The Complex Evolutionary History of Seeing Red: Molecular Phylogeny and the Evolution of an Adaptive Visual System in Deep-Sea Dragonfishes (Stomiiformes: Stomiidae)

Kenaley, Christopher P.; DeVaney, Shannon C.; Fjeran, Taylor T.

doi:10.1111/evo.12322

Cited by 36 publications

(51 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…Our results also add a new dimension to the contribution made by recent studies Kenaley et al, 2014] on the evolutionary history in the deep-sea by identifying a visual 'arms race', in term of visual adaptation, between lanternfishes and dragonfishes. In fact, while dragonfishes have evolved a secret communication/predation channel by using red bioluminescence, lanternfishes, by virtue of their visual sexual dimorphism, are taking the race a step further by inviting 'sex in the blue-light district of the deep sea'.…”

Section: Putative Functions Of the Yellow Pigment In Myctophidssupporting

confidence: 60%

Spectral Tuning in the Eyes of Deep-Sea Lanternfishes (Myctophidae): A Novel Sexually Dimorphic Intra-Ocular Filter

Busserolles¹,

Hart²,

Hunt³

et al. 2015

Brain Behav Evol

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Deep-sea fishes possess several adaptations to facilitate vision where light detection is pushed to its limit. Lanternfishes (Myctophidae), one of the world's most abundant groups of mesopelagic fishes, possess a novel and unique visual specialisation, a sexually dimorphic photostable yellow pigmentation, constituting the first record of a visual sexual dimorphism in any non-primate vertebrate. The topographic distribution of the yellow pigmentation across the retina is species specific, varying in location, shape and size. Spectrophotometric analyses reveal that this new retinal specialisation differs between species in terms of composition and acts as a filter, absorbing maximally between 356 and 443 nm. Microspectrophotometry and molecular analyses indicate that the species containing this pigmentation also possess at least 2 spectrally distinct rod visual pigments as a result of a duplication of the Rh1 opsin gene. After modelling the effect of the yellow pigmentation on photoreceptor spectral sensitivity, we suggest that this unique specialisation acts as a filter to enhance contrast, thereby improving the detection of bioluminescent emissions and possibly fluorescence in the extreme environment of the deep sea. The fact that this yellow pigmentation is species specific, sexually dimorphic and isolated within specific parts of the retina indicates an evolutionary pressure to visualise prey/predators/mates in a particular part of each species' visual field.

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Section: Putative Functions Of the Yellow Pigment In Myctophidssupporting

confidence: 60%

Spectral Tuning in the Eyes of Deep-Sea Lanternfishes (Myctophidae): A Novel Sexually Dimorphic Intra-Ocular Filter

Busserolles¹,

Hart²,

Hunt³

et al. 2015

Brain Behav Evol

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“…One hypothesis is that patterns of retinal gene expression are strongly influenced by the visual ecology of the two species. Despite both deep sea fish being members of the same small clade of derived stomiids32, M. niger and P. microdon differ in their trophic ecology and habitat preference: P. microdon undertaking diel vertical migrations (DVM) over a large depth range in search of its myctophid (lanternfish) prey, similar to most other members of the clade; Malacosteus species, generally remaining at depth (>600 m) and feeding largely on copepods3334. However, it remains unclear how such interspecific differences in visual ecology could drive the differential expression of genes in the phototransduction pathway in M. niger relative to P. microdon .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Localisation and origin of the bacteriochlorophyll-derived photosensitizer in the retina of the deep-sea dragon fish Malacosteus niger

Douglas

Genner

Hudson³

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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Most deep-sea fish have a single visual pigment maximally sensitive at short wavelengths, approximately matching the spectrum of both downwelling sunlight and bioluminescence. However, Malcosteus niger produces far-red bioluminescence and its longwave retinal sensitivity is enhanced by red-shifted visual pigments, a longwave reflecting tapetum and, uniquely, a bacteriochlorophyll-derived photosensitizer. The origin of the photosensitizer, however, remains unclear. We investigated whether the bacteriochlorophyll was produced by endosymbiotic bacteria within unusual structures adjacent to the photoreceptors that had previously been described in this species. However, microscopy, elemental analysis and SYTOX green staining provided no evidence for such localised retinal bacteria, instead the photosensitizer was shown to be distributed throughout the retina. Furthermore, comparison of mRNA from the retina of Malacosteus to that of the closely related Pachystomias microdon (which does not contain a bacterichlorophyll-derived photosensitzer) revealed no genes of bacterial origin that were specifically up-regulated in Malacosteus. Instead up-regulated Malacosteus genes were associated with photosensitivity and may relate to its unique visual ecology and the chlorophyll-based visual system. We also suggest that the unusual longwave-reflecting, astaxanthin-based, tapetum of Malacosteus may protect the retina from the potential cytotoxicity of such a system.

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“…In fact, it is known that fishes living in deep sea have evolved diverse visual system features allowing them to deal with the low dim-light environments, such as enlarged eyes or rod-cell-only retina to catch and utilize the light photons as many as possible. Some deep-sea fishes have well-developed luminescent system (producing and receiving the luminescence) to communicate or defend predators (Kenaley et al 2014;Turner et al 2009). In addition, mesopelagic fishes have great ability and can undergo diurnal vertical migrations to adjust their light needs.…”

Section: Do Gene Duplication Play An Important Role In Adaptation Of mentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary Biology: Biodiversification from Genotype to Phenotype

Pontarotti¹

2015

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The Complex Evolutionary History of Seeing Red: Molecular Phylogeny and the Evolution of an Adaptive Visual System in Deep-Sea Dragonfishes (Stomiiformes: Stomiidae)

Cited by 36 publications

References 59 publications

Spectral Tuning in the Eyes of Deep-Sea Lanternfishes (Myctophidae): A Novel Sexually Dimorphic Intra-Ocular Filter

Spectral Tuning in the Eyes of Deep-Sea Lanternfishes (Myctophidae): A Novel Sexually Dimorphic Intra-Ocular Filter

Localisation and origin of the bacteriochlorophyll-derived photosensitizer in the retina of the deep-sea dragon fish Malacosteus niger

Evolutionary Biology: Biodiversification from Genotype to Phenotype

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