Molecular phylogeny of the subfamily Amphistichinae (Teleostei: Embiotocidae) reveals parallel divergent evolution of red pigmentation in two rapidly evolving lineages of sand-dwelling surfperch

Abstract

Pigment evolution was reconstructed in the subfamily Amphistichinae, a six-species clade of the surfperches, family Embiotocidae. Assignment was confirmed for all species within the subfamily, but low levels of differentiation were found among species within the subfamily, suggesting a recent radiation. The new phylogeny differs from previous hypotheses by the placement of the spotfin surfperch Hyperprosopon anale at the base of the subfamily, while still preserving the calico surfperch Amphistichus koelzi and the redtailed surfperch Amphistichus rhodoterus as sister species. Phenotypically, A. rhodoterus, A. koelzi and the silver surfperch Hyperprosopon ellipticum express high levels of red pigmentation. The barred surfperch, Amphistichus argenteus and the walleye surfperch Hyperprosopon argenteum express little to no red pigment, while basal H. anale expresses an intermediate amount of red pigment. Red pigmentation is proposed to have experienced parallel divergent evolution in each genus within the subfamily.

In the surf zone: Reproductive strategy of the calico surfperch (Amphistichus koelzi) in a comparative context

“…In central California (from Monterey to Bodega), we sometimes collected all six Amphistichine species on the same day at the same location with varying frequencies. The evolutionary split between Amphistichus congeners (calico and barred) remains a compelling question due to their similar ecologies (Westphal et al ., ) and because they occur in sympatry from Bodega, California to Arroyo San Isidro Baja, California (Miller & Lea, ), comprising most of the range of barred surfperch. Calico and barred surfperches diverged approximately 2 million years ago (Longo & Bernardi, ).…”

Multiple paternity is a shared reproductive strategy in the live‐bearing surfperches (Embiotocidae) that may be associated with female fitness

“…Sexual selection by females increases the potential for acquiring "good genes" and/or "sexy sons" if loci associated with these traits are linked to indicator traits that are recognized by the female. Surfperches exhibit complex reproductive behaviors (Wiebe 1968) and sexual dimorphism in anal fin coloration and secondary sex traits (Westphal et al 2011) that are likely apparent to females. Remarkably, female surfperches have a protracted reproductive cycle lasting all year, Figure 1, which is amenable to both cryptic and direct female choice across multiple stages, including mate selection(s), prolonged sperm storage, sperm competition, protracted oogenesis, and extensive gestation with maternal nutrition.…”

The evolutionary history of the embiotocid surfperch radiation based on genome-wide RAD sequence data

“…3) with previously published phylogenies (Bernardi and Bucciarelli, 374 1999;Tarp, 1952;Westphal et al, 2011) but allow for reassess-375 ment of taxonomic issues due to better resolution and support. 376 In the subfamily Amphistichinae, the genus Hyperprosopon is 377 likely paraphyletic, with H. anale branching first, and sister to the 378 two genera Amphistichus and Hyperprosopon.…”

“…412 The phylogeny proposed here suggests early divergence based 413 on sandy versus shallow reef habitat followed by further special-414 ization within each lineage. In the Amphistichinae, the spotfin surf-415 perch, Hyperprosopon anale, is sister to the remaining lineages, 416 which was previously proposed by (Westphal et al, 2011). Little 417 work has been done on H. anale, but their diet consists largely of 418 zooplankton (Love, 2011), while other amphistichines, such as 419 the barred surfperch, Amphistichus argenteus, feed primarily on 420 benthic invertebrates (Carlisle et al, 1960).…”

“…Accordingly, surfperches display an array of mor-116 phologically divergent mouth shapes, dentitions, and pharyngeal 117 jaws, which allow for diverse diets and feeding mechanisms among 118 species and has been characterized as an adaptive radiation pre-119 viously (De Martini, 1969;Drucker and Jensen, 1991). Ecological 120 competition between closely related species (Hixon, 1980;121 Holbrook and Schmitt, 1992) and sexual selection on color patterns 122 (Cummings and Partridge, 2001;Froeschke et al, 2007;Nakazono 123 et al, 1981;Westphal et al, 2011) sub-families, the Amphistichinae and the Embiotocinae (Tarp, 132 1952). This division was later corroborated using osteological char-133 acters (Morris, 1981).…”