The gustatory stalk of the Remo flounder exemplifies how complex evolutionary novelties may arise

Autor(es)

Presti, Paulo ; Pastana, Murilo N. L. ; Johnson, G. David ; Datovo, Alessio

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: SCIENTIFIC REPORTS; v. 14, n. 1, p. 13-pg., 2024-05-22.

Resumo

The appearance of evolutionary novelties is a central issue in biology. Since Darwin's theory, difficulties in explaining how novel intricate body parts arose have often been used by creationists and other deniers to challenge evolution. Here, we describe the gustatory stalk of the Remo flounder (Oncopterus darwinii), an anatomically and functionally complex organ presumably used as a chemoreceptor probe to detect prey buried in the substrate. We demonstrate that the gustatory stalk is derived from the first dorsal-fin ray, which acquired remarkable modifications in its external morphology, integument, skeleton, muscles, and nerves. Such structural innovations are echoed in both functional and ecological specializations. We reveal that the gustatory stalk arose through the gradual accumulation of changes that evolved at different levels of the phylogenetic tree of ray-finned fishes. At least five preconditions arose in nodes preceding Oncopterus darwinii. This finding constitutes an interesting example of how evolution can deeply remodel body parts to perform entirely new functions. In this case, a trivial support structure primitively used for swimming became a sophisticated sensory tool to uncover hidden prey. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 22/11956-7 - Musculatura branquial dos linguados
• Beneficiário: Paulo Presti Migliavacca
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Exterior - Estágio de Pesquisa - Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 20/02232-0 - A evolução musculoesquelética dos Linguados e suas relações internas (Teleostei: Percomorphacea: Pleuronectiformes)
• Beneficiário: Paulo Presti Migliavacca
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 23/02499-4 - Evolução de tempo profundo dos músculos cranianos em vertebrados ósseos
• Beneficiário: Aléssio Datovo da Silva
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular