Sex or cannibalism: Polyphenism and kin recognition control social action strategies in nematodes.

ABSTRACT: Resource polyphenisms, where single genotypes produce alternative feeding strategies in response to changing environments, are thought to be facilitators of evolutionary novelty. However, understanding the interplay between environment, morphology, and behavior and its significance is complex. We explore a radiation of Pristionchus nematodes with discrete polyphenic mouth forms and associated microbivorous versus cannibalistic traits. Notably, comparing 29 Pristionchus species reveals that reproductive mode strongly correlates with mouth-form plasticity. Male-female species exhibit the microbivorous morph and avoid parent-offspring conflict as indicated by genetic hybrids. In contrast, hermaphroditic species display cannibalistic morphs encouraging competition. Testing predation between 36

SUBMITTER: Lightfoot JW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8386922 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature