Surfperches versus Damselfishes: Trophic Evolution in Closely Related Pharyngognath Fishes with Highly Divergent Reproductive Strategies.

ABSTRACT: Surfperches and damselfishes are very closely related ovalentarians with large reproductive differences. Damselfishes are typical of most Ovalentaria in that they lay demersal eggs that hatch into small, free-feeding larvae. Surfperches are unusual among ovalentarians and most acanthomorphs in having prolonged internal development. They are born at an advanced stage, some as adults, and bypass the need to actively feed throughout an extended period of ontogeny. Damselfishes and surfperches possess the same modifications of the fifth branchial arch that allow them to perform advanced food processing within the pharynx. This condition (pharyngognathy) has large effects on the evolution of feeding mechanics and trophic ecology. Although the evolution of pharyngognaths has received considerabl

SUBMITTER: Cooper WJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11210498 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature