Skin microbiome mirrors habitat divergence in amphibious combtooth blenny fish (Teleostei, Blenniidae).

Skin microbiomes of combtooth blenny fish diverge significantly along the intertidal gradient, with the most terrestrial species showing the greatest microbiome differences.

• Why it matters: Understanding microbiome shifts during habitat transitions is crucial for revealing how species adapt to changing environments and the role microbes play in these processes.
• What they did: Using 16S rRNA sequencing, the study compared skin-associated bacterial communities of three blenny species across intertidal zones, analyzing their divergence from seawater and substrate biofilms.
• The result: Findings indicate that microbiome variation mirrors habitat shifts from aquatic to terrestrial, suggesting microbial symbionts may support amphibious adaptations and providing a framework for predicting responses to environmental change.