Publications by authors named "J Jaime Zuniga-Vega"
The evolution of placentation is predicted to intensify intergenomic conflicts between mothers and offspring over optimal levels of maternal investment by providing offspring opportunities to manipulate mothers into allocating more resources. Parent-offspring conflicts can result in the evolution of reproductive isolation among populations when conflicts resolve in different ways. Postzygotic reproductive isolation is hypothesized to evolve more rapidly following the evolution of placentation due to the predicted increase in conflict.
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- Life history theory suggests that investing more in one aspect of fitness can lead to a decrease in another, often exacerbated by parasites affecting their hosts.
- This study focused on how two types of trematodes impact male Poeciliopsis infans fish, showing a negative correlation between parasite load and overall body condition, while increasing reproductive traits such as gonad size and gonopodium length.
- The research found a significant link between certain types of metacercariae and smaller gonopodia in fish with poorer health, highlighting the potential for trade-offs between maintaining body condition and increasing reproductive investment in the presence of parasites.
Hormonal dynamics of matrotrophy vs. lecithotrophy in live-bearing fish reproduction.
Saeid Panahi Hassan Barough Monserrat Suárez-Rodríguez Andrea S Aspbury José Jaime Zúñiga-Vega Caitlin R Gabor
Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol
October 2024
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates how gestational states, fecundity, and steroid hormone levels vary among three types of live-bearing fish with different reproductive strategies.
- The two lecithotrophic species rely on yolk for embryo nourishment, while the matrotrophic species actively transfers nutrients, which likely increases energetic demands.
- Although no direct links were found between hormones and fecundity, matrotrophic fish exhibited distinct hormone patterns, with higher progesterone and lower estradiol levels, emphasizing the role of progesterone in gestation.
Article Synopsis
- Many organisms communicate through various sensory signals, and losing one signal over time can affect the signaling system and sensory organs involved.
- In Sceloporus lizards, species that have lost a male coloration signal displayed increased reliance on chemical signaling, prompting research on whether this loss correlates with changes in the vomeronasal organ (VNO) size.
- Unexpectedly, the study found that species retaining the color patch had similar VNO sizes compared to those that lost it, suggesting that the increase in chemosensory behavior may compensate for the loss of visual signals, while body size plays a significant role in VNO volume.
Article Synopsis
- Animals with the ability to efficiently detect and adapt to environmental changes have better survival chances, necessitating either specialized or more versatile phenotypes.
- In a study comparing wild zebrafish from fast-flowing rivers to still-water environments, it was found that river zebrafish demonstrated higher movement speeds, lower oxygen requirements, and a more adaptable behavior.
- These river zebrafish showed different body shapes and less streamlined morphology, which may help them thrive in variable habitats, suggesting a complex interplay of sensory, metabolic, and physical traits for survival in fluctuating conditions.