Feeding plasticity in the nematode Pristionchus pacificus is influenced by sex and social context and is linked to developmental speed

摘要: The increasing evidence for a role of developmental plasticity in evolution offers exciting prospects testing interactions between ecological and genetic processes. Recent advances with the model organism Pristionchus pacificus have provided inroads to mechanistic understanding plasticity. P. comprises two discontinuous adult mouth-forms, stenostomatous ("narrow mouthed") eurystomatous ("wide form, latter which is structurally more complex associated predatory feeding. Both forms are consistently present populations, but fundamental properties guiding fluctuations their appearance been poorly understood. Here, we provide systematic characterization mouth pacificus, quantifying strong sexual dimorphism revealing that, an inbred background, maternal phenotype linked that male offspring. Furthermore, cues from conspecifics influenced decision juvenile nematodes. Separating individuals population resulted lower frequency, decreased incrementally earlier isolation. Finally, time reproductively mature stage was, presence abundant bacterial food supply, less than individuals, suggesting potential fitness trade-off breadth diet. This study provides baseline as necessary reference point comparative analysis.