Evolutionary genetics of visual communication

描述（由申请人提供）：阐明基因-环境相互作用对于理解行为的进化至关重要。这项研究从分子、生理、行为和生态四个方面评估了配偶识别系统的进化差异。我将研究马林切剑尾鱼和X. birchmanni，剑尾鱼的姊妹种，在个别河流中以杂交梯度存在。X的“纯”群体。malinche从X的“纯”群体中分离出来。birchmanni由上游到下游梯度的杂交种群。沿着这个梯度，我将研究如何在视蛋白基因序列，视蛋白基因表达，和颜色敏感性，这是可能会显示出强大的选择梯度，由于在当地的光环境的差异，映射到女性的配偶偏好和性别二态性男性性状的变化。从拟议的工作的结果将提供急需的洞察行为分歧的生态和遗传基础，并将揭示选择力和遗传结构的动物沟通系统的多样性。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Elucidating gene-environment interactions is crucial for understanding the evolution of behavior. This proposed research evaluates the evolutionary divergence of a mate-recognition system on four scales: molecular, physiological, behavioral, and ecological. I will study Xiphophorus malinche and X. birchmanni, sister species of swordtail fishes, that in individual rivers exist in hybrid gradients. 'Pure' populations of X. malinche are separated from 'pure' populations of X. birchmanni by an upstream-to-downstream gradient of hybrid populations. Along this gradient, I will investigate how variation in opsin gene sequences, opsin gene expression, and color sensitivity, which is likely to show a strong selection gradient due to the differences in local photic environments, map on to variation in female mate preferences and sexually-dimorphic male traits. Results from the proposed work will provide much needed insight into the ecological and genetic bases of behavioral divergence, and will shed light onto the selective forces and genetic architectures underlying the diversity of animal communication systems.