Dietary differentiation in relation to mouth and tooth morphology of a neotropical characid fish community

Bonato, Karine Orlandi; Burress, Edward D.; Fialho, Clarice Bernhardt

doi:10.1016/j.jcz.2017.01.003

Cited by 28 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 36 publications

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“…The present study corroborated the occurrence of a significant correlation between ecomorphological traits and trophic habits (i.e., stable isotopes values) of two sympatric species of Astyanax genus. As such, these results provide additional evidence supporting the hypothesis that morphology could reflect the ecology of an organism and could help predict its trophic habits (Bonato et al., ).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

“…Based on both ecomorphology and diet, we can provide some suggestions regarding prey capture behavior for both species. A. caballeroi depicts a large head, upwardly facing mouth position, fusiform body, and conical teeth, consistent with the capture of elusive preys and access to floating terrestrial insects (e.g., hymenopterans or coleopterans) (Bonato et al., ). In contrast, A. aeneus had a relatively deeper body and shorter snout, which is associated with the ability to move upward and downward in the water column, from the bottom to the surface, as befits an omnivorous species (Gatz, ; Mise et al., ; Winemiller, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

“…In characiforms, previous studies have found correlations between ecomorphological traits and trophic ecology, which can help us to understand the factors that enable the coexistence of closely related species (Bonato et al., ; Mise et al., ). The present study corroborated the occurrence of a significant correlation between ecomorphological traits and trophic habits (i.e., stable isotopes values) of two sympatric species of Astyanax genus.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In teleosts, there are several examples of phenotypic traits showing functional disparity (e.g., bimodal distributions) under ecological divergence, including the pharyngeal jaw (Barluenga et al, 2006;Burress et al, 2016;Hulsey et al, 2006;Magalhaes et al, 2015), the gill rakers (Rundle, Vamosi, & Schluter, 2003;Schluter & McPhail, 1992), body shape (Barluenga et al, 2006), and gut length (Wagner, McIntyre, Buels, Gilbert, & Michel, 2009). Together with other characteristics, such as mouth position (Bonato, Burress, & Fialho, 2017;Gerking, 1994), snout length (Bonato et al, 2017), fin length, body size (Farré, Tuset, Maynou, Recasens, & Lombarte, 2013), and locomotion mode (Webb, 1984), these traits provide evidence of the functional role played by a species in an ecosystem (Córdova-Tapia & Zambrano, 2016). Hence, morphological characterization provides a good approximation of the feeding modes or prey types that are used differentially by polymorphic species (Barluenga et al, 2006;Bonato et al, 2017;Meyer, 1990;Wainwright, 1987Wainwright, , 1988.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Trophic specialization and morphological divergence between two sympatric species in Lake Catemaco, Mexico

Ornelas‐García

Córdova-Tapia

Zambrano

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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The association of morphological divergence with ecological segregation among closely related species could be considered as a signal of divergent selection in ecological speciation processes. Environmental signals such as diet can trigger phenotypic evolution, making polymorphic species valuable systems for studying the evolution of trophic‐related traits. The main goal of this study was to analyze the association between morphological differences in trophic‐related traits and ecological divergence in two sympatric species, Astyanax aeneus and A. caballeroi, inhabiting Lake Catemaco, Mexico. The trophic differences of a total of 70 individuals (35 A. aeneus and 35 A. caballeroi) were examined using stable isotopes and gut content analysis; a subset of the sample was used to characterize six trophic and six ecomorphological variables. In our results, we recovered significant differences between both species in the values of stable isotopes, with higher values of δ15N for A. caballeroi than for A. aeneus. Gut content results were consistent with the stable isotope data, with a higher proportion of invertebrates in A. caballeroi (a consumption of invertebrates ten times higher than that of A. aeneus, which in turn consumed three times more vegetal material than A. caballeroi). Finally, we found significant relationship between ecomorphology and stable isotopes (r = .24, p < .01), hence, head length, preorbital length, eye diameter, and δ15N were all positively correlated; these characteristics correspond to A. caballeroi. While longer gut and gill rakers, deeper bodies, and vegetal material consumption were positively correlated and corresponded to A. aeneus. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that morphological divergence in trophic‐related traits could be associated with niche partitioning, allowing the coexistence of closely related species and reducing interspecific competition.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 72%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Trophic specialization and morphological divergence between two sympatric species in Lake Catemaco, Mexico

