DOCSLIB.ORG

The Maintenance of Male Color Polymorphism in Poecilia Parae

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Maintenance of Male Color Polymorphism in Poecilia Parae ABSTRACT Genetic color polymorphisms are common in nature, and a major challenge for evolutionary biologists has been to understand how they are maintained despite the effects of directional selection. Recent studies suggest that frequency-dependent selection may explain the persistence of intraspecific variation in color. However, it remains to be determined whether frequency-dependent selection is the most predominant (or perhaps the only) mechanism to maintain such genetically-based polymorphisms. Using a South American fish, Poecilia parae, my dissertation aims to elucidate the relative roles of natural and sexual selection in the maintenance of polymorphisms in natural populations. Poecilia parae males exhibit five distinct, Y-linked and co-occurring color morphs: (i) ‗immaculata‘, the smallest and drab-colored males that resemble juvenile females; (ii) ‗parae‘, the largest males that exhibit a striped tail and black vertical body bars that intensify during social interactions; and (iii) the blue, red, and yellow morphs that are of intermediate body size and display colorful body flanks. Field surveys indicate that the frequency of each morph remains relatively stable and consistent over multiple years. Using a combination of observational and experimental studies, accompanied by techniques that aimed to characterize the visual ecology (e.g., water light transmission, visual sensitivity) of P. parae, I found that this striking color polymorphism is maintained by a complex balance between different components of natural and sexual selection. First, males of the five color morphs employ different behavioral mating strategies (hereafter alternative mating strategies, AMSs) to maximize their reproductive success. These AMSs are also accompanied by differences in morphological traits, such as testes investment and sperm morphometry that complement the specific tactic. For instance, immaculata males are often categorized as an ‗unattractive‘ male by females, which is correlated to its phenotypical appearance (smaller and drab). However, this morph is relatively abundant. I found that immaculata males specialize in ‗sneak‘ copulations and have adaptations (i.e., larger testes and unique sperm morphology) that possibly confer a fertilization advantage during postcopulatory events, when competing with the sperm of more attractive males. My studies also indicate that females have strong mating preferences for red and yellow males, with visual predators also favoring those males as prey. These findings suggest that the antagonistic interaction between pre-mating sexual selection favoring and predation acting against the red and yellow morphs may prevent them from eliminating other color morphs from the population. In fact, the red and yellow males were consistently found to be the rarest morphs across populations. Further, despite overall preference for red or yellow males, my analysis also detected female preferences for blue males. These results suggest that the interaction between female mating preferences and predation accompanied by variation in male reproductive strategies may allow for the maintenance of complex color polymorphism in natural populations. Males of the different morphs further vary in their levels of aggressive behaviors. In a series of controlled lab experiments, I found that parae males gain successful matings by preventing other males from accessing females and/or modifying female mating preferences after test females witness successful agonistic interactions. 2 Finally, I found that the signaling environment of P. parae in nature is variable and that this contributes to temporal and spatial variation in how males are perceived by females. Although red males were typically the most conspicuous morph, blue males were sometimes more conspicuous than red males at several sampling sites. The results also revealed that an aquatic model predator is able to discriminate the same male color morphs that resulted also conspicuous for females. However, it is possible that males and females of P. parae are using parts of the background spectral that are least sensitive for predators. In conclusion, my dissertation suggests that balancing selection defined by the interaction between various episodes of selection allows for the invasion of AMSs and thus the maintenance of the male color polymorphism in P. parae. 3 THE MAINTENANCE OF MALE COLOR POLYMORPHISM IN POECILIA PARAE By Jorge L. Hurtado-Gonzales B.S. Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad del Cusco, 1992 M.A. University of Florida, 2001 DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biology in the Graduate School of Syracuse University May 2011 4 Copyright 2011 Jorge L. Hurtado-Gonzales All rights Reserved 5 Table of Contents CHAPTER I ........................................................................................................................ 8 PREFACE ....................................................................................................................... 8 LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................. 18 CHAPTER II ..................................................................................................................... 24 ALTERNATIVE MATING STRATEGIES MAY FAVOR THE PERSISTENCE .... 24 OF A GENETICALLY-BASED COLOR POLYMORPHISM ................................... 