TY - JOUR T1 - Microevolutionary Processes Underlying Macroevolutionary Patterns of Electric Signal Diversity in Mormyrid Fish JF - bioRxiv DO - 10.1101/154047 SP - 154047 AU - Jason R. Gallant AU - Joshua Sperling AU - Catherine Cheng AU - Matthew E. Arnegard AU - Bruce A. Carlson AU - Carl D. Hopkins Y1 - 2017/01/01 UR - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/06/22/154047.abstract N2 - This study examines evolutionary causes underlying the maintenance of diversity in electric courtship signals (EODs) emitted by the mormyrid electric fish species Paramormyrops kingsleyae. P. kingsleyae are polymorphic for an EOD feature which characterizes interspecific signal diversity among the rapidly diverged Paramormyrops genus. We collected 338 specimens and recorded EOD signals from 9 populations distributed throughout Gabon, west central Africa, collected in 1999-2009. First, we demonstrate using microsatellite genotyping a significant signature of isolation by distance between populations. Second, utilizing principal components analysis of 21 landmarks measured from EOD waveforms, we find that EOD duration and the magnitude of a small head negative pre-potential (P0) are highly correlated with patterns of spatial and genetic structure. Finally, utilizing a behavioral assay, we demonstrate that P. kingsleyae individuals can discriminate between P0-absent and P0-present EOD waveforms, although genetic and morphological analysis indicate no assortative mating between signal types. Together, these results support the hypothesis that patterns of signal variation in P. kingsleyae have resulted from genetic drift acting upon isolated populations. As P. kingsleyae represents a microcosm of signal diversity among mormyrids, these findings illustrate a potential mechanism by which interspecific patterns of EOD diversity may originate at the population level. ER -