1
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Mull CG, Pennell MW, Yopak KE, Dulvy NK. Maternal investment evolves with larger body size and higher diversification rate in sharks and rays. Curr Biol 2024; 34:2773-2781.e3. [PMID: 38843829 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.05.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Across vertebrates, live bearing evolved at least 150 times from ancestral egg laying into diverse forms and degrees of prepartum maternal investment.1,2 A key question is how reproductive diversity arose and whether reproductive diversification underlies species diversification.3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11 To test this, we evaluate the most basal jawed vertebrates: the sharks, rays, and chimaeras, which have one of the greatest ranges of reproductive and ecological diversity among vertebrates.2,12 We reconstruct the sequence of reproductive mode evolution across a phylogeny of 610 chondrichthyans.13 We reveal egg laying as ancestral, with live bearing evolving at least seven times. Matrotrophy evolved at least 15 times, with evidence of one reversal. In sharks, transitions to live bearing and matrotrophy are more prevalent in larger-bodied tropical species. Further, the evolution of live bearing is associated with a near doubling of the diversification rate, but there is only a small increase associated with the appearance of matrotrophy. Although pre-copulatory sexual selection is associated with increased rates of speciation in teleosts,3 sexual size dimorphism in chondrichthyans does not appear to be related to sexual selection,14,15 and instead we find increased rates of speciation associated with the colonization of novel habitats. This highlights a potential key difference between chondrichthyans and other fishes, specifically a slower rate of evolution of reproductive isolation following speciation, suggesting different rate-limiting mechanisms for diversification between these clades.16 The chondrichthyan diversification and radiation, particularly throughout shallow tropical shelf seas and oceanic pelagic habitats, appear to be associated with the evolution of live bearing and proliferation of a wide range of maternal investment in developing offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher G Mull
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada; Integrated Fisheries Lab, Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS B3H 4R2, Canada.
| | - Matthew W Pennell
- Department of Quantitative and Computational Biology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
| | - Kara E Yopak
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology and UNCW Center for Marine Science, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403, USA
| | - Nicholas K Dulvy
- Earth to Ocean Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
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2
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Petrov K, Van Dyke JU, Georges A, Keitel C, Spencer RJ. Maternal diet influences fecundity in a freshwater turtle undergoing population decline. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coae033. [PMID: 38803426 PMCID: PMC11129712 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Food availability determines the amount of energy animals can acquire and allocate to reproduction and other necessary functions. Female animals that are food limited thus experience reduced energy available for reproduction. When this occurs, females may reduce frequency of reproductive events or the number or size of offspring per reproductive bout. We assessed how maternal diet affects reproductive output in adult female Murray River short-necked turtles, Emydura macquarii, from four wetlands in Victoria. We previously found that turtle diets differ in the composition of plants and animals between our study wetlands. In this study, we tested whether differences in turtle diet composition (i.e. plants and animals) at these wetlands were associated with differences in clutch mass, individual egg mass, bulk egg composition and hatching success. We found total clutch mass increased with maternal body size at each site. At sites where filamentous green algae were scarce and E. macquarii were carnivorous, females produced smaller clutches relative to body size compared to females from sites where algae were abundant, and turtles were more herbivorous. Individual egg mass, bulk egg composition and hatching success did not differ across wetlands. Isotopic analysis revealed significant positive relationships between the carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) of the eggs and those of the mothers, indicating that mothers allocated ratios of carbon and nitrogen isotopes to their eggs similar to those present in their tissues. Our study suggests that at sites where females are more carnivorous due to a relative absence of algae, females produce smaller clutches, but other aspects of their reproduction are not significantly impacted. The reduction in clutch size associated with differences in the availability of dietary plants and animals may have long-term consequences for E. macquarii and other freshwater turtle species that are experiencing population declines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristen Petrov
- School of Science, Hawkesbury Institute, Western Sydney University Locked Bag, 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 2751, Australia
| | - James U Van Dyke
- Centre for Freshwater Ecosystems, Department of Environment and Genetics, School of Agriculture, Biomedical and Environment, La Trobe University, Albury-Wodonga Campus, PO Box 821, Wodonga, VIC 3689, Australia
| | - Arthur Georges
- Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, 11 Kirinari Street,Bruce, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Claudia Keitel
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, 380 Werombi Road, Brownlow Hill, NSW 2570, Australia
| | - Ricky-John Spencer
- School of Science, Hawkesbury Institute, Western Sydney University Locked Bag, 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 2751, Australia
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3
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Katona G, Szabó F, Végvári Z, Székely T, Liker A, Freckleton RP, Vági B, Székely T. Evolution of reproductive modes in sharks and rays. J Evol Biol 2023; 36:1630-1640. [PMID: 37885147 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.14231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The ecological and life history drivers of the diversification of reproductive modes in early vertebrates are not fully understood. Sharks, rays and chimaeras (group Chondrichthyes) have an unusually diverse variety of reproductive modes and are thus an ideal group to test the factors driving the evolution of reproductive complexity. Here, using 960 species representing all major Chondrichthyes taxa, we reconstruct the evolution of their reproduction modes and investigate the ecological and life history predictors of reproduction. We show that the ancestral Chondrichthyes state was egg-laying and find multiple independent transitions between egg-laying and live-bearing via an intermediate state of yolk-only live-bearing. Using phylogenetically informed analysis, we also show that live-bearing species have larger body size and larger offspring than egg-laying species. In addition, live-bearing species are distributed over shallow to intermediate depths, while egg-layers are typically found in deeper waters. This suggests that live-bearing is more closely associated with pelagic, rather than demersal habitats. Taken together, using a basal vertebrate group as a model, we demonstrat how reproductive mode co-evolves with environmental conditions and life-history traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Katona
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Flóra Szabó
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Zsolt Végvári
- Centre for Ecological Research, Institute of Aquatic Ecology, Budapest, Hungary
- Senckenberg Deutsches Entomologisches Institut, Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Tamás Székely
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - András Liker
- MTA-PE Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, University of Pannonia, Veszprém, Hungary
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Center for Natural Sciences, University of Pannonia, Veszprém, Hungary
| | - Robert P Freckleton
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Balázs Vági
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Tamás Székely
- Department of Evolutionary Zoology and Human Biology, University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
- Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath, UK
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4
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Skalkos ZMG, Van Dyke JU, Whittington CM. Distinguishing Between Embryonic Provisioning Strategies in Teleost Fishes Using a Threshold Value for Parentotrophy. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13010166. [PMID: 36671551 PMCID: PMC9856118 DOI: 10.3390/biom13010166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The source of embryonic nutrition for development varies across teleost fishes. A parentotrophy index (ratio of neonate: ovulated egg dry mass) is often used to determine provisioning strategy, but the methodologies used vary across studies. The variation in source and preservation of tissue, staging of embryos, and estimation approach impedes our ability to discern between methodological and biological differences in parentotrophy indices inter- and intra-specifically. The threshold value used to distinguish between lecithotrophy and parentotrophy (0.6-1) differs considerably across studies. The lack of a standardised approach in definition and application of parentotrophy indices has contributed to inconsistent classifications of provisioning strategy. Consistency in both methodology used to obtain a parentotrophy index, and in the classification of provisioning strategy using a threshold value are essential to reliably distinguish between provisioning strategies in teleosts. We discuss alternative methods for determining parentotrophy and suggest consistent standards for obtaining and interpreting parentotrophy indices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe M. G. Skalkos
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence Building (A08), Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - James U. Van Dyke
- School of Agriculture, Biomedicine and Environment, La Trobe University, Wodonga, VIC 3690, Australia
| | - Camilla M. Whittington
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence Building (A08), Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Correspondence:
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5
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Bose APH. Parent-offspring cannibalism throughout the animal kingdom: a review of adaptive hypotheses. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1868-1885. [PMID: 35748275 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12868] [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: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 05/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Parents that kill and consume their offspring often appear to be acting against their own reproductive interests. Yet parent-offspring cannibalism is common and taxonomically widespread across the animal kingdom. In this review, I provide an overview of our current understanding of parent-offspring cannibalism, which has seen a proliferation in adaptive hypotheses over the past 20 years for why parents consume their own young. I review over four decades of research into this perplexing behaviour, drawing from work conducted on fishes, reptiles, insects, birds, and mammals among other taxa. Many factors have been hypothesised to explain parent-offspring cannibalism in nature, including poor parental energy reserves, small or large brood sizes, low or uncertain parentage, and high brood densities, and additional factors are still being uncovered. Parent-offspring cannibalism does not appear to have a single predominant explanation; rather, the factor, or set of factors, that govern its expression is largely taxon specific. Parents may either consume all offspring under their care (full-brood cannibalism) or consume a fraction of their offspring (partial brood cannibalism). These forms of cannibalism are thought to provide adaptive benefits to cannibals under a range of circumstances, primarily by allowing parents to allocate parental efforts more optimally - energy from eating (some of) one's current offspring can be redirected to other offspring, or to parental growth, survival, and ultimately to other future reproductive endeavours. Thus, parent-offspring cannibalism is a phenotypically plastic trait that responds to changing environmental, social, and physiological conditions. The expression of parent-offspring cannibalism in any given system is intimately linked to the reproductive value of current young relative to parents' expectations for future reproduction, and also to whether parental care is predominantly depreciable or non-depreciable. Furthermore, parent-offspring cannibalism has the potential to generate conflict between the sexes, and I briefly discuss some consequences of this conflict on patterns of mate choice. Finally, there still remain many aspects of this behaviour where our understanding is poor, and I highlight these topics to help guide future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aneesh P H Bose
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Skogmarksgränd, 90183, Umeå.,Department of Collective Behaviour, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstraße 10, 78464, Konstanz, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstraße 10, 78464, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitaetsstraße 10, 78464, Konstanz, Germany
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6
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Saleh-Subaie N, Ramírez-Cruz GA, Zúñiga-Vega JJ. Examination of the Trexler-DeAngelis Model of Maternal Provisioning Reveals That Matrotrophy Is Costly. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.690430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The evolution of matrotrophy (post-fertilization maternal provisioning to developing embryos) has been explained through several hypotheses. Trexler and DeAngelis proposed in 2003 a theoretical model that defines the ecological conditions under which matrotrophy would be favored over lecithotrophy (pre-fertilization maternal provisioning). According to this model, matrotrophy offers a selective advantage in environments with abundant and constantly available food, whereas environments with limited and fluctuating food resources should instead promote a lecithotrophic mode of maternal provisioning. This model also proposes that matrotrophy entails the consequence of leaner reproductive females and in turn shorter lifespans. In this study, we examined the Trexler-DeAngelis model using data from 45 populations of five viviparous species from the fish genus Poeciliopsis (family Poeciliidae). We used the matrotrophy index (MI) as a measure of post-fertilization maternal provisioning, and the index of stomach fullness and individual body condition (BC) as proxies for food availability. We also estimated the magnitude of fluctuations in food availability by calculating the temporal variances of these two proxies. Neither abundant nor constantly available food were associated with greater degrees of matrotrophy, which fails to support the predictions of the Trexler-DeAngelis model with respect to the ecological drivers of increased post-fertilization provisioning to embryos. Nonetheless, in all five species we observed that females with greater degrees of matrotrophy had poorer BC compared to females that provided less nutrients to embryos after fertilization. This finding is consistent with one of the expected consequences of advanced matrotrophy according to the Trexler-DeAngelis model, namely, a detriment to the nutritional status of females. Our study provides compelling evidence that gestating females experience a trade-off between post-fertilization provisioning to embryos and self-maintenance, revealing in turn that matrotrophy is a costly reproductive strategy.
