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Pelagic-benthic resource polymorphism in Schizopygopsis thermalis Herzenstein 1891 (Pisces, Cyprinidae) in a headwater lake in the Salween River system on the Tibetan Plateau
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  • Jialing Qiao,
  • Jiaxing Hu,
  • Ren Zhu,
  • Kang Chen,
  • Jie Zhao,
  • Yunzhi Yan,
  • Ling Chu,
  • DEKUI HE
Jialing Qiao

Corresponding Author:qiaojialing9406@126.com

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Jiaxing Hu
Institute of Hydrobiology Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Ren Zhu
Institute of Hydrobiology Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Kang Chen
Institute of Hydrobiology Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Jie Zhao
Institute of Hydrobiology Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Yunzhi Yan
Anhui Normal University
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DEKUI HE
Institute of Hydrobiology Chinese Academy of Sciences
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Abstract

Resource polymorphism is a ubiquitous phenomenon in vertebrates and may represent a critical intermediate stage in speciation. Freshwater lakes in high-altitude areas represent a natural system for understanding resource polymorphism in fishes in diverse lacustrine environments and a few co-distributed species. We report resource polymorphism in a cyprinid fish, Schizopygopsis thermalis, in Lake Amdo Tsonak Co, a headwater lake in the upper Salween River system. Two morphs, planktivorous and benthivorous, were identified according to geometric morphological and traditional linear traits. The planktivorous morph exhibits a longer head and lower jaw, larger asymptotic standard length (L∞), lower growth rate (k) and higher growth performance index (φ) than the benthivorous morph. With respect to descriptive traits, the planktivorous morph possesses a terminal mouth and a highly developed mucus cavity in the cheek and chin, while the benthivorous morph is characterized by an inferiorly positioned mouth with a sharpened horny edge on the lower jaw. Our results indicate that distinct pelagic-benthic resources and low interspecific competition in the lake drove the initial differentiation of the two morphs and that partial spatial reproductive isolation might maintain and reinforce the differences between them.
08 Feb 2020Submitted to Ecology and Evolution
10 Feb 2020Submission Checks Completed
10 Feb 2020Assigned to Editor
19 Feb 2020Reviewer(s) Assigned
02 Apr 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
02 Apr 2020Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
07 May 20201st Revision Received
08 May 2020Assigned to Editor
08 May 2020Submission Checks Completed
08 May 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
11 May 2020Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
12 May 20202nd Revision Received
12 May 2020Submission Checks Completed
12 May 2020Assigned to Editor
12 May 2020Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
13 May 2020Editorial Decision: Accept