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Damsels in a hidden colour: development of ultraviolet sensitivity and colour patterns in damselfishes (Pomacentridae)
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  • Valerio Tettamanti,
  • N. Marshall,
  • Karen Cheney,
  • Fabio Cortesi
Valerio Tettamanti
The University of Queensland Queensland Brain Institute

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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N. Marshall
University of Queensland
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Karen Cheney
University of Queensland
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Fabio Cortesi
University of Queensland
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Abstract

Damselfishes (Pomacentridae) are widespread and highly abundant on tropical coral reefs. They exhibit diverse body colouration within and between the ~250 species and across ontogenetic stages. In addition to human visible colours (i.e., 400-700 nm), most adult damselfishes reflect ultraviolet (UV, 300-400 nm) colour patches. UV sensitivity and UV colour signals are essential for feeding and form the basis for a secret communication channel invisible to the many UV-blind predatory fish on the reef; however, how these traits develop across ontogenetic stages, and their distribution across the damselfish family is poorly characterised. Here, we used UV photography, phylogenetic reconstructions of opsin genes, differential gene expression analysis (DGE) of retinal samples, to investigate the development of UV vision and colour patterns in three ontogenetic stages (pre-settlement larval, juvenile, and adult) of eleven damselfish species. Using DGE, we found similar gene expression between juveniles and adults, which strongly differed from larvae. All species and all stages expressed at least one UV-sensitive sws1 opsin gene. However, UV body colour patterns only started to appear at the juvenile stage. Moreover, Pomacentrus species displayed highly complex UV body patterns that were correlated with the expression of two sws1 copies. This could mean that some damselfishes can discriminate colours that change only in their UV component. We demonstrate dramatic shifts in both UV sensitivity and UV colouration across the development stages of damselfish, while highlighting the importance of considering ontogeny when studying the coevolution of visual systems and colour signals.
21 Jul 2024Submitted to Molecular Ecology
23 Jul 2024Submission Checks Completed
23 Jul 2024Assigned to Editor
23 Jul 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
14 Aug 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
24 Sep 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor