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Host use drives convergent evolution in clownfish.

Théo Gaboriau1, Anna Marcionetti1, Alberto Garcia-Jimenez1

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Sea anemone hosts drive clownfish evolution, influencing their color and form. This mutualistic relationship promotes clownfish diversification across the Indo-Pacific, shaping their phenotypes and geographic spread.

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Area of Science:

  • Marine biology
  • Evolutionary biology
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Clownfishes (Amphiprioninae) exhibit significant marine radiation, diversifying across the Indo-Pacific.
  • The proposed role of sea anemone symbiosis in clownfish radiation lacks strong empirical support.
  • Ecological factors explaining clownfish niche partitioning and phenotypic evolution remain elusive.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of sea anemone host use on phenotypic divergence in clownfishes.
  • To revise clownfish-sea anemone host associations and their ecological relevance.
  • To identify the drivers of clownfish adaptive radiation and diversification.

Main Methods:

  • Whole-genome data collection for all 28 clownfish species.
  • Reconstruction of a comprehensive Amphiprioninae species tree.
  • Comparative genomic analyses integrating host association data.

Main Results:

  • Host sea anemones are identified as key drivers of convergent evolution in clownfish phenotypes (color pattern, morphology).
  • Clownfishes associating with similar hosts in different regions have evolved convergent phenotypes.
  • Comparative genomics revealed genes under convergent positive selection linked to host specialization.

Conclusions:

  • Sea anemone symbiosis is a crucial factor driving clownfish diversification.
  • Mutualistic interactions can profoundly influence clade diversification by shaping phenotypes and geographic distribution.
  • This study resolves a long-standing mystery regarding the adaptive radiation of clownfishes.