Juvenile niches select between two distinct development trajectories and symbiosis modes in vent shrimps

• DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.02.547428
• Publication Date: 2023-07-04T00:45:35Z
• Authors: Pierre Methou; Marion Guéganton; Jonathan T. Copley; Hiromi Kayama Wat...; Florence Pradillon; Marie-Anne Cambon...; Chong Chen

Abstract Most animal species have a singular developmental pathway and adult ecology, but plasticity is well-known in some like honeybees where castes display profoundly different morphology ecology. An intriguing case the Atlantic deep-sea hydrothermal vent shrimp Rimicaris hybisae/chacei that share dominant COI haplotypes develops into either symbiont-reliant hybisae with hypertrophied head chamber (in Mid-Cayman Spreading Centre) or mixotrophic chacei narrow (on Mid-Atlantic Ridge). Here, we use X-ray micro-computed tomography fluorescent situ hybridization to show key anatomical shifts both occur between juvenile-subadult transition, when those developing fully established symbiosis not . On Ridge diet of R. has been hypothetically linked competition obligatorily symbiotic congener exoculata , find evidences indeed better adapted for – suggesting morph could be an adaptation prevent competitive exclusion. Our results suggest two distinct development trajectories are likely selected according available juveniles, determined by whether energetically sufficient symbiont colonisation occurred before reaching subadult stage.