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. 2017 Apr 24;27(8):1184-1191.
doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.02.067. Epub 2017 Mar 30.

The Evolution of Fangs, Venom, and Mimicry Systems in Blenny Fishes

Nicholas R Casewell  1 , Jeroen C Visser  2 , Kate Baumann  3 , James Dobson  3 , Han Han  4 , Sanjaya Kuruppu  5 , Michael Morgan  6 , Anthony Romilio  7 , Vera Weisbecker  8 , Karine Mardon  9 , Syed A Ali  10 , Jordan Debono  3 , Ivan Koludarov  3 , Ivo Que  11 , Gregory C Bird  12 , Gavan M Cooke  13 , Amanda Nouwens  14 , Wayne C Hodgson  4 , Simon C Wagstaff  15 , Karen L Cheney  16 , Irina Vetter  6 , Louise van der Weerd  17 , Michael K Richardson  2 , Bryan G Fry  18
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Free article

The Evolution of Fangs, Venom, and Mimicry Systems in Blenny Fishes

Nicholas R Casewell et al. Curr Biol. .
Free article

Erratum in

  • The Evolution of Fangs, Venom, and Mimicry Systems in Blenny Fishes.
    Casewell NR, Visser JC, Baumann K, Dobson J, Han H, Kuruppu S, Morgan M, Romilio A, Weisbecker V, Mardon K, Ali SA, Debono J, Koludarov I, Que I, Bird GC, Cooke GM, Nouwens A, Hodgson WC, Wagstaff SC, Cheney KL, Vetter I, van der Weerd L, Richardson MK, Fry BG. Casewell NR, et al. Curr Biol. 2017 May 22;27(10):1549-1550. doi: 10.1016/j.cub.2017.05.009. Curr Biol. 2017. PMID: 28535381 No abstract available.

Abstract

Venom systems have evolved on multiple occasions across the animal kingdom, and they can act as key adaptations to protect animals from predators [1]. Consequently, venomous animals serve as models for a rich source of mimicry types, as non-venomous species benefit from reductions in predation risk by mimicking the coloration, body shape, and/or movement of toxic counterparts [2-5]. The frequent evolution of such deceitful imitations provides notable examples of phenotypic convergence and are often invoked as classic exemplars of evolution by natural selection. Here, we investigate the evolution of fangs, venom, and mimetic relationships in reef fishes from the tribe Nemophini (fangblennies). Comparative morphological analyses reveal that enlarged canine teeth (fangs) originated at the base of the Nemophini radiation and have enabled a micropredatory feeding strategy in non-venomous Plagiotremus spp. Subsequently, the evolution of deep anterior grooves and their coupling to venom secretory tissue provide Meiacanthus spp. with toxic venom that they effectively employ for defense. We find that fangblenny venom contains a number of toxic components that have been independently recruited into other animal venoms, some of which cause toxicity via interactions with opioid receptors, and result in a multifunctional biochemical phenotype that exerts potent hypotensive effects. The evolution of fangblenny venom has seemingly led to phenotypic convergence via the formation of a diverse array of mimetic relationships that provide protective (Batesian mimicry) and predatory (aggressive mimicry) benefits to other fishes [2, 6]. Our results further our understanding of how novel morphological and biochemical adaptations stimulate ecological interactions in the natural world.

Keywords: Meiacanthus; adaptation; convergence; defense; evolution; hypotension; mimicry; opioid; toxin; venom.

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