Morphological divergence driven by predation environment within and between species of Brachyrhaphis fishes.

ABSTRACT: Natural selection often results in profound differences in body shape among populations from divergent selective environments. Predation is a well-studied driver of divergence, with predators having a strong effect on the evolution of prey body shape, especially for traits related to escape behavior. Comparative studies, both at the population level and between species, show that the presence or absence of predators can alter prey morphology. Although this pattern is well documented in various species or population pairs, few studies have tested for similar patterns of body shape evolution at multiple stages of divergence within a taxonomic group. Here, we examine morphological divergence associated with predation environment in the livebearing fish genus Brachyrhaphis. We compare differen

SUBMITTER: Ingley SJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3936007 | biostudies-literature | 2014

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature