NANFA-- Rivulus reproduction

Shireen Gonzaga (whimbrel_at_home.com)
Wed, 29 Dec 1999 00:24:00 -0500

As a relative novice to the wunnerful world of fish,
I was totally amazed when I read a piece about how
Rivulus marmoratus reproduces. Self-fertilizing
hemophrodites! Cool! (There are other species among
molluscs and amphibians who do this too, right?
But I never heard of it in fish!)

What kind of genetic diversity is found in the
offspring of a single fish? Are they clones of the
parents? If so, how "old" is this species? I'm
fascinated by the (probable?) absence of genetic
diversity that would otherwise be present in
sexually-reproducing species, and the natural
selection effects that would have steered the
evolutionary course of this fish.

- shireen

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