Genome sequences reveal global dispersal routes and suggest convergent genetic adaptations in seahorse evolution

Chunyan Li, Melisa Olave, Yali Hou, Geng Qin, Ralf F. Schneider, Zexia Gao, Xiaolong Tu, Xin Wang, Furong Qi, Alexander Nater, Andreas F. Kautt, Shiming Wan, Yanhong Zhang, Yali Liu, Huixian Zhang, Bo Zhang, Hao Zhang, Meng Qu, Shuaishuai Liu, Zeyu Chen, Jia Zhong, He Zhang, Lingfeng Meng, Kai Wang, Jianping Yin, Liangmin Huang, Byrappa Venkatesh (), Axel Meyer (), Xuemei Lu () and Qiang Lin ()
Additional contact information
Chunyan Li: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Melisa Olave: University of Konstanz
Yali Hou: Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; China National Center for Bioinformation
Geng Qin: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Ralf F. Schneider: University of Konstanz
Zexia Gao: Huazhong Agricultural University
Xiaolong Tu: Allwegene Technologies Inc.
Xin Wang: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Furong Qi: Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; China National Center for Bioinformation
Alexander Nater: University of Konstanz
Andreas F. Kautt: University of Konstanz
Shiming Wan: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yanhong Zhang: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Yali Liu: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Huixian Zhang: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Bo Zhang: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Hao Zhang: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Meng Qu: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Shuaishuai Liu: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zeyu Chen: University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
Jia Zhong: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
He Zhang: BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen
Lingfeng Meng: BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen
Kai Wang: Ludong University
Jianping Yin: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Liangmin Huang: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Byrappa Venkatesh: Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, A*STAR
Axel Meyer: University of Konstanz
Xuemei Lu: Kunming Institute of Zoology, Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Qiang Lin: South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Innovation Academy of South China Sea Ecology and Environmental Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Nature Communications, 2021, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Seahorses have a circum-global distribution in tropical to temperate coastal waters. Yet, seahorses show many adaptations for a sedentary, cryptic lifestyle: they require specific habitats, such as seagrass, kelp or coral reefs, lack pelvic and caudal fins, and give birth to directly developed offspring without pronounced pelagic larval stage, rendering long-range dispersal by conventional means inefficient. Here we investigate seahorses’ worldwide dispersal and biogeographic patterns based on a de novo genome assembly of Hippocampus erectus as well as 358 re-sequenced genomes from 21 species. Seahorses evolved in the late Oligocene and subsequent circum-global colonization routes are identified and linked to changing dynamics in ocean currents and paleo-temporal seaway openings. Furthermore, the genetic basis of the recurring “bony spines” adaptive phenotype is linked to independent substitutions in a key developmental gene. Analyses thus suggest that rafting via ocean currents compensates for poor dispersal and rapid adaptation facilitates colonizing new habitats.

Date: 2021
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21379-x

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