24 IN A PENTAMORPHIC FISH ..................................................................................... 24 ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. 25 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 26 METHODS ............................................................................................................... 29 RESULTS ................................................................................................................. 34 DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................... 37 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................ 42 LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................. 43 TABLES ................................................................................................................... 48 FIGURE CAPTIONS................................................................................................ 51 FIGURES .................................................................................................................. 53 CHAPTER III ................................................................................................................... 59 INTERACTION BETWEEN FEMALE MATING PREFERENCES AND PREDATION MAY EXPLAIN THE MAINTENANCE OF RARE MALES IN THE PENTAMORPHIC FISH POECILIA PARAE .............................................................. 59 ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................. 60 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 61 METHODS ............................................................................................................... 63 RESULTS ................................................................................................................. 71 DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................... 72 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................ 77 LITERATURE CITED ............................................................................................. 78 FIGURE CAPTIONS................................................................................................ 85 FIGURES .................................................................................................................. 86 SUPPORTING ELECTRONIC MATERIALS ........................................................ 90 CHAPTER IV ................................................................................................................. 104 6 INTRASEXUAL COMPETITION FACILITATES THE EVOLUTION OF ALTERNATIVE MATING STRATEGIES IN A COLOUR POLYMORPHIC FISH ..................................................................................................................................... 104 ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................ 105 BACKGROUND .................................................................................................... 107 RESULTS ............................................................................................................... 110 DISCUSSION ......................................................................................................... 112 CONCLUSIONS..................................................................................................... 117 METHODS ............................................................................................................. 117 AUTHORS‘ CONTRIBUTIONS ........................................................................... 124 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Mate Choice for More Melanin As a Mechanism to Maintain a Functional Oncogene
    Mate choice for more melanin as a mechanism to maintain a functional oncogene Andre´ A. Fernandez* and Molly R. Morris Department of Biological Sciences, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701 Edited by Francisco J. Ayala, University of California, Irvine, CA, and approved June 25, 2008 (received for review April 22, 2008) The mechanisms by which cancer evolves and persists in natural The study of hybrid crosses within Xiphophorus spp. and the systems have been difficult to ascertain. In the Xiphophorus resulting melanomas led to the initial realization that cancers can melanoma model, a functional oncogene (Xiphophorus melanoma have a heritable basis (12). More recently, nonhybrid melanoma receptor kinase Xmrk) has been maintained for several million formation has also been confirmed in three species of Xiphopho- years despite being deleterious and in an extremely unstable rus (13, 14), including X. cortezi. In both hybrid and nonhybrid genomic region. Melanomas in Xiphophorus spp. fishes (platy- melanomas, overexpression of the Xmrk oncogene occurs within fishes and swordtails) have been investigated since the 1920s, and, species-specific macromelanophore patterns (13, 15). X. cortezi yet, positive selection that could explain the maintenance of Xmrk is polymorphic for the macromelanophore pigment pattern has not been found. Here, we show that Xiphophorus cortezi spotted caudal (Sc) and the associated Xmrk oncogene (13, 16). females from two populations prefer males with the spotted Xmrk is an essential component for the expression of the Sc caudal (Sc) melanin pattern, which is associated with the presence phenotype in X. cortezi (13, 15) (Fig. 1) and can be located on the of the Xmrk oncogene and serves as the site of melanoma forma- X and/or Y chromosomes (19).
    [Show full text]
  • FAMILY Poeciliidae Bonaparte 1831
    FAMILY Poeciliidae Bonaparte 1831 - viviparous toothcarps, livebearers SUBFAMILY Poeciliinae Bonaparte 1831 - viviparous toothcarps [=Unipupillati, Paecilini, Belonesocini, Cyprinodontidae limnophagae, Gambusiinae, Tomeurinae, Poeciliopsinae, Heterandriini, Guirardinini, Cnesterodontini, Pamphoriini, Xiphophorini, Alfarini, Quintanini, Xenodexiinae, Dicerophallini, Scolichthyinae, Priapellini, Brachyrhaphini, Priapichthyini] GENUS Alfaro Meek, 1912 - livebearers [=Furcipenis, Petalosoma, Petalurichthys] Species Alfaro cultratus (Regan, 1908) - Regan's alfaro [=acutiventralis, amazonum] Species Alfaro huberi (Fowler, 1923) - Fowler's alfaro GENUS Belonesox Kner, 1860 - pike topminnows Species Belonesox belizanus Kner, 1860 - pike topminnow [=maxillosus] GENUS Brachyrhaphis Regan, 1913 - viviparous toothcarps [=Plectrophallus, Trigonophallus] Species Brachyrhaphis cascajalensis (Meek & Hildebrand, 1913) - Río Cascajal toothcarp Species Brachyrhaphis episcopi (Steindachner, 1878) - Obispo toothcarp [=latipunctata] Species Brachyrhaphis hartwegi Rosen & Bailey, 1963 - Soconusco gambusia Species Brachyrhaphis hessfeldi Meyer & Etzel, 2001 - Palenque toothcarp Species Brachyrhaphis holdridgei Bussing, 1967 - Tronadora toothcarp Species Brachyrhaphis olomina (Meek, 1914) - Orotina toothcarp Species Brachyrhaphis parismina (Meek, 1912) - Parismina toothcarp Species Brachyrhaphis punctifer (Hubbs, 1926) - Quibari Creek toothcarp Species Brachyrhaphis rhabdophora (Regan, 1908) - Río Grande de Terraba toothcarp [=tristani] Species Brachyrhaphis roseni
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of the Placenta Drives a Shift in Sexual Selection in Livebearing Fish
    LETTER doi:10.1038/nature13451 The evolution of the placenta drives a shift in sexual selection in livebearing fish B. J. A. Pollux1,2, R. W. Meredith1,3, M. S. Springer1, T. Garland1 & D. N. Reznick1 The evolution of the placenta from a non-placental ancestor causes a species produce large, ‘costly’ (that is, fully provisioned) eggs5,6, gaining shift of maternal investment from pre- to post-fertilization, creating most reproductive benefits by carefully selecting suitable mates based a venue for parent–offspring conflicts during pregnancy1–4. Theory on phenotype or behaviour2. These females, however, run the risk of mat- predicts that the rise of these conflicts should drive a shift from a ing with genetically inferior (for example, closely related or dishonestly reliance on pre-copulatory female mate choice to polyandry in conjunc- signalling) males, because genetically incompatible males are generally tion with post-zygotic mechanisms of sexual selection2. This hypoth- not discernable at the phenotypic level10. Placental females may reduce esis has not yet been empirically tested. Here we apply comparative these risks by producing tiny, inexpensive eggs and creating large mixed- methods to test a key prediction of this hypothesis, which is that the paternity litters by mating with multiple males. They may then rely on evolution of placentation is associated with reduced pre-copulatory the expression of the paternal genomes to induce differential patterns of female mate choice. We exploit a unique quality of the livebearing fish post-zygotic maternal investment among the embryos and, in extreme family Poeciliidae: placentas have repeatedly evolved or been lost, cases, divert resources from genetically defective (incompatible) to viable creating diversity among closely related lineages in the presence or embryos1–4,6,11.
    [Show full text]
  • Poecilia Wingei
    MASARYKOVA UNIVERZITA PŘÍRODOVĚDECKÁ FAKULTA ÚSTAV BOTANIKY A ZOOLOGIE AKADEMIE VĚD ČR ÚSTAV BIOLOGIE OBRATLOVCŮ, V.V.I. Personality, reprodukční strategie a pohlavní výběr u vybraných taxonů ryb Disertační práce Radomil Řežucha ŠKOLITEL: doc. RNDr. MARTIN REICHARD, Ph.D. BRNO 2014 Bibliografický záznam Autor: Mgr. Radomil Řežucha Přírodovědecká fakulta, Masarykova univerzita Ústav botaniky a zoologie Název práce: Personality, reprodukční strategie a pohlavní výběr u vybraných taxonů ryb Studijní program: Biologie Studijní obor: Zoologie Školitel: doc. RNDr. Martin Reichard, Ph.D. Akademie věd ČR Ústav biologie obratlovců, v.v.i. Akademický rok: 2013/2014 Počet stran: 139 Klíčová slova: Pohlavní výběr, alternativní rozmnožovací takti- ky, osobnostní znaky, sociální prostředí, zkuše- nost, Rhodeus amarus, Poecilia wingei Bibliographic Entry Author: Mgr. Radomil Řežucha Faculty of Science, Masaryk University Department of Botany and Zoology Title of Dissertation: Personalities, reproductive tactics and sexual selection in fishes Degree Programme: Biology Field of Study: Zoology Supervisor doc. RNDr. Martin Reichard, Ph.D. Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic Institute of Vertebrate Biology, v.v.i. Academic Year: 2013/2014 Number of pages: 139 Keywords: Sexual selection, alternative mating tactics, per- sonality traits, social environment, experience, Rhodeus amarus, Poecilia wingei Abstrakt Vliv osobnostních znaků na alternativní reprodukční taktiky (charakteris- tické typy reprodukčního chování) patří mezi zanedbávané oblasti studia po- hlavního výběru. Současně bývá opomíjen i vliv sociálního prostředí a zkuše- nosti na tyto taktiky, a studium schopnosti jedinců v průběhu námluv mas- kovat své morfologické nedostatky. Jako studovaný systém alternativních rozmnožovacích taktik byl zvolen v přírodě nejběžnější komplex – sneaker × guarder (courter) komplex, popisující teritoriální a neteritoriální role samců.
