Texture and nano-scale internal microstructure of otoliths in the Atlantic molly, Poecilia mexicana: a high-resolution EBSD study.

Otoliths of modern bony fishes are massive polycrystalline structures consisting mainly of calcium carbonate (primarily aragonite), and 1-10% organic residuals. Unlike other biomineralisates like shells, teeth and bones, they are not optimized for mechanical loads but serve the senses of hearing and balance in the inner ear. We examined internal structural variation of otoliths through microstructural and texture analyses. Our study applied the electron backscattered diffraction technique (EBSD) to whole sections of saccular otoliths on cave- and surface-dwelling fish. Application of high spatial resolution EBSD on otoliths of the livebearing fish Poecilia mexicana allowed for an investigation of crystal orientation despite the small size (<150 nm) of aragonite crystallites. Crystallites at the rims of otoliths had a higher structural organization than those situated near the center, where no dominant orientation pattern was discernible. Moreover, the medial (sulcal) face of otoliths, which makes contact with the sensory epithelium, was more structured than the lateral (antisulcal) face.

Natural and sexual selection against immigrants maintains differentiation among micro-allopatric populations.

Local adaptation to divergent environmental conditions can promote population genetic differentiation even in the absence of geographic barriers and hence lead to speciation. But what mechanisms contribute to reproductive isolation among diverging populations? We tested for natural and sexual selection against immigrants in a fish species inhabiting (and adapting to) nonsulphidic surface habitats, sulphidic surface habitats and a sulphidic cave. Gene flow is strong among sample sites situated within the same habitat type, but low among divergent habitat types. Our results indicate that females of both sulphidic populations discriminate against immigrant males during mate choice. Furthermore, using reciprocal translocation experiments, we document natural selection against migrants between nonsulphidic and sulphidic habitats, whereas migrants between sulphidic cave and surface habitats did not exhibit increased mortality within the same time period. Consequently, both natural and sexual selection may contribute to isolation among parapatric populations, and selection against immigrants may be a powerful mechanism facilitating speciation among locally adapted populations even over very small spatial distances.