EVOLUTIONARY DIFFERENCES IN NEUROPEPTIDE SIGNALING BETWEEN SURFACE AND CAVE MORPHOTYPES MAY CONTRIBUTE TO BEHAVIORAL DIFFERENCES IN A. MEXICANUS

Author

• Alexia L. Cree_Newman

Date of Award

2022

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Duboué, Erik

Abstract

The Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus, exists as a surface-dwelling form and multiple cave-dwelling populations that have converged on a series of behavioral and morphological changes. Previous studies identifying differences in hypothalamic neuropeptides in cave populations compared to surface fish call for further investigation of neuropeptides within the cavefish hypothalamus. Galanin is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that has been implicated in multiple behaviors across the teleost genus and has yet to be investigated in A. mexicanus. This study aimed to label and quantify galanin in the brain of 6 dpf Pachón cavefish and surface fish. The number of galanin-positive neurons in the hypothalamus is significantly decreased in Pachón cavefish compared to surface fish. These findings allow for further studies investigating the role of galanin in modulating behavior in A. mexicanus.

Comments

Thesis (B.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, Harriet L. Wilkes Honors College, 2022

Recommended Citation

Cree_Newman, Alexia L., "EVOLUTIONARY DIFFERENCES IN NEUROPEPTIDE SIGNALING BETWEEN SURFACE AND CAVE MORPHOTYPES MAY CONTRIBUTE TO BEHAVIORAL DIFFERENCES IN A. MEXICANUS" (2022). Harriet L Wilkes Honors College Theses 2020 - Present. 152.
https://digitalcommons.fau.edu/etd_honors/152

Extent

29 p.

Identifier

FAUHT00191