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Arnillas CA, Carscadden K. When indices disagree: facing conceptual and practical challenges. Trends Ecol Evol 2024; 39:634-643. [PMID: 38508921 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Hypothesis testing requires meaningful ways to quantify biological phenomena and account for alternative mechanisms that could explain the same pattern. Researchers combine experiments, statistics, and indices to account for these confounding mechanisms. Key concepts in ecology and evolution, such as niche breadth (NB) or fitness, can be represented by several indices, which often provide uncorrelated estimates. Is this because the indices use different types of noisy data or because the targeted phenomenon is complex and multidimensional? We discuss implications of these scenarios and propose five steps to aid researchers in identifying and combining indices, experiments, and statistics. Building on prior efforts to construct databases of hypotheses and indices and document assumptions, these steps help provide a formal strategy to reduce self-confirmatory bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Alberto Arnillas
- Department of Physical and Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto - Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario M1C 1A4, Canada.
| | - Kelly Carscadden
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, 1900 Pleasant Street, Box 334, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
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2
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De-Oliveira TM, Da Silva JL, Kerber L, Pinheiro FL. The postcranial skeleton of Teyujagua paradoxa (Reptilia: Archosauromorpha) from the early Triassic of South America. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:752-775. [PMID: 38259049 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Teyujagua paradoxa is a remarkable early archosauromorph from the Lower Triassic Sanga do Cabral Formation, Brazil. The species was originally described from an almost complete skull and a few associated cervical vertebrae, and no further postcranial elements were known at that time. Additional fieldwork in the Sanga do Cabral Formation, however, was successful in recovering a fairly complete postcranial skeleton attributable to the holotype. Here, we describe this new postcranial material, which is composed of cervical, dorsal, sacral and caudal vertebrae, limbs, pectoral and pelvic girdles, ribs, and gastralia. The description of its postcranial skeleton makes T. paradoxa one of the best-known early-diverging archosauromorphs. The cladistic analysis performed after the scoring of postcranial data recovered T. paradoxa in the same position initially described, close to the node that defines the Archosauriformes. Teyujagua paradoxa shares morphological features with representatives of early-diverging archosauromorphs and archosauriforms, with certain traits demonstrating a mosaic of plesiomorphic and apomorphic character states. We also performed partitioned morphospace and disparity analysis to elucidate the morphological disparity and evolutionary patterns among archosauromorphs. Teyujagua paradoxa occupies a notable position, suggesting an intermediate morphology between early archosauromorphs and proterosuchids. Disparity estimates highlighted Pseudosuchia and Avemetatarsalia as having the highest median disparity, reflecting their diverse cranial and postcranial morphologies, respectively. These findings offer valuable insights into archosauromorph macroevolution and adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiane M De-Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Animal, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
- Laboratório de Paleobiologia, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
- Centro de Apoio à Pesquisa Paleontológica da Quarta Colônia (CAPPA), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), São João do Polêsine, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - João Lucas Da Silva
- Laboratório de Paleobiologia, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Kerber
- Centro de Apoio à Pesquisa Paleontológica da Quarta Colônia (CAPPA), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), São João do Polêsine, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Felipe L Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Paleobiologia, Universidade Federal do Pampa (UNIPAMPA), São Gabriel, RS, Brazil
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3
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Sengupta S, Ezcurra MD, Bandyopadhyay S. The redescription of Malerisaurus robinsonae (Archosauromorpha: Allokotosauria) from the Upper Triassic lower Maleri Formation, Pranhita-Godavari Basin, India. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2024; 307:1315-1365. [PMID: 38278769 DOI: 10.1002/ar.25392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
Allokotosauria, a clade of non-archosauriform archosauromorphs with a broad diversity of body plans, plays a crucial role in better understanding the evolutionary history of early diverging stem-archosaurs. Here we provide a detailed redescription of Malerisaurus robinsonae, a malerisaurine allokotosaur from the middle Carnian-lowermost Norian lower Maleri Formation, Pranhita-Godavari Basin, India. The new anatomical information available from recently discovered and well-preserved skeletons of various allokotosaurs, such as Azendohsaurus madagaskarensis, Shringasaurus indicus, Puercosuchus traverorum, and Malerisaurus-like taxa, and their comparison with Malerisaurus robinsonae enriches our understanding of the anatomy of this species. To reassess the phylogenetic relationships of Malerisaurus robinsonae, we revised its scorings and included eight additional allokotosaurian species to the already most comprehensive phylogenetic dataset focused on Permo-Triassic archosauromorphs. We modified 70 scorings for Malerisaurus robinsonae and the new analysis recovered this species at the base of Malerisaurinae and this group as the earliest branch of Azendohsauridae. Pamelaria dolichotrachela is found as the earliest diverging non-malerisaurine azendohsaurid and sister taxon to the Shringasaurus indicus + Azendohsaurus spp. clade. Trilophosaurid interrelationships are well resolved, with Teraterpeton hrynewichorum, Coelodontognathus ricovi, and Rutiotomodon tytthos as their successive earliest-branching species. The position of Anisodontosaurus greeri as a sister taxon to Variodens inopinatus bolsters long ghost lineages in the Late Triassic trilophosaurid record. A disparity analysis of tooth crown morphology shows that Allokotosauria is the most disparate Permo-Triassic archosauromorph clade, exploring the almost complete range of basic crown morphologies. Trilophosaurids occupy an area of the dental morphospace unique among archosauromorphs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saradee Sengupta
- Department of Geology, Durgapur Government College, Durgapur, India
| | - Martín D Ezcurra
- Sección Paleontología de Vertebrados, CONICET-Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia", Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
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4
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Coiro M, Seyfullah LJ. Disparity of cycad leaves dispels the living fossil metaphor. Commun Biol 2024; 7:328. [PMID: 38485767 PMCID: PMC10940627 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06024-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The living fossil metaphor is tightly linked with the cycads. This group of gymnosperms is supposed to be characterised by long-term morphological stasis, particularly after their peak of diversity and disparity in the Jurassic. However, no formal test of this hypothesis exists. Here, we use a recent phylogenetic framework and an improved character matrix to reconstruct the Disparity Through Time for cycad leaves using a Principal Coordinate Analysis and employing Pre-Ordination Ancestral State Reconstruction to test the impact of sampling on the results. Our analysis shows that the cycad leaf morsphospace expanded up to the present, with numerous shifts in its general positioning, independently of sampling biases. Moreover, they also show that Zamiaceae expanded rapidly in the Early Cretaceous and continued to expand up to the present, while now-extinct clades experienced a slow contraction from their peak in the Triassic. We also show that rates of evolution were constantly high up to the Early Cretaceous, and then experienced a slight decrease in the Paleogene, followed by a Neogene acceleration. These results show a much more dynamic history for cycads, and suggest that the 'living fossil' metaphor is actually a hindrance to our understanding of their macroevolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Coiro
- Department of Palaeontology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Ronin Institute for Independent Scholarship, Montclair, NJ, USA.
