Predation environment predicts divergent life-history phenotypes among populations of the livebearing fish Brachyrhaphis rhabdophora

Keywords

convergent evolution, Trinidadian guppy, life-history phenotype, predator-mediated mortality, wet season

Abstract

We document a strong association between predation environment and life-history phenotypes in the Costa Rican livebearing fish Brachyrhaphis rhabdophora. Populations that co-occurred with piscine predators attained maturity at a smaller size, and produced more, smaller offspring relative to populations from predator-free environments. These differences persisted over 3 years and between wet and dry seasons within a year. Reproductive allotment did not differ between predation environments, but was greater in the wet season than in the dry season. We also examined the phenotypic covariance structure among life-history traits and found traits to be highly correlated. Based on life-history differences, discriminant analyses showed that populations could be neatly classified by predation category, and could be reasonably classified into wet and dry season categories. Finally, we found that the pattern of predator-associated life-history divergence in B. rhabdophora is remarkably similar to that of the taxonomically distinct Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata), possibly pointing to an evolutionary convergence between these two systems.

Original Publication Citation

Johnson, J.B., and M.C. Belk. 2001. Predation environment predicts divergent life-history phenotypes among populations of the livebearing fish Brachyraphis rhabdophora. Oecologia 126:142-149.

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

2001-01-01

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/8205

Publisher

Oecologia

Language

English

College

Life Sciences

Department

Biology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

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