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7
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Skalkos ZMG, Van Dyke JU, Whittington CM. Paternal nutrient provisioning during male pregnancy in the seahorse Hippocampus abdominalis. J Comp Physiol B 2020; 190:547-556. [PMID: 32617716 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-020-01289-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2019] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Vertebrates that incubate embryos on or within the body cavity exhibit diverse strategies to provide nutrients to developing embryos, ranging from lecithotrophy (solely yolk-provided nutrition) to substantial matrotrophy (supplemental nutrients from the mother before birth). Syngnathid fishes (seahorses, pipefishes and sea dragons) are the only vertebrates to exhibit male pregnancy. Therefore, they provide a unique opportunity for comparative evolutionary research, in examining pregnancy independent of the female reproductive tract. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the most complex form of syngnathid pregnancy involves nutrient transport from father to offspring. We compared the dry masses of newly fertilised Hippocampus abdominalis eggs with those of fully developed neonates to derive a patrotrophy index. The patrotrophy index of H. abdominalis was 1, indicating paternal nutrient supplementation to embryos during gestation. We also measured the lipid content of newly fertilised eggs and neonates and found that there was no significant decrease in lipid mass during embryonic development. Since lipids are likely to be the main source of energy during embryonic development, our results suggest that lipid yolk reserves being depleted by embryonic metabolism are replaced by the brooding father. The results of our study support the hypothesis that nutrient transport occurs in the most advanced form of male pregnancy in vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe M G Skalkos
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence A08, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - James U Van Dyke
- School of Molecular Sciences, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Wodonga, VIC, Australia
| | - Camilla M Whittington
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Heydon-Laurence A08, Camperdown, NSW, 2006, Australia.
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8
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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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9
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Molina-Moctezuma A, Hernández-Rosas AL, Zúñiga-Vega JJ. Resource availability and its effects on mother to embryo nutrient transfer in two viviparous fish species. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2020; 333:181-193. [PMID: 31904197 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Different hypotheses have been proposed to explain the adaptive value of matrotrophy, which is the postfertilization maternal provisioning to developing embryos. The Trexler-DeAngelis model proposes that matrotrophy provides fitness advantages when food abundance is high and availability is constant. If food availability is low or unpredictable, prefertilization maternal provisioning (lecithotrophy) should be favored over matrotrophy. In this study, we tested this model in two fish species from the family Poeciliidae, Poeciliopsis gracilis and P. infans, using field and laboratory data. In the field study, we explored the effects of population, season, and food abundance on the degree of matrotrophy. In P. infans, we found evidence that supports this model: In the population where food abundance decreased during the dry season, females reduced the amount of postfertilization provisioning and thus exhibited a more lecithotrophic strategy. In P. gracilis, we observed patterns that were partially consistent with this model: Food abundance decreased during the wet season in three populations of this species, but only in one of these populations, females exhibited less postfertilization nutrient transfer during this season. In the laboratory study, we tested the effects of constant, fluctuating, and low food availability on the relative amounts of pre- and postfertilization provisioning of P. infans. Our laboratory results also support the Trexler-DeAngelis model because both low and fluctuating food regimes promoted a more lecithotrophic strategy. Together, our findings indicate that the benefits of matrotrophy are more likely to occur when females have constant access to food sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Molina-Moctezuma
- Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Ana L Hernández-Rosas
- Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - José Jaime Zúñiga-Vega
- Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Ecología y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
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10
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Van Dyke JU, Thompson MB, Burridge CP, Castelli MA, Clulow S, Dissanayake DSB, Dong CM, Doody JS, Edwards DL, Ezaz T, Friesen CR, Gardner MG, Georges A, Higgie M, Hill PL, Holleley CE, Hoops D, Hoskin CJ, Merry DL, Riley JL, Wapstra E, While GM, Whiteley SL, Whiting MJ, Zozaya SM, Whittington CM. Australian lizards are outstanding models for reproductive biology research. AUST J ZOOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1071/zo21017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Australian lizards are a diverse group distributed across the continent and inhabiting a wide range of environments. Together, they exhibit a remarkable diversity of reproductive morphologies, physiologies, and behaviours that is broadly representative of vertebrates in general. Many reproductive traits exhibited by Australian lizards have evolved independently in multiple lizard lineages, including sociality, complex signalling and mating systems, viviparity, and temperature-dependent sex determination. Australian lizards are thus outstanding model organisms for testing hypotheses about how reproductive traits function and evolve, and they provide an important basis of comparison with other animals that exhibit similar traits. We review how research on Australian lizard reproduction has contributed to answering broader evolutionary and ecological questions that apply to animals in general. We focus on reproductive traits, processes, and strategies that are important areas of current research, including behaviours and signalling involved in courtship; mechanisms involved in mating, egg production, and sperm competition; nesting and gestation; sex determination; and finally, birth in viviparous species. We use our review to identify important questions that emerge from an understanding of this body of research when considered holistically. Finally, we identify additional research questions within each topic that Australian lizards are well suited for reproductive biologists to address.
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11
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Dupoué A, Blaimont P, Rozen‐Rechels D, Richard M, Meylan S, Clobert J, Miles DB, Martin R, Decencière B, Agostini S, Le Galliard J. Water availability and temperature induce changes in oxidative status during pregnancy in a viviparous lizard. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andréaz Dupoué
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale de Moulis CNRS‐UMR 5321 Saint Girons France
| | - Pauline Blaimont
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology University of California, Santa Cruz Santa Cruz CA USA
| | | | - Murielle Richard
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale de Moulis CNRS‐UMR 5321 Saint Girons France
| | - Sandrine Meylan
- Sorbonne Université, iEES ParisCNRS‐UMR 7618 Paris France
- ESPE de Paris, Sorbonne Université Paris France
| | - Jean Clobert
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale de Moulis CNRS‐UMR 5321 Saint Girons France
| | - Donald B. Miles
- Department of Biological Sciences Ohio University Athens OH USA
| | - Rémi Martin
- Station d'Ecologie Théorique et Expérimentale de Moulis CNRS‐UMR 5321 Saint Girons France
| | - Beatriz Decencière
- Centre de Recherche en Ecologie Expérimentale et Prédictive (CEREEP‐Ecotron Ile De France) Ecole Normale Supérieure CNRS‐UMS 3194 PSL Research University Saint‐Pierre‐lès‐Nemours France
| | - Simon Agostini
- Centre de Recherche en Ecologie Expérimentale et Prédictive (CEREEP‐Ecotron Ile De France) Ecole Normale Supérieure CNRS‐UMS 3194 PSL Research University Saint‐Pierre‐lès‐Nemours France
| | - Jean‐François Le Galliard
- Sorbonne Université, iEES ParisCNRS‐UMR 7618 Paris France
- Centre de Recherche en Ecologie Expérimentale et Prédictive (CEREEP‐Ecotron Ile De France) Ecole Normale Supérieure CNRS‐UMS 3194 PSL Research University Saint‐Pierre‐lès‐Nemours France
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12
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Bougleux Gomes HA, Diangelo JR, Santangelo N. Characterization of courtship behavior and copulation rate in adp60 mutant Drosophila melanogaster (Insecta: Diptera: Drosophilidae). THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2019.1635659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - N. Santangelo
- Department of Biology, Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY, USA
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13
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Understanding selective predation: Are energy and nutrients important? PLoS One 2018; 13:e0201300. [PMID: 30089131 PMCID: PMC6082548 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0201300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
For generalist predators, a mixed diet can be advantageous as it allows individuals to exploit a potentially broad range of profitable food types. Despite this, some generalist predators show preferences for certain types of food and may forage selectively in places or at times when these foods are available. One such species is the lesser hairy-footed dunnart (Sminthopsis youngsoni). Usually considered to be a generalist insectivore, in the Simpson Desert, Australia, this small marsupial predator has been found to selectively consume wolf spiders (Family Lycosidae), for reasons yet unknown. Here, we tested whether lycosids have relatively high energy or nutrient contents compared to other invertebrates, and hence whether these aspects of food quality can explain selective predation of lycosids by S. youngsoni. Energy, lipid and protein composition of representatives of 9 arthropod families that are eaten by S. youngsoni in the Simpson Desert were ascertained using microbomb calorimetry, chloroform-methanol extraction and Dumas combustion, respectively. Although lycosids contained a high proportion of energy and nutrients, they were not found to yield statistically greater amounts of these food components than many other available arthropod prey that are not selected by S. youngsoni. Our results therefore suggest that alternative factors may be more influential in shaping dietary selection in this marsupial predator, such as high rates of encounter between lycosids and S. youngsoni.
