Unexpected Diversity of Feeding Modes among Chisel-Mouthed Ethiopian Labeobarbus (Cyprinidae)

Левин, Б. А.; Komarova, Aleksandra S.; Rozanova, Oksana L.; Голубцов, А. С.

doi:10.3390/w13172345

Cited by 8 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 54 publications

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“…Nevertheless, the ecological role of the thick‐lipped ecomorphs in Labeobarbus is not yet known. The generalized trophic phenotype has mainly detritivorous–omnivorous diet (e.g., Levin, Komarova, et al, 2021; Levin, Simonov, et al, 2021; Matthes, 1963; Sibbing & Nagelkerke, 2000; Teshome et al, 2023). The feeding preferences or trophic position of the thick‐lipped ecomorph has been investigated so far for only two cases.…”

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confidence: 99%

Speciation and repeated origins of hypertrophied lips in parallel adaptive radiations of cyprinid fish from East Africa

Levin,

Komarova,

Simonov

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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The evolution of convergent phenotypes is one of the most interesting phenomena of repeated adaptive radiations. Here, we examined the repeated patterns of thick‐lipped or “rubberlip” phenotype of cyprinid fish of the genus Labeobarbus discovered in riverine environments of the Ethiopian Highlands, East Africa. To test the adaptive value of thickened lips, identify the ecological niche of the thick‐lipped ecomorphs, and test whether these ecomorphs are the products of adaptive divergence, we studied six sympatric pairs of ecomorphs with hypertrophied lips and the normal lip structure from different riverine basins. Trophic morphology, diet, stable isotope (δ15N and δ13C) signatures, as well as mtDNA markers and genome‐wide SNP variation, were analyzed. Our results show that thick‐lipped ecomorphs partition trophic resources with generalized ecomorphs in only one‐half of the examined sympatric pairs despite the pronounced divergence in lip structure. In these thick‐lipped ecomorphs that were trophically diverged, the data on their diet along with the elevated 15N values suggest an invertivorous specialization different from the basal omnivorous–detritivouros feeding mode of the generalized ecomorphs. Genetic data confirmed an independent and parallel origin of all six lipped ecomorphs. Yet, only one of those six thick‐lipped ecomorphs had a notable genetic divergence with sympatric non‐lipped ecomorphs based on nuclear SNPs data (FST = 0.21). Sympatric pairs can be sorted by combinations of phenotypic, ecological, and genetic divergence from an ecologically non‐functional mouth polymorphism via ecologically functional polymorphism to a matured speciation stage via divergent evolution.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Speciation and repeated origins of hypertrophied lips in parallel adaptive radiations of cyprinid fish from East Africa

Levin,

Komarova,

Simonov

et al. 2023

Ecology and Evolution

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Parallel trophic diversifications in polyploid cyprinid fish from East Africa: from preadaptive polymorphism to trophic specialization

Levin,

Komarova,

Tiunov

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Trophic diversification is one of the main mechanisms driving the adaptive radiation. The polyploid lineage of the cyprinid genusLabeobarbusrepresent an excellent model for studying the trophically-based adaptive radiation in either lacustrine or riverine environments. Recently discovered four diversifications in rivers of the Ethiopian Highlands (East Africa) demonstrate independently evolved repeated mouth polymorphisms each represented by four core mouth phenotypes: (i) generalized, (ii) thick-lipped, (iii) scraping, and iv) large-mouthed. Mouth phenotypes in some radiations can be further divided to subtypes representing from four to eight sympatric ecomorphs. Using the stable isotope and gut content analyses we tested hypothesis on trophic resource partitioning within each radiation, revealed disparity in degree of diversification between radiations and tried to reconstruct the process of trophic diversification. Three of four radiations demonstrated partitioning of trophic resources within five trophic niches: i) detritophagy, ii) macrophytophagy, iii) invertivorous benthophagy, iv) periphyton feeding, and v) piscivory. The studied riverine radiations were likely at the different stages of the diversification. One radiation having a similar set of mouth phenotypes was not trophically divergent displaying a remarkable decouple of form and function. A unique case of ecologically non-functional mouth polymorphism at an incipient stage of trophic diversification supports a concept of the plasticity-first evolution. This phenomenon stems from the pre-existing genomic templates of mouth polymorphism ancestrally inherited upon the allopolyploid origin of theLabeobarbuslineage. The predetermined and preadaptive mouth polymorphism can be considered a key innovation of theLabeobarbusthat promoted to resource-based diversification via adaptive radiation.

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Scale morphology is a promising, additional tool for exploring the taxonomy and ecology of freshwater fishes

Bánó,

Bolotovskiy,

Levin

et al. 2024

Fish and Fisheries

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It has long been recognized that presence–absence, localisation, size, number and shape of fish scales can be important taxonomic features. Although there are some notes on the relationship between scale morphology and ecological needs, in the absence of a sufficiently large and detailed database, the morphological variability of fish scales and the factors responsible for this variability have not yet been explored in detail. For this reason, a database—which contains the shape and relative size data of 193 freshwater fish taxa of 14 orders, originated from five biogeographic realms—has been built. Database analyses showed that both the scale shape and relative size are proper taxonomic indicators. They can be used to separate higher taxonomic categories (e.g., orders), and by the simultaneous analysis of shape and size scale morphology, we showed increased sensitivity for species‐level detachments. Our results suggest that while both the shape and the size of the fish scales are genetically determined, they are also useful descriptors of the niche segregation (habitat use, flow preference) of close relative species. Scale morphology is a promising additional tool to specify the environmental preferences of lesser known or close relative recent and extinct fish species. And also can be of great help in such cases when only the scales are available for taxonomic identification, for example, in the research field of archaeology and palaeontology.

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Unexpected Diversity of Feeding Modes among Chisel-Mouthed Ethiopian Labeobarbus (Cyprinidae)

Cited by 8 publications

References 54 publications

Speciation and repeated origins of hypertrophied lips in parallel adaptive radiations of cyprinid fish from East Africa

Speciation and repeated origins of hypertrophied lips in parallel adaptive radiations of cyprinid fish from East Africa

Parallel trophic diversifications in polyploid cyprinid fish from East Africa: from preadaptive polymorphism to trophic specialization

Scale morphology is a promising, additional tool for exploring the taxonomy and ecology of freshwater fishes

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