Systematics and Influence of Coral Reefs on Diversification in Tetraodontiform Fishes

University Of California-Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA

Investigators

Abstract

Coral reef fishes are an astonishingly diverse group of vertebrates. They are rich in number and extraordinarily varied in shape, size, and ecology. This project will investigate how coral reefs have shaped marine fish biodiversity by examining diversification patterns and processes in tetraodontiform fishes (a group including pufferfishes, porcupine fishes, and triggerfishes). The investigators will construct an evolutionary tree for this group by analyzing DNA sequences, key morphological features, and the fossil record. This tree will provide a framework for comparing rates of evolution of fins, body shape, and jaws between reef and non-reef species. The research team will test whether reef species have evolved changes in their feeding and swimming systems more quickly than non-reef species and whether major evolutionary changes correspond with key historical events, such as the closing of sea-ways or periods of rapid climate change. This work will provide important new insights into how coral reefs, one of the planets most unique habitats, have shaped biodiversity in marine fishes. By revealing how paleoclimatic events have affected historical patterns of species richness, this study will improve the understanding of the impacts of human-caused global changes on reef fish biodiversity. Outreach efforts - including mentoring, seminars, and workshops - will provide training for new scientists from underrepresented groups and advance the use of newly developed analytical methods to the national research community.