Individual and independent nature of fish genes of

Even if the absolute genetic identity of individual clones fish Kryptolebias marmoratus different in nature; obvious "personality" of fish is composed largely influenced by the environment, rather than according to the genetic blueprint.
Observations of the small fish from the detachment Kryptolebias marmoratus toothcarps led to unexpected results. This species found in mangrove swamps of North and South America, can tolerate drying out of the reservoir (during drought fish hiding in relatively humid areas and absorbs oxygen surface of the skin). K. marmoratus hermaphrodite, with prone to self-fertilization. From time to time there are homosexual male population that provide mixing of genes, but in general, all within the community, for example, a bog consists of several lines of identical clones in which each gene is represented by two identical copies.

Researchers from the University of Exeter (UK) on the example of these fish try to figure out how the character of the individual animal affect its genetics.

Each group of clones differ from each other by a number of attributes: the speed of growth and maturation, fecundity and so forth. It is believed that the individual animal's behavior is influenced his personal history, that is, roughly speaking, at what age it was the "first date", where it is It occurred as the offspring of this meeting, and so left. d. All of this should be reflected on the tag called "exploratory behavior". If the history of an individual is subject to genetic signals that determine when the body matures when it is time to breed and so on, all the clones with identical genes must acquire similarities in behavior.

The researchers observed 120 individuals of K. marmoratus since their birth and before maturity. To the surprise of scientists, they failed to find unity in the conduct of a genetic clan. As they get older juveniles acquire their own behavioral traits, which are little dependent on the daily life dictated by genes. At the same time there were differences between the lines of clones: the representatives of some of them showed a more rigid, inflexible behavior, while individuals from other lines to more adequately respond to changing environmental conditions, and their reactions were more individuality. This flexibility, obviously, must be accompanied and bólshim evolutionary success.

The results of his observations of researchers published in the journal Animal Behaviour.

These data can be interpreted in favor of the genetic indeterminiruemosti consciousness so if some fish personality is formed independently of the genetic routine life, not to mention the more highly developed animals. However, supporters of the opposite point of view to offer a simple counter in the form of a "gene widest individual empowerment."


See also


Subscribe to our groups in social networks!

New and interesting