Trophic specialization and morphological divergence between two sympatric species in Lake Catemaco, Mexico.

ABSTRACT: The association of morphological divergence with ecological segregation among closely related species could be considered as a signal of divergent selection in ecological speciation processes. Environmental signals such as diet can trigger phenotypic evolution, making polymorphic species valuable systems for studying the evolution of trophic-related traits. The main goal of this study was to analyze the association between morphological differences in trophic-related traits and ecological divergence in two sympatric species, Astyanax aeneus and A. caballeroi, inhabiting Lake Catemaco, Mexico. The trophic differences of a total of 70 individuals (35 A. aeneus and 35 A. caballeroi) were examined using stable isotopes and gut content analysis; a subset of the sample was used to characterize s

SUBMITTER: Ornelas-Garcia CP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5980260 | biostudies-literature | 2018 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature