Microevolutionary change in viscerocranial bones under congeneric sympatry in the Lake Tanganyikan cichlid genus Tropheus.

ABSTRACT: The endemic Lake Tanganyika cichlid genus Tropheus lives at rocky shores all around the lake and comprises six species which are subdivided into about 120 morphologically similar but color-wise distinct populations. Typically, they live without a second Tropheus species, but there are some regions where two or even three sister species live in sympatry. We previously showed that there are morphological differences concerning head shape, eye size and insertion of fins among populations living alone compared to those living in sympatry with a second Tropheus. This study goes one step further to test if sympatry affects the shape of viscerocranial bones. By means of geometric morphometrics, we compare the shape of four bones among thirteen Tropheus populations, som

SUBMITTER: Kerschbaumer M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8550039 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature