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Viviparity stimulates diversification in an order of fish

Author

Listed:
  • Andrew J. Helmstetter

    (Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London)

  • Alexander S. T. Papadopulos

    (Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London
    Royal Botanic Gardens)

  • Javier Igea

    (Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London
    University of Cambridge)

  • Tom J. M. Van Dooren

    (CNRS/UPMC/UPEC/UPD/IRD/INRA, UMR 7618 Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences Paris (iEES), Université Pierre et Marie Curie
    CNRS/ENS. UMS 3194, CEREEP. Ecotron IleDeFrance, École Normale Supérieure
    Research Team Endless Forms, Naturalis Biodiversity Center)

  • Armand M. Leroi

    (Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London)

  • Vincent Savolainen

    (Silwood Park Campus, Imperial College London)

Abstract

Species richness is distributed unevenly across the tree of life and this may be influenced by the evolution of novel phenotypes that promote diversification. Viviparity has originated ∼150 times in vertebrates and is considered to be an adaptation to highly variable environments. Likewise, possessing an annual life cycle is common in plants and insects, where it enables the colonization of seasonal environments, but rare in vertebrates. The extent to which these reproductive life-history traits have enhanced diversification and their relative importance in the process remains unknown. We show that convergent evolution of viviparity causes bursts of diversification in fish. We built a phylogenetic tree for Cyprinodontiformes, an order in which both annualism and viviparity have arisen, and reveal that while both traits have evolved multiple times, only viviparity played a major role in shaping the patterns of diversity. These results demonstrate that changes in reproductive life-history strategy can stimulate diversification.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew J. Helmstetter & Alexander S. T. Papadopulos & Javier Igea & Tom J. M. Van Dooren & Armand M. Leroi & Vincent Savolainen, 2016. "Viviparity stimulates diversification in an order of fish," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 7(1), pages 1-7, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:7:y:2016:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms11271
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms11271
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    Cited by:

    1. Felipe O. Cerezer & Cristian S. Dambros & Marco T. P. Coelho & Fernanda A. S. Cassemiro & Elisa Barreto & James S. Albert & Rafael O. Wüest & Catherine H. Graham, 2023. "Accelerated body size evolution in upland environments is correlated with recent speciation in South American freshwater fishes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.

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