Journal Article
Do Chinese cavefish show intraspecific variability in morphological traits?
Lunghi, E. and Zhao, Y.
Record Number:
5158
Year:
2020
Journal:
Ecology and Evolution
Pages:
7723-7730
Volume:
10
Abstract:
Cavefishes represent one of the most bizarre and intriguing life forms inhabiting
groundwater environments. One-third of the known cavefishes worldwide is endemic
to China, and almost half of those belongs to a single genus, Sinocyclocheilus
(Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae). Analyzing the morphometrics of three Sinocyclocheilus
species, we aimed to assess whether variability among conspecific populations exists.
We predict that populations inhabiting different subterranean habitats (shallow
vs. deep) show divergences in specific morphological traits to better cope with the
local ecological conditions. Our results showed that the populations showing bigger
eyes and reduced humpback were those occurring close to the cave entrance
(habitats with light and high food availability), while specimens with smaller eyes and
increased humpback were collected from deeper groundwater areas (habitats laying
in darkness with food scarcity). This explorative study paves the way for further researches
aiming to collect novel data on Chinese cavefishes and highlights the usefulness
of these species in evolutionary studies.
K E Y W O R D S
adaptation, cave biology, China, groundwater, stygofauna, subterranean environment
Times Cited:
2