Comparative analysis of cranial morphology in Middle‐American heroine cichlids (Actinopterygii: Cichliformes)

• Published in: Journal of morphology (1931) Vol. 284; no. 4; pp. e21571 - n/a
• Main Authors: Olvera‐Ríos, Yuriria Noemy, González‐Díaz, Alfonso A., Soria‐Barreto, Miriam, Castillo‐Uscanga, María Mercedes, Cazzanelli, Matteo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01-04-2023
• Subjects: Animals; Biological Evolution; Cichlids - anatomy & histology; evolutionary convergence; fish osteology; functional morphology; geometric morphometrics; Grijalva‐Usumacinta basin; phylogenetic signal; Phylogeny; Skull; trophic morphology; functional morphology; Grijalva-Usumacinta basin; fish osteology; geometric morphometrics; evolutionary convergence; phylogenetic signal; trophic morphology
• DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21571
• EISSN: 1097-4687
• ISSN: 0362-2525

Heroine cichlids are characterized by high morphological diversity, mainly in structures related to the capture and processing of food. The existence of ecomorphological groups has been proposed based on feeding behavior, where it is common for some phylogenetically unrelated species to show evolutionary convergence. Using geometric morphometrics and comparative phylogenetic methods, the variation in cranial morphology was evaluated for 17 species of heroine cichlids representing 5 ecomorphs. Cranial ecomorphs were recovered and significant differences were determined. Morphological variation of the ecomorphs was mainly explained by two axes: (1) the position of the mouth determined by the shape of the bones of the oral jaw and (2) the height of the head, defined by the size and position of the supraoccipital crest and the distance to the interopercle–subopercle junction. Cranial variation among species was related to phylogeny. To better understand the evolution of cranial morphology, it is necessary to evaluate the morphofunctional relationship of other anatomical structures related to feeding, as well as to increase the number of study species in each ecomorph by including other lineages.
Location of the landmarks to describe cranial morphology (protocol modified from Pérez‐Miranda et al., 2020). (1) Most anterior tooth of the premaxilla; (2) Most anterior tooth of the dentary; (3) Joint of the dentary with the articular; (4) Most inferior point of the premaxilla; (5) Most inferior point of the maxilla; (6) Posterior‐ventral edge of the dentary; (7) Joint of the articular and quadrate; (8) Most superior point of the articular; (9) Most dorsal point of the maxilla; (10). Most anterior point of the eye socket; (11) Most posterior point of the eye socket; (12) Most posterior point of the preopercular; (13) Most dorsal point of the preopercular; (14) Most dorsal point of the ascending process of the premaxilla; (15) Most dorsal point of the supraoccipital crest; (16) Ventral joint of interopercle‐subopercle. Morphospace formed by the PC1 and PC2 from the five ecomorps. Wireframe deformation diagrams show cranial changes in the consensus corresponding ecomorph. (b) Phylomorphospace formed by the PC1 and PC2 from the consensus form of each species. Points: orange “detritivore,” blue “generalist,” red “piscivore,” green “scraper,” gray “sifter.” Detritivore: Cincelichthys pearsei (Cipe), Kihnichthys ufermanni (Kiuf), Maskaheros argenteus (Maar), Oscura heterospila (Oshe), Vieja hartwegi (Viha), Vieja melanurus (Vime); Generalist: Mayaheros urophthalmus (Maur), Rocio octofasciata (Rooc); Piscivore: Chiapaheros grammodes (Chgr), Trichromis salvini (Trsa); Scraper: Chuco intermedium (Chin), Rheoheros lentiginosus (Rhle), Theraps irregularis (Thir); Sifter: Thorichthys helleri (Thhe), Thorichthys meeki (Thme), Thorichthys pasionis (Thpa), Wajpamheros nourissati (Wano). Morphospace formed by PC1 and PC2 for species of each ecomorph and their corresponding wireframe deformation diagrams. (a) Detritivore: Cincelichthys pearsei (Cipe), Kihnichthys ufermanni (Kiuf), Maskaheros argenteus (Maar), Oscura heterospila (Oshe), Vieja hartwegi (Viha), Vieja melanurus (Vime); (b) Generalist: Mayaheros urophthalmus (Maur), Rocio octofasciata (Rooc); (c) Piscivore: Chiapaheros grammodes (Chgr), Trichromis salvini (Trsa); (d) Scraper: Chuco intermedium (Chin), Rheoheros lentiginosus (Rhle), Theraps irregularis (Thir); (e) Sifter: Thorichthys helleri (Thhe), Thorichthys meeki (Thme), Thorichthys pasionis (Thpa), Wajpamheros nourissati (Wano).