Same or different?Abstract relational concept use in juvenile bamboo sharks and Malawi cichlids

Sorting objects and events into categories and concepts is an important cognitive prerequisite that spares an individual the learning of every object or situation encountered in its daily life.Accordingly,specific items are classified in general groups that allow fast responses to novel situations.The present study assessed whether bamboo sharks Chiloscyllium griseum and Malawi cichlids Pseudotropheus zebra can distinguish sets of stimuli(each stimulus consisting of two abstract,geometric objects)that meet two conceptual preconditions,i.e.,(1)"sameness"versus"difference"and(2)a certain spatial arrangement of both objects.In two alternative forced choice experiments,individuals were first trained to choose two different,vertically arranged objects from two different but horizontally arranged ones.Pair discriminations were followed by extensive transfer test experiments.Transfer tests using stimuli consisting of(a)black and gray circles and(b)squares with novel geometric patterns provided conflicting information with respect to the learnt rule"choose two different,vertically arranged objects",thereby investigating(1)the individuals'ability to transfer previously gained knowledge to novel stimuli and(2)the abstract relational concept(s)or rule(s)applied to categorize these novel objects.Present results suggest that the level of processing and usage of both abstract concepts differed considerably between bamboo sharks and Malawi cichlids.Bamboo sharks seemed to combine both concepts-although not with equal but hierarchical prominence-pointing to advanced cognitive capabilities.Conversely,Malawi cichlids had difficulties in discriminating between symbols and failed to apply the acquired training knowledge on new sets of geometric and,in particular,gray-level transfer stimuli.

United theory of biological evolution:Disaster-forced evolution through Supernova,radioactive ash fall-outs,genome instability,and mass extinctions

We present the disaster-forced biological evolution model as a general framework that includes Darwinian ＂phylogenic gradualism＂, Eldredge-Gould＇s ＂punctuated equilibrium＂, mass extinctions, and allopatric, parapatric, and sympatric speciation. It describes how reproductive isolation of organisms is established through global disasters due to supernova encounters and local disasters due to radioactive volcanic ash fall-outs by continental alkaline volcanism. Our new evolution model uniquely highlights three major factors of disaster-forced speciation： enhanced mutation rate by higher natural radiation level, smaller population size, and shrunken habitat size （i.e., isolation among the individual pop- ulations）. We developed a mathematical model describing speciation of a half-isolated group from a parental group, taking into account the population size （Ne）, immigration rate （m）, and mutation rate （μ）. The model gives a quantitative estimate of the speciation, which is consistent with the observations of speciation speed. For example, the speciation takes at least 105 generations, if mutation rate is less than 10 3 per generation per individual. This result is consistent with the previous studies, in which μ is assumed to be 10 3-10-5. On the other hand, the speciation is much faster （less than l0S generations） for the case that μ is as large as 0.1 in parapatric conditions （m 〈 μ）. Even a sympatric （m ~ 1 ） speciatiou can occur within 103 generations, if mutation rate is very high （μ- 1 mutation per individual per generation）, and if Ne 〈 20-30. Such a high mutation rate is possible during global disasters due to supernova encounters and local disasters due to radioactive ash fall-outs. They raise natural radiation level by a factor of 100-1000. Such rapid speciation events can also contribute to macro-evolution during mass extinction events, such as observed during the Cambrian explosion of biodiversity. A similar rapid speciation （though in a much smaller scale） also has been undergoing in cichlid fishes and great African apes in the last several tens of thousand years in the current African rift valley, including the origin of humankind due to the radioactive ash fall-outs bv continental alkaline volcanism.

Influence of ambient water coloration on habitat and conspecific choice in the female Lake Malawi cichlid, Metriaclima zebra

Female cichlid fish living in African great lakes are known to have sensory systems that are adapted to ambient light environments.These sen-sory system adaptations are hypothesized to have influenced the evolution of the diverse male nuptial coloration.In rock-dwelling Lake Malawi mbuna cichlids,however,the extent to which ambient light environments influence female sensory systems and potentially associated male nuptial coloration remains unknown.Yet,the ubiquitous blue flank coloration and UV reflection of male mbuna cichlids suggest the potential impacts of the blue-shifted ambient light environment on these cichlid's visual perception and male nuptial coloration in the shallow water depth in Lake Malawi.In the present study,we explored whether and how the sensory bias of females influences intersexual communication in the mbuna cichlid,Metriaclima zebra.A series of choice experiments in various light environments showed that M.zebra females (1)have a pref-erence for the blue-shifted light environment,(2)prefer to interact with males in blue-shifted light environments,(3)do not show a preference between dominant and subordinate males in full-spectrum,long-wavelength filtered,and short-wavelength filtered light environments,and (4)show a"reversed"preference for subordinate males in the UV-filtered light environment.These results suggest that the visual perception of M.zebra females may be biased to the ambient light spectra in their natural habitat by local adaptation and that this sensory bias may influence the evolution of blueand UV reflectivepatterns in male nuptial coloration.

