Predation risk induces age- and sex-specific morphological plastic responses in the fathead minnow Pimephales promelas

摘要: Although comprehending the significance of phenotypic plasticity for evolution is major interest in biology, pre-requirement that, understanding variance plasticity, still its infancy. Most researchers assess plastic traits at single developmental stages and pool results between sexes. Here, we study variation among sexes inducible morphological defences, a well-known instance plasticity. We raised fathead minnows, Pimephales promelas, under different levels background predation risk (conspecific alarm cues or distilled water) split-clutch design studied morphology both juveniles adults. In accordance with theory that varies across ontogeny sexes, geometric morphometry analyses revealed significant shape differences treatments varied Alarm cue-exposed adult males developed deeper heads, bodies, longer dorsal fin bases, shorter caudal peduncles fins. Adult additionally larger relative eye size. These responses represent putative adaptive as they are linked to reduced risk. Perhaps most surprisingly, found no evidence defences females. Understanding whether similar occurs other taxa their environments crucial modelling evolution.