The visual adaptation causes the diversity of species

2016 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 26440209
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Biodiversity/Systematics
• Research Institution: The Graduate University for Advanced Studies
• Principal Investigator: Terai Yohey 総合研究大学院大学, 先導科学研究科, 助教(特定有期雇用) (30432016)
• Co-Investigator(Renkei-kenkyūsha): Kawata Masakado 東北大学, 生命科学研究科, 教授 (90204734) ; Ota Tastuya 総合研究大学院大学, 先導科学研究科, 準教授 (30322100) ; Imai Hiroo 京都大学, 霊長類研究所・ゲノム細胞研究部門ゲノム進化分野, 準教授 (60314176)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Keywords: 種分化 / 生態適応 / 視覚 / 配偶者選択 / シクリッド / アノール / ノトセニア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The goal of this study was to demonstrate the commonality of ecological speciation. This study was divided into three parts: the first part is anolis. We showed the possibility of ecological speciation by measurements of light environments, the reflectance of dewlap, and absorption spectra of the LWS opsin pigments. 2) In notothenia part, we showed the visual adaptation of this fish to the environment of sea. 3) In cichlids part, we demonstrated that visual genes have evolved for adaptation to light environments and breeding coloration formation genes have evolved by sexual selection. These three studies represented the commonality of ecological speciation in vertebrates.

Free Research Field

分子進化生態学