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/

Zendy Plus

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

Zendy Tools

Zendy Open

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 co-occurring strains of the hermaphrodite P. pacificus showed that killing inversely correlates with genomic relatedness. These empirical data together with theory reveal that polyphenism (plasticity), kin recognition, and relatedness are three major factors that shape cannibalistic behaviors. Thus, developmental plasticity influences cooperative versus competitive social action strategies in diverse animals.

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