Meeting Abstract

P3.121  Friday, Jan. 6  The evolutionary correlation of gene flow and pelagic larval duration in darters (Percidae: Etheostomatinae) DOUGLAS, M.J.*; HULSEY, C.D.; KECK, B.P.; RAKES, P.L.; SHUTE, J.R.; PETTY, M.A.; RUBLE, C.L.; University of Tennessee, Knoxville; University of Tennessee, Knoxville; University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Conservation Fisheries, Inc.; Conservation Fisheries, Inc.; Conservation Fisheries, Inc.; Conservation Fisheries, Inc. mdougl11@utk.edu

Similar to many marine fish species, many species of freshwater darters exhibit a pelagic larval stage during development before entering into the benthic lifestyle they maintain for the rest of their lives. Detailed observations of the characteristics and length of these stages are difficult to obtain in the wild. Therefore, inferring adaptive significance of this stage can be challenging. We compiled information gathered by Conservation Fisheries, Inc. located in Knoxville, TN on the duration of the pelagic larval stages of approximately 20 darter species. Using a recently published phylogeny and estimates of gene flow, we also examined the phylogenetically corrected correlation between larval duration and gene flow.