Clam shrimp are small crustaceans that live in temporary freshwater habitats throughout the world. One genus of clam shrimp, Eulimnadia, is androdioecious. This is a mating system in which self-compatible hermaphrodites and males occur together in populations with no true females. This is an exceptionally rare mating system with only 60 species of plants and animals exhibiting it, and most theory suggests it should not be long-lived. Yet in Eulimnadia, evidence suggests it has been a successful strategy for at least 180 million years.
A recent metapopulation model (i.e., one driven by population colonization and extinction dynamics) has been proposed that could explain the long-term persistence of androdioecy in these shrimp. The current study will empirically test this model in Eulimnadia feriensis, a species distributed in temporary pools atop granite outcrops throughout Western Australia, using genetic markers to measure migration rates among pools and granite outcrops.
This project will be one of the first examinations of the metapopulation model for the maintenance of androdioecy. The data collected will greatly further our understanding of the benefits of reproduction via separate sexes (dioecy) versus hermaphroditism. This multi-dimensional research project will form international collaborations and involve undergraduate students. The results generated will be made widely available in high-profile publications and biogeographic data will be included in a Google Earth database accessible on the worldwide web.