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5
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Shipley AE, Elsler A, Singh SA, Stubbs TL, Benton MJ. Locomotion and the early Mesozoic success of Archosauromorpha. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231495. [PMID: 38328568 PMCID: PMC10846959 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024]
Abstract
The Triassic was a time of ecological upheaval as life recovered from the Permian-Triassic mass extinction. Archosauromorphs were a key component of the recovery, diversifying substantially during the Triassic and encompassing the origins of dinosaurs, pterosaurs and crocodylomorphs. Here, we explore the evolution of locomotion in Archosauromorpha to test whether dinosaurs show any distinctive locomotory features that might explain their success. We implement geometric morphometrics on limb bone shapes and use limb ratios to calculate bipedality and cursoriality metrics. We find that the Avemetatarsalia (dinosaurs, pterosaurs and relatives) exhibit more variable limb form and limb ratios than any other group, indicating a wider range of locomotory modes. The earliest avemetatarsalians were bipedal and cursorial, and their range of form increased through the Triassic with notable diversification shifts following extinction events. This is especially true of dinosaurs, even though these changes cannot be discriminated from a stochastic process. By contrast, the Pseudosuchia (crocodilians and relatives) were more restricted in limb form and locomotor mode with disparity decreasing through time, suggesting more limited locomotor adaptation and vulnerability to extinction. Perhaps the greater locomotor plasticity of dinosaurs gave them a competitive advantage in the changing climates of the Late Triassic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy E. Shipley
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Armin Elsler
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
| | - Suresh A. Singh
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
| | - Thomas L. Stubbs
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes MK7 6AA, UK
| | - Michael J. Benton
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Road, Bristol BS8 1RJ, UK
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6
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Flores JR, Bippus AC, de Ullivarri CF, Suárez GM, Hyvönen J, Tomescu AMF. Dating the evolution of the complex thalloid liverworts (Marchantiopsida): total-evidence dating analysis supports a Late Silurian-Early Devonian origin and post-Mesozoic morphological stasis. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2023; 240:2137-2150. [PMID: 37697646 DOI: 10.1111/nph.19254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Divergence times based on molecular clock analyses often differ from those derived from total-evidence dating (TED) approaches. For bryophytes, fossils have been excluded from previous assessments of divergence times, and thus, their utility in dating analyses remains unexplored. Here, we conduct the first TED analyses of the complex thalloid liverworts (Marchantiopsida) that include fossils and evaluate macroevolutionary trends in morphological 'diversity' (disparity) and rates. Phylogenetic analyses were performed on a combined dataset of 130 discrete characters and 11 molecular markers (sampled from nuclear, plastid and mitochondrial genomes). Taxon sampling spanned 56 extant species - representing all the orders within Marchantiophyta and extant genera within Marchantiales - and eight fossil taxa. Total-evidence dating analyses support the radiation of Marchantiopsida during Late Silurian-Early Devonian (or Middle Ordovician when the outgroup is excluded) and that of Ricciaceae in the Middle Jurassic. Morphological change rate was high early in the history of the group, but it barely increased after Late Cretaceous. Disparity-through-time analyses support a fast increase in diversity until the Middle Triassic (c. 250 Ma), after which phenotypic evolution slows down considerably. Incorporating fossils in analyses challenges previous assumptions on the affinities of extinct taxa and indicates that complex thalloid liverworts radiated c. 125 Ma earlier than previously inferred.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge R Flores
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (UEL), CONICET-Fundación Miguel Lillo, Miguel Lillo 251, San Miguel del Tucumán, CP 4000, Tucumán, Argentina
- Instituto de Paleontología y Sedimentología, Sección Paleobotánica, Fundación Miguel Lillo, Miguel Lillo 251, San Miguel del Tucumán, CP 4000, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Alexander C Bippus
- Indian Natural Resource Science and Engineering Program + Diversity in STEM, 1 Harpst St, Arcata, CA, 95521, USA
| | - Carmen Fernández de Ullivarri
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (UEL), CONICET-Fundación Miguel Lillo, Miguel Lillo 251, San Miguel del Tucumán, CP 4000, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Guillermo M Suárez
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (UEL), CONICET-Fundación Miguel Lillo, Miguel Lillo 251, San Miguel del Tucumán, CP 4000, Tucumán, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Miguel Lillo 251, T4000JFE, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Jaakko Hyvönen
- Finnish Museum of Natural History (Botany) & Organismal and Evolutionary Biology & Viikki Plant Science Centre, University of Helsinki, PO Box 7, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Alexandru M F Tomescu
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State Polytechnic University Humboldt, Arcata, CA, 95521, USA
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7
