Phenotypic divergence between seasnake (Emydocephalus annulatus) populations from adjacent bays of the New Caledonian lagoon - Archive ouverte HAL Accéder directement au contenu
Article Dans Une Revue Biological Journal of the Linnean Society Année : 2012

Phenotypic divergence between seasnake (Emydocephalus annulatus) populations from adjacent bays of the New Caledonian lagoon

Résumé

Populations of widespread species often differ in phenotypic traits, although rarely in such a dramatic fashion as revealed by research on turtle-headed seasnakes (Emydocephalus annulatus). These snakes are highly philopatric, with mark-recapture studies showing that the interchange of individuals rarely occurs even between two adjacent bays (separated by < 1.2 km) in Noumea, New Caledonia. Data on > 500 field-captured snakes from these two bays reveal significant differences between these two locations in snake morphology (mean body length, relative tail length, head shape), colour, ecology (body condition, growth rate, incidence of algal fouling), behaviour (antipredator tactics), and locomotor performance. For some traits, the disparity was very marked (e.g. mean swimming speeds differed by > 30%). The causal bases for these phenotypic divergences may involve founder effects, local adaptation, and phenotypic plasticity. The spatial divergence in phenotypic traits offers a cautionary tale both for researchers (sampling of only a few populations may fail to provide a valid overview of the morphology, performance, and behaviour of a species) and managers (loss of local populations may eliminate distinctive genetic variation).

Dates et versions

hal-00704745 , version 1 (06-06-2012)

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Citer

Richard Shine, Claire Goiran, Terri Shine, Thomas Fauvel, Francois Brischoux. Phenotypic divergence between seasnake (Emydocephalus annulatus) populations from adjacent bays of the New Caledonian lagoon. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 107, pp.824-832. ⟨10.1111/j.1095-8312.2012.01971.x⟩. ⟨hal-00704745⟩
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