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Updated: Aug 29, 2025

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Evolutionary divergence in phenotypic plasticity shapes brain size variation between coexisting sunfish ecotypes.

Caleb J Axelrod1, Beren W Robinson1, Frédéric Laberge1

  • 1Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

Journal of Evolutionary Biology
|September 8, 2022
PubMed
Summary

Brain size plasticity in pumpkinseed sunfish varies by habitat and age, with larger brains improving foraging on benthic prey. This suggests rapid evolution of brain size in response to ecological conditions.

Keywords:
adaptive divergencebrain sizeecological performanceontogenyphenotypic plasticitysunfish

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Brain size variation influences ecological performance but is poorly understood in natural populations.
  • Pumpkinseed sunfish (Lepomis gibbosus) ecotypes show divergence between littoral and pelagic lake habitats.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate brain size plasticity and its functional consequences in pumpkinseed sunfish ecotypes.
  • To determine if foraging environment affects brain size and if this impacts foraging performance.

Main Methods:

  • A reciprocal-transplant common garden experiment exposed juvenile sunfish from different habitats to simulated littoral and pelagic foraging conditions.
  • Foraging performance trials were conducted to assess the relationship between brain size and prey capture success.
  • Jaw size plasticity was measured to validate the experimental foraging treatments.

Main Results:

  • Plastic responses in jaw size confirmed the effectiveness of habitat-mimicking foraging treatments.
  • Only pelagic-sourced juvenile sunfish (<1 year old) exhibited brain size plasticity in response to foraging manipulations.
  • Larger brain size was correlated with enhanced foraging performance on benthic prey, but not pelagic prey.

Conclusions:

  • Brain size plasticity in pumpkinseed sunfish can rapidly evolve and diverge between ecotypes under contrasting ecological conditions.
  • The age-dependent nature of brain size plasticity suggests potential irreversibility with age.
  • Brain size is functionally linked to prey-specific foraging performance, highlighting its ecological significance.