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Power M, Thorstad EB, Forseth T, Fiske P. Temporal shifts in the marine feeding of individual Atlantic salmon inferred from scale isotope ratios. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10656. [PMID: 37920771 PMCID: PMC10618632 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Given the limited information on prey use during the marine residency period for Atlantic salmon, scales were collected from salmon at return to the River Namsen (Norway) for spawning after 1 year at sea, and scale material from the first and second summer marine feeding periods was analysed using stable isotope methods to understand dynamics of their trophic ecology. As the salmon increased in size from the first to second summer, they reduced their feeding niche and specialised more (narrowed the δ13C range) and increased their dependency on higher tropic level (δ15N) prey, likely fish. Changes in δ13C indicated a consistent pattern of movement towards the north and west between summer feeding periods. Hence, salmon during their first year at sea may have a migration route roughly resembling that of previous spawners, as inferred from earlier tagging studies. Feeding conditions and nutrient composition during the last summer at sea, i.e. in the months before returning to the river for spawning, impacted final body size and within-season timing of return. Fish undergoing the largest trophic niche shift (δ13C and δ15N combined) between summer feeding periods, returned earliest. The earliest returning fish had the fastest specific growth rates at sea. Hence, salmon encountering abundant high-quality fish food during the marine migration, particularly during the last months, may reach a size and energetic state whereby it is better to return early to a safer environment in freshwater than risk being eaten by a big predator at sea. Both trophic status (δ15N), resource use (δ13C) and growth rates were significantly correlated between feeding periods. Nutrient composition during the first summer at sea did not impact the fish body length after the following winter, but growth conditions during the first summer evidenced carry-over effects from the first to the second summer of feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Power
- Department of BiologyUniversity of WaterlooWaterlooOntarioCanada
| | - Eva B. Thorstad
- Aquatic Ecology DepartmentNorwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)TrondheimNorway
| | - Torbjørn Forseth
- Aquatic Ecology DepartmentNorwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)TrondheimNorway
| | - Peder Fiske
- Aquatic Ecology DepartmentNorwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)TrondheimNorway
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8
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Smith TJ, Sansom RS, Pisani D, Donoghue PCJ. Fossilization can mislead analyses of phenotypic disparity. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230522. [PMID: 37554036 PMCID: PMC10410227 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Analyses of morphological disparity can incorporate living and fossil taxa to facilitate the exploration of how phenotypic variation changes through time. However, taphonomic processes introduce non-random patterns of data loss in fossil data and their impact on perceptions of disparity is unclear. To address this, we characterize how measures of disparity change when simulated and empirical data are degraded through random and structured data loss. We demonstrate that both types of data loss can distort the disparity of clades, and that the magnitude and direction of these changes varies between the most commonly employed distance metrics and disparity indices. The inclusion of extant taxa and exceptionally preserved fossils mitigates these distortions and clarifies the full extent of the data lost, most of which would otherwise go uncharacterized. This facilitates the use of ancestral state estimation and evolutionary simulations to further control for the effects of data loss. Where the addition of such reference taxa is not possible, we urge caution in the extrapolation of general patterns in disparity from datasets that characterize subsets of phenotype, which may represent no more than the traits that they sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J. Smith
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3AN, UK
| | - Robert S. Sansom
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Williamson Building, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | - Davide Pisani
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Philip C. J. Donoghue
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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Müller RT, Ezcurra MD, Garcia MS, Agnolín FL, Stocker MR, Novas FE, Soares MB, Kellner AWA, Nesbitt SJ. New reptile shows dinosaurs and pterosaurs evolved among diverse precursors. Nature 2023; 620:589-594. [PMID: 37587301 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06359-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Dinosaurs and pterosaurs have remarkable diversity and disparity through most of the Mesozoic Era1-3. Soon after their origins, these reptiles diversified into a number of long-lived lineages, evolved unprecedented ecologies (for example, flying, large herbivorous forms) and spread across Pangaea4,5. Recent discoveries of dinosaur and pterosaur precursors6-10 demonstrated that these animals were also speciose and widespread, but those precursors have few if any well-preserved skulls, hands and associated skeletons11,12. Here we present a well-preserved partial skeleton (Upper Triassic, Brazil) of the new lagerpetid Venetoraptor gassenae gen. et sp. nov. that offers a more comprehensive look into the skull and ecology of one of these precursors. Its skull has a sharp, raptorial-like beak, preceding that of dinosaurs by around 80 million years, and a large hand with long, trenchant claws that firmly establishes the loss of obligatory quadrupedalism in these precursor lineages. Combining anatomical information of the new species with other dinosaur and pterosaur precursors shows that morphological disparity of precursors resembles that of Triassic pterosaurs and exceeds that of Triassic dinosaurs. Thus, the 'success' of pterosaurs and dinosaurs was a result of differential survival among a broader pool of ecomorphological variation. Our results show that the morphological diversity of ornithodirans started to flourish among early-diverging lineages and not only after the origins of dinosaurs and pterosaurs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo T Müller
- Centro de Apoio à Pesquisa Paleontológica da Quarta Colônia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, São João do Polêsine, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Animal, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil.
