The genetic basis of the leafy seadragon's unique camouflage morphology and avenues for its efficient conservation derived from habitat modeling  

作　　者：Meng Qu Yingyi Zhang Zexia Gao Zhixin Zhang Yali Liu Shiming Wan Xin Wang Haiyan Yu Huixian Zhang Yuhong Liu Ralf Schneider Axel Meyer Qiang Lin 

机构地区：[1]CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-Resources and Ecology,South China Sea Institute of Oceanology,Chinese Academy of Sciences,Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory(GML,Guangzhou),Guangzhou,511458,China [2]Sanya Institute of Oceanology,SCSIO,Sanya,572000,China [3]University of Chinese Academy of Sciences,Beijing,100049,China [4]College of Fisheries,Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding,Ministry of Agriculture,Huazhong Agricultural University,Wuhan,430070,China [5]Marine Evolutionary Ecology,Zoological Institute,Kiel University,24118,Kiel,Germany [6]Department of Biology,University of Konstanz,78464,Konstanz,Germany [7]Global Ocean and Climate Research Center,South China Sea Institute of Oceanology,Guangzhou,510301,China

出　　处：《Science China(Life Sciences)》2023年第6期1213-1230,共18页中国科学（生命科学英文版）

基　　金：supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41825013,42230409,42006108,42276126);Key Research Program of Frontier Sciences of CAS (ZDBS-LY-DQC004);the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2021YFF0502803);Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB42030204);South China Sea Institute of Oceanology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (SCSIO202208)。

摘　　要：The leafy seadragon certainly is among evolution’s most“beautiful and wonderful”species aptly named for its extraordinary camouflage mimicking its coastal seaweed habitat.However,limited information is known about the genetic basis of its phenotypes and conspicuous camouflage.Here,we revealed genomic signatures of rapid evolution and positive selection in core genes related to its camouflage,which allowed us to predict population dynamics for this species.Comparative genomic analysis revealed that seadragons have the smallest olfactory repertoires among all ray-finned fishes,suggesting adaptations to the highly specialized habitat.Other positively selected and rapidly evolving genes that serve in bone development and coloration are highly expressed in the leaf-like appendages,supporting a recent adaptive shift in camouflage appendage formation.Knock-out of bmp6 results in dysplastic intermuscular bones with a significantly reduced number in zebrafish,implying its important function in bone formation.Global climate change-induced loss of seagrass beds now severely threatens the continued existence of this enigmatic species.The leafy seadragon has a historically small population size likely due to its specific habitat requirements that further exacerbate its vulnerability to climate change.Therefore,taking climate change-induced range shifts into account while developing future protection strategies.

关 键 词：seadragon CAMOUFLAGE olfactory receptor global climate change habitat suitability CONSERVATION 

分 类 号：Q958[生物学—动物学]