Evolutionary genetics of visual communication

描述（由申请人提供）：阐明基因与环境的相互作用对于理解行为的进化至关重要。本研究从分子、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。我将研究剑尾鱼的姐妹种马林奇剑尾鱼（xiphohorus malinche）和X. birchmanni，它们在个别河流中以杂交梯度存在。malinche的“纯”种群与X. birchmanni的“纯”种群通过杂交种群的上游到下游梯度分离。沿着这个梯度，我将研究视蛋白基因序列、视蛋白基因表达和颜色敏感性的变化，这些可能由于当地光环境的差异而表现出强烈的选择梯度，如何映射到雌性配偶偏好和两性二态雄性特征的变化。这项工作的结果将为行为差异的生态和遗传基础提供急需的见解，并将阐明动物交流系统多样性背后的选择力和遗传结构。

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.