Post-Cretaceous bursts of evolution along the benthic-pelagic axis in marine fishes

Ribeiro, Emanuell;Davis, Aaron M.;Rivero-Vega, Rafael A.;Ortí, Guillermo;Betancur-R, Ricardo

Abstract

Ecological opportunity arising in the aftermath of mass extinction events is thought to be a powerful driver of evolutionary radiations. Here, we assessed how the wake of the Cretaceous–Palaeogene (K-Pg) mass extinction shaped diversification dynamics in a clade of mostly marine fishes (Carangaria), which comprises a disparate array of benthic and pelagic dwellers including some of the most astonishing fish forms (e.g. flatfishes, billfishes, remoras, archerfishes). Analyses of lineage diversification show time-heterogeneous rates of lineage diversification in carangarians, with highest rates reached during the Palaeocene. Likewise, a remarkable proportion of Carangaria's morphological variation originated early in the history of the group and in tandem with a marked incidence of habitat shifts. Taken together, these results suggest that all major lineages and body plans in Carangaria originated in an early burst shortly after the K-Pg mass extinction, which ultimately allowed the occupation of newly released niches along the benthic-pelagic habitat axis.

Journal

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Publication Name

Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences

Volume

285

ISBN/ISSN

1471-2954

Edition

N/A

Issue

1893

Pages Count

Location

N/A

Publisher

Royal Society Publishing

Publisher Url

N/A

Publisher Location

N/A

Publish Date

N/A

Url

N/A

Date

N/A

EISSN

N/A

DOI

10.1098/rspb.2018.2010