Evolutionary diversity as a catalyst for biological discovery

The tremendous diversity of animal behaviors has inspired generations of scientists from an array of biological disciplines.To complement investigations of ecological and evolutionary factors contributing to behavioral evolution,modern sequencing,gene editing,computational and neuroscience tools now provide a means to discover the proximate mechanisms upon which natural selection acts to generate behavioral diversity.Social behaviors are motivated behaviors that can differ tremendously between closely related species,suggesting phylogenetic plasticity in their underlying biological mechanisms.In addition,convergent evolution has repeatedly given rise to similar forms of social behavior and mating systems in distantly related species.Social behavioral divergence and convergence provides an entry point for understanding the neurogenetic mechanisms contributing to behavioral diversity.We argue that the greatest strides in discovering mechanisms contributing to social behavioral diversity will be achieved through integration of interdisciplinary comparative approaches with modern tools in diverse species systems.We review recent advances and future potential for discovering mechanisms underlying social behavioral variation;highlighting patterns of social behavioral evolution,oxytocin and vasopressin neuropeptide systems,genetic/transcriptional“toolkits,”modern experimental tools,and alternative species systems,with particular emphasis on Microtine rodents and Lake Malawi cichlid fishes.

Computer animations of color markings revealthe function of visual threat signals inNeolamprologus pulcher

Visual signals, including changes in coloration and color patterns, are frequently used by animalsto convey information. During contests, body coloration and its changes can be used to assess anopponent＇s state or motivation. Communication of aggressive propensity is particularly importantin group-living animals with a stable dominance hierarchy, as the outcome of aggressive inter-actions determines the social rank of group members. Neolamprologus pulcher is a cooperativelybreeding cichlid showing frequent within-group aggression. Both sexes exhibit two vertical blackstripes on the operculum that vary naturally in shape and darkness. During frontal threat displaysthese patterns are actively exposed to the opponent, suggesting a signaling function. To investi-gate the role of operculum stripes during contests we manipulated their darkness in computeranimated pictures of the fish. We recorded the responses in behavior and stripe darkness of testsubjects to which these animated pictures were presented. Individuals with initially darker stripeswere more aggressive against the animations and showed more operculum threat displays.Operculum stripes of test subjects became darker after exposure to an animation exhibiting a paleoperculum than after exposure to a dark operculum animation, highlighting the role of the dark-ness of this color pattern in opponent assessment. We conclude that （i） the black stripes on theoperculum of N. pulcherare a reliable signal of aggression and dominance, （ii） these markings playan important role in opponent assessment, and （iii） 2D computer animations are well suited to elicitbiologically meaningful short-term aggressive responses in this widely used model system ofsocial evolution.

Cichlid fish visual systems: mechanisms of spectral tuning

Hundreds of species of cichlid fishes have evolved in the Great Lakes of Africa.These colorful fishes are known for their ecological diversity.Here,we discuss the diversity of their visual systems.Cichlids have seven unique cone opsin genes,which produce visual pigments sensitive from the ultraviolet to the red end of the spectrum.Different species typically express three visual pigments to produce a trichromatic visual system.Because species differ in which sets of opsin genes they express,visual sensitivities can differ widely.In addition to the large visual pigment shifts from changing gene expression,cichlids can also more finely tune visual pigments through altera-tions in opsin amino acid sequence.Both of these tuning mechanisms likely play an important role in cichlid ecology and could contribute to the evolution of cichlid diversity through speciation.

Yolk-sac larval development of the substrate-brooding cichlid Archocentrus nigrofasciatus in relation to temperature

In order to conserve and culture the cichlid fish Archocentrus nigrofasciatus,more information about its reproductive biology and its larval behavior and morphogenesis is necessary.Currently,temperatures ranging from 21 to 27°C are used in ornamental aquaculture hatcheries.Lower temperatures are preferred to reduce the costs of water heating,and 23°C is usually the selected temperature.However,there is limited information on culturing protocols for ornamental species and most of the information generated on this topic remains scarce.Thus,the present study examines the morphological development of Archocentrus nigrofasciatus during the yolk-sac period up to the age of 100 h post-hatching in relation to 2 temperature regimes used in ornamental aquaculture:a temperature of 27°C(thermal optimum)and a decreased temperature of 23°C(thermal tolerance).The results of this study suggest that the 27°C temperature generates intense morphological changes in yolk-sac development in a shorter period.This has advantages as it reduces the time of yolk-sac larval development,and,thus,minimizes the transition phase to exogenous feeding and maximizes the efficiency at which yolk is converted into body tissues.The present paper provides necessary information to produce freshwater ornamental fish with better practices so as to increase larval survival and capitalize on time for growth.