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14
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Van Dyke JU, Griffith OW. Mechanisms of reproductive allocation as drivers of developmental plasticity in reptiles. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2018; 329:275-286. [PMID: 29733527 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 04/09/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Developmental plasticity in offspring phenotype occurs as a result of the environmental conditions embryos experience during development. The nutritional environment provided to a fetus is an important source of developmental plasticity. Reptiles are a particularly interesting system to study this plasticity because of their varied routes of maternal nutrient allocation to reproduction. Most reptiles provide their offspring with all or most of the nutrients they require in egg yolk (lecithotrophy) while viviparous reptiles also provide their offspring with nutrients via a placenta (placentotrophy). We review the ways in which both lecithotrophy and placentotrophy can lead to differences in the nutrients embryonic reptiles receive, and discuss how these differences lead to developmental plasticity in offspring phenotype. We finish by reviewing the ecological and conservation consequences of nutritional-driven developmental plasticity in reptiles. If nutritional-driven developmental plasticity has fitness consequences, then understanding the basis of this plasticity has exciting potential to identify how reptile recruitment is affected by environmental changes in food supply. Such knowledge is critical to our ability to protect taxa threatened by environmental change.
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Affiliation(s)
- James U Van Dyke
- School of Environmental Sciences, Institute of Land, Water & Society, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, Australia
| | - Oliver W Griffith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.,Yale Systems Biology Institute, Yale University, West Haven, Connecticut
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15
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Griffith OW, Brandley MC, Whittington CM, Belov K, Thompson MB. Comparative genomics of hormonal signaling in the chorioallantoic membrane of oviparous and viviparous amniotes. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 244:19-29. [PMID: 27102939 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2015] [Revised: 01/17/2016] [Accepted: 04/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
In oviparous amniotes (reptiles, birds, and mammals) the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) lines the inside of the egg and acts as the living point of contact between the embryo and the outside world. In livebearing (viviparous) amniotes, communication during embryonic development occurs across placental tissues, which form between the uterine tissue of the mother and the CAM of the embryo. In both oviparous and viviparous taxa, the CAM is at the interface of the embryo and the external environment and can transfer signals from there to the embryo proper. To understand the evolution of placental hormone production in amniotes, we examined the expression of genes involved in hormone synthesis, metabolism, and hormone receptivity in the CAM of species across the amniote phylogeny. We collected transcriptome data for the chorioallantoic membranes of the chicken (oviparous), the lizards Lerista bougainvillii (both oviparous and viviparous populations) and Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii (viviparous), and the horse Equus caballus (viviparous). The viviparous taxa differ in their mechanisms of nutrient provisioning: L. bougainvillii is lecithotrophic (embryonic nourishment is provided via the yolk only), but P. entrecasteauxii and the horse are placentotrophic (embryos are nourished via placental transport). Of the 423 hormone-related genes that we examined, 91 genes are expressed in all studied species, suggesting that the chorioallantoic membrane ancestrally had an endocrine function. Therefore, the chorioallantoic membrane appears to be a highly hormonally active organ in all amniotes. No genes are expressed only in viviparous species, suggesting that the evolution of viviparity has not required the recruitment of any specific hormone-related genes. Our data suggest that the endocrine function of the CAM as a placental tissue evolved in part through co-option of ancestral gene expression patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver W Griffith
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Heydon-Laurence Building, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, United States.
