English (United Kingdom)

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/featured_content/oa?rat=en

https://curated-unify.zendy.io/wp-json/zendy-region/v1/highlighted_journal/

Global: Zendy Plus annual

Presents the access of premium content as premium feature

Premium Content

Presents the keyphrase highlighting as premium feature

Keyphrase Highlighting

Presents the summarisation as premium feature

Summarisation

Insights

Presents the pdf analysis as premium feature

PDF Analysis

Presents the zaia usage as premium feature

ZAIA

Global: Zendy Tools annual

Global: Zendy Free Plan

Global: Zendy Tools monthly

Global: Zendy Plus monthly

Acropora  is a species-rich genus of reef-building corals with highly diverse morphologies. Hybridization among intercrossing species potentially influences species diversity within  Acropora . However, the mechanisms that allow hybridization/backcrossing remain unknown. Although we tested a limited number of species, we hypothesized that  Acropora  gametes in the Indo-Pacific may preferentially fertilize conspecific gametes despite their compatibility with heterospecific gametes, leading to infrequent hybridization between potentially intercrossing species. In this study, F 1  hybrids of  Acropora florida  and  A. intermedia  showed specific fertilization trends. For example, sperm had the ability to backcross with the parental species even in the presence of sperm from the parental species. Also, eggs of the hybrids produced from  A .  florida  eggs and  A .  intermedia  sperm (“FLOint”) exhibited self-fertilization. Since a low ratio of hybridization between  A. florida  and  A. intermedia  is predicted, the population size of hybrids should be small. Therefore, self-fertilization would facilitate reproduction of the hybrid in nature, while remaining sperm could outcompete parental species sperm to backcross with eggs. Although we succeeded in breeding two colonies of hybrids, it is reasonable to speculate that hybrids show a high tendency to choose the most efficient sexual reproduction tactics.

First evidence for backcrossing of F1 hybrids in Acropora corals under sperm competition