Ornelas‐García

Córdova-Tapia

Zambrano

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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“…Astyanax morphs in southern lakes resemble their northern counterparts with no significant difference in maxillary tooth number (Figure b) and minor shape differences in the jaw with an elongation of the premaxilla and shortening of the mandible (Figure b). In contrast, southern populations of Bramocharax morph exhibit traits consistent with predatory habits, including large, unicuspid teeth, elongated jaws for prey capture (Liem, ; Cooper, Wernle, Mann, & Albertson, ; Burress, Holcomb, & Armbruster, ; Bonato, Burress, & Fialho, ) and fusiform (streamlined) shape for accelerated swimming (Porter & Motta, ; Arbour & López‐Fernández, ; Ornelas‐García et al, , ). Similar attributes have been reported in the predator neotropical characid genus Oligosarcus (Santos, Camilo, Albieri, & Araújo, ; Bonato et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A geographical cline in craniofacial morphology across populations of Mesoamerican lake‐dwelling fishes

et al. 2020

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Together, the complex geological history and climatic diversity of Mesoamerica create a rich source of biodiversity from which evolutionary processes can be studied. Here, we discuss highly divergent morphs of lake‐dwelling fishes distributed across Mexico and Central America, originally recognized as members of different genera (Astyanax and “Bramocharax”). Recent phylogenetic studies, however, suggest these morphs group within the same genus and readily hybridize. Despite genetic similarities, Bramocharax morphs exhibit stark differences in cranial shape and dentition. We investigated the evolution of several cranial traits that vary across morphs collected from four lakes in Mexico and Nicaragua and discovered an ecomorphological cline from northern to southern lakes. Northern populations of sympatric morphs exhibit a similar cranial shape and tooth morphology. Southern populations of Bramocharax morphs, however, showed a larger disparity in maxillary teeth, length and frequency of unicuspid teeth, an elongated snout, and a streamlined cranium compared to Astyanax morphs. This divergence of craniofacial morphology likely evolved in association with differences in trophic niches. We discuss the morphological differences across the four lake systems in terms of geological history and trophic dynamics. In summary, our study suggests that Bramocharax morphs are likely locally adapted members derived from independent Astyanax lineages, highlighting an interesting parallel evolutionary pattern within the Astyanax genus.

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Species specificity and sexual dimorphism in tooth shape among the three sympatric haplochromine species in Lake Kivu cichlids

Munyandamutsa

Jere

Kassam

et al. 2020

Ecology and Evolution

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Tooth shape is used to differentiate between morphologically similar species of vertebrates, including fish. This study aimed to quantify tooth shape of three sympatric species: Haplochromis kamiranzovu, H. insidiae, and H. astatodon endemic to Lake Kivu, whose existing identification criteria are currently only qualitative. A quantitative tooth shape analysis was performed based on digitized tooth outline data with a subsequent elliptic Fourier analysis to test for differences among the three species. We looked at crown shape and size differences within H. kamiranzovu and H. insidiae at geographical, habitat, and gender levels. No comparison at habitat level was done for H. astatodon because it is found only in littoral zone. The analysis revealed significant tooth shape differences among the three species. Haplochromis astatodon had a significantly longer major cusp height and a longer and larger minor cusp than that of H. insidiae. It had also a longer major cusp height and a longer and larger minor cusp than that of H. kamiranzovu. Tooth shape differences of H. kamiranzovu and H. insidiae species were not significantly different between littoral and pelagic fish (p > .05) while differences were significant between southern and northern Lake Kivu populations (p < .05). Tooth sizes in H. kamiranzovu and H. insidiae were significantly different, both in height and width as well as in their ratios, and this was true at sex and geographic levels (p < .05), but not at habitat level (p > .05). Tooth shape was also significantly different with sharp teeth for males compared with females of southern populations versus northern ones. These shape‐ and size‐related differences between sexes suggest differences in the foraging strategies toward available food resources in the lake habitat. Further research should explain the genetic basis of the observed pattern.

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Dietary differentiation in relation to mouth and tooth morphology of a neotropical characid fish community

Cited by 28 publications

References 36 publications

Trophic specialization and morphological divergence between two sympatric species in Lake Catemaco, Mexico

Trophic specialization and morphological divergence between two sympatric species in Lake Catemaco, Mexico

A geographical cline in craniofacial morphology across populations of Mesoamerican lake‐dwelling fishes

Species specificity and sexual dimorphism in tooth shape among the three sympatric haplochromine species in Lake Kivu cichlids

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