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Behavioral studies have often examined parental care by measuring phenotypic plasticity of behavior within a species. Phylogenetic studies have compared parental care among species, but only at broad categories (e.g., care vs. no care). Here we provide a detailed account that integrates phylogenetic analysis with quantitative behavioral data to better understand parental care behavior in the Cuatro Ciénegas cichlid, Herichthys minckleyi. We found that H. minckleyi occurs in a clade of sexually monochromatic or weakly dichromatic monogamous species, but that male and female H. minckleyi have dramatically different reproductive coloration patterns, likely as a result of sexual selection. Furthermore, we found that males are polygynous; large males guard large territories, and smaller males may attempt alternative mating tactics (sneaking). Finally, compared to the closely related monogamous Rio Grande cichlid, H. cyanoguttatus, males of H. minckleyi were present at their nests less often and performed lower rates of aggressive offspring defense, and females compensated for the absence of their mates by performing higher levels of offspring defense. Body color, mating system, and parental care in H. minckleyi appear to have evolved after it colonized Cuatro Ciénegas, and are likely a result of evolution in an isolated, stable environment.

Remarkable examples of social cognition have been described across a diverse range of species, yet surprisingly little is known about the neurobiological underpinnings of these behaviors. Recent studies suggest that the molecular pathways and neural networks that mediate social behavior have been relatively conserved across vertebrate evolution, suggesting that shared mechanisms may drive adaptive behavioral responses to social stimuli. Here, we review recent advances in the neurobiology of flexible and context-dependent social behaviors across vertebrate taxa, focusing on female mate choice, pair-bonding, and aggressive behavior. Furthermore, we highlight the outstanding opportunities for uncovering the mechanisms mediating cooperative behavior, an exemplar of social cognition. We suggest a framework for investigating context-dependent neural organization and the evoked neural response to social stimuli. ?? 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

Cichlid fishes are famous for large, diverse and replicated adaptive radiations in the Great Lakes of East Africa. To understand themolecularmechanisms underlying cichlid phenotypic diversity,wesequenced the genomesand transcriptomes of five lineages of Africancichlids: theNile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), an ancestral lineagewith low diversity; and four members of the East African lineage: Neolamprologus brichardi/pulcher (older radiation, Lake Tanganyika), Metriaclima zebra (recent radiation, LakeMalawi),Pundamilia nyererei (very recent radiation, LakeVictoria), andAstatotilapia burtoni (riverine species around Lake Tanganyika).Wefound an excess of gene duplications in the East African lineage compared to tilapia and other teleosts, an abundance of non-coding element divergence, accelerated coding sequence evolution, expression divergence associated with transposable element insertions, and regulation by novel microRNAs. In addition, we analysed sequence data from sixty individuals representing six closely related species from Lake Victoria, and show genome-wide diversifying selection on coding and regulatory variants, some of which were recruited fromancient polymorphisms. Weconclude that a numberof molecular mechanisms shaped East African cichlid genomes, and that amassing of standing variation during periods of relaxed purifying selectionmayhave been important in facilitating subsequent evolutionary diversification.

Cichlid fishes are famous for large, diverse and replicated adaptive radiations in the Great Lakes of East Africa. To under- standthemolecularmechanismsunderlying cichlidphenotypic diversity,wesequencedthegenomesandtranscriptomes of fivelineages of Africancichlids: theNile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus),anancestral lineagewithlowdiversity;andfour members of the East African lineage: Neolamprologus brichardi/pulcher (older radiation, Lake Tanganyika),Metriaclima zebra(recent radiation,LakeMalawi),Pundamilianyererei (veryrecentradiation,LakeVictoria),andAstatotilapiaburtoni (riverine species aroundLakeTanganyika).Wefound an excess of gene duplications in the East African lineagecompared to tilapia and other teleosts, an abundance of non-coding element divergence, accelerated coding sequence evolution, expression divergence associated with transposable element insertions,and regulationby novel microRNAs. In addition, we analysed sequence data from sixty individuals representing six closely related species from Lake Victoria, and show genome-widediversifying selectiononcodingandregulatoryvariants,someofwhichwererecruited fromancientpoly- morphisms.Weconclude that anumberof molecular mechanismsshaped East African cichlid genomes, and that amass- ing of standing variation during periods of relaxed purifying selectionmayhavebeenimportantin facilitating subsequent evolutionary diversification.

Discrete variation in reproductive behavior and physiology is observed in diverse taxa. Although it is known that most within-sex alternative reproductive tactics arise as a consequence of phenotypic plasticity, relatively little is known about differential neural gene expression among plastic alternative reproductive phenotypes. In the ocellated wrasse Symphodus ocellatus, males exhibit one of three alternative tactics (nesting, satellite, and sneaker) within a reproductive season, but switch tactics between years. Satellites and sneakers spawn parasitically in dominant (nesting) males’ nests, but only nesting males provide parental care. Nesting and satellite males show transient cooperative defense of nests against sneakers. Here, we analyze circulating sex steroid hormone levels and neural gene expression profiles in these three male phenotypes and in females. 11-ketotestosterone (but not testosterone) was highest in nesting males, while estradiol was highest in females. Brain transcriptomes of satellites and females were most similar to each other and intermediate to nesting and sneaker males. Sneakers showed more total expression differences, whereas nesting males showed higher magnitude expression differences. Our findings reveal the surprising extent to which neural gene expression patterns vary across reproductive tactics that vary in a number of social traits, including aggression, territoriality, and cooperation, providing important insights into the molecular mechanisms that may underlie variation in cooperative and reproductive behavior.