    [Show full text]
  • CURRICULUM VITAE Stephen M
    CURRICULUM VITAE Stephen M. Shuster Updated: 25 September 2012 Present Address: Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University; Box 5640, Flagstaff, AZ 86011-5640 Telephone: office: (928) 523-9302, 523-2381; laboratory: (928) 523-4641; FAX: (928) 523-7500; Email: [email protected]; Webpage: http://www4.nau.edu/isopod/ Education: Ph.D. Department of Zoology, University of California, Berkeley, 1987. M.S. Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, 1979. B.S. Department of Zoology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, 1976. Academic Positions 2001-Present Professor of Invertebrate Zoology; Curator of Marine Invertebrates and Molluscs, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University. 1995-2001 Associate Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University. 1990-95 Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ. 1987-88 Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA. 1979-81 Academic Instructor, Department of Biology, University of Albuquerque, Albuquerque, NM. 1979 Program Specialist and Instructor, Human Anatomy and Physiology, Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing, Albuquerque, NM. Postdoctoral Research Experience 1988-90 NIH grant GM 22523-14, Post-doctoral Research Associate with Dr. Michael J. Wade, "Evolution in structured populations." University of Chicago. 1987-88 NSF grant BSR 87-00112, Post-doctoral Research Associate with Dr. Clay A. Sassaman, "A genetic analysis of male alternative reproductive behaviors in a marine isopod crustacean," University of California, Riverside. Fellowships and Grants ($7.1M since 1990): 2012 NAU Interns to Scholars Program, One student supported. 2012 Global Course Development Support, “A Field Course in Saipan,” Northern Arizona University, $4.5K. 2011 Global Learning Initiative Grant, “Research Internships at the University of Bordeaux, France,” Northern Arizona University, Co-PIs Patricia Frederick.
    [Show full text]
  • (Peracarida: Isopoda) Inferred from 18S Rdna and 16S Rdna Genes
    76 (1): 1 – 30 14.5.2018 © Senckenberg Gesellschaft für Naturforschung, 2018. Relationships of the Sphaeromatidae genera (Peracarida: Isopoda) inferred from 18S rDNA and 16S rDNA genes Regina Wetzer *, 1, Niel L. Bruce 2 & Marcos Pérez-Losada 3, 4, 5 1 Research and Collections, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90007 USA; Regina Wetzer * [[email protected]] — 2 Museum of Tropical Queensland, 70–102 Flinders Street, Townsville, 4810 Australia; Water Research Group, Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa; Niel L. Bruce [[email protected]] — 3 Computation Biology Institute, Milken Institute School of Public Health, The George Washington University, Ashburn, VA 20148, USA; Marcos Pérez-Losada [mlosada @gwu.edu] — 4 CIBIO-InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal — 5 Department of Invertebrate Zoology, US National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC 20013, USA — * Corresponding author Accepted 13.x.2017. Published online at www.senckenberg.de/arthropod-systematics on 30.iv.2018. Editors in charge: Stefan Richter & Klaus-Dieter Klass Abstract. The Sphaeromatidae has 100 genera and close to 700 species with a worldwide distribution. Most are abundant primarily in shallow (< 200 m) marine communities, but extend to 1.400 m, and are occasionally present in permanent freshwater habitats. They play an important role as prey for epibenthic fishes and are commensals and scavengers. Sphaeromatids’ impressive exploitation of diverse habitats, in combination with diversity in female life history strategies and elaborate male combat structures, has resulted in extraordinary levels of homoplasy.
    [Show full text]
  • Two New Nonindigenous Isopods in the Southwestern Atlantic
    Journal of Sea Research 138 (2018) 1–7 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Sea Research journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/seares Two new nonindigenous isopods in the Southwestern Atlantic: Simultaneous T assessment of population status and shipping transport vector ⁎ Carlos Rumbolda,b, , Marco Melonic, Brenda Dotib,d,e, Nancy Correaf, Mariano Albanob,g, Francisco Sylvesterb,h, Sandra Obenata a Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina b Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina c IEGEBA (CONICET-UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina d Instituto de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental y Aplicada (IBBEA, CONICET-UBA), Argentina e Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina f Servicio de Hidrografía Naval, Ministerio de Defensa de la República Argentina, Argentina g Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas (CADIC-CONICET), Ushuaia, Argentina h Instituto para el Estudio de la Biodiversidad de Invertebrados (IEBI), Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Salta, Salta, Argentina ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Keywords: The Southwestern Atlantic is often perceived as remote region, yet it is not immune to biological invasions. Dynamene edwardsi Patchy information on historical community composition hinders our ability to identify introductions to coastal Paracerceis sculpta ecosystems in this region. Hull fouling is an under-managed shipping vector that likely continues to transport Population biology large numbers of marine species worldwide. The port of Mar del Plata is a comparatively well-studied shipping Hull fouling and commercial hub that may serve as an observatory to monitor new introductions to the Argentine coast.
    [Show full text]
  • BATEMAN GRADIENTS and ALTERNATIVE MATING STRATEGIES Katharine M
    BATEMAN GRADIENTS AND ALTERNATIVE MATING STRATEGIES Katharine M. Saunders1 and Stephen M. Shuster2 1School of Biological Sciences, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712 2Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011 Abstract Results and Conclusions Among the available methods for estimating the intensity of sexual selection, the Bateman Our 2-way ANOVA of the residuals for offspring number on female body length, to determine whether the fertilities of gradient is considered one of the most accurate, because it specifically measures the standardized the 3 male morphs differed or decreased with increasing mating frequency, was non-significant overall (F[5,85] =0.25, P covariance between mate numbers and offspring numbers for members of each sex. Although =0.94) with non-significant effects of male morph (F[MORPH] =0.42, P =0.66) and mate order (F[ORDER] =2.21, P =0.64) and a non-significant interaction between these factors (F =0.15, P =0.86). This result indicated that, although the widely used to compare sex differences in selection intensity, it has yet to be used to examine the [MORPH*ORDER] they appear to invest different amounts of energy to somatic and gametic functions (Shuster 1989a), the 3 male morphs did covariance between mate numbers and offspring numbers among alternative mating strategies. not differ in their sexual competency with multiple matings. This result also confirmed that there were no significant We allowed marine isopods (Paracerceis sculpta) representing the 3 genetically distinct male differences in the fecundities of females mated with α-, β- and γ-males, and, consistent with Shuster (1989a), there were no morphs in this species to mate from 1 to 5 times, and we allowed females to mate 1, 3 and 5 times.
    [Show full text]
  • Poecilia Picta, a Close Relative to the Guppy, Exhibits Red Male Coloration Polymorphism: a System for Phylogenetic Comparisons
    Zurich Open Repository and Archive University of Zurich Main Library Strickhofstrasse 39 CH-8057 Zurich www.zora.uzh.ch Year: 2015 Poecilia picta, a close relative to the guppy, exhibits red male coloration polymorphism: a system for phylogenetic comparisons Lindholm, Anna K ; Sandkam, Ben ; Pohl, Kristina ; Breden, Felix Abstract: Studies on the evolution of female preference and male color polymorphism frequently focus on single species since traits and preferences are thought to co-evolve. The guppy, Poecilia reticulata, has long been a premier model for such studies because female preferences and orange coloration are well known to covary, especially in upstream/downstream pairs of populations. However, focused single species studies lack the explanatory power of the comparative method, which requires detailed knowledge of multiple species with known evolutionary relationships. Here we describe a red color polymorphism in Poecilia picta, a close relative to guppies. We show that this polymorphism is restricted to males and is maintained in natural populations of mainland South America. Using tests of female preference we show female P. picta are not more attracted to red males, despite preferences for red/orange in closely related species, such as P. reticulata and P. parae. Male color patterns in these closely related species are different from P. picta in that they occur in discrete patches and are frequently Y chromosome-linked. P. reticulata have an almost infinite number of male patterns, while P. parae males occur in discrete morphs. We show the red male polymorphism in P. picta extends continuously throughout the body and is not a Y-linked trait despite the theoretical prediction that sexually-selected characters should often be linked to the heterogametic sex chromosome.