| | - Martín D Ezcurra
- Sección Paleontología de Vertebrados CONICET-Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia", Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mauricio S Garcia
- Centro de Apoio à Pesquisa Paleontológica da Quarta Colônia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, São João do Polêsine, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade Animal, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil
| | - Federico L Agnolín
- Laboratorio de Anatomía Comparada y Evolución de los Vertebrados CONICET-Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia", Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Fundación de Historia Natural 'Félix de Azara', Departamento de Ciencias Naturales y Antropología, Universidad Maimónides, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Fernando E Novas
- Laboratorio de Anatomía Comparada y Evolución de los Vertebrados CONICET-Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales "Bernardino Rivadavia", Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marina B Soares
- Laboratório de Sistemática e Tafonomia de Vertebrados Fósseis, Setor de Paleovertebrados, Departamento de Geologia e Paleontologia, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alexander W A Kellner
- Laboratório de Sistemática e Tafonomia de Vertebrados Fósseis, Setor de Paleovertebrados, Departamento de Geologia e Paleontologia, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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10
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Weisbecker V, Beck RMD, Guillerme T, Harrington AR, Lange-Hodgson L, Lee MSY, Mardon K, Phillips MJ. Multiple modes of inference reveal less phylogenetic signal in marsupial basicranial shape compared with the rest of the cranium. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220085. [PMID: 37183893 PMCID: PMC10184248 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 05/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Incorporating morphological data into modern phylogenies allows integration of fossil evidence, facilitating divergence dating and macroevolutionary inferences. Improvements in the phylogenetic utility of morphological data have been sought via Procrustes-based geometric morphometrics (GMM), but with mixed success and little clarity over what anatomical areas are most suitable. Here, we assess GMM-based phylogenetic reconstructions in a heavily sampled source of discrete characters for mammalian phylogenetics-the basicranium-in 57 species of marsupial mammals, compared with the remainder of the cranium. We show less phylogenetic signal in the basicranium compared with a 'Rest of Cranium' partition, using diverse metrics of phylogenetic signal (Kmult, phylogenetically aligned principal components analysis, comparisons of UPGMA/neighbour-joining/parsimony trees and cophenetic distances to a reference phylogeny) for scaled, Procrustes-aligned landmarks and allometry-corrected residuals. Surprisingly, a similar pattern emerged from parsimony-based analyses of discrete cranial characters. The consistent results across methods suggest that easily computed metrics such as Kmult can provide good guidance on phylogenetic information in a landmarking configuration. In addition, GMM data may be less informative for intricate but conservative anatomical regions such as the basicranium, while better-but not necessarily novel-phylogenetic information can be expected for broadly characterized shapes such as entire bones. This article is part of the theme issue 'The mammalian skull: development, structure and function'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Weisbecker
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5042, Australia
| | - Robin M. D. Beck
- School of Science, Engineering and Environment, University of Salford, Salford, M5 4WT, UK
| | - Thomas Guillerme
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
| | | | - Leonie Lange-Hodgson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Michael S. Y. Lee
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5042, Australia
- Earth Sciences Section, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000 Australia
| | - Karine Mardon
- Centre of Advanced Imaging, University of Queensland, Saint Lucia, Queensland, 4072, Australia
| | - Matthew J. Phillips
- School of Biology & Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, 4000, Australia
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11
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Yu Y, Zhang C, Xu X. Complex macroevolution of pterosaurs. Curr Biol 2023; 33:770-779.e4. [PMID: 36787747 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Pterosaurs, the earliest flying tetrapods, are the subject of some recent quantitative macroevolutionary analyses from different perspectives.1-2 Here, we use an integrative approach involving newly assembled phylogenetic and body size datasets, net diversification rates, morphological rates, and morphological disparity to gain a holistic understanding of the pterosaur macroevolution. The first two parameters are important in quantitative analyses of macroevolution, but they have been rarely used in previous pterosaur studies.1,3,4,2,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12 Our study reveals an ∼115-Ma period-from Early Triassic to Early Cretaceous-of multi-wave increasing net diversification rates and disparity, as well as high morphological rates, followed by an ∼65-Ma period-from Early Cretaceous to the end of the Cretaceous-of mostly negative net diversification rates, decreasing disparity, and relatively low morphological rates in pterosaur evolution. Our study demonstrates the following: (1) body size plays an important role in pterosaur lineage diversification during nearly their whole evolutionary history, and the evolution of locomotion, trophic, and ornamental structures also plays a role in different periods; (2) birds, the other major flying tetrapod group at the time, might have affected pterosaur macroevolution for ∼100 Ma; and (3) different mass extinction events might have affected pterosaur evolution differently. Particularly, the revealed decline in pterosaur biodiversity during the Middle and Late Cretaceous periods provides further support for the possible presence of a biodiversity decline of large-sized terrestrial amniotes starting in the mid-Cretaceous,13,14 which may have been caused by multiple factors including a global land area decrease during these periods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilun Yu
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China; Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044, China.
| | - Xing Xu
- Centre for Vertebrate Evolutionary Biology, Yunnan University, Kunming, China; Shenyang Normal University, Paleontological Museum of Liaoning, Shenyang, China.
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12
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Smith TJ, Donoghue PCJ. Evolution of fungal phenotypic disparity. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1489-1500. [PMID: 35970862 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01844-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Organismal-grade multicellularity has been achieved only in animals, plants and fungi. All three kingdoms manifest phenotypically disparate body plans but their evolution has only been considered in detail for animals. Here we tested the general relevance of hypotheses on the evolutionary assembly of animal body plans by characterizing the evolution of fungal phenotypic variety (disparity). The distribution of living fungal form is defined by four distinct morphotypes: flagellated; zygomycetous; sac-bearing; and club-bearing. The discontinuity between morphotypes is a consequence of extinction, indicating that a complete record of fungal disparity would present a more homogeneous distribution of form. Fungal disparity expands episodically through time, punctuated by a sharp increase associated with the emergence of multicellular body plans. Simulations show these temporal trends to be non-random and at least partially shaped by hierarchical contingency. These trends are decoupled from changes in gene number, genome size and taxonomic diversity. Only differences in organismal complexity, characterized as the number of traits that constitute an organism, exhibit a meaningful relationship with fungal disparity. Both animals and fungi exhibit episodic increases in disparity through time, resulting in distributions of form made discontinuous by extinction. These congruences suggest a common mode of multicellular body plan evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Smith
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
| | - Philip C J Donoghue
- Bristol Palaeobiology Group, School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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13
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High-Density Three-Dimensional Morphometric Analyses Reveal Predation-Based Disparity and Evolutionary Modularity in Spider ‘Jaws’. Evol Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11692-022-09576-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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14
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Crouch NMA, Jablonski D. Is species richness mediated by functional and genetic divergence? A global analysis in birds. Funct Ecol 2022; 37:125-138. [PMID: 37064506 PMCID: PMC10086807 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.14153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Unravelling why species richness shows such dramatic spatial variation is an ongoing challenge. Common to many theories is that increasing species richness (e.g. with latitude) requires a compensatory trade-off on an axis of species' ecology. Spatial variation in species richness may also affect genetic diversity if large numbers of coexisting, related species result in smaller population sizes.Here, we test whether increasing species richness results in differential occupation of morphospace by the constituent species, or decreases species' genetic diversity. We test for two potential mechanisms of morphological accommodation: denser packing in ecomorphological space, and expansion of the space. We then test whether species differ in their nucleotide diversity depending on allopatry or sympatry with relatives, indicative of potential genetic consequences of coexistence that would reduce genetic diversity in sympatry. We ask these questions in a spatially explicit framework, using a global database of avian functional trait measurements in combination with >120,000 sequences downloaded from GenBank.We find that higher species richness within families is not systematically correlated with either packing in morphological space or overdispersion but, at the Class level, we find a general positive relationship between packing and species richness, but that points sampled in the tropics have comparatively greater packing than temperate ones relative to their species richness. We find limited evidence that geographical co-occurrence with closely related species or tropical distributions decreases nucleotide diversity of nuclear genes; however, this requires further analysis.Our results suggest that avian families can accumulate species regionally with minimal tradeoffs or cost, implying that external biotic factors do not limit species richness. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas M. A. Crouch
- Dept. of the Geophysical Sciences The University of Chicago s Chicago Illinois U.S.A
| | - David Jablonski
- Dept. of the Geophysical Sciences The University of Chicago s Chicago Illinois U.S.A
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15
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Abstract
AbstractEvolvability is best addressed from a multi-level, macroevolutionary perspective through a comparative approach that tests for among-clade differences in phenotypic diversification in response to an opportunity, such as encountered after a mass extinction, entering a new adaptive zone, or entering a new geographic area. Analyzing the dynamics of clades under similar environmental conditions can (partially) factor out shared external drivers to recognize intrinsic differences in evolvability, aiming for a macroevolutionary analog of a common-garden experiment. Analyses will be most powerful when integrating neontological and paleontological data: determining differences among extant populations that can be hypothesized to generate large-scale, long-term contrasts in evolvability among clades; or observing large-scale differences among clade histories that can by hypothesized to reflect contrasts in genetics and development observed directly in extant populations. However, many comparative analyses can be informative on their own, as explored in this overview. Differences in clade-level evolvability can be visualized in diversity-disparity plots, which can quantify positive and negative departures of phenotypic productivity from stochastic expectations scaled to taxonomic diversification. Factors that evidently can promote evolvability include modularity—when selection aligns with modular structure or with morphological integration patterns; pronounced ontogenetic changes in morphology, as in allometry or multiphase life cycles; genome size; and a variety of evolutionary novelties, which can also be evaluated using macroevolutionary lags between the acquisition of a trait and phenotypic diversification, and dead-clade-walking patterns that may signal a loss of evolvability when extrinsic factors can be excluded. High speciation rates may indirectly foster phenotypic evolvability, and vice versa. Mechanisms are controversial, but clade evolvability may be higher in the Cambrian, and possibly early in the history of clades at other times; in the tropics; and, for marine organisms, in shallow-water disturbed habitats.
