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Spectral data reveal unexpected cryptic colour polymorphism in female sailfin silverside fish from ancient Lake Matano

  • SPECIATION IN ANCIENT LAKES 6
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Abstract

Persistent colour polymorphisms can result from natural and/or sexual selection, and may occur in males, females, or both sexes. Contrary to conspicuous patterns frequently observed in courtship colouration, differences in cryptic colouration are not always perceived by the human sensory system. In sexually dimorphic sailfin silversides fishes, males show conspicuous colour polymorphisms whereas females appear monomorphic and cryptic. We measured the spectral composition of body, fin and peduncle colouration in male and female Telmatherina antoniae ‘small’, a sailfin silverside species endemic to ancient Lake Matano, and found evidence for a colour polymorphism in both sexes. The three colour morphs distinguished by spectral data correspond to those commonly reported for males, and are also present in the visually (to a human eye) cryptic females. Females show hue value patterns similar to those present in males, but differ from males substantially in chroma and brightness. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the first example of a cryptic colour polymorphism in fishes; however, its significance for the mating system remains unknown. The present finding highlights the need for incorporating female spectral data into analyses of colour patterns, and suggests that colour analyses should include cryptic sexes.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) and Kementerian Riset dan Teknologi Republik Indonesia (RISTEK) for the permit to conduct research in Indonesia. PT. INCO/PT. VALE Indonesia Tbk., provided outstanding logistic support in Sulawesi. We thank M. Milanovic for assistance in the field. Fieldwork was funded by a research grant of the DFG (to F. Herder: DFG HE 5707/2-1).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sektion Ichthyologie, Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Adenauerallee 160, 53113, Bonn, Germany

    Jobst Pfaender, Simone Chapuis & Fabian Herder

  2. Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 Dr. Penfield Ave, Montreal, QC, H3A 1B1, Canada

    Suzanne M. Gray

  3. Institute for Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 1, 53121, Bonn, Germany

    Ingolf P. Rick

  4. Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Ichthyology Laboratory, Division of Zoology, Research Center for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Jl. Raya Bogor Km 46, Cibinong, 16911, Indonesia

    Renny K. Hadiaty

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  1. Jobst Pfaender
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  2. Suzanne M. Gray
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  3. Ingolf P. Rick
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  4. Simone Chapuis
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  5. Renny K. Hadiaty
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  6. Fabian Herder
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Correspondence to Jobst Pfaender.

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Guest editors: T. von Rintelen, R. M. Marwoto, G. D. Haffner & F. Herder / Speciation in Ancient Lakes – Classic Concepts and New Approaches

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Pfaender, J., Gray, S.M., Rick, I.P. et al. Spectral data reveal unexpected cryptic colour polymorphism in female sailfin silverside fish from ancient Lake Matano. Hydrobiologia 739, 155–161 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-013-1557-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-013-1557-y

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