BYU ScholarsArchive

Title

Brachyraphis Fish Morphological Behavior When Faced With Competition

Authors

Lexie Chamberlain, Brigham Young University - ProvoFollow
Trevor J. Williams, Brigham Young University - Provo
Alli G. Duffy, Brigham Young University - Provo
Jerald B. Johnson, Brigham Young University - ProvoFollow

Files

Keywords

Competition, Live-Bearing Fish, Evolution, Sympatry

Abstract

The evolutionary process of speciation occurs when a population is separated biologically. Speciation can develop in either a non-overlapping or overlapping geographical area which is called an allopatric or sympatric speciation event, respectively.

We have discovered a novel phenomenon where two different species of fish in the tropical genus Brachyrahaphis, B. rhabdophora and B. terrabensis, coexist in the same population. B. terrabensis has been found to also coexists with another species, B. roseni (Ingley 2014), making this a unique system with multiple combinations of different closely-related species cooccurring.

We hypothesized that sympatric populations would diverge from allopatric populations due to competition. We used geometric morphometrics, the measurement of the fusiform body shape of fish, to quantify shape variation between allopatric and sympatric populations which will allow us to determine if and how competition is working on these species.

BYU ScholarsArchive Citation

Chamberlain, Lexie; Williams, Trevor J.; Duffy, Alli G.; and Johnson, Jerald B., "Brachyraphis Fish Morphological Behavior When Faced With Competition" (2021). Library/Life Sciences Undergraduate Poster Competition 2021. 31.
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/library_studentposters_2021/31

Document Type

Video

Publication Date

2021

Language

English

College

Life Sciences

Department

Biology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Senior

Copyright Use Information

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