Document Type

Article

Department/Program

Virginia Institute of Marine Science

Publication Date

2013

Journal

Southeastern Naturalist

Volume

12

Issue

1

First Page

209

Last Page

216

Abstract

Male Gambusia holbrooki (Eastern Mosquitofish) express a heritable pigmentation polymorphism: ≈99% of males are silver, and only ≈1% have a melanic, black-spotted pattern. Sex-linkage, an autosomal modifier, and temperature control the expression of this heritable melanism. In many teleosts, melanin also accumulates around the site of parasitic invasion. We have identified black-spot disease in wild mosquitofish from their native habitat. Here, we demonstrate convergence upon the black-pigmented phenotype through two means: 1) heritable melanism, and 2) melanic spotting on the silver genotype that results from infection with immature encysted trematodes. Females are silver and express greater avoidance ofmelanic males during mating attempts. The resemblance of the black-spotted pattern of the melanic genotype to that of silver genotype infected with trematodes may affect the fitness ofmelanic males if females perceive them as diseased. Alternatively, females may shun parasitized silverfish because they resemble the melanic genotype, which is larger and has a larger mating organ

DOI

DOI: 10.1656/058.012.0116

Keywords

Eastern mosquitofish, Western mosquitofish, Osteichthyes, Animal behavior, Genetic polymorphisms, Melanins

Download

Share Feedback

Share

COinS