Speciation across depth gradients in reef corals.

ABSTRACT: Ecological speciation through adaptation to different habitats can readily occur without strong geographic isolation when the same traits underlie both ecological divergence and reproductive isolation. In light-dependent corals with environment-mediated spawning, adaptation to varying light regimes across depths provides opportunities for such speciation. We show that depth-related distributions are common among sister lineages of corals within the photic zone. We then investigated molecular drivers of depth-associated adaptive divergence by analyzing sequence variation in proteins related to environmental sensing in depth-segregated and light-dependent lineages in the Orbicella species complex. Specifically, we analyzed 1) two genetically divergent ecotypes of Orbicella faveolata across a

SUBMITTER: Gomez-Corrales M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12630909 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature