Abstract
BackgroundSensory Bias models for the evolution of mate preference place a great emphasis on the role of sensory system variation in mate preferences. However, the extent to which sensory systems vary across- versus within-species remains largely unknown. Here we assessed whether color vision varies in natural locations where guppies (Poecilia reticulata) and their two closest relatives, Poecilia parae and Poecilia picta, occur in extreme sympatry and school together. All three species base mate preferences on male coloration but differ in the colors preferred.ResultsMeasuring opsin gene expression, we found that within sympatric locations these species have similar color vision and that color vision differed more across populations of conspecifics. In addition, all three species differ across populations in the frequency of the same opsin coding polymorphism that influences visual tuning.ConclusionsTogether, this shows sensory systems vary considerably across populations and supports the possibility that sensory system variation is involved in population divergence of mate preference.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0501-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Sensory Bias models for the evolution of mate preference place a great emphasis on the role of sensory system variation in mate preferences
Do species and/or populations differ in color vision? Across all locations and species SWS2A, RH2-2, Long wavelength sensitive (LWS)-2, LWS-3, and LWS-R showed rather low levels of expression compared to other opsin genes (Figs. 1, 2)
Does opsin expression differ more by species or location? We found opsin expression to vary significantly by Location and Species nested within Location
Summary
Sensory Bias models for the evolution of mate preference place a great emphasis on the role of sensory system variation in mate preferences. In contrast to Trinidad, populations of guppies from mainland South America frequently occur in extreme sympatry and commonly school with two of their closest relatives, Poecilia picta and P. parae [13,14] These species occupy similar ecological niches and have highly similar morphometrics, with the largest differences between species being male coloration [13, 15,16,17]. The variable role of color in female mate choice [24, 25], high similarity in niche and morphology, and occurrence in sympatry make these species, P. reticulata, P. picta, P. parae, an excellent system with which to examine whether color vision varies more across species or populations
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