The by-products of modern society appear to be messing with the love life of two tiny fish species that have long coexisted in Mexican rivers.
The by-products of modern society appear to be messing with the love life of two tiny fish species that have long coexisted in Mexican rivers.
A Stanford-led study found that the two swordtail fish species had mostly merged into one hybrid group when they lived downstream of a town in water polluted by chemicals and heavy metals. The researchers also found that the fish had damaged noses, and for these fish, their sense of smell is believed to be the primary way they identify suitable mates.
The findings, published in Current Biology, add to growing evidence that human impacts on the environment are threatening species diversity through not only extinction, but also hybridization, when distinct species mate with each other. This can ultimately lead to species loss by the two merging into one.
Read More at: Stanford University
A male Xiphophorus malinche, or highland swordtail, swims in a tank in the Schumer lab at Stanford. (Photo Credit: Dan Powell)
