Body size variation in hybrids among populations of European water frogs (Pelophylax esculentus complex) with different breeding systems

Hermaniuk, Adam; Czajkowska, Magdalena; Borkowska, Anetta; Taylor, Jan R. E.

doi:10.1163/15685381-bja10005

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…5). The natural origin of F1 hybrid progenies has been assigned to primary hybridizations between bigger-sized P. ridibundus females and smallersized P. lessonae males [18,62,63] due to assumed behavioural constraints in reciprocal amplexus between the large P. ridibundus male and smaller P. lessonae female [61]. Our study shows that in addition to preferential matings due to behaviour constraints, it is also important which parental species is genetically the father and the mother.…”

Section: Associated Observed Phenomena In Early Developmental Studies...mentioning

confidence: 82%

Early Development Survival of Pelophylax Water Frog Progeny is Primarily Affected by Paternal Genomic Input

Doležálková-Kaštánková¹,

Pyszko²,

Choleva³

2022

Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed)

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Background: Hybrid taxa exist in nature, but their fitness can vary greatly. Hybrids are usually thought to have lower viability and survival rate than parental species due to the occurrence of two different genomes and divergent evolution in each species. On the other hand, the hybrid vigour of the F1 generation may give hybrids an advantage in mixed populations where they have to live and compete with parental taxa. Post-zygotic selection with endogenous genetic mechanisms may be a significant evolutionary force in hybrid formation. Here we tested principles of post-zygotic reproductive dynamics in mixed populations of Pelophylax water frogs that would help us understand the origin and maintenance of such systems. Methods: Within experimental crosses, we combined various diploid Pelophylax genotypes resulting in 211 families. Statistical analysis of progeny was used to measure fertilization success, the rate of embryonic/tadpole mortality and the overall survival of the progeny till the time of metamorphosis. Using Generalized Estimating Equations models and variables defined by a mother/father included in mate pairs, we tested which factor best explains the successful embryonal development. Results: The development of Pelophylax offspring significantly varied in survival rate and morphological malformations. These post-zygotic reproductive dynamics were driven by parental combinations of species pairs. The best values in the proportion of developing eggs, embryos, tadpoles and overall survival showed progeny of homospecific P. lessonae crosses. Total survival rates were relatively similar between L-E and R-E population systems but much lower than homospecific crosses in parental taxa. However, once the early stages passed this period, tadpoles mostly of hybrid hemiclonal origin performed even better than pure P. ridibundus progeny. Hybrid × hybrid crosses showed the highest mortality values. Statistical testing revealed that high mortality affected paternal genetic input. Conclusions: Combined three water frog taxa and both sexes provided patterns of post-zygotic reproduction dynamics of early development in the widespread population systems in Central Europe. The results further showed high survival rates of hybrid F1s created de novo from parental species despite significant divergence between P. ridibundus and P. lessonae DNA. Potential conservation measures of sexual-asexual systems in natural populations are discussed.

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Section: Associated Observed Phenomena In Early Developmental Studies...mentioning

confidence: 82%

Early Development Survival of Pelophylax Water Frog Progeny is Primarily Affected by Paternal Genomic Input

Doležálková-Kaštánková¹,

Pyszko²,

Choleva³

2022

Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed)

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“…The species is also present in Albania; however, the main part of its range is within Greece [3]. The western Palaearctic water frog of the genus Pelophylax includes several distinct species and has been investigated in several phylogenetic, morphological, and ecological studies [4][5][6][7][8][9][10]. The populations of P. epeiroticus (Epirus Water Frog) are suspected to be decreasing due to ongoing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat, thus improved management measures are required for the protected areas and Natura 2000 sites where the species appears [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Proximate Composition, Predictive Analysis and Allometric Relationships, of the Edible Water Frog (Pelophylax epeiroticus) in Lake Pamvotida (Northwest Greece)

et al. 2022

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The edible water frog Pelophylax epeiroticus, distributed mainly in Northwest Greece and utilized commercially as food, was investigated in lake Pamvotida (Ioannina). The objective was to assess aspects of population structure (sex ratio, morphometric characteristics, allometric relationships) and proximate composition of the Epirus water frog (Pelophylax epeiroticus). Commercial samples (31 females and 54 males) were obtained and sex ratio, morphometric characteristics, allometric relationships and proximate composition were assessed. A significantly lower abundance of females was indicated (31 females and 54 males). Body length range was higher in females (females 3.4 mm, males 2.6 mm), whereas total weight range was higher in males (females 45.08 gr, males 48.35 gr). Differences in allometric relationships were indicated between sexes. The high protein (15.93 ± 3.32) and low lipid (0.25 ± 0.13) contents indicated that P. epeiroticus is an excellent food source of high nutritional value. A tree classification algorithm indicated that the principal contributing component for sex classification was dry matter, followed by a proportion of edible flesh and protein content. A predicted future increase in demand for wild-caught individuals requires the use of a suitable management plan, coupled with the development of farming practices aiming to assure the sustainable exploitation of this important resource and alleviate the pressure on its populations.

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Population structure, mate choice, and genome transmission in naturally formed pairs in a Pelophylax lessonae–Pelophylax esculentus hybridogenetic system

Skierska,

Lagner,

Rozenblut-Kościsty

et al. 2023

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Central European water frog Pelophylax esculentus is a hybrid that lives sympatrically and forms genetic systems with one of its parental species, in this case L-E (P. lessonae - P. esculentus). Hybrids are restored in each generation due to hybridogenesis, a unique mode of hemiclonal reproduction. We investigated changes in the species composition, mate choice, and genome transmission in naturally formed pairs in the L-E hybridogenetic system from the Raków fish pond complex (SW Poland). Our observations showed that the genetic system remained the same for over a decade but the share of the taxa and the sex ratios within the species changed. The frequency of P. lessonae decreased by about 20% in favor of P. esculentus. The proportion of males to females of P. lessonae increased twofold and of P. esculentus fourfold. We also found that the stability of the L-E population was ensured by a specific female mate choice pattern with the dominance of homotypic P. lessonae and heterotypic ♀P. esculentus × ♂P. lessonae pairs (almost 90% of the pairs collected from nature). The youngest females and males that formed a successful amplexus were 3 years old. We noted a male-male competition manifested by the exclusion of young males (before the third hibernation) from the participation in the mating. An analysis of genome transmission to gametes revealed that females P. lessonae transmitted Lx, while P. esculentus transmitted the Rx and/or Lx genomes. Males of P. lessonae transmitted the Lx or Ly genomes, while P. esculentus transmitted the Lx, Ly, and/or Rx genomes. The high proportion of the L genomes transferred to gametes enables both the restoration of the parental species P. lessonae and the regular renewal of a new generation of hybrids. Significance statement Central European water frog complex includes two species: Pelophylax ridibundus (genotype RR) and P. lessonae (LL), and their natural hybrid, P. esculentus (RL). Hybrid individuals of both sexes reproduce due to a specific mode of reproduction, i.e., hybridogenesis, in which hybrids eliminate one of the parental genomes (R or L) from the germ line prior to meiosis and transmit the other one (not recombined, i.e., clonal) to the gametes. The hybrids live in mixed populations with one of the parental species and are restored in each generation. This, in turn, allows a kind of balance to be maintained in a population due to specific mate choice and genome transmission. Our research showed that the stability of the studied population was ensured by female preference to P. lessonae and male-male competition manifested by the exclusion of males under 3 years of age from the participation in the mating.

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Body size variation in hybrids among populations of European water frogs (Pelophylax esculentus complex) with different breeding systems

Cited by 4 publications

References 40 publications

Early Development Survival of Pelophylax Water Frog Progeny is Primarily Affected by Paternal Genomic Input

Early Development Survival of Pelophylax Water Frog Progeny is Primarily Affected by Paternal Genomic Input

Proximate Composition, Predictive Analysis and Allometric Relationships, of the Edible Water Frog (Pelophylax epeiroticus) in Lake Pamvotida (Northwest Greece)

Population structure, mate choice, and genome transmission in naturally formed pairs in a Pelophylax lessonae–Pelophylax esculentus hybridogenetic system

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