Combining experimental embryology and geometric morphometrics to uncover the evolution of vertebral variability in Lake Malawi cichlids

结合实验胚胎学和几何形态测量学来揭示马拉维湖慈鲷脊椎变异的进化

基本信息

批准号：
2445747
负责人：
金额：
--
依托单位：
University of Oxford
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Studentship
财政年份：
2020
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2020 至无数据
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=studentship-2445747
关键词：
Combining experimental embryology geometric morphometrics

项目摘要

The axial skeleton is of great functional importance for locomotion in vertebrates. Vertebrae are critical skeletal bones and have modified multiple times during the evolution of vertebrate animals. The evolutionary change of number, proportion (the ratio of one vertebrae type over another) and shape of vertebrae has been modified during vertebrate diversification to permit the emergence of varied body forms. For example, large numbers of thoracic (chest) vertebrae support the elongated body axis of snakes. In contrast, giraffes increase the growth-rate of their cervical (neck) vertebrae, relative to their other vertebrae, to support their extraordinarily long necks. Diverse vertebral counts and proportions are found in Lake Malawi cichlids, a morphologically, ecologically, and behaviourally diverse ray-finned fish family that have radiated from a single common ancestor over the last one million years. This is particularly remarkable given that Lake Malawi cichlids are extremely closely related, differing genetically by an average of just 0.19-0.27%, lower than genetic difference between human populations. Understanding how developmental mechanisms underpinning vertebral morphology have been modified, in a background with limited genetic variation and in short evolutionary time, is important in determining how vertebrates have evolved remarkable body plan diversity.The research falls into the following BBSRC priority areas:Data driven biologySystems approaches to the biosciences

轴向骨骼对于脊椎动物的运动具有重要的功能。椎骨是重要的骨骼，在脊椎动物的进化过程中发生了多次变化。在脊椎动物多样化过程中，椎骨的数量、比例（一种椎骨类型相对于另一种类型的椎骨的比例）和形状的进化变化已被修改，以允许出现不同的身体形态。例如，大量的胸椎支撑着蛇细长的身体轴。相比之下，长颈鹿相对于其他椎骨而言，颈椎的生长速度更快，以支撑其超长的脖子。马拉维湖慈鲷中发现了不同的脊椎数量和比例，慈鲷是一个形态、生态和行为多样化的射线鳍鱼类家族，在过去一百万年里从一个共同的祖先辐射出来。鉴于马拉维湖丽鱼科鱼之间的亲缘关系极为密切，这一点尤其引人注目，其遗传差异平均仅为 0.19-0.27%，低于人类种群之间的遗传差异。在遗传变异有限和进化时间短的背景下，了解支撑椎骨形态的发育机制是如何被改变的，对于确定脊椎动物如何进化出显着的身体结构多样性非常重要。该研究属于以下 BBSRC 优先领域：数据驱动生物学系统生物科学方法