratios (from 2-8 animals per tank), and their reproductive and other social behaviors were monitored from tank introduction through copulation. At low tank densities and even sex ratios but comparatively high field densities, frequency of both mating and competitive behaviors was low in trials. A higher level of males in tanks across all densities increased competition, activity levels, and aggression leading to egg transfer errors and brood expulsion, resulting in lower reproductive success. Across seahorse species, mean and maximum wild densities were consistently lower than those used in ex situ breeding, with adult sex ratios that were significantly female biased. However, significant variation exists in wild seahorse densities across species, with higher densities detected in focal/mark recapture studies and on artificial habitat structures than reported with belt transect sampling techniques. Interchange of knowledge gained in both aquarium and wild contexts will allow us to better understand the biology of this genus, and improve reproduction in captivity. Interpreting ex situ reproductive behaviors of seahorses within various densities reported from natural populations will help us predict the impact of conservation efforts and increase the likelihood of long-term persistence of populations for this threatened genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather D. Masonjones
- Biology Department, University of Tampa, Tampa, FL, United States of America
- Department of Biology, Tufts University, Boston, MA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Emily Rose
- Biology Department, University of Tampa, Tampa, FL, United States of America
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18
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Mobley KB, Morrongiello JR, Warr M, Bray DJ, Wong BBM. Female ornamentation and the fecundity trade-off in a sex-role reversed pipefish. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:9516-9525. [PMID: 30377519 PMCID: PMC6194251 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2018] [Revised: 07/14/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual ornaments found only in females are a rare occurrence in nature. One explanation for this is that female ornaments are costly to produce and maintain and, therefore, females must trade-off resources related to reproduction to promote ornament expression. Here, we investigate whether a trade-off exists between female ornamentation and fecundity in the sex-role reversed, wide-bodied pipefish, Stigmatopora nigra. We measured two components of the disk-shaped, ventral-striped female ornament, body width, and stripe thickness. After controlling for the influence of body size, we found no evidence of a cost of belly width or stripe thickness on female fecundity. Rather, females that have larger ornaments have higher fecundity and thus accurately advertise their reproductive value to males without incurring a cost to fecundity. We also investigated the relationship between female body size and egg size and found that larger females suffer a slight decrease in egg size and fecundity, although this decrease was independent of female ornamentation. More broadly, considered in light of similar findings in other taxa, lack of an apparent fecundity cost of ornamentation in female pipefish underscores the need to revisit theoretical assumptions concerning the evolution of female ornamentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenyon B. Mobley
- Department of Evolutionary EcologyMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary BiologyPlönGermany
| | | | - Matthew Warr
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Dianne J. Bray
- Vertebrate ZoologyMuseum VictoriaMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Bob B. M. Wong
- School of Biological SciencesMonash UniversityMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
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19
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Cunha M, Berglund A, Mendes S, Monteiro N. The 'Woman in Red' effect: pipefish males curb pregnancies at the sight of an attractive female. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.1335. [PMID: 30135166 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In an old Gene Wilder movie, an attractive woman dressed in red devastated a man's current relationship. We have found a similar 'Woman in Red' effect in pipefish, a group of fish where pregnancy occurs in males. We tested for the existence of pregnancy blocks in pregnant male black-striped pipefish (Syngnathus abaster). We allowed pregnant males to see females that were larger and even more attractive than their original high-quality mates and monitored the survival and growth of developing offspring. After exposure to these extremely attractive females, males produced smaller offspring in more heterogeneous broods and showed a higher rate of spontaneous offspring abortion. Although we did not observe a full pregnancy block, our results show that males are able to reduce investment in current broods when faced with prospects of a more successful future reproduction with a potentially better mate. This 'Woman in Red' life-history trade-off between present and future reproduction has similarities to the Bruce effect, and our study represents, to our knowledge, the first documentation of such a phenomenon outside mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Cunha
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - A Berglund
- Department of Ecology and Genetics/Animal Ecology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - S Mendes
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - N Monteiro
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal .,CEBIMED, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, rua Carlos da Maia 296, 4200-150 Porto, Portugal
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20
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Pregnant pipefish with a simple brooding surface loose less weight when carrying heavier eggs: evidence of compensation for low oocyte quality? Acta Ethol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10211-017-0268-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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21
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Sagebakken G, Kvarnemo C, Ahnesjö I. Nutritional state – a survival kit for brooding pipefish fathers. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
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22
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The genome of the Gulf pipefish enables understanding of evolutionary innovations. Genome Biol 2016; 17:258. [PMID: 27993155 PMCID: PMC5168715 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-016-1126-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Evolutionary origins of derived morphologies ultimately stem from changes in protein structure, gene regulation, and gene content. A well-assembled, annotated reference genome is a central resource for pursuing these molecular phenomena underlying phenotypic evolution. We explored the genome of the Gulf pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli), which belongs to family Syngnathidae (pipefishes, seahorses, and seadragons). These fishes have dramatically derived bodies and a remarkable novelty among vertebrates, the male brood pouch. Results We produce a reference genome, condensed into chromosomes, for the Gulf pipefish. Gene losses and other changes have occurred in pipefish hox and dlx clusters and in the tbx and pitx gene families, candidate mechanisms for the evolution of syngnathid traits, including an elongated axis and the loss of ribs, pelvic fins, and teeth. We measure gene expression changes in pregnant versus non-pregnant brood pouch tissue and characterize the genomic organization of duplicated metalloprotease genes (patristacins) recruited into the function of this novel structure. Phylogenetic inference using ultraconserved sequences provides an alternative hypothesis for the relationship between orders Syngnathiformes and Scombriformes. Comparisons of chromosome structure among percomorphs show that chromosome number in a pipefish ancestor became reduced via chromosomal fusions. Conclusions The collected findings from this first syngnathid reference genome open a window into the genomic underpinnings of highly derived morphologies, demonstrating that de novo production of high quality and useful reference genomes is within reach of even small research groups. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-016-1126-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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23
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Sagebakken G, Ahnesjö I, Kvarnemo C. Costs and Benefits to Pregnant Male Pipefish Caring for Broods of Different Sizes. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0156484. [PMID: 27243937 PMCID: PMC4886961 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Trade-offs between brood size and offspring size, offspring survival, parental condition or parental survival are classic assumptions in life history biology. A reduction in brood size may lessen these costs of care, but offspring mortality can also result in an energetic gain, if parents are able to utilize the nutrients from the demised young. Males of the broad-nosed pipefish (Syngnathus typhle) care for the offspring by brooding embryos in a brood pouch. Brooding males can absorb nutrients that emanate from embryos, and there is often a reduction in offspring number over the brooding period. In this study, using two experimentally determined brood sizes (partially and fully filled brood pouches), we found that full broods resulted in larger number of developing offspring, despite significantly higher absolute and relative embryo mortality, compared to partial broods. Male survival was also affected by brood size, with males caring for full broods having poorer survival, an effect that together with the reduced embryo survival was found to negate the benefit of large broods. We found that embryo mortality was lower when the brooding males were in good initial condition, that embryos in broods with low embryo mortality weighed more, and surprisingly, that males in higher initial condition had embryos of lower weight. Brood size, however, did not affect embryo weight. Male final condition, but not initial condition, correlated with higher male survival. Taken together, our results show costs and benefits of caring for large brood sizes, where the numerical benefits come with costs in terms of both embryo survival and survival of the brooding father, effects that are often mediated via male condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gry Sagebakken
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ingrid Ahnesjö
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Charlotta Kvarnemo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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24
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Braga Goncalves I, Ahnesjö I, Kvarnemo C. Evolutionary ecology of pipefish brooding structures: embryo survival and growth do not improve with a pouch. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:3608-3620. [PMID: 27231531 PMCID: PMC4864203 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2016] [Revised: 03/16/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
For animals that reproduce in water, many adaptations in life‐history traits such as egg size, parental care, and behaviors that relate to embryo oxygenation are still poorly understood. In pipefishes, seahorses and seadragons, males care for the embryos either in some sort of brood pouch, or attached ventrally to the skin on their belly or tail. Typically, egg size is larger in the brood pouch group and it has been suggested that oxygen supplied via the pouch buffers the developing embryos against hypoxia and as such is an adaptation that has facilitated the evolution of larger eggs. Here, using four pipefish species, we tested whether the presence or absence of brood pouch relates to how male behavior, embryo size, and survival are affected by hypoxia, with normoxia as control. Two of our studied species Entelurus aequoreus and Nerophis ophidion (both having small eggs) have simple ventral attachment of eggs onto the male trunk, and the other two, Syngnathus typhle (large eggs) and S. rostellatus (small eggs), have fully enclosed brood pouches on the tail. Under hypoxia, all species showed lower embryo survival, while species with brood pouches suffered greater embryo mortality compared to pouchless species, irrespective of oxygen treatment. Behaviorally, species without pouches spent more time closer to the surface, possibly to improve oxygenation. Overall, we found no significant benefits of brood pouches in terms of embryo survival and size under hypoxia. Instead, our results suggest negative effects of large egg size, despite the protection of brood pouches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ines Braga Goncalves
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, Animal Behaviour University of Zurich Winterthurerstrasse 190 8057 Zurich Switzerland.,Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Gothenburg PO Box 463 40530 Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Ingrid Ahnesjö
- Department of Ecology and Genetics/Animal Ecology Uppsala University Norbyvägen 18D 75236 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Charlotta Kvarnemo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Gothenburg PO Box 463 40530 Gothenburg Sweden
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25
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Otero-Ferrer F, Izquierdo M, Fazeli A, Holt WV. Embryonic developmental plasticity in the long-snouted seahorse (Hippocampus reidi, Ginsburg 1933) in relation to parental preconception diet. Reprod Fertil Dev 2016; 28:1020-1028. [DOI: 10.1071/rd14169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2014] [Accepted: 11/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the hypothesis that parental periconception nutrition in adult seahorses affects the development and growth of their offspring. We tested the hypothesis that because seahorse embryos develop inside the male’s brood pouch, manipulation of the male’s diet would affect offspring growth and development independently of the female’s diet. Adult males and females were fed separately with either wild-caught crustaceans or commercial aquarium diet for 1 month before conception to influence the periconception environment. Approximately 10 000 offspring were obtained from four different treatment groups (Male/Wild or Male/Commercial × Female/Wild or Female/Commercial). Weights, physical dimensions and fatty acid profiles of the newborns were determined. Offspring produced when the males receiving commercial diet were mated with wild-fed females were larger (P < 0.05) than those produced by wild-fed males. When both males and females were fed with commercial diet, their offspring were significantly smaller than those from the other treatment groups. When commercial diet-fed females were mated with wild-fed males, the offspring showed distortion of the snout : head length ratio. These results support the view that the preconception diet received by males and females differentially affects embryonic development.
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26
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Abstract
Cannibalism provides energetic benefits but is also potentially costly, especially when directed towards kin. Since fitness costs increase with time and energy invested in offspring, cannibalism should be infrequent when parental investment is high. Thus, filial cannibalism in male syngnathids, a group known for the occurrence of male pregnancy, should be rare. Using the pipefish (Syngnathus abaster) we aimed to investigate whether cannibalism does occur in both sexes and how it is affected by reproductive and nutritional states. Although rare, we witnessed cannibalism both in the wild and in the laboratory. Unlike non-pregnant males and females, pregnant and post-partum males largely refrained from cannibalising juveniles. Reproducing males decreased their feeding activity, thus rendering cannibalism, towards kin or non-kin, less likely to occur. However, if not continuously fed, all pipefish adopted a cannibal strategy, revealing that sex and life history stages influenced the ratio between the benefits and costs of cannibalism.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Cunha
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - A. Berglund
- Department of Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre (EBC), Uppsala University, Norbyvägen 14, 752 36, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - T. Alves
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - N.M. Monteiro
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Rua Padre Armando Quintas, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
- Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, rua do Campo Alegre, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal
- CEBIMED, Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Fernando Pessoa, Rua Carlos da Maia 296, 4200-150 Porto, Portugal
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27
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Landis SH, Sundin J, Rosenqvist G, Poirier M, Jørgensen GØ, Roth O. Female pipefish can detect the immune status of their mates. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-015-2004-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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28
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Furness AI, Morrison KR, Orr TJ, Arendt JD, Reznick DN. Reproductive mode and the shifting arenas of evolutionary conflict. Ann N Y Acad Sci 2015; 1360:75-100. [PMID: 26284738 DOI: 10.1111/nyas.12835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2015] [Revised: 05/21/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
In sexually reproducing organisms, the genetic interests of individuals are not perfectly aligned. Conflicts among family members are prevalent since interactions involve the transfer of limited resources between interdependent players. Intrafamilial conflict has traditionally been considered along three major axes: between the sexes, between parents and offspring, and between siblings. In these interactions, conflict is expected over traits in which the resulting phenotypic value is determined by multiple family members who have only partially overlapping fitness optima. We focus on four major categories of animal reproductive mode (broadcast spawning, egg laying, live bearing, and live bearing with matrotrophy) and identify the shared phenotypes or traits over which conflict is expected, and then review the empirical literature for evidence of their occurrence. Major transitions among reproductive mode, such as a shift from external to internal fertilization, an increase in egg-retention time, modifications of embryos and mothers for nutrient transfer, the evolution of postnatal parental care, and increased interaction with the kin network, mark key shifts that both change and expand the arenas in which conflict is played out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew I Furness
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Keenan R Morrison
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - Teri J Orr
