Abstract
Lampreys, a primitive vertebrate lineage, show dramatic life-history diversity, including variation in migratory strategy and the loss of parasitism. Remarkably, non-parasitic species never develop a fully functioning adult intestine, making them the only vertebrates to never feed as adults. Here, I will present ongoing work into the genomic basis and gene regulatory mechanisms underlying life-history variation and gut development in European lamprey. I will use this system to discuss the general role of genomic architecture and gene regulatory evolution in adaptive evolution, with a focus on different approaches for investigating the link between genotype and phenotype in non-model systems.