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Updated: Dec 24, 2025
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Dissection and Flat-mounting of the Threespine Stickleback Branchial Skeleton
Published on: May 7, 2016
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Shared ecological traits influence shape of the skeleton in flatfishes (Pleuronectiformes)
Corinthia R Black1,2, Peter B Berendzen2
1Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA.
Peerj
|April 14, 2020
Summary
Flatfish body shape diversified recently, driven by ecological factors. Key evolutionary changes involved body depth, jaw length, and fin length, highlighting recent adaptive radiation in this fish group.
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary biology
- Ichthyology
- Phylogenetics
Background:
- Pleuronectiformes (flatfishes) exhibit unique asymmetry and benthic lifestyles.
- While ocular migration is well-studied, flatfish shape diversification remains underexplored.
- Morphological diversity exists within this specialized fish order.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the evolutionary patterns of body shape in flatfishes using integrative methods.
- To understand the tempo and mode of shape evolution within Pleuronectiformes.
- To identify correlations between ecological traits, body size, and shape diversification.
Main Methods:
- Geometric morphometrics applied to X-ray data from 389 individuals across 145 flatfish species.
- Phylogenetic comparative methods, including phylogenetic signal calculation and phylogenetic linear models.
- Analysis of morphospace, phylomorphospace, and correlations with ecological traits and body size.
Main Results:
- The majority of body shape variation evolved recently, within the Middle Miocene (15-10 million years ago).
- Key shape changes involve body depth, jaw length, and medial fin length.
- Dorsal and anal fin lengths show correlation, potentially linked to locomotion; ecological traits correlate with shape, suggesting a role in diversification.
Conclusions:
- Flatfish diversification is characterized by recent, rapid shape evolution.
- Ecological factors played a significant role in shaping flatfish morphology.
- Understanding shape evolution provides insights into the adaptive radiation of Pleuronectiformes.
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