asymmetric reproductive isolation between two sympatric annual killifish with extremely short lifespans那不对称之间的生殖隔离两个分布区重叠的年度鳉鱼寿命极短.pdfVIP

Asymmetric Reproductive Isolation between Two Sympatric Annual Killifish with Extremely Short Lifespans ˇ Matej Polacik*, Martin Reichard Department of Fish Ecology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Brno, Czech Republic Abstract Background: Interspecific reproductive isolation is typically achieved by a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic barriers. Behavioural isolating barriers between sympatric, closely related species are often of primary importance and frequently aided by extrinsic factors causing spatial and temporal interspecific separation. Study systems with a severely limited role of extrinsic factors on reproductive isolation may provide valuable insights into how reproductive isolation between sympatric species is maintained. We used no-choice experimental set-up to study reproductive barriers between two closely related sympatric African killifish species, Nothobranchius furzeri and Nothobranchius orthonotus. These fish live in small temporary savannah pools and have complete spatial and temporal overlap in reproductive activities and share a similar ecology. Principal Findings: We found that the two species display largely incomplete and asymmetric reproductive isolation. Mating between N. furzeri males and N. orthonotus females was absent under standard experimental conditions and eggs were not viable when fish were forced to mate in a modified experimental setup. In contrast, male N. orthonotus indiscriminately mated with N. furzeri females, the eggs were viable, and offspring successfully hatched. Most spawnings, however, were achieved by male coercion and egg production and embryo survival were low. Behavioural asymmetry was likely facilitated by mating coercion from larger males of N. orthonotus and at relatively low cost to females. Inte