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Sexual dimorphism in a trophically polymorphic cichlid fish?
Author(s) -
Hulsey Christopher Darrin,
GarcíaDe León Francisco J.,
Meyer Axel
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of morphology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.652
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1097-4687
pISSN - 0362-2525
DOI - 10.1002/jmor.20433
Subject(s) - sexual dimorphism , biology , cichlid , intraspecific competition , evolutionary biology , trophic level , sexual selection , sex characteristics , zoology , ecology , genetics , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery
Sexual dimorphism in ecologically relevant traits is ubiquitous in animals. However, other types of intraspecific phenotypic divergence, such as trophic polymorphism, are less common. Because linkage to sex should often lead to balancing selection, understanding the association between sex and phenotypic divergence could help explain why particular species show high morphological variability. To determine if sexual dimorphism could be helping to maintain ecomorphological variation in a classic case of intraspecific trophic polymorphism, we examined the association between sex and morphological divergence in the cichlid Herichthys minckleyi . Although H. minckleyi with enlarged molariform teeth on their pharyngeal jaws have been reported to more commonly be male, we did not find an association between sex and pharyngeal morphotype. Sex was associated with divergence in body size (as measured through standard length). But, sex was not associated with any of the other trophic traits examined. However, pharyngeal morphotype did show an association with gut length, gape, and tooth number. Sexual dimorphism is not playing a central role in enhancing trophic diversity within H. minckleyi . J. Morphol. 276:1448–1454, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.