Collaborative Research: Phenotypic and lineage diversification after key innovation(s): multiple evolutionary pathways to air-breathing in labyrinth fishes and their allies

合作研究：关键创新后的表型和谱系多样化：迷宫鱼及其盟友呼吸空气的多种进化途径

• 批准号: 2333683
• 负责人: Matthew Kolmann
• 金额: $ 48.42万
• 依托单位: University of Louisville Research Foundation Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-01-01 至 2026-12-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2333683&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Phenotypic; lineage; diversification

Some anatomical structures or behaviors can be game-changing at evolutionary scales for certain groups of organisms. Such traits, called “key innovations”, radically alter how an organism interacts with its environment, and may confer competitive advantages. Examples are innovations that enable avoiding competition or predation with other species, or allowing access to new habitats and resources. A potential key innovation for some fishes is the ability to breathe atmospheric air with a unique air-breathing organ. These air-breathing organs have evolved several times in fishes such as bettas, gouramis, and snakeheads, and may have been the key to their success in spreading across the world millions of years ago and again during more recent biological invasions (e.g., snakeheads). This project will examine whether air-breathing structures are key innovations and then answer how these structures alter intrinsic (anatomical) or extrinsic (ecological) evolutionary dynamics.This project will use high resolution micro-computed tomographic imaging (microCT), coupled with contrast-staining and histology to provide insight into the diversity of air-breathing organs across the Anabantaria (gouramis, snakeheads, spiny and swamp eels). Using a phylogenetic comparative framework, the research team will assess the homology of different air-breathing structures across anabantarians. Three-D geometric morphometrics will be used to capture skull shape diversity in these fishes, air-breathing and non-air-breathing species alike. Finally, the research team will test whether air-breathing structures are key innovations and then answer how these structures alter evolutionary dynamics, either by (1) providing new opportunities for continental invasions, (2) facilitating body shape diversification, or (3) by changing the fundamentals of how the skull, which houses the air-breathing organ, adapts to changing roles. For the Broader Impacts of this study, the research team at University of Louisville will partner with colleagues at the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History for outreach and training. The University of Louisville research team, PI, post docs and students, will partner with the Louisville Zoo community programs office to build on existing programs aimed at increasing children’s empathy towards animals and each other.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

某些解剖结构或行为可以在进化规模上改变某些生物体的游戏规则，这些特征被称为“关键创新”，从根本上改变生物体与其环境的相互作用，并可能赋予竞争优势，例如能够避免的创新。与其他物种竞争或捕食，或允许进入新的栖息地和资源，对于某些鱼类来说，一个潜在的关键创新是具有独特的呼吸空气的能力，这些呼吸空气的器官在鱼类中已经进化了多次。作为斗鱼、古拉鱼和蛇头鱼，可能是它们在数百万年前以及最近的生物入侵期间（例如蛇头鱼）成功传播到世界各地的关键。该项目将研究呼吸空气的结构是否是关键创新。然后回答这些结构如何改变内在（解剖学）或外在（生态）进化动力学。该项目将使用高分辨率微型计算机断层扫描（microCT），并结合对比染色和研究小组将利用系统发育比较框架，通过组织学深入了解Anabantaria（鲈鱼、蛇头鳗、刺鳗和沼泽鳗鱼）的呼吸器官的多样性。 D 几何形态测量学将用于捕捉这些鱼类（呼吸空气和非呼吸鱼类）的头骨形状多样性。最后，研究小组将进行测试。呼吸空气的结构是否是关键创新，然后回答这些结构如何改变进化动态，要么通过（1）为大陆入侵提供新的机会，（2）促进身体形状多样化，或（3）通过改变头骨如何改变的基本原理为了使这项研究产生更广泛的影响，路易斯维尔大学的研究小组将与密歇根大学自然历史博物馆的同事合作进行推广和培训。路易斯维尔研究团队、PI、博士后和学生将与路易斯维尔动物园社区项目办公室合作，以现有项目为基础，旨在增强儿童对动物和彼此的同理心。该奖项符合 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。