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16
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The Morphological Diversity of Antlion Larvae and Their Closest Relatives over 100 Million Years. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13070587. [PMID: 35886763 PMCID: PMC9316203 DOI: 10.3390/insects13070587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The larvae of owlflies and antlions (here shortly embraced by the term “owllions”) are ambush predators. Their mouthparts are transformed into teeth-bearing stylets and used for catching prey and sucking, which is characteristic for neuropteran larvae. Here we used the morphology of the stylets and the head capsules of a large number of extant and fossil larvae as a proxy for the morphological diversity over time. The created dataset comprises outlines of stylets and head capsules of specimens from the literature, collections, databases and the herein described and depicted 38 fossil ones. Fossils in the whole dataset come from deposits with an age of about 20, 40, and 100 million years (Miocene, Eocene, and Cretaceous, respectively). In addition to the shape analysis of the outlines from the dataset, we conducted a statistical analysis as well. Eocene and Miocene samples did not result in a clear output, but Cretaceous samples allowed for some conclusions: The morphological diversity of owllion larvae increased over time, even though some morphologies of Cretaceous larvae went extinct. Abstract Among lacewings (Neuroptera), representatives of the groups Ascalaphidae (owlflies) and Myrmeleontidae (antlions) are likely the most widely known ones. The exact taxonomic status of the two groups remains currently unclear, each may in fact be nested in the other group. Herein, we refer to the group including representatives of both with the neutral term “owllion”. Owllion larvae are voracious ambush hunters. They are not only known in the extant fauna, but also from the fossil record. We report here new findings of a fossil owlfly larva from Eocene Baltic amber, as well as several owlfly-like larvae from Cretaceous Kachin amber, Myanmar. Based on these fossils, combined with numerous fossil and extant specimens from the literature, collections, and databases, we compared the morphological diversity of the head and mouthpart shapes of the larvae of owllions in the extant fauna with that of owllion-like larvae from three time slices: about 100 million years ago (Cretaceous), about 40 million years ago (Eocene), and about 20 million years ago (Miocene). The comparison reveals that the samples from the Eocene and Miocene are too small for a reliable evaluation. Yet, the Cretaceous larvae allow for some conclusions: (1) the larval morphological diversity of owllion larvae increased over time, indicating a post-Cretaceous diversification; (2) certain morphologies disappeared after the Cretaceous, most likely representing ecological roles that are no longer present nowadays. In comparison, other closely related lineages, e.g., silky lacewings or split-footed lacewings, underwent more drastic losses after the Cretaceous and no subsequent diversifications.
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17
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Patterns in schizomid flagellum shape from elliptical Fourier analysis. Sci Rep 2022; 12:3896. [PMID: 35273227 PMCID: PMC8913634 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-07823-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The arachnid order Schizomida is a relatively understudied group of soil-dwelling predators found on all continents except Antarctica. While efforts to understand their biology are growing, there is still much to know about them. A curious aspect of their morphology is the male flagellum, a sexually dimorphic, tail-like structure which differs in shape across the order and functions in their courtship rituals. The flagellar shape is important for taxonomic classification, yet few efforts have been made to examine shape diversity across the group. Using elliptical Fourier analysis, a type of geometric morphometrics based on shape outline, we quantified shape differences across a combined nearly 550 outlines in the dorsal and lateral views, categorizing them based on genus, family, biogeographic realm, and habitat, with special emphasis on Caribbean and Cuban fauna. We tested for allometric relationships, differences in disparity based on locations and sizes in morphospace among these categories, and for clusters of shapes in morphospace. We found multiple differences in all categories despite apparent overlaps in morphospace, evolutionary allometry, and evidence for discrete clusters in some flagellum shapes. This study can serve as a foundation for further study on the evolution, diversification, and taxonomic utility of the male flagellum.
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18
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Hughes EC, Edwards DP, Bright JA, Capp EJR, Cooney CR, Varley ZK, Thomas GH. Global biogeographic patterns of avian morphological diversity. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:598-610. [PMID: 35199925 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the biogeographical patterns, and evolutionary and environmental drivers, underpinning morphological diversity are key for determining its origins and conservation. Using a comprehensive set of continuous morphological traits extracted from museum collections of 8353 bird species, including geometric morphometric beak shape data, we find that avian morphological diversity is unevenly distributed globally, even after controlling for species richness, with exceptionally dense packing of species in hyper-diverse tropical hotspots. At the regional level, these areas also have high morphological variance, with species exhibiting high phenotypic diversity. Evolutionary history likely plays a key role in shaping these patterns, with evolutionarily old species contributing to niche expansion, and young species contributing to niche packing. Taken together, these results imply that the tropics are both 'cradles' and 'museums' of phenotypic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C Hughes
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - David P Edwards
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Jen A Bright
- Department of Biological and Marine Sciences, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | - Elliot J R Capp
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | | | - Zoë K Varley
- Bird Group, Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Tring, UK
| | - Gavin H Thomas
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.,Bird Group, Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, Tring, UK
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19
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Gómez JM, González-Megías A, Narbona E, Navarro L, Perfectti F, Armas C. Phenotypic plasticity guides Moricandia arvensis divergence and convergence across the Brassicaceae floral morphospace. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2022; 233:1479-1493. [PMID: 34657297 DOI: 10.1111/nph.17807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Many flowers exhibit phenotypic plasticity. By inducing the production of several phenotypes, plasticity may favour the rapid exploration of different regions of the floral morphospace. We investigated how plasticity drives Moricandia arvensis, a species displaying within-individual floral polyphenism, across the floral morphospace of the entire Brassicaceae family. We compiled the multidimensional floral phenotype, the phylogenetic relationships, and the pollination niche of over 3000 species to construct a family-wide floral morphospace. We assessed the disparity between the two M. arvensis floral morphs (as the distance between the phenotypic spaces occupied by each morph) and compared it with the family-wide disparity. We measured floral divergence by comparing disparity with the most common ancestor, and estimated the convergence of each floral morph with other species belonging to the same pollination niches. Moricandia arvensis exhibits a plasticity-mediated floral disparity greater than that found between species, genera and tribes. The novel phenotype of M. arvensis moves outside the region occupied by its ancestors and relatives, crosses into a new region where it encounters a different pollination niche, and converges with distant Brassicaceae lineages. Our study suggests that phenotypic plasticity favours floral divergence and rapid appearance of convergent flowers, a process which facilitates the evolution of generalist pollination systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- José M Gómez
