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Depth-dependent abundance of Midas Cichlid fish (Amphilophus spp.) in two Nicaraguan crater lakes

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Abstract

The Midas Cichlid species complex (Amphilophus spp.) in Central America serves as a prominent model system to study sympatric speciation and parallel adaptive radiation, since small arrays of equivalent ecotype morphs have evolved independently in different crater lakes. While the taxonomy and evolutionary history of the different species are well resolved, little is known about basic ecological parameters of Midas Cichlid assemblages. Here, we use a line transect survey to investigate the depth-dependent abundance of Amphilophus spp. along the shores of two Nicaraguan crater lakes, Apoyo and Xiloá. We find a considerable higher density of Midas cichlids in Lake Xiloá as compared to Lake Apoyo, especially at the shallowest depth level. This might be due to the higher eutrophication level of Lake Xiloá and associated differences in food availability, and/or the presence of a greater diversity of niches in that lake. In any case, convergent forms evolved despite noticeable differences in size, age, eutrophication level, and carrying capacity. Further, our data provide abundance and density estimates for Midas Cichlid fish, which serve as baseline for future surveys of these ecosystems and are also relevant to past and future modeling of ecological speciation.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to C. Heule, N. Hue and A. Theis for assisting us with diving; B. Christ and T. Suter for their helping hand at dive sites; the Ministerio del Ambiente y los Recursos Naturales Nicaragua (MARENA) for research permits; E. P. van den Berghe for logistical help and scientific expertise; and two anonymous referees, Associated Editor C. Sturmbauer and the Editor K. Martens for valuable comments on the manuscript; T. Roth for statistical support, and the “Fuerzas Armadas de Nicaragua” for boat cruises and air supply. This project was funded by grants from the European Research Council (ERC) and the Swiss NSF.

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Author notes

  1. Marie Theres Dittmann

    Present address: Group of Animal Nutrition, Institute of Agricultural Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Universitätsstrasse 2, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoological Institute, University of Basel, Vesalgasse 1, 4051, Basel, Switzerland

    Marie Theres Dittmann, Marius Roesti, Adrian Indermaur, Marco Colombo, Martin Gschwind, Isabel Keller, Robin Kovac, Moritz Muschick & Walter Salzburger

  2. IFM-Geomar, Evolutionsbiologie, Düstenbrooker Weg 20, 24105, Kiel, Germany

    Isabel Keller

  3. Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, José Gutierrez Abascal 2, 28006, Madrid, Spain

    Marta Barluenga

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  1. Marie Theres Dittmann
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Correspondence to Walter Salzburger.

Additional information

Handling editor: Christian Sturmbauer

Marie Theres Dittmann and Marius Roesti contributed equally to this study.

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Dittmann, M.T., Roesti, M., Indermaur, A. et al. Depth-dependent abundance of Midas Cichlid fish (Amphilophus spp.) in two Nicaraguan crater lakes. Hydrobiologia 686, 277–285 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-012-1024-1

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