Abstract The hundreds of cichlid fish species in Lake Malawi constitute the most extensive recent vertebrate adaptive radiation. Here we characterize its genomic diversity by sequencing 134 individuals covering 73 across all major lineages. average sequence divergence between pairs is only 0.1–0.25%. These values overlap within species, with 82% heterozygosity shared species. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that diversification initially proceeded serial branching from a generalist...

The genomic causes and effects of divergent ecological selection during speciation are still poorly understood. Here we report the discovery detailed characterization early-stage adaptive divergence two cichlid fish ecomorphs in a small (700 meters diameter) isolated crater lake Tanzania. differ depth preference, male breeding color, body shape, diet, trophic morphology. With whole-genome sequences 146 fish, identified 98 clearly demarcated "islands" high differentiation demonstrated...

As environmental DNA (eDNA) becomes an increasingly valuable resource for marine ecosystem monitoring, understanding variation in its persistence across contrasting environments is critical. Here, we quantify the breakdown of macrobial eDNA over a spatio-temporal axis locally extreme conditions, varying from ocean-influenced offshore to urban-inshore, and between winter summer. We report that degrades 1.6 times faster inshore environment than environment, but contrary expectation find no...

Abstract Metabarcoding extra‐organismal DNA from environmental samples is now a key technique in aquatic biomonitoring and ecosystem health assessment. Of critical consideration when designing experiments, especially so developing community standards legislative frameworks, the choice of genetic marker primer set. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), standard barcode for animals, with its extensive reference library, taxonomic discriminatory power predictable sequence...

Timing divergence events allow us to infer the conditions under which biodiversity has evolved and gain important insights into mechanisms driving evolution. Cichlid fishes are a model system for studying speciation adaptive radiation, yet, we have lacked reliable timescales their Phylogenetic reconstructions consistent with cichlid origins prior Gondwanan landmass fragmentation 121–165 MYA, considerably earlier than first known fossil cichlids (Eocene). We examined timing of evolution using...

CR Climate Research Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout JournalEditorsSpecials 37:123-133 (2008) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/cr00768 Complex interactions in a rapidly changing world: responses of rocky shore communities recent climate change S. J. Hawkins1,2, P. Moore1,3,*, M. T. Burrows4, E. Poloczanska5, N. Mieszkowska1, R. H. Herbert6, Jenkins2, C. Thompson3, Genner1,7, A. Southward1,† 1Marine...

Climatic change has been implicated as the cause of abundance fluctuations in marine fish populations worldwide, but effects on whole communities are poorly understood. We examined regional climatic two assemblages using independent datasets from inshore (English Channel, 1913–2002) and estuarine environments (Bristol 1981–2001). Our results show that had dramatic community composition. Each assemblage contained a subset dominant species whose abundances were strongly linked to annual mean...

Summary It is often assumed that the timing of annual migrations marine fish to spawning grounds occurs with very little change over time. However, it unclear how much migration influenced by climate in species spawn at sea but spend most time estuarine conditions, especially as thermal regimes estuaries may differ significantly from those open sea. Migration phenology was studied a population flounder, Platichthys flesus (L.) off south‐west England using high‐temporal resolution trawling...

Abstract Commercial fishing and climate change have influenced the composition of marine fish assemblages worldwide, but we require a better understanding their relative influence on long‐term changes in species abundance body‐size distributions. In this study, investigated (1911–2007) variability within demersal assemblage western English Channel. The region has been subject to commercial fisheries throughout most past century, undergone interannual sea temperature over 2.0 °C. We focussed...

The adaptive radiation of cichlid fishes in East African Lake Malawi encompasses over 500 species that are believed to have evolved within the last 800,000 years from a common founder population. It has been proposed hybridization between ancestral lineages can provide genetic raw material fuel such exceptionally high diversification rates, and evidence for this recently presented Victoria region superflock. Here, we report genomes also show two split 3-4 Ma, today represented by cichlids...

Does hybridization play a broad innovative role in evolution? Many studies have shown hybrid origins of individual species, particularly major adaptive radiations, but this may be consequence, rather than cause, the existence many closely related species. Cases early stages radiations are comparatively rare. Here, we report phylogenetic evidence for ancient introgression between distinct lineages species-rich Lake Malawi haplochromine cichlid fishes. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences...

Many sharks and skates are particularly vulnerable to overfishing because of their large size, slow growth, late maturity low fecundity. In Europe dramatic population declines have taken place in common skate ( Dipturus batis L.), one the largest demersal fish regional shelf seas, leading extirpations from substantial parts its former range. Here we report discovery cryptic species collected northeast Atlantic continental shelf. Data nuclear microsatellite markers indicated two clearly...

Pelagic fishes are among the most ecologically and economically important fish species in European seas. In principle, these pelagic have potential to demonstrate rapid abundance distribution shifts response climatic variability due their high adult motility, planktonic larval stages, low dependence on benthic habitat for food or shelter during life histories. Here, we provide evidence of substantial climate-driven changes structure communities shelf We investigated patterns species-level...

Climate change has strongly influenced the distribution and abundance of marine fish species, leading to concern about effects future climate on commercially harvested stocks. Understanding key drivers large-scale spatial variation across present-day assemblages enables predictions change. Here we present a unique analysis standardised data for 198 species from Northeast Atlantic collected by 23 surveys 31,502 sampling events between 2005 2018. Our analyses spatially comprehensive identified...

The environmental and biotic conditions affecting fisheries for cephalopods are only partially understood. A problem central to this is how climate change may influence population movements by altering the availability of thermal resources. In study we investigate links between sea–temperature changes squid arrival time off southwestern England over a 20–year period. We show that veined (Loligo forbesi) migrate eastwards in English Channel earlier when water preceding months warmer, higher...

Abstract Mbuna, the dominant fishes on rocky shores of Lake Malawi, have become a major ‘model system’ for study rapid speciation and adaptive radiation. At least 295 putative species are known, which more than 200 remain undescribed. There is no good evidence monophyly in mbuna, rather mitochondrial DNA phylogenies indicate that they polyphlyetic with respect to benthic feeding cichlids genera Aulonocara , Alticorpus some Lethrinops . Male mbuna hold territories 18 months or breed...

It has been estimated that Lake Malawi, Africa, contains 500–650 endemic species of cichlid fishes, the largest number vertebrate to any comparable sized area on planet. As many these putative cannot be distinguished anatomically, estimates richness depend a great extent assumption sympatrically occurring male colour morphs represent biological species. We have tested this using combination behavioural observations courtship and microsatellite DNA analysis for six Pseudotropheus ( Tropheops...

Most marine teleosts have a pelagic phase during their early life history, but few studies investigated how the timing of events within planktonic larval fish assemblage is related to environmental variability. We examined this issue using data series 534 samples collected between 1975 and 1987 in Western English Channel, near Plymouth, UK. Two sets species were identified: spring spawning (April July) summer (July September). The appearance spring-spawning group plankton was significantly...