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The presence of lateral photophores correlates with increased speciation in deep-sea bioluminescent sharks.

Claes, Julien M ; Nilsson, Dan-E LU ; Mallefet, Jérôme and Straube, Nicolas (2015) In Royal Society Open Science 2(7).
Abstract
The vast majority of species within the lanternshark genus Etmopterus harbour complex luminescent markings on their flanks, whose functional significance has long remained obscure. Recent studies, however, suggest these enigmatic photophore aggregations to play a role in intraspecific communication. Using visual modelling based on in vivo luminescence measurements from a common lanternshark species, we show that etmopterid flank markings can potentially work as a medium range signal for intraspecific detection/recognition. In addition, using molecular phylogenetic analyses, we demonstrate that the Etmopterus clade exhibits a greater than expected species richness given its age. This is not the case for other bioluminescent shark clades... (More)
The vast majority of species within the lanternshark genus Etmopterus harbour complex luminescent markings on their flanks, whose functional significance has long remained obscure. Recent studies, however, suggest these enigmatic photophore aggregations to play a role in intraspecific communication. Using visual modelling based on in vivo luminescence measurements from a common lanternshark species, we show that etmopterid flank markings can potentially work as a medium range signal for intraspecific detection/recognition. In addition, using molecular phylogenetic analyses, we demonstrate that the Etmopterus clade exhibits a greater than expected species richness given its age. This is not the case for other bioluminescent shark clades with no (or only few) species with flank markings. Our results therefore suggest that etmopterid flank markings may provide a way for reproductive isolation and hence may have facilitated speciation in the deep-sea. (Less)
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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Royal Society Open Science
volume
2
issue
7
article number
150219
publisher
Royal Society Publishing
external identifiers
  • pmid:26587280
  • scopus:84958214116
  • pmid:26587280
  • wos:000377966100028
ISSN
2054-5703
DOI
10.1098/rsos.150219
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
ec631b43-7bfb-47b0-9eba-dd6a479b12d7 (old id 8235059)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 13:59:58
date last changed
2024-04-24 16:33:11
@article{ec631b43-7bfb-47b0-9eba-dd6a479b12d7,
  abstract     = {{The vast majority of species within the lanternshark genus Etmopterus harbour complex luminescent markings on their flanks, whose functional significance has long remained obscure. Recent studies, however, suggest these enigmatic photophore aggregations to play a role in intraspecific communication. Using visual modelling based on in vivo luminescence measurements from a common lanternshark species, we show that etmopterid flank markings can potentially work as a medium range signal for intraspecific detection/recognition. In addition, using molecular phylogenetic analyses, we demonstrate that the Etmopterus clade exhibits a greater than expected species richness given its age. This is not the case for other bioluminescent shark clades with no (or only few) species with flank markings. Our results therefore suggest that etmopterid flank markings may provide a way for reproductive isolation and hence may have facilitated speciation in the deep-sea.}},
  author       = {{Claes, Julien M and Nilsson, Dan-E and Mallefet, Jérôme and Straube, Nicolas}},
  issn         = {{2054-5703}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{7}},
  publisher    = {{Royal Society Publishing}},
  series       = {{Royal Society Open Science}},
  title        = {{The presence of lateral photophores correlates with increased speciation in deep-sea bioluminescent sharks.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.150219}},
  doi          = {{10.1098/rsos.150219}},
  volume       = {{2}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}