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), E-04120, Almería, Spain
- Research Unit Modeling Nature, Universidad de Granada, E-18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Adela González-Megías
- Research Unit Modeling Nature, Universidad de Granada, E-18071, Granada, Spain
- Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Granada, E-18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Eduardo Narbona
- Departamento de Biología Molecular e Ingeniería Bioquímica, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, E-41013, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Luis Navarro
- Departamento de Biología Vegetal y Ciencias del Suelo, Universidad de Vigo, E-36310, Vigo, Spain
| | - Francisco Perfectti
- Research Unit Modeling Nature, Universidad de Granada, E-18071, Granada, Spain
- Departamento de Genética, Universidad de Granada, E-18071, Granada, Spain
| | - Cristina Armas
- Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas (EEZA-CSIC), E-04120, Almería, Spain
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20
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Sauropodomorph evolution across the Triassic-Jurassic boundary: body size, locomotion, and their influence on morphological disparity. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22534. [PMID: 34795322 PMCID: PMC8602272 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01120-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Sauropodomorph dinosaurs were the dominant medium to large-sized herbivores of most Mesozoic continental ecosystems, being characterized by their long necks and reaching a size unparalleled by other terrestrial animals (> 60 tonnes). Our study of morphological disparity across the entire skeleton shows that during the Late Triassic the oldest known sauropodomorphs occupied a small region of morphospace, subsequently diversifying both taxonomically and ecologically, and shifting to a different and broader region of the morphospace. After the Triassic–Jurassic boundary event, there are no substancial changes in sauropodomorph morphospace occupation. Almost all Jurassic sauropodomorph clades stem from ghost lineages that cross the Triassic–Jurassic boundary, indicating that variations after the extinction were more related to changes of pre-existing lineages (massospondylids, non-gravisaurian sauropodiforms) rather than the emergence of distinct clades or body plans. Modifications in the locomotion (bipedal to quadrupedal) and the successive increase in body mass seem to be the main attributes driving sauropodomorph morphospace distribution during the Late Triassic and earliest Jurassic. The extinction of all non-sauropod sauropodomorphs by the Toarcian and the subsequent diversification of gravisaurian sauropods represent a second expansion of the sauropodomorph morphospace, representing the onset of the flourishing of these megaherbivores that subsequently dominated in Middle and Late Jurassic terrestrial assemblages.
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21
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Viacava P, Baker AM, Blomberg SP, Phillips MJ, Weisbecker V. Using 3D geometric morphometrics to aid taxonomic and ecological understanding of a recent speciation event within a small Australian marsupial (Antechinus: Dasyuridae). Zool J Linn Soc 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Taxonomic distinction of species forms the foundation of biodiversity assessments and conservation priorities. However, traditional morphological and/or genetics-based taxonomic assessments frequently miss the opportunity of elaborating on the ecological and functional context of species diversification. Here, we used 3D geometric morphometrics of the cranium to improve taxonomic differentiation and add ecomorphological characterization of a young cryptic divergence within the carnivorous marsupial genus Antechinus. Specifically, we used 168 museum specimens to characterize the recently proposed clades A. stuartii ‘south’, A. stuartii ‘north’ and A. subtropicus. Beyond slight differences attributable to overall size (and, therefore, not necessarily diagnostic), we also found clear allometry-independent shape variation. This allowed us to define new, easily measured diagnostic traits in the palate, which differentiate the three clades. Contrary to previous suggestions, we found no support for a latitudinal gradient as causing the differentiation between the clades. However, skull shape co-varied with temperature and precipitation seasonality, suggesting that the clades may be adapted to environmental variables that are likely to be impacted by climate change. Our study demonstrates the use of 3D geometric morphometrics to improve taxonomic diagnosis of cryptic mammalian species, while providing perspectives on the adaptive origins and potential future threats of mammalian diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Viacava
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andrew M Baker
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Natural Environments Program, Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Simone P Blomberg
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Matthew J Phillips
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Vera Weisbecker
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
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22
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Mammola S, Carmona CP, Guillerme T, Cardoso P. Concepts and applications in functional diversity. Funct Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Mammola
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe) Finnish Museum of Natural History (Luomus) University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
- Molecular Ecology Group (MEG) Water Research InstituteNational Research Council (CNR‐IRSA) Verbania Pallanza Italy
| | - Carlos P. Carmona
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences University of Tartu Tartu Estonia
| | - Thomas Guillerme
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences The University of Sheffield Sheffield UK
| | - Pedro Cardoso
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe) Finnish Museum of Natural History (Luomus) University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
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23
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Cole SR, Hopkins MJ. Selectivity and the effect of mass extinctions on disparity and functional ecology. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:eabf4072. [PMID: 33952521 PMCID: PMC8099180 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf4072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Selectivity of mass extinctions is thought to play a major role in coupling or decoupling of taxonomic, morphological, and ecological diversity, yet these measures have never been jointly evaluated within a single clade over multiple mass extinctions. We investigate extinction selectivity and changes in taxonomic diversity, morphological disparity, and functional ecology over the ~160-million-year evolutionary history of diplobathrid crinoids (Echinodermata), which spans two mass extinctions. Whereas previous studies documented extinction selectivity for crinoids during background extinction, we find no evidence for selectivity during mass extinctions. Despite no evidence for extinction selectivity, disparity remains strongly correlated with richness over extinction events, contradicting expected patterns of disparity given nonselective extinction. Results indicate that (i) disparity and richness can remain coupled across extinctions even when selective extinction does not occur, (ii) simultaneous decreases in taxonomic diversity and disparity are insufficient evidence for extinction selectivity, and (iii) selectivity differs between background and mass extinction regimes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selina R Cole
- Department of Paleobiology, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, PO Box 37012, MRC 121, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA.
