Zebrafish represent the one alternative vertebrate, genetic model system to mice that can be
easily manipulated in a laboratory setting. With the teleost Medaka (Oryzias latipes), which …

Background The loss of phenotypic characters is a common feature of evolution. Cave
organisms provide excellent models for investigating the underlying patterns and processes …

Periodic food shortages are a major challenge faced by organisms in natural habitats. Cave-
dwelling animals must withstand long periods of nutrient deprivation, as—in the absence of …

Laboratory studies have demonstrated that a single phenotype can be produced by many
different genotypes; however, in natural systems, it is frequently found that phenotypic …

Natural populations subjected to strong environmental selection pressures offer a window
into the genetic underpinnings of evolutionary change. Cavefish populations, Astyanax …

Despite recent advances in the understanding of morphological evolution, the genetic
underpinnings of behavioral and physiological evolution remain largely unknown. Here, we …

Understanding the molecular basis of repeatedly evolved phenotypes can yield key insights
into the evolutionary process. Quantifying gene flow between populations is especially …

Background Cavefish populations belonging to the Mexican tetra species Astyanax
mexicanus are outstanding models to study the tempo and mode of adaptation to a radical …

Animals have colonized the entire world from rather moderate to the harshest environments,
some of these so extreme that only few animals are able to survive. Cave environments …

Biological clocks have evolved as an adaptation to life on a rhythmic planet, synchronising
physiological processes to the environmental light–dark cycle. Here we examine circadian …