Are developmental shifts the main driver of phenotypic evolution in Diplodus spp. (Perciformes: Sparidae)?

Background: Sparid fishes of the genus Diplodus show a complex life history. Juveniles have adaptations well suited to life in the water column. When fishes recruit into the adult population individuals develop a radically differentiated shape that reflect their adaptation to the new benthic environment typical of the adult. By using a geometric morphometric approach, we investigated the pattern of shape variation across ontogenetic stages that span from early settlement to the adult stage in four species of the genus Diplodus. Landmarks were collected on the whole body of fishes to quantify the phenotypic variation along two well defined life stages, i.e. juvenile and adult. A comparative analysis of ontogenetic trajectories was performed to assess the presence of divergence in the developmental pattern. Subsequently, we investigated the patterns of integration and modularity as proxy of the alteration of the developmental processes. This allowed to have an insight in morphological...研究背景：双棘鲷属（Diplodus）鱼类拥有复杂的生活史。其幼体具备适配浮游生活的形态特征；当个体补充进入成体种群时，身体形态会发生显著分化，以适应成体典型的底栖生存环境。 本研究采用几何形态测量学（geometric morphometric）方法，对双棘鲷属（Diplodus）4个物种从早期定居阶段到成体阶段的个体发育形态变化模式展开探究。研究通过采集鱼类全身的形态标志点（landmarks），量化幼体与成体这两个明确界定的生活史阶段的表型变异。随后开展个体发育轨迹的比较分析，以评估物种间发育模式是否存在分化；进而通过形态整合与模块化模式分析，作为发育过程改变的替代指标进行探究，以此深入解析其形态……