Standing genetic variation as a potential mechanism of novel cave phenotype evolution in the freshwater isopod, Asellus aquaticus.

ABSTRACT: Novel phenotypes can come about through a variety of mechanisms including standing genetic variation from a founding population. Cave animals are an excellent system in which to study the evolution of novel phenotypes such as loss of pigmentation and eyes. Asellus aquaticus is a freshwater isopod crustacean found in Europe and has both a surface and a cave ecomorph which vary in multiple phenotypic traits. An orange eye phenotype was previously revealed by F₂ crosses and backcrosses to the cave parent within two examined Slovenian cave populations. Complete loss of pigmentation, both in eye and body, is epistatic to the orange eye phenotype and therefore the orange eye phenotype is hidden within the cave populations. Our goal was to investigate the origin of the orange eye allel

SUBMITTER: Rodas LR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10331845 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature