School of Fishes around Trindade island (IMAGE)
Caption
By tracing the evolutionary history of the reef fishes restricted to this specific chain of Brazilian seamounts and islands through their DNA, the scientists were able to better understand exactly how island geography, geological history, and sea level fluctuations generally impact the diversity of nearby marine species. Fishes were collected from both shallow and deep reef locations--the dives requiring specialized equipment called rebreathers that Pinheiro and his Academy colleagues use to dive 200 to 500 feet beneath the ocean's surface. The findings confirm that sea level changes and the locations of exposed seamounts play a critical role in marine evolution over time, mainly by intermittently providing stepping-stones for weak disperser species to colonize island habitats.
Credit
Hudson Pinheiro © California Academy of Sciences
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