    [Show full text]
  • Conservation of Freshwater Live-Bearing Fishes: Development
    Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Doctoral Dissertations Graduate School 7-6-2018 Conservation of Freshwater Live-bearing Fishes: Development of Germplasm Repositories for Goodeids Yue Liu Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations Part of the Aquaculture and Fisheries Commons, Biotechnology Commons, and the Cell Biology Commons Recommended Citation Liu, Yue, "Conservation of Freshwater Live-bearing Fishes: Development of Germplasm Repositories for Goodeids" (2018). LSU Doctoral Dissertations. 4675. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissertations/4675 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized graduate school editor of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please [email protected]. CONSERVATION OF FRESHWATER LIVE-BEARING FISHES: DEVELOPMENT OF GERMPLASM REPOSITORIES FOR GOODEIDS A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The School of Renewable Natural Resources by Yue Liu B.S., Jiujiang University, 2010 M.Agric., Shanghai Ocean University, 2013 August 2018 For my maternal grandparents, Wenzhi Zhang and Xianrang Zhang, who raised me up in my childhood For my parents, who support me with all their love For Youjin and Jenna, who are the meaning of my life ii Acknowledgments I want to thank my advisor Dr. Terrence Tiersch, who has been the most important person in my PhD study.
    [Show full text]
  • Designation of the Lectotype of Poecilia Amazonica Garman, 1895 (Cyprinodontiformes, Poeciliidae) and Discussion of Its Nomenclatural Status
    Zootaxa 2751: 63–64 (2011) ISSN 1175-5326 (print edition) www.mapress.com/zootaxa/ Correspondence ZOOTAXA Copyright © 2011 · Magnolia Press ISSN 1175-5334 (online edition) Designation of the lectotype of Poecilia amazonica Garman, 1895 (Cyprinodontiformes, Poeciliidae) and discussion of its nomenclatural status PAULO H.F. LUCINDA1, CARLOS A. FIGUEIREDO2 & KARSTEN E. HARTEL3 1Laboratório de Ictiologia Sistemática (UNT), Universidade Federal do Tocantins, Campus de Porto Nacional, P.O. Box 136, 77500- 000 Porto Nacional, TO, Brazil (corresponding author). E-mail: [email protected]. Bolsista de Produtividade em Pesquisa (CNPq) 2Núcleo de Gestão Ambiental, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Av. Pasteur, 458, sala 512- F, 22290-240 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected] 3Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. E-mail: [email protected] Poecilia amazonica Garman, 1895 was described based on syntypes collected at Santa Cruz, Pará, Brazil by Mr. Caleb Cooke in October 1859. The type-series was originally deposited at the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, under the catalog numbers MCZ 27573 (128 ex.), and MCZ 69635 (97 ex.). Five specimens were subsequently transferred to University of Michigan Museum of Zoology (UMMZ 146750), and six specimens were sent to the National Museum of Natural History (USNM 120286). Carl Hubbs examined parts of the type-series and considered the syntypes to be Micropoecilia parae (Eigenmann, 1894), as inferred from label information handwritten by Hubbs in 1944 and placed inside the jars of lots MCZ 27573 and UMMZ 146750 (ex MCZ 27573).
    [Show full text]
  • The Role of Social Environment and Genomic Plasticity in the Maintenance of Alternative Mating Strategies in Sailfin Mollies
    Clemson University TigerPrints All Theses Theses 8-2018 The Role of Social Environment and Genomic Plasticity in the Maintenance of Alternative Mating Strategies in Sailfin Mollies Mary Katharine Ramos-Negrete Clemson University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses Recommended Citation Ramos-Negrete, Mary Katharine, "The Role of Social Environment and Genomic Plasticity in the Maintenance of Alternative Mating Strategies in Sailfin Mollies" (2018). All Theses. 3246. https://tigerprints.clemson.edu/all_theses/3246 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses at TigerPrints. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Theses by an authorized administrator of TigerPrints. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE ROLE OF SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT AND GENOMIC PLASTICITY IN THE MAINTENANCE OF ALTERNATIVE MATING STRATEGIES IN SAILFIN MOLLIES A Thesis Presented to the Graduate School of Clemson University In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Science Biology by Mary Katharine Ramos-Negrete August 2018 Accepted by: Margaret B. Ptacek, Committee Co-Chair Christina E. Wells, Committee Co-Chair Amy L. Lawton-Rauh Matthew W. Turnbull i ABSTRACT Sailfin molly fish, Poecilia latipinna, members of the family Poeciliidae, show extensive polymorphism in male body size, degree of ornamentation and mating behavior repertoires. They are a striking example of a species with alternative male mating strategies that result from an association between life history trait variation and developmental plasticity of mating behaviors. Sailfin molly male body size correlates to their lifelong mating strategy and male size at maturity is fixed and shows a continuous range of male sizes in natural populations.
    [Show full text]