Presentation Type
Event
Start Date
23-4-2019 12:00 AM
End Date
23-4-2019 12:00 AM
Description
Best Our Husky Compact Reflection for "Seek and Apply Knowledge".
Abstract
The lizardfishes and their allies (Aulopiformes, ~282 species) are investigated from a geometric morphometric approach to study the evolution of body shape changes across habitat transitions in this lineage of fishes. No previous studies have quantitatively examined changes in body shape across lizardfishes and their allies. Over 400 lizardfish specimens were digitized that included representatives from every family of these fishes. We identify that there are distinct patterns of body-shape change across the lizardfish radiation. Body shape trends of cigar-shapes are dominant in inshore and deep-sea benthic habitats while trends toward being elongated and a posterior position of the dorsal fin, reside in deep-sea lizardfishes (e.g. Alepisauridae, Lestidiidae, Notosudidae) with an exemption in Scopelarchidae, which exhibits a more cigar shape trend. This is the first study to document significant body shape changes across marine habit transitions from coral reefs to the deep sea and has implications for the life history and biology of these fishes.
Body Shape Changes Across Habitat Transitions in Lizardfishes (Aulopiformes)
Best Our Husky Compact Reflection for "Seek and Apply Knowledge".
Abstract
The lizardfishes and their allies (Aulopiformes, ~282 species) are investigated from a geometric morphometric approach to study the evolution of body shape changes across habitat transitions in this lineage of fishes. No previous studies have quantitatively examined changes in body shape across lizardfishes and their allies. Over 400 lizardfish specimens were digitized that included representatives from every family of these fishes. We identify that there are distinct patterns of body-shape change across the lizardfish radiation. Body shape trends of cigar-shapes are dominant in inshore and deep-sea benthic habitats while trends toward being elongated and a posterior position of the dorsal fin, reside in deep-sea lizardfishes (e.g. Alepisauridae, Lestidiidae, Notosudidae) with an exemption in Scopelarchidae, which exhibits a more cigar shape trend. This is the first study to document significant body shape changes across marine habit transitions from coral reefs to the deep sea and has implications for the life history and biology of these fishes.