| | - Matthew C Brandley
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Heydon-Laurence Building, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; New York University - Sydney, The Rocks, NSW 2000, Australia
| | - Camilla M Whittington
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Heydon-Laurence Building, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia; Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Katherine Belov
- Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Michael B Thompson
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Heydon-Laurence Building, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
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16
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Griffith OW, Wagner GP. The placenta as a model for understanding the origin and evolution of vertebrate organs. Nat Ecol Evol 2017; 1:72. [DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 01/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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17
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Liu J, Duan C, Lummaa V. Parent-offspring conflict over family size in current China. Am J Hum Biol 2017; 29. [PMID: 28054420 DOI: 10.1002/ajhb.22946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2016] [Revised: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In China, the recent replacement of the one-child policy with a two-child policy could potentially change family ecology-parents may switch investment from exclusively one child to two. The parent-offspring conflict theory provides testable hypotheses concerning possible firstborn opposition toward further reproduction of their mother, and who wins the conflict. We tested the hypotheses that if there is any opposition, it will differ between sexes, weaken with offspring age and family resource availability, and affect maternal reproductive decision-making. METHODS Using survey data of 531 non-pregnant mothers of only one child from Xi'an (China), logistic regression was used to examine effects of age, family income, and sex on the attitudes of firstborn children toward having a sibling; ordinal regression was used to investigate how such attitudes affect maternal intention to reproduce again. RESULTS Firstborns' unsupportive attitude toward their mothers' further reproduction weakened with age and was overall more frequent in low-income families. Sons' unsupportive tendency displayed a somewhat U-shaped relationship, whereas daughters' weakened with family income; consequently, sons were more likely than daughters to be unsupportive in high-income families, suggesting a tendency to be more demanding. Forty-nine percent of mothers supported by their firstborns intended to reproduce again, whilst only 9% of mothers not supported by firstborns had such an intention. CONCLUSION Our study contributes to evolutionary literature on parent-offspring conflict and its influence on female reproductive strategy in modern human societies, and has also important implications for understanding fertility patterns and conducting interventions in family conflict in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianghua Liu
- Institute for Population and Development Studies, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Chongli Duan
- Institute for Population and Development Studies, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China
| | - Virpi Lummaa
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, FIN-20014, Finland
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18
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Lorioux S, Angelier F, Lourdais O. Are glucocorticoids good indicators of pregnancy constraints in a capital breeder? Gen Comp Endocrinol 2016; 232:125-33. [PMID: 27090427 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Revised: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 04/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Pregnancy imposes a substantial energetic demand on the mother (i.e. metabolic costs of pregnancy) and is often associated with modified maternal behavior and increased physical burdens that make females more vulnerable to predation. The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis plays a fundamental role in reproduction through hormonal control of energy regulation and parental care. Therefore, evaluating the changes in baseline and stress-induced glucocorticoid levels in response to pregnancy may provide a robust tool to assess not only the constraints of gestation but also the way females may adjust to these constraints. In this study, we measured baseline and stress-induced corticosterone (CORT) concentrations in pregnant and non-pregnant aspic vipers (Vipera aspis), which are capital breeders. We also measured muscle condition (tail width) and locomotion performance (traction force) because these are robust proxies of protein mobilization associated with fasting. Baseline CORT concentration increased significantly over time in pregnant females, while they were lower and stable in non-reproductive females. Pregnant females had lower muscle condition at the onset of the study and tail width was negatively correlated with CORT concentration in this group. Contrary to our prediction, the stress response was not attenuated in pregnant females, but was proportional to baseline CORT concentration. Our results suggest that baseline CORT variations are closely related to energy constraints and structural protein mobilization in this capital breeder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Lorioux
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS UPR 1934, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France; Université de Poitiers, 40 Avenue du recteur Pineau, 85022 Poitiers, France; School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA.
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS UPR 1934, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Olivier Lourdais
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS UPR 1934, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France; School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA
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19
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Mercier A, Sun Z, Parrish CC, Hamel JF. Remarkable Shifts in Offspring Provisioning during Gestation in a Live-Bearing Cnidarian. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0154051. [PMID: 27104375 PMCID: PMC4841577 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154051] [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: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals display diverse means of producing and provisioning offspring, from eggs to embryos and juveniles. While external development predominates, many forms of embryonic incubation have evolved, including placentation in mammals and a number of understudied variants in basal metazoans that could help understand evolutionary diversification. Here we studied the brooding sea anemone Aulactinia stella, using behavioural, morphological and biochemical indicators of offspring phenotype to characterize gestation and elucidate parental and sibling relationships. The pronounced variance in juvenile weight within broods was not strongly related to any of the typical external predictors (adult weight, clutch size, sampling date, environmental conditions). Lipid concentration was significantly higher in the tissues of the small juveniles than in those of large juveniles or adult, and fatty acid profiles tended to set small juveniles apart. Finally, intra-brood feeding on external resources was documented in larger juveniles. These results are consistent with ontogenetic shifts in nutrition, from vitellogenic provisioning to post-zygotic nourishment to a prenatal form of nursing upon acquisition of feeding organs, highlighting matrotrophic and conflict-driven mechanisms acting on offspring phenotype during gestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annie Mercier
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Zhao Sun
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Christopher C. Parrish
- Department of Ocean Sciences, Memorial University, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Jean-François Hamel
- Society for the Exploration and Valuing of the Environment (SEVE), Portugal Cove-St. Philips, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
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20
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Allelic expression of mammalian imprinted genes in a matrotrophic lizard, Pseudemoia entrecasteauxii. Dev Genes Evol 2016; 226:79-85. [DOI: 10.1007/s00427-016-0531-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2015] [Accepted: 02/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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21
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Ecología trófica de la lagartija Xenosaurus mendozai (Squamata: Xenosauridae) en el estado de Querétaro, México. REV MEX BIODIVERS 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.rmb.2016.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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22
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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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23
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Van Dyke JU, Lindsay LA, Murphy CR, Thompson MB. Carbonic anhydrase II is found in the placenta of a viviparous, matrotrophic lizard and likely facilitates embryo-maternal CO2transport. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2015; 324:636-46. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- James U. Van Dyke
- School of Biological Sciences; The University of Sydney; Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Laura A. Lindsay
- Department of Anatomy and Histology; The University of Sydney; Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Christopher R. Murphy
- Department of Anatomy and Histology; The University of Sydney; Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Michael B. Thompson
- School of Biological Sciences; The University of Sydney; Sydney New South Wales Australia
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24
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Blackburn DG. Viviparous placentotrophy in reptiles and the parent-offspring conflict. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2015; 324:532-48. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2015] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel G. Blackburn
- Departmentof Biology; Electron Microscopy Center; Trinity College; Hartford Connecticut
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25
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Griffith OW, Blackburn DG, Brandley MC, Van Dyke JU, Whittington CM, Thompson MB. Ancestral state reconstructions require biological evidence to test evolutionary hypotheses: A case study examining the evolution of reproductive mode in squamate reptiles. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION 2015; 324:493-503. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.b.22614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Accepted: 01/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Oliver W. Griffith
- School of Biological Sciences; Heydon Laurence Building (A08); University of Sydney; Camperdown NSW Australia
| | | | - Matthew C. Brandley
- School of Biological Sciences; Heydon Laurence Building (A08); University of Sydney; Camperdown NSW Australia
| | - James U. Van Dyke
- School of Biological Sciences; Heydon Laurence Building (A08); University of Sydney; Camperdown NSW Australia
| | - Camilla M. Whittington
- School of Biological Sciences; Heydon Laurence Building (A08); University of Sydney; Camperdown NSW Australia
| | - Michael B. Thompson
- School of Biological Sciences; Heydon Laurence Building (A08); University of Sydney; Camperdown NSW Australia
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26
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Van Dyke JU, Steen DA, Jackson BP, Hopkins WA. Maternal transfer and embryonic assimilation of trace elements in freshwater turtles after remediation of a coal fly-ash spill. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2014; 194:38-49. [PMID: 25089891 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2014.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2014] [Revised: 06/16/2014] [Accepted: 07/01/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Oviparous vertebrates maternally transfer elements to their offspring during egg production. Maternal transfer occurs because elements mimic, or are incorporated into, nutrients allocated to eggs, but likely differs among species depending on the quantities of specific nutrients allocated to eggs. Developing embryos are often assumed to assimilate all of the elements allocated to eggs, but this assumption has rarely been tested. We tested the hypothesis that maternal transfer and embryonic assimilation of trace elements differed between two species of freshwater turtles exposed to a recently-remediated coal fly-ash spill. Sternotherus odoratus transferred As, Se, and Zn, while Trachemys scripta transferred As, Hg, Se, Sr, and Zn. Logarithmic non-linear relationships between hatchling and egg concentrations indicated that turtles partially assimilated elements present in eggs. In systems contaminated with multiple trace elements, our data show that maternal transfer and embryonic assimilation are element- and species-specific, and may be inconsistent even among closely-related species.
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Affiliation(s)
- James U Van Dyke
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, 106 Cheatham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - David A Steen
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, 106 Cheatham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Brian P Jackson
- Trace Elements Analysis Core, Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
| | - William A Hopkins
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, 106 Cheatham Hall, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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