First evidence of sexual dimorphism in olfactory organs of deep-sea lanternfishes (Myctophidae)

Author:

Martin Rene P.12ORCID,Smith W. Leo1ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Biodiversity Institute, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, United States

2. Division of Ichthyology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, United States

Abstract

Finding a mate is of the utmost importance for organisms, and the traits associated with successfully finding one can be under strong selective pressures. In habitats where biomass and population density is often low, like the enormous open spaces of the deep sea, animals have evolved many adaptations for finding mates. One convergent adaptation seen in many deep-sea fishes is sexual dimorphism in olfactory organs, where, relative to body size, males have evolved greatly enlarged olfactory organs compared to females. Females are known to give off chemical cues such as pheromones, and these chemical stimuli can traverse long distances in the stable, stratified water of the deep sea and be picked up by the olfactory organs of males. This adaptation is believed to help males in multiple lineages of fishes find mates in deep-sea habitats. In this study, we describe the first morphological evidence of sexual dimorphism in the olfactory organs of lanternfishes (Myctophidae) in the genus Loweina. Lanternfishes are one of the most abundant vertebrates in the deep sea and are hypothesized to use visual signals from bioluminescence for mate recognition or mate detection. Bioluminescent cues that are readily visible at distances as far as 10 m in the aphotic deep sea are likely important for high population density lanternfish species that have high mate encounter rates. In contrast, myctophids found in lower density environments where species encounter rates are lower, like those in Loweina, likely benefit from longer-range chemical or olfactory cues for finding and identifying mates.

Funder

University of Kansas Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Summer Research Award

University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute Panorama Grant

American Museum of Natural History Lerner-Gray Marine Research Grant

Publisher

PeerJ

Reference89 articles.

1. Larval reef fish could use odour for detection, retention and orientation to reefs;Atema;Marine Ecology Progress Series,2002

2. Midwater fishes in the eastern North Atlantic—I. Vertical distribution and associated biology in 30 N, 23 W, with developmental notes on certain myctophids;Badcock;Progress in Oceanography,1976

3. Olfactory organs in the deep sea hatchetfish Sternoptyx diaphana (Stomiiformes, Sternoptychidae);Baird;Bulletin of Marine Science,1993

4. Encounter models and deep-sea fishes: numerical simulations and the mate location problem in Sternoptyx diaphana (Pisces, Sternoptychidae);Baird;Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers,1995

5. Sexual dimorphism and demography in two species of oceanic midwater fishes (Stomiiformes: Sternoptychidae) from the eastern Gulf of Mexico;Baird;Bulletin of Marine Science,1990

Cited by 1 articles. 订阅此论文施引文献 订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3