Does an asymmetric body plan dictate behavior within a species?

Title

Does an asymmetric body plan dictate behavior within a species?

Files

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Keywords

Handedness, Behavior, Evolution, Poeciliid

Abstract

Poster Design 2nd Place Award Winner

QUESTION

Is behavioral lateralization in fish related to morphological asymmetry?

We address this question in a livebearing fish species that shows a unique form of morphological asymmetry. The species Xenophallus umbratilis exhibits a mating morphology where the male gonopodium—a structure used to inseminate females—terminates with either a dextral (right-handed) or sinistral (left-handed) corkscrew (Figure 1). We think that this might be related to a phenomenon in which individuals show a lateral bias in eye use to approach stimuli, a form of behavioral lateralization.

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Document Type

Video

Publication Date

2021

Language

English

College

Life Sciences

Department

Biology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Junior

Does an asymmetric body plan dictate behavior within a species?

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