Ecological functions and long-term dynamics of chiral dimorphism in snails

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24255004
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 海外学術
• Research Field: Ecology/Environment
• Research Institution: Shinshu University
• Principal Investigator: ASAMI Takahiro 信州大学, 学術研究院理学系, 教授 (10222598)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 生形 貴男 京都大学, 理学研究科, 准教授 (00293598) ; 吉村 仁 静岡大学, 創造科学技術大学院, 教授 (10291957) ; 堀 道雄 京都大学, 理学研究科, 名誉教授 (40112552) ; 松野 健治 大阪大学, 理学研究科, 教授 (60318227) ; 遠藤 一佳 東京大学, 理学系研究科, 教授 (80251411)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): OTA Hidetoshi 兵庫県立大学, 自然・環境科学研究所, 教授 (10201972)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: left-right asymmetry

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Our study on the chiral dimorphism of the genus Amphidromus discovered that the chiral morphs are positively maintained within populations. One of their predator snakes recognizes and avoid preying on sinistrals that are more difficult and costly to handle, where sinistrals adaptively increased against specialized predation on dextrals by the snakes. As long as the snake strikes, the snake successfully preys on sinistrals by reversing striking behavior. The snake's recognition of prey handedness cannot be explained by snake's learning because dextrals remain predominant in their habitats. Instead, this suggests that the snake coevolved the ability to recognize prey handedness in response to the increase of sinistrals under predation on dextrals by the snake.

Free Research Field

進化生物学