Phenotypic plasticity in brook charr: changes in caudal fin induced by water flow |
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Authors: | I. Imre,&Dagger ,R. L. McLaughlin,&dagger D. L. G. Noakes,&dagger |
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Affiliation: | Department of Biology, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve Blvd West, Montreal, Quebec H3G IMS, Canada;Department of Zoology, College of Biological Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario NIG2W1, Canada |
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Abstract: | In the field, juvenile brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis inhabiting high-velocity water were found to have larger caudal fins and more slender bodies than those inhabiting low-velocity water. Young-of-the-year S. fontinalis were reared in either a high- or low-velocity treatment for 16 weeks and their morphology was measured bi-weekly. From the second to fourth weeks of the experiment onwards, fish reared in the high-velocity treatment had larger maximum caudal fin heights and deeper caudal peduncles than fish reared in the low-velocity treatment. This study demonstrated that the morphological variation in caudal area exhibited by wild juvenile brook charr from microhabitats differing in water velocity could be a consequence of phenotypic plasticity in response to hydrological conditions. |
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Keywords: | Salvelinus fontinalis phenotypic plasticity morphology water velocity |
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