Progressive troglomorphism of ambulatory and sensory appendages in three Mexican cave decapods

Mejía-Ortíz, Luis M.; Hartnoll, Richard G.; López‐Mejía, Marilú

doi:10.1080/00222930600628382

Cited by 13 publications

(18 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…As such, these unique ecosystems function as natural laboratories (Mejía-Ortíz & Hartnoll, 2006;Gonzalez et al, 2011) that allow us to test numerous hypotheses concerning adaptation, speciation, and evolution. Furthermore, cave ecosystems present us with the opportunity to study organisms existing in habitats and conditions perhaps analogous to those of our planet many millions of years ago (Por, 2007).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, such investigations can set the stage for addressing broader questions regarding natural selection and the evolution of phenotypic diversity, novel molecular functions, and complex organismal features (Christin et al, 2010). Animals inhabiting cave environments usually undergo various distinct physiological, morphological, and behavioral changes, which together are commonly referred to as "troglomorphy" (Desutter- Grandcolas, 1997;Porter & Crandall, 2003;Mejía-Ortíz et al, 2006). Troglomorphic modifications can be classified in either progressive (constructive) or regressive (reductive) adaptations (Porter & Crandall, 2003;Mejía-Ortíz & Hartnoll, 2006;Mejía-Ortíz et al, 2006).…”

Section: Evolution Of Troglomorphymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Animals inhabiting cave environments usually undergo various distinct physiological, morphological, and behavioral changes, which together are commonly referred to as "troglomorphy" (Desutter- Grandcolas, 1997;Porter & Crandall, 2003;Mejía-Ortíz et al, 2006). Troglomorphic modifications can be classified in either progressive (constructive) or regressive (reductive) adaptations (Porter & Crandall, 2003;Mejía-Ortíz & Hartnoll, 2006;Mejía-Ortíz et al, 2006). In anchialine cave environments, stygobitic (aquatic and cavelimited) fauna typically present a combination of both types of troglomorphism.…”

Section: Evolution Of Troglomorphymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In anchialine cave environments, stygobitic (aquatic and cavelimited) fauna typically present a combination of both types of troglomorphism. Examples of progressive adaptations may include cases such as those of enlarged sensory and ambulatory appendages, increased numbers of chemoreceptor setae, or enhancement of spatial orientation capabilities (Turk et al, 1996;Li & Cooper, 2001, 2002Mejía-Ortíz & Hartnoll, 2006;). Regressive modifications involve the decrease or loss of features present in their epigean (surface) counterparts, e.g., reduced pigmentation, reduction or loss of visual functions, or decreased metabolism (Sket, 1985;Wilkens, 1986;Mejía-Ortíz & López-Mejía, 2005;Mejía-Ortíz et al, 2006;Bishop & Iliffe, 2012).…”

Section: Evolution Of Troglomorphymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Examples of progressive adaptations may include cases such as those of enlarged sensory and ambulatory appendages, increased numbers of chemoreceptor setae, or enhancement of spatial orientation capabilities (Turk et al, 1996;Li & Cooper, 2001, 2002Mejía-Ortíz & Hartnoll, 2006;). Regressive modifications involve the decrease or loss of features present in their epigean (surface) counterparts, e.g., reduced pigmentation, reduction or loss of visual functions, or decreased metabolism (Sket, 1985;Wilkens, 1986;Mejía-Ortíz & López-Mejía, 2005;Mejía-Ortíz et al, 2006;Bishop & Iliffe, 2012). Troglomorphy is a perfect example of convergent morphological evolution where analogous traits have evolved in different lineages to adapt to similar environments (Caccone & Sbordoni, 2001;Wilcox et al, 2004;Protas et al, 2007;Bishop & Iliffe, 2012;Mejía-Ortíz et al, 2013).…”

Section: Evolution Of Troglomorphymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Life in the Underworld: Anchialine cave biology in the era of speleogenomics

Pérez‐Moreno

Iliffe²,

Bracken‐Grissom³

2016

IJS

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Abstract:Anchialine caves contain haline bodies of water with underground connections to the ocean and limited exposure to open air. Despite being found on islands and peninsular coastlines around the world, the isolation of anchialine systems has facilitated the evolution of high levels of endemism among their inhabitants. The unique characteristics of anchialine caves and of their predominantly crustacean biodiversity nominate them as particularly interesting study subjects for evolutionary biology. However, there is presently a distinct scarcity of modern molecular methods being employed in the study of anchialine cave ecosystems. The use of current and emerging molecular techniques, e.g., next-generation sequencing (NGS), bestows an exceptional opportunity to answer a variety of long-standing questions pertaining to the realms of speciation, biogeography, population genetics, and evolution, as well as the emergence of extraordinary morphological and physiological adaptations to these unique environments. The integration of NGS methodologies with traditional taxonomic and ecological methods will help elucidate the unique characteristics and evolutionary history of anchialine cave fauna, and thus the significance of their conservation in face of current and future anthropogenic threats. Here we review previous contributions to our understanding of anchialine biodiversity and evolution, and discuss the potential of "speleogenomic" methods for future research in these threatened systems.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Evolution Of Troglomorphymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Evolution Of Troglomorphymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Evolution Of Troglomorphymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Evolution Of Troglomorphymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Life in the Underworld: Anchialine cave biology in the era of speleogenomics

Pérez‐Moreno

Iliffe²,

Bracken‐Grissom³

2016

IJS

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Exploratory behaviour divergence between surface populations, cave colonists and a cave population in the water louse, Asellus aquaticus

Horváth

Kerekes

Nyitrai

et al. 2023

Behav Ecol Sociobiol

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Behaviour is considered among the most important factors in colonising new habitats. While population divergence in behaviour is well-documented, intraspecific variation in exploratory behaviour in species with populations successfully colonising and adapting to extreme (compared to the ‘typical’) habitats is less understood. Here, by studying surface- vs. cave-adapted populations of water louse (Asellus aquaticus), we tested whether (i) adaptation to the special, ecologically isolated cave habitat includes a decrease in explorativeness and (ii) recent, surface-type cave colonists are more explorative than their surface conspecifics from the source population. We repeatedly tested dispersal related novel area exploration and dispersal speed in both the presence and absence of light. We found that surface populations showed higher behavioural activity in dark than in light, and they were more explorative and dispersed faster than their cave conspecifics. Recent colonists showed a trend of higher dispersal speed compared to their source surface population. We suggest that extreme and isolated habitats like caves might work as ‘dispersal traps’ following successful colonisation, because adaptation to these habitats includes the reduction of explorativeness. Furthermore, we suggest that individuals with higher explorativeness are likely to colonise markedly new environments. Finally, we provide experimental evidence about surface A. aquaticus moving more in dark than in light. Significance statement Environmental conditions in caves are differing drastically from those of the surface. Consequently, animals colonising subterranean habitats are subject to different selective forces than those experienced by the ancestral surface-living population. Behaviour is believed to be a key factor in successful colonisation to novel habitats; however, intraspecific behavioural variation in species with both surface- and cave-adapted populations is less known. Here, we compared dispersal related novel area exploration and dispersal speed across surface and cave-adapted populations of the freshwater crustacean Asellus aquaticus. Our results show that cave-adapted A. aquaticus are significantly less explorative and disperse slower than surface-type populations, indicating that caves may act as ‘dispersal traps’, where adaptation includes the loss of explorativeness. Also, recent cave colonists show a trend to be faster dispersers than peers from the surface source population, suggesting that individuals with higher explorativeness are likely to colonise markedly different new environments.

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