Flashlight Fish Symbiosis
Abstract
This project investigates the symbiosis between anomalopids (flashlight fishes) and their luminous bacteria symbionts. Anomalopid fishes harbor luminous bacterial symboints in large light organs located beneath the eyes. This association is one of the most highly evolved extracellular bacterial symbioses, and the symbionts have resisted attempts to culture them. This project focuses on two major aspects of the symbiosis, (1) evolution and (2) establishment of the symbiosis in anomalopid larvae. During the current period we have done genetic comparisons of symbionts and culturable luminous bacteria. We find this symbiosis appears to be quite different from other light organ symbioses in that the symbionts are closely tied to the hosts and appear to have diverged along with them. (SDW)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 08, 1990
- Accession Number
- ADA219430
Entities
People
- Margo G. Haygood
Organizations
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography