1
|
Bucklow CV, Genner MJ, Turner GF, Maclaine J, Benson R, Verd B. A whole-body micro-CT scan library that captures the skeletal diversity of Lake Malawi cichlid fishes. Sci Data 2024; 11:984. [PMID: 39256465 PMCID: PMC11387623 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-024-03687-1] [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: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/26/2024] [Indexed: 09/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Here we describe a dataset of freely available, readily processed, whole-body μCT-scans of 56 species (116 specimens) of Lake Malawi cichlid fishes that captures a considerable majority of the morphological variation present in this remarkable adaptive radiation. We contextualise the scanned specimens within a discussion of their respective ecomorphological groupings and suggest possible macroevolutionary studies that could be conducted with these data. In addition, we describe a methodology to efficiently μCT-scan (on average) 23 specimens per hour, limiting scanning time and alleviating the financial cost whilst maintaining high resolution. We demonstrate the utility of this method by reconstructing 3D models of multiple bones from multiple specimens within the dataset. We hope this dataset will enable further morphological study of this fascinating system and permit wider-scale comparisons with other cichlid adaptive radiations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Callum V Bucklow
- University of Oxford, Department of Biology, OX1 3SZ, Oxford, United Kingdom
- University of Oxford, Department of Earth Sciences, OX1 3AN, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Martin J Genner
- University of Bristol, School of Biological Sciences, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, United Kingdom
| | - George F Turner
- Bangor University, School of Natural Sciences, Bangor, LL57 2UR, United Kingdom
| | | | - Roger Benson
- University of Oxford, Department of Earth Sciences, OX1 3AN, Oxford, United Kingdom.
- American Museum of Natural History, New York City, NY 10024, USA.
| | - Berta Verd
- University of Oxford, Department of Biology, OX1 3SZ, Oxford, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hashem S, Kawai K, Kushida T, Hamaoka E, Kofi Fatsi PS, Saito H. Genetic relationships between and within some Malawian cichlid genera. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2024. [PMID: 38922852 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 06/02/2024] [Accepted: 06/04/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Genetic relationships were examined for a total of 90 individuals of 90 species or species var. from 13 genera of Malawian cichlids based on the sequences of an amplified 991-bp fragment of the mtDNA control region (mtDNA-CR). In the network analysis, no exclusive clades were made by all the members of any genera in this study. However, congeneric clades were observed by genera Buccochromis, Copadichromis, Protomelas, and Sciaenochromis, whereas no congeneric clades were observed by genera Mylochromis, Nimbochromis, and Otopharynx. In non-mbuna, an Aulonocara-Lethrinops group was divided into two groups, and the mean genetic distance of the larger group was much lower from mbuna than from other non-mbuna. Overall mean genetic distance within a genus was generally low in mbuna, whereas it was relatively high in non-mbuna. In the genetic tree of each genus, two or more large clades were observed, and some clades, such as those of Aulonocara hansbaenschi and Aulonocara nyassae in genus Aulonocara, Lethrinops micrentodon and Lethrinops sp. "gold harbor" in Lethrinops, and Otopharynx ovatus and Otopharynx brooksi in Otopharynx, were very deeply differentiated. Besides, a mbuna species, Pseudotropheus crabro, was extremely deeply differentiated from other members of this genus. These results suggest a widespread morphological convergence across the taxa in parallel with deep genetic differentiation in the long evolutionary story and some possibility of generation of the species of Aulonocara-Lethrinops group by hybridization of small non-mbuna and mbuna species. Furthermore, taxonomical reexamination is necessary based on a strong support by genetic connection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shaharior Hashem
- Department of Bioresource Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- Department of Aquaculture, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh, Bangladesh
| | - Koichiro Kawai
- Department of Bioresource Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Tetsuyasu Kushida
- Department of Bioresource Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Erika Hamaoka
- Department of Bioresource Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Patrick Senam Kofi Fatsi
- Department of Bioresource Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
- Water Research Institute-Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Accra, Ghana
| | - Hidetoshi Saito
- Department of Bioresource Science, Graduate School of Integrated Sciences for Life, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Cerca J, Cotoras DD, Santander CG, Bieker VC, Hutchins L, Morin-Lagos J, Prada CF, Kennedy S, Krehenwinkel H, Rominger AJ, Meier J, Dimitrov D, Struck TH, Gillespie RG. Multiple paths toward repeated phenotypic evolution in the spiny-leg adaptive radiation (Tetragnatha; Hawai'i). Mol Ecol 2023; 32:4971-4985. [PMID: 37515430 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17082] [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: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
The repeated evolution of phenotypes provides clear evidence for the role of natural selection in driving evolutionary change. However, the evolutionary origin of repeated phenotypes can be difficult to disentangle as it can arise from a combination of factors such as gene flow, shared ancestral polymorphisms or mutation. Here, we investigate the presence of these evolutionary processes in the Hawaiian spiny-leg Tetragnatha adaptive radiation, which includes four microhabitat-specialists or ecomorphs, with different body pigmentation and size (Green, Large Brown, Maroon, and Small Brown). We investigated the evolutionary history of this radiation using 76 newly generated low-coverage, whole-genome resequenced samples, along with phylogenetic and population genomic tools. Considering the Green ecomorph as the ancestral state, our results suggest that the Green ecomorph likely re-evolved once, the Large Brown and Maroon ecomorphs evolved twice and the Small Brown evolved three times. We found that the evolution of the Maroon and Small Brown ecomorphs likely involved ancestral hybridization events, while the Green and Large Brown ecomorphs likely evolved through novel mutations, despite a high rate of incomplete lineage sorting in the dataset. Our findings demonstrate that the repeated evolution of ecomorphs in the Hawaiian spiny-leg Tetragnatha is influenced by multiple evolutionary processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- José Cerca
- Berkeley Evolab, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
- Frontiers in Evolutionary Zoology, Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Darko D Cotoras
- Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Department of Entomology, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Cindy G Santander
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Vanessa C Bieker
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Leke Hutchins
- Berkeley Evolab, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Jaime Morin-Lagos
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Carlos F Prada
- Grupo de Investigación de Biología y Ecología de Artrópodos, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad del Tolima, Tolima, Colombia
| | - Susan Kennedy
- Department of Biogeography, Trier University, Trier, Germany
| | | | - Andrew J Rominger
- School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, Maine, USA
| | - Joana Meier
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Tree of Life Programme, Sanger Institute, Hinxton, UK
| | - Dimitar Dimitrov
- Department of Natural History, University Museum of Bergen, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Torsten H Struck
- Frontiers in Evolutionary Zoology, Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Rosemary G Gillespie
- Berkeley Evolab, Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Turner GF, Crampton DA, Genner MJ. A new species of Lethrinops (Cichliformes: Cichlidae) from a Lake Malawi satellite lake, believed to be extinct in the wild. Zootaxa 2023; 5318:515-530. [PMID: 37518262 DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5318.4.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
A new species of cichlid fish, Lethrinops chilingali is described from specimens collected from Lake Chilingali, near Nkhotakota, Malawi. It is assigned to the genus Lethrinops based on the form of the lower jaw dental arcade and by the absence of traits diagnostic of the phenotypically similar Ctenopharynx, Taeniolethrinops and Tramitichromis. It also lacks the enlarged cephalic lateral line canal pores found in species of Alticorpus and Aulonocara. The presence of a broken horizontal stripe on the flanks of females and immature/non-territorial males of Lethrinops chilingali distinguishes them from all congeners, including Lethrinops lethrinus, in which the stripe is typically continuous. Lethrinops chilingali also has a relatively shorter snout, shorter lachrymal bone and less ventrally positioned mouth than Lethrinops lethrinus. It appears likely that Lethrinops chilingali is now extinct in the wild, as this narrow endemic species has not been positively recorded in the natural environment since 2009. Breeding populations remain in captivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- George F Turner
- School of Natural Sciences; Bangor University; Bangor; Gwynedd LL57 2UW; United Kingdom & Vertebrates Division; Natural History Museum; Cromwell Road; London SW7; UK.
| | - Denise A Crampton
- School of Natural Sciences; Bangor University; Bangor; Gwynedd LL57 2UW; United Kingdom; present address: School of Biological & Environmental Sciences; Liverpool John Moores University; Liverpool; L3 3AF; UK.
| | - Martin J Genner
- School of Biological Sciences; University of Bristol; Life Sciences Building; 24 Tyndall Avenue; Bristol; BS8 1TQ; United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Turner GF. A new species of deep-water Lethrinops (Cichlidae) from Lake Malawi. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2022; 101:1405-1410. [PMID: 36059123 PMCID: PMC10086864 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
A new species of cichlid fish, Lethrinops atrilabris is described from specimens collected by trawling at a depth of around 90 m off Monkey Bay, southern Lake Malawi. It is assigned to the genus Lethrinops on the basis of its vertical flank barring, lack of enlarged cephalic lateral line canal pores and the form of the lower jaw dental arcade. It can be distinguished from congeneric species by its male breeding dress of contrasting flank barring and dark ventral surface, most strikingly on the lips, throat and chest, its relatively small known maximum size [<75 mm standard length (SL)], large eyes (38%-41% head length), laterally compressed body (depth 2.5-2.7 times max head width) and lower gill raker count (13-14).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- George F. Turner
- School of Natural SciencesBangor UniversityBangorGwyneddUK
- Vertebrates DivisionNatural History MuseumLondonUK
| |
Collapse
|