Echoes of evolution in Holocentridae: harmony between phylogeny, morphology and acoustics

Despite many fish species are known for their social acoustic communication abilities, few studies have investigated the evolutionary history of this trait. The aim of this study was to tackle this challenging topic by investigating a wide range of holocentrid species using a multidisciplinary approach. We first carried out a comparative analysis of 7662 sounds recorded in the same behavioural context, collected from 388 individuals across 73 populations (Guadeloupe, French Polynesia, Guam, Seychelles, Philippines) representing 33 species. This comparison conclusively demonstrated that sounds can be reliably used to determine taxonomic affiliation across different taxonomic levels. Our new phylogeny reveals that morphological and acoustic data strongly support the existence of two main clades within Holocentridae, corresponding to the subfamilies Myripristinae and Holocentrinae. Minor modifications within these subfamilies facilitated speciation. However, differences in sound features at lower taxonomic levels (such as genera, subgenera, and species) do not always align with morphological differences. This suggests that species may exploit similar mechanisms in distinct neuro-physiological ways. Overall, the interplay between morphology and acoustics highlights the diversification within Holocentridae, showing how subtle modifications in sound production mechanisms reflect phylogenetic divisions and contribute to speciation.

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