Life in the Fast Lane: A Review of Rheophily in Freshwater Fishes
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Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015. Ecological opportunities and physical challenges of fast-water habitats have dramatically shaped the evolution of freshwater fish lineages from a broad diversity of clades globally, often leading to the convergent or parallel evolution of highly similar morphologies. In this chapter, we present a patch dynamics model of how longitudinal shifts in geomorphological and ecological processes from small headwater torrents to large river rapids may differentially affect gene flow among, and evolutionary specialization within, resident rheophilic fish populations. Fastwater habitats offer ecological advantages including predator avoidance and increased foraging efficiency, but require that organisms resist downstream displacement and avoid shifting, crushing substrates. We review the specialized morphological and behavioral characteristics associated with life in fast waters and the taxonomic distribution of these specializations across fishes. We also report results of specific functional studies where available and summarize empirical evolutionary, phylogenetic support for our model and for specific mechanisms or pathways by which rheophilic specializations may arise.
