Convergent evolution of extreme snout elongation in deep-sea fishes reveals constrained trajectories
Zach Heiple, Katherine E. Bemis, James C. Tyler, Aintzane Santaquiteria, Fernando Meléndez-Vazquez, Casey Lee, Kyoji Fujiwara, Masanori Nakae, Hsuan-Ching Hans Ho, John J. Pogonoski, William T. White, Mark W. Westneat, Ricardo Betancur‐R, Dahiana Arcila
The paper shows that extreme snout elongation in deep-sea fishes evolved independently but along constrained trajectories due to phenotypic integration and functional innovation.
bioRxiv · Sep 30, 2026 · PreprintEvolutionary Biology