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California.,Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Jeff D Arendt
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
| | - David N Reznick
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, California
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29
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Paczolt KA, Jones AG. The effects of food limitation on life history tradeoffs in pregnant male gulf pipefish. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124147. [PMID: 25970284 PMCID: PMC4430282 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2014] [Accepted: 03/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Syngnathid fishes (pipefishes, seahorses and seadragons) are characterized by a unique mode of paternal care in which embryos develop on or in the male’s body, often within a structure known as a brood pouch. Evidence suggests that this pouch plays a role in mediating postcopulatory sexual selection and that males have some control over the events occurring within the pouch during the pregnancy. These observations lead to the prediction that males should invest differently in broods depending on the availability of food. Here, we use the Gulf pipefish to test this prediction by monitoring growth rate and offspring survivorship during the pregnancies of males under low- or high-food conditions. Our results show that pregnant males grow less rapidly on average than non-pregnant males, and pregnant males under low-food conditions grow less than pregnant males under high-food conditions. Offspring survivorship, on the other hand, does not differ between food treatments, suggesting that male Gulf pipefish sacrifice investment in somatic growth, and thus indirectly sacrifice future reproduction, in favor of current reproduction. However, a positive relationship between number of failed eggs and male growth rate in our low-food treatments suggests that undeveloped eggs reduce the pregnancy’s overall cost to the male compared to broods containing only viable offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberly A. Paczolt
- Department of Biology, 3258 TAMU, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Adam G. Jones
- Department of Biology, 3258 TAMU, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, 77843, United States of America
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30
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Yokoi S, Okuyama T, Kamei Y, Naruse K, Taniguchi Y, Ansai S, Kinoshita M, Young LJ, Takemori N, Kubo T, Takeuchi H. An essential role of the arginine vasotocin system in mate-guarding behaviors in triadic relationships of medaka fish (Oryzias latipes). PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005009. [PMID: 25719383 PMCID: PMC4342251 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Accepted: 01/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
To increase individual male fitness, males of various species remain near a (potential) mating partner and repel their rivals (mate-guarding). Mate-guarding is assumed to be mediated by two different types of motivation: sexual motivation toward the opposite sex and competitive motivation toward the same sex. The genetic/molecular mechanisms underlying how mate presence affects male competitive motivation in a triadic relationship has remained largely unknown. Here we showed that male medaka fish prominently exhibit mate-guarding behavior. The presence of a female robustly triggers male-male competition for the female in a triadic relationship (2 males and 1 female). The male-male competition resulted in one male occupying a dominant position near the female while interfering with the other male's approach of the female. Paternity testing revealed that the dominant male had a significantly higher mating success rate than the other male in a triadic relationship. We next generated medaka mutants of arginine-vasotocin (avt) and its receptors (V1a1, V1a2) and revealed that two genes, avt and V1a2, are required for normal mate-guarding behavior. In addition, behavioral analysis of courtship behaviors in a dyadic relationship and aggressive behaviors within a male group revealed that avt mutant males displayed decreased sexual motivation but showed normal aggression. In contrast, heterozygote V1a2 mutant males displayed decreased aggression, but normal mate-guarding and courtship behavior. Thus, impaired mate-guarding in avt and V1a2 homozygote mutants may be due to the loss of sexual motivation toward the opposite sex, and not to the loss of competitive motivation toward rival males. The different behavioral phenotypes between avt, V1a2 heterozygote, and V1a2 homozygote mutants suggest that there are redundant systems to activate V1a2 and that endogenous ligands activating the receptor may differ according to the social context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saori Yokoi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Teruhiro Okuyama
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Laboratory of Bioresources, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Kamei
- Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Okazaki, Japan
- The Spectrography and Bioimaging Facility, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Naruse
- Laboratory of Bioresources, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
- Department of Basic Biology, School of Life Science, The Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Okazaki, Japan
- NIBB Center of the Interuniversity Bio-Backup Project, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Yoshihito Taniguchi
- Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Kyorin University, School of Medicine, Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Ansai
- Division of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Masato Kinoshita
- Division of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Larry J. Young
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Nobuaki Takemori
- Proteo-Science Center, Division of Proteomics Research, Ehime University, Toon City, Ehime, Japan
| | - Takeo Kubo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hideaki Takeuchi
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- * E-mail:
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Goncalves IB, Mobley KB, Ahnesjö I, Sagebakken G, Jones AG, Kvarnemo C. Effects of mating order and male size on embryo survival in a pipefish. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/bij.12441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ines Braga Goncalves
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Gothenburg; Box 463 SE-40530 Göteborg Sweden
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies; Animal Behaviour; University of Zürich; Winterthurerstrasse 190 CH-8057 Zürich Switzerland
| | - Kenyon B. Mobley
- Max Plank Institute for Evolutionary Biology; August-Thienemann Straβe 2 DE-24306 Plön Germany
| | - Ingrid Ahnesjö
- Department of Ecology and Genetics; Animal Ecology; Uppsala University; Norbyvägen 18D SE-75236 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Gry Sagebakken
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Gothenburg; Box 463 SE-40530 Göteborg Sweden
| | - Adam G. Jones
- Department of Biology; Texas A&M University; 3258 TAMU College Station TX 77843 USA
| | - Charlotta Kvarnemo
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences; University of Gothenburg; Box 463 SE-40530 Göteborg Sweden
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32
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Flanagan SP, Johnson JB, Rose E, Jones AG. Sexual selection on female ornaments in the sex-role-reversed Gulf pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli
). J Evol Biol 2014; 27:2457-67. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2014] [Revised: 08/29/2014] [Accepted: 08/30/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- S. P. Flanagan
- Department of Biology; Texas A&M University; College Station TX USA
| | - J. B. Johnson
- Department of Biology; Texas A&M University; College Station TX USA
| | - E. Rose
- Department of Biology; Texas A&M University; College Station TX USA
| | - A. G. Jones
- Department of Biology; Texas A&M University; College Station TX USA
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LaBrecque JR, Alva-Campbell YR, Archambeault S, Crow KD. Multiple paternity is a shared reproductive strategy in the live-bearing surfperches (Embiotocidae) that may be associated with female fitness. Ecol Evol 2014; 4:2316-29. [PMID: 25360270 PMCID: PMC4203282 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2013] [Revised: 03/21/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
According to Bateman's principle, female fecundity is limited relative to males, setting the expectation that males should be promiscuous, while females should be choosy and select fewer mates. However, several surfperches (Embiotocidae) exhibit multiple paternity within broods indicating that females mate with multiple males throughout the mating season. Previous studies found no correlation between mating success and reproductive success (i.e., a Bateman gradient). However, by including samples from a broader range of reproductive size classes, we found evidence of a Bateman gradient in two surfperch species from distinct embiotocid clades. Using microsatellite analyses, we found that 100% of the spotfin surfperch families sampled exhibit multiple paternity (Hyperprosopon anale, the basal taxon from the only clade that has not previously been investigated) indicating that this tactic is a shared reproductive strategy among surfperches. Further, we detected evidence for a Bateman gradient in H. anale; however, this result was not significant after correction for biases. Similarly, we found evidence for multiple paternity in 83% of the shiner surfperch families (Cymatogaster aggregata) sampled. When we combine these data with a previous study on the same species, representing a larger range of reproductive size classes and associated brood sizes, we detect a Bateman gradient in shiner surfperch for the first time that remains significant after several conservative tests for bias correction. These results indicate that sexual selection is likely complex in this system, with the potential for conflicting optima between sexes, and imply a positive shift in fertility (i.e., increasing number) and reproductive tactic with respect to the mating system and number of sires throughout the reproductive life history of females. We argue that the complex reproductive natural history of surfperches is characterized by several traits that may be associated with cryptic female choice, including protracted oogenesis, uterine sac complexity, and sperm storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R LaBrecque
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, California, 94132
| | - Yvette R Alva-Campbell
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, California, 94132
| | - Sophie Archambeault
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, California, 94132
| | - Karen D Crow
- Department of Biology, San Francisco State University 1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, California, 94132
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Mobley KB, Abou Chakra M, Jones AG. No evidence for size-assortative mating in the wild despite mutual mate choice in sex-role-reversed pipefishes. Ecol Evol 2013; 4:67-78. [PMID: 24455162 PMCID: PMC3894889 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2013] [Revised: 11/05/2013] [Accepted: 11/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Size-assortative mating is a nonrandom association of body size between members of mating pairs and is expected to be common in species with mutual preferences for body size. In this study, we investigated whether there is direct evidence for size-assortative mating in two species of pipefishes, Syngnathus floridae and S. typhle, that share the characteristics of male pregnancy, sex-role reversal, and a polygynandrous mating system. We take advantage of microsatellite-based “genetic-capture” techniques to match wild-caught females with female genotypes reconstructed from broods of pregnant males and use these data to explore patterns of size-assortative mating in these species. We also develop a simulation model to explore how positive, negative, and antagonistic preferences of each sex for body size affect size-assortative mating. Contrary to expectations, we were unable to find any evidence of size-assortative mating in either species at different geographic locations or at different sampling times. Furthermore, two traits that potentially confer a fitness advantage in terms of reproductive success, female mating order and number of eggs transferred per female, do not affect pairing patterns in the wild. Results from model simulations demonstrate that strong mating preferences are unlikely to explain the observed patterns of mating in the studied populations. Our study shows that individual mating preferences, as ascertained by laboratory-based mating trials, can be decoupled from realized patterns of mating in the wild, and therefore, field studies are also necessary to determine actual patterns of mate choice in nature. We conclude that this disconnect between preferences and assortative mating is likely due to ecological constraints and multiple mating that may limit mate choice in natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenyon B Mobley
- Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Biology August-Thienemann Str. 2, Plön, 24306, Germany
| | - Maria Abou Chakra
- Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Biology August-Thienemann Str. 2, Plön, 24306, Germany
| | - Adam G Jones
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University 3258 TAMU, College Station, Texas, 77843, USA
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35
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Small CM, Harlin-Cognato AD, Jones AG. Functional similarity and molecular divergence of a novel reproductive transcriptome in two male-pregnant Syngnathus pipefish species. Ecol Evol 2013; 3:4092-108. [PMID: 24324861 PMCID: PMC3853555 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2013] [Revised: 08/06/2013] [Accepted: 08/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary studies have revealed that reproductive proteins in animals and plants often evolve more rapidly than the genome-wide average. The causes of this pattern, which may include relaxed purifying selection, sexual selection, sexual conflict, pathogen resistance, reinforcement, or gene duplication, remain elusive. Investigative expansions to additional taxa and reproductive tissues have the potential to shed new light on this unresolved problem. Here, we embark on such an expansion, in a comparison of the brood-pouch transcriptome between two male-pregnant species of the pipefish genus Syngnathus. Male brooding tissues in syngnathid fishes represent a novel, nonurogenital reproductive trait, heretofore mostly uncharacterized from a molecular perspective. We leveraged next-generation sequencing (Roche 454 pyrosequencing) to compare transcript abundance in the male brooding tissues of pregnant with nonpregnant samples from Gulf (S. scovelli) and dusky (S. floridae) pipefish. A core set of protein-coding genes, including multiple members of astacin metalloprotease and c-type lectin gene families, is consistent between species in both the direction and magnitude of expression bias. As predicted, coding DNA sequence analysis of these putative "male pregnancy proteins" suggests rapid evolution relative to nondifferentially expressed genes and reflects signatures of adaptation similar in magnitude to those reported from Drosophila male accessory gland proteins. Although the precise drivers of male pregnancy protein divergence remain unknown, we argue that the male pregnancy transcriptome in syngnathid fishes, a clade diverse with respect to brooding morphology and mating system, represents a unique and promising object of study for understanding the perplexing evolutionary nature of reproductive molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clayton M Small
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University College Station, Texas, 77843, USA ; Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon, 97403, USA
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36
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Rose E, Paczolt KA, Jones AG. The Contributions of Premating and Postmating Selection Episodes to Total Selection in Sex-Role-Reversed Gulf Pipefish. Am Nat 2013; 182:410-20. [DOI: 10.1086/671233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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37
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Hubner K, Gonzalez-Wanguemert M, Diekmann OE, Serrao EA. Genetic Evidence for Polygynandry in the Black-Striped Pipefish Syngnathus abaster: A Microsatellite-Based Parentage Analysis. J Hered 2013; 104:791-7. [DOI: 10.1093/jhered/est049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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38
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Rose E, Paczolt KA, Jones AG. The effects of synthetic estrogen exposure on premating and postmating episodes of selection in sex-role-reversed Gulf pipefish. Evol Appl 2013; 6:1160-70. [PMID: 24478798 PMCID: PMC3901546 DOI: 10.1111/eva.12093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2013] [Accepted: 06/25/2013] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental estrogens have been shown to affect populations of aquatic organisms in devastating ways, including feminization of males, alterations in mating behaviors, and disruption of sexual selection. Studies have shown 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) exposure to induce female-like secondary sexual traits in male Gulf pipefish, changing how females perceive affected males. We aimed to understand the effects of EE2 exposure on the sex-role-reversed mating system and the strength of selection in Gulf pipefish. We used artificial Gulf pipefish breeding aggregations and microsatellite-based parentage analysis to determine maternity. We then calculated the opportunity for selection and selection differentials on body size for both sexes during three consecutive episodes of selection. Exposure to EE2 did not affect the strength of selection, likely due to the unusual sex-role-reversed mating system found in this species. With respect to multiply mated females, EE2-exposed females produced more eggs with higher embryo survivorship than nonexposed females. Thus, short-term exposure to low concentrations (2.0 ng/L) of EE2 in Gulf pipefish enhanced female reproductive success. However, higher EE2 concentrations (5.0 ng/L) caused complete reproductive failure in Gulf pipefish males. These results call for more work on the long-term effects of EE2 exposure in Gulf pipefish in artificial and natural populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Rose
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University College Station, TX, USA
| | - Kimberly A Paczolt
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University College Station, TX, USA ; Department of Biology, University of Maryland College Park, MD, USA
| | - Adam G Jones
- Department of Biology, Texas A&M University College Station, TX, USA
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39
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Aronsen T, Berglund A, Mobley KB, Ratikainen II, Rosenqvist G. SEX RATIO AND DENSITY AFFECT SEXUAL SELECTION IN A SEX-ROLE REVERSED FISH. Evolution 2013; 67:3243-57. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2012] [Accepted: 06/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tonje Aronsen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Anders Berglund
- Department of Ecology and Genetics/Animal Ecology; Uppsala University; SE-752 36 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Kenyon B. Mobley
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology; 24306 Plön Germany
| | - Irja I. Ratikainen
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
| | - Gunilla Rosenqvist
- Department of Biology, Centre for Biodiversity Dynamics; Norwegian University of Science and Technology; NO-7491 Trondheim Norway
- University of Gotland; SE-621 67 Visby Sweden
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40
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Partridge C, Boettcher A, Jones AG. The Role of Courtship Behavior and Size in Mate Preference in the Sex-Role-Reversed Gulf Pipefish,Syngnathus scovelli. Ethology 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Charlyn Partridge
- Department of Biology; Texas A&M University; College Station; TX; USA
| | - Anne Boettcher
- Department of Biology; University of South Alabama; Mobile; AL; USA
| | - Adam G. Jones
- Department of Biology; Texas A&M University; College Station; TX; USA
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41
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Fritzsche K, Arnqvist G. HOMAGE TO BATEMAN: SEX ROLES PREDICT SEX DIFFERENCES IN SEXUAL SELECTION. Evolution 2013; 67:1926-36. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.12086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2012] [Accepted: 01/08/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Karoline Fritzsche
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics; Evolutionary Biology Centre; Uppsala University; Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36; Uppsala Sweden
| | - Göran Arnqvist
- Animal Ecology, Department of Ecology and Genetics; Evolutionary Biology Centre; Uppsala University; Norbyvägen 18D, SE-752 36; Uppsala Sweden
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42
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Haase D, Roth O, Kalbe M, Schmiedeskamp G, Scharsack JP, Rosenstiel P, Reusch TBH. Absence of major histocompatibility complex class II mediated immunity in pipefish, Syngnathus typhle: evidence from deep transcriptome sequencing. Biol Lett 2013; 9:20130044. [PMID: 23445951 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2013.0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mediated adaptive immune system is the hallmark of gnathostome immune defence. Recent work suggests that cod-like fishes (Gadidae) lack important components of the MHC class II mediated immunity. Here, we report a putative independent loss of functionality of this pathway in another species, the pipefish Syngnathus typhle, that belongs to a distantly related fish family (Syngnathidae). In a deep transcriptome sequencing approach comprising several independent normalized and non-normalized expressed sequence tag (EST) libraries with approximately 7.5 × 10(8) reads, sequenced with two next generation platforms (454 and Illumina), we were unable to identify MHC class IIα/β genes as well as genes encoding associated receptors. Along with the recent findings in cod, our results suggest that immune systems of the Euteleosts may be more variable than previously assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Haase
- Evolutionary Ecology of Marine Fishes, Helmholtz-Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR), 24105 Kiel, Germany
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43
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Kindsvater HK, Simpson SE, Rosenthal GG, Alonzo SH. Male diet, female experience, and female size influence maternal investment in swordtails. Behav Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ars213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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44
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Roth O, Klein V, Beemelmanns A, Scharsack JP, Reusch TBH. Male Pregnancy and Biparental Immune Priming. Am Nat 2012; 180:802-14. [DOI: 10.1086/668081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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45
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Gagnon MC, Duchesne P, Turgeon J. Sexual conflict inGerris gillettei(Insecta: Hemiptera): influence of effective mating rate and morphology on reproductive success. CAN J ZOOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1139/z2012-098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In water striders, the interests of both sexes diverge over the decision to mate, leading to precopulatory sexual conflict. The influence of mating rate and key persistence and resistance traits on reproductive success has seldom been investigated in the context of multiple matings. We used amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) based genetic parentage analyses to estimate mating and reproductive success in Gerris gillettei Lethierry and Severin, 1896, while allowing for free multiple matings. We tested the hypotheses that males should display stronger opportunity for sexual selection and steeper Bateman gradients. In each sex, persistence and resistance traits should also impact mating and reproductive success. Surprisingly, males and females had similarly high and variable effective mating rates (i.e., number of genetic partners), and both sexes produce more offspring when mating with more partners. As predicted, exaggerated persistence traits allowed males to mate with more partners and sire more offspring. However, we found no evidence for an impact of resistance traits for females. The mating environment may have favoured low resistance in females, but high promiscuity can be beneficial for females. This first description of the genetic mating system for a water strider species suggests that the determinants of fitness can be further deciphered using the sexual selection framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Claude Gagnon
- Département de biologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
- Centre d’Études Nordiques, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Pierre Duchesne
- Département de biologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Julie Turgeon
- Département de biologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
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46
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References. Mol Ecol 2012. [DOI: 10.1002/9780470979365.refs] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
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47
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Lin Q, Li G, Qin G, Lin J, Huang L, Sun H, Feng P. The dynamics of reproductive rate, offspring survivorship and growth in the lined seahorse, Hippocampus erectus Perry, 1810. Biol Open 2012; 1:391-6. [PMID: 23213429 PMCID: PMC3509459 DOI: 10.1242/bio.2012398] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Seahorses are the vertebrate group with the embryonic development occurring within a special pouch in males. To understand the reproductive efficiency of the lined seahorse, Hippocampus erectus Perry, 1810 under controlled breeding experiments, we investigated the dynamics of reproductive rate, offspring survivorship and growth over births by the same male seahorses. The mean brood size of the 1-year old pairs in the 1st birth was 85.4±56.9 per brood, which was significantly smaller than that in the 6th birth (465.9±136.4 per brood) (P<0.001). The offspring survivorship and growth rate increased with the births. The fecundity was positively correlated with the length of brood pouches of males and trunk of females. The fecundity of 1-year old male and 2-year old female pairs was significantly higher than that from 1-year old couples (P<0.001). The brood size (552.7±150.4) of the males who mated with females that were isolated for the gamete-preparation, was larger than those (467.8±141.2) from the long-term pairs (P<0.05). Moreover, the offspring from the isolated females had higher survival and growth rates. Our results showed that the potential reproductive rate of seahorses H. erectus increased with the brood pouch development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiang Lin
- Key Laboratory of Marine Bio-resource Sustainable Utilization, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Guangzhou 510301 , P. R. China ; Vero Beach Marine Laboratory, Florida Institute of Technology , Vero Beach, FL 32963 , USA
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Ahnesjö I, Craig JF. The biology of Syngnathidae: pipefishes, seadragons and seahorses. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2011; 78:1597-1602. [PMID: 21651518 DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2011.03008.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
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49
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Kvarnemo C, Mobley KB, Partridge C, Jones AG, Ahnesjö I. Evidence of paternal nutrient provisioning to embryos in broad-nosed pipefish Syngnathus typhle. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2011; 78:1725-1737. [PMID: 21651524 DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2011.02989.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
In two experiments, radioactively labelled nutrients (either (3)H-labelled amino-acid mixture or (14)C-labelled glucose) were tube-fed to brooding male Syngnathus typhle. Both nutrients were taken up by the males and radioactivity generally increased in the brood pouch tissue with time. Furthermore, a low but significant increase of (3)H-labelled amino acids in embryos was found over the experimental interval (48 h), whereas in the (14)C-glucose experiment the radioactivity was taken up by the embryos but did not increase over the experimental time (320 min). Uptake of radioisotopes per embryo did not differ with embryo size. A higher uptake mg(-1) tissue of both (3)H-labelled amino acids and (14)C-labelled glucose was found in smaller embryos, possibly due to a higher relative metabolic rate or to a higher surface-area-to-volume ratio compared to larger embryos. Uptake in embryos was not influenced by male size, embryonic developmental advancement or position in the brood pouch. It is concluded that brooding males provide amino acids, and probably also glucose, to the developing embryos in the brood pouch.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Kvarnemo
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Mobley KB, Small CM, Jones AG. The genetics and genomics of Syngnathidae: pipefishes, seahorses and seadragons. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2011; 78:1624-1646. [PMID: 21651520 DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2011.02967.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
The goal of this review was to provide a historical overview of how molecular techniques have increased the understanding of the ecology and evolution of the family Syngnathidae (pipefishes, seahorses and seadragons). Molecular studies based primarily on mitochondrial DNA markers have proved their worth by elucidating complex phylogenetic relationships within the family. Phylogeographic studies, which have revealed how life-history traits and past climatic events shape geographic distributions and patterns of genetic variation within syngnathid species, also provide interesting case studies for the conservation and management of threatened species. The application of microsatellite DNA markers has opened a floodgate of studies concerned with the breeding biology of these fishes, which are interesting due to their unique reproductive mode of male pregnancy. Research in this area has contributed significantly to the understanding of mating patterns and sexual selection. Molecular markers may also be employed in studies of demography, migration and local breeding population sizes. Genomic studies have identified genes that are probably involved in male pregnancy and promise additional insights into various aspects of syngnathid biology at the level of the gene. Despite these advances, much more remains to be explored. Goals for future research should include: (1) a more inclusive phylogeny to resolve outstanding issues concerning the relationships within the family and higher order taxa, (2) a broader use of molecular studies to aid management and conservation efforts, (3) the inclusion of more genera in comparative behavioural studies and (4) the continued development of genomic resources for syngnathids to facilitate comparative genomic work.
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Affiliation(s)
- K B Mobley
- Umeå University, Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, 90187 Umeå, Sweden.
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