- Division of Paleontology (Invertebrates), American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St., New York, NY 10024, USA
| | - Melanie J Hopkins
- Division of Paleontology (Invertebrates), American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th St., New York, NY 10024, USA
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24
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Seed morphology uncovers 1500 years of vine agrobiodiversity before the advent of the Champagne wine. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2305. [PMID: 33504834 PMCID: PMC7840976 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81787-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
A crucial aspect of viticulture is finally unveiled as the historical dynamics of its agrobiodiversity are described in the Champagne region for the first time. Outline analyses were carried out to compare the morphology of archaeological grape seeds from Troyes and Reims (first c. AD to fifteenth c. AD) with that of a reference collection of modern seeds, including wild vines and traditional grape varieties, believed to be ancient and characteristic of the French vine heritage. This allows us to document the chronological dynamics of the use of the wild Vitis type and of the diversity of the varieties used, based on morphological disparity. After showing the existence of morphological types corresponding to geographical groups, we highlight a geochronological dynamic. Our results show that the wild type is used throughout the series, up to the Middle Ages. In addition, domestic forms, morphologically related to southern varietal groups, are very early involved in the Champagne grape agrodiversity. The groups corresponding to the typical grape varieties of today do not appear until the second millennium. These previously unsuspected dynamics are discussed in light of the social, societal and climatic changes documented for the period.
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25
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Puttick MN, Guillerme T, Wills MA. The complex effects of mass extinctions on morphological disparity. Evolution 2020; 74:2207-2220. [PMID: 32776526 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Studies of biodiversity through deep time have been a staple for biologists and paleontologists for over 60 years. Investigations of species richness (diversity) revealed that at least five mass extinctions punctuated the last half billion years, each seeing the rapid demise of a large proportion of contemporary taxa. In contrast to diversity, the response of morphological diversity (disparity) to mass extinctions is unclear. Generally, diversity and disparity are decoupled, such that diversity may decline as morphological disparity increases, and vice versa. Here, we develop simulations to model disparity changes across mass extinctions using continuous traits and birth-death trees. We find no simple null for disparity change following a mass extinction but do observe general patterns. The range of trait values decreases following either random or trait-selective mass extinctions, whereas variance and the density of morphospace occupation only decline following trait-selective events. General trends may differentiate random and trait-selective mass extinctions, but methods struggle to identify trait selectivity. Long-term effects of mass extinction trait selectivity change support for phylogenetic comparative methods away from the simulated Brownian motion toward Ornstein-Uhlenbeck and Early Burst models. We find that morphological change over mass extinction is best studied by quantifying multiple aspects of morphospace occupation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark N Puttick
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | - Thomas Guillerme
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, S10 2TN, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew A Wills
- Milner Centre for Evolution, Department of Biology and Biochemistry, University of Bath, Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
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26
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Guillerme T, Cooper N, Brusatte SL, Davis KE, Jackson AL, Gerber S, Goswami A, Healy K, Hopkins MJ, Jones MEH, Lloyd GT, O'Reilly JE, Pate A, Puttick MN, Rayfield EJ, Saupe EE, Sherratt E, Slater GJ, Weisbecker V, Thomas GH, Donoghue PCJ. Disparities in the analysis of morphological disparity. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20200199. [PMID: 32603646 PMCID: PMC7423048 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2020.0199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2020] [Accepted: 06/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Analyses of morphological disparity have been used to characterize and investigate the evolution of variation in the anatomy, function and ecology of organisms since the 1980s. While a diversity of methods have been employed, it is unclear whether they provide equivalent insights. Here, we review the most commonly used approaches for characterizing and analysing morphological disparity, all of which have associated limitations that, if ignored, can lead to misinterpretation. We propose best practice guidelines for disparity analyses, while noting that there can be no 'one-size-fits-all' approach. The available tools should always be used in the context of a specific biological question that will determine data and method selection at every stage of the analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Guillerme
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD4072, Australia
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Natalie Cooper
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum London, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Stephen L. Brusatte
- School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Grant Institute, Edinburgh EH9 3FE, UK
| | - Katie E. Davis
- Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity, Department of Biology, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Andrew L. Jackson
- Department of Zoology, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Sylvain Gerber
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, 57 rue Cuvier CP39, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Anjali Goswami
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum London, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Kevin Healy
- Ryan Institute, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Ireland, Galway, H91YD6H, Ireland
| | - Melanie J. Hopkins
- Division of Paleontology (Invertebrates), American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY 10024, USA
| | - Marc E. H. Jones
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Graeme T. Lloyd
- School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Joseph E. O'Reilly
- MRC Institute of Genetic and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH4 2XU, UK
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Abi Pate
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Mark N. Puttick
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
- Milner Centre for Evolution, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AYUK
| | - Emily J. Rayfield
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Erin E. Saupe
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, S Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3AN, UK
| | - Emma Sherratt
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia
| | - Graham J. Slater
- Department of the Geophysical Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Vera Weisbecker
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD4072, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, South Australia 5042, Australia
| | - Gavin H. Thomas
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK
| | - Philip C. J. Donoghue
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
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Mammola S, Cardoso P. Functional diversity metrics using kernel density
n
‐dimensional hypervolumes. Methods Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Mammola
- Molecular Ecology Group (MEG) Water Research Institute (IRSA) National Research Council (CNR) Verbania Pallanza Italy
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe) Finnish Museum of Natural History (Luomus) University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
| | - Pedro Cardoso
- Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research (LIBRe) Finnish Museum of Natural History (Luomus) University of Helsinki Helsinki Finland
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