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Genetic and environmental variation in the visual properties of bluefin killifish, Lucania goodei
Author(s) -
FULLER R. C.,
CARLETON K. L.,
FADOOL J. M.,
SPADY T. C.,
TRAVIS J.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
journal of evolutionary biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.289
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1420-9101
pISSN - 1010-061X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2005.00886.x
Subject(s) - biology , opsin , photopigment , killifish , evolutionary biology , genetic variation , sensory system , population , zoology , offspring , ecology , genetics , gene , fishery , rhodopsin , retinal , pregnancy , demography , neuroscience , sociology , fish <actinopterygii> , biochemistry
Animals use their sensory systems to detect information about the external environment in order to find mates, locate food and habitat and avoid predators. Yet, there is little understanding of the relative amounts of genetic and/or environmental variation in sensory system properties. In this paper, we demonstrate genetic and environmental variation in opsin expression in a population of bluefin killifish. We measured expression of five opsins (which correlates with relative frequency of corresponding cones) using quantitative, real‐time polymerase chain reaction for offspring from a breeding study where offspring were raised under different lighting conditions. Sire (i.e. genetic) effects were present for opsin found in yellow photopigment. Dam effects were present for opsins that create violet, blue and red photopigment. Lighting conditions affected expression of all opsins except SWS2A and mimicked the pattern found among populations. These results highlight the fact that sensory systems are both plastic and yet readily evolvable traits.