Social interactions are central to most animals and have a fundamental impact upon the phenotype of an individual. Social behavior (social interactions among conspecifics) represents a central challenge to the integration of the functional and mechanistic bases of complex behavior. Traditionally, studies of proximate and ultimate elements of social behavior have been conducted by distinct groups of researchers, with little communication across perceived disciplinary boundaries. However, recent technological advances, coupled with increased recognition of the substantial variation in mechanisms underlying social interactions, should compel investigators from divergent disciplines to pursue more integrative analyses of social behavior. We propose an integrative conceptual framework intended to guide researchers towards a comprehensive understanding of the evolution and maintenance of mechanisms governing variation in sociality.

Efforts to understand nervous system structure and function have received new impetus from the federal Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative. Comparative analyses can contribute to this effort by leading to the discovery of general principles of neural circuit design, information processing, and gene-structure-function relationships that are not apparent from studies on single species. We here propose to extend the comparative approach to nervous system ‘maps’ comprising molecular, anatomical, and physiological data. This research will identify which neural features are likely to generalize across species, and which are unlikely to be broadly conserved. It will also suggest causal relationships between genes, development, adult anatomy, physiology, and, ultimately, behavior. These causal hypotheses can then be tested experimentally. Finally, insights from comparative research can inspire and guide technological development. To promote this research agenda, we recommend that teams of investigators coalesce around specific research questions and select a set of ‘reference species’ to anchor their comparative analyses. These reference species should be chosen not just for practical advantages, but also with regard for their phylogenetic position, behavioral repertoire, well-annotated genome, or other strategic reasons. We envision that the nervous systems of these reference species will be mapped in more detail than those of other species. The collected data may range from the molecular to the behavioral, depending on the research question. To integrate across levels of analysis and across species, standards for data collection, annotation, archiving, and distribution must be developed and respected. To that end, it will help to form networks or consortia of researchers and centers for science, technology, and education that focus on organized data collection, distribution, and training. These activities could be supported, at least in part, through existing mechanisms at NSF, NIH, and other agencies. It will also be important to develop new integrated software and database systems for cross-species data analyses. Multidisciplinary efforts to develop such analytical tools should be supported financially. Finally, training opportunities should be created to stimulate multidisciplinary, integrative research into brain structure, function, and evolution.

Alternative reproductive tactics are powerful examples of how variation in genetics and physiology among individuals can lead to striking diversity in phenotype. In the swordtails (genus Xiphophorus), copy number variation (CNV) at the melanocortin 4 receptor (mc4r) locus is correlated with male body size, which in turn is correlated with male mating behavior. We measured the relationship between mc4r CNV, behavior, and 11-ketotesterone (11-KT) in X. multilineatus to determine whether mc4r CNV was associated with other components of male tactics in addition to body size. We confirmed the results of previous studies, showing that male size increases with mc4r CNV and that mating behavior toward females was size-dependent. We also examined agonistic behavior by exposing males to their mirror image and found that male-male displays behavior were size-dependent. Small males were less likely to exhibit an agonistic response, suggesting that alternative reproductive tactics span intrasexual and intersexual contexts. There was no significant association between mc4r CNV and behavior or 11-KT hormone titer. Mc4r CNV is thus associated with the variation in male body size, but not with other traits independent of body size.

In vertebrates, glucocorticoids mediate a wide-range of responses to stressors. For this reason, they are implicated in adaptation to changes in predation pressure. Trinidadian guppies ( Poecilia reticulata) from high-predation environments have repeatedly and independently colonized and adapted to low-predation environments, resulting in parallel changes in life history, morphology, and behavior. We validated methods for non-invasive waterborne hormone sample collection in this species, and used this technique to examine genetic and environmental effects of predation on basal glucocorticoid (cortisol) levels. To examine genetic differences, we compared waterborne cortisol levels in high- and low-predation fish from two distinct population pairs. We found that fish from high-predation localities had lower cortisol levels than their low-predation counterparts. To isolate environmental influences, we compared waterborne cortisol levels in genetically similar fish reared with and without exposure to predator chemical cues. We found that fish reared with predator chemical cues had lower waterborne cortisol levels than those reared without. Comparisons of waterborne and whole-body cortisol levels demonstrated that populations differed in overall cortisol levels in the body, whereas rearing conditions altered the release of cortisol from the body into the water. Thus, evolutionary history with predators and lifetime exposure to predator cues were both associated with lower cortisol release, but depended on distinct physiological mechanisms. ?? 2013 Elsevier Inc.