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Li Y, Moritz C, Brennan IG, Zwick A, Nicholls J, Grealy A, Slipinski A. Evolution across the adaptive landscape in a hyperdiverse beetle radiation. Curr Biol 2024; 34:3685-3697.e6. [PMID: 39067451 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.06.080] [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: 04/02/2024] [Revised: 05/30/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
The extraordinary diversification of beetles on Earth is a textbook example of adaptive evolution. Yet, the tempo and drivers of this super-radiation remain largely unclear. Here, we address this problem by investigating macroevolutionary dynamics in darkling beetles (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), one of the most ecomorphologically diverse beetle families (with over 30,000 species). Using multiple genomic datasets and analytical approaches, we resolve the long-standing inconsistency over deep relationships in the family. In conjunction with a landmark-based dataset of body shape morphology, we show that the evolutionary history of darkling beetles is marked by ancient rapid radiations, frequent ecological transitions, and rapid bursts of morphological diversification. On a global scale, our analyses uncovered a significant pulse of phenotypic diversification proximal to the Cretaceous-Palaeogene (K/Pg) mass extinction and convergence of body shape associated with recurrent ecological specializations. On a regional scale, two major Australasian radiations, the Adeliini and the Heleine clade, exhibited contrasting patterns of ecomorphological diversification, representing phylogenetic niche conservatism versus adaptive radiation. Our findings align with the Simpsonian model of adaptive evolution across the macroevolutionary landscape and highlight a significant role of ecological opportunity in driving the immense ecomorphological diversity in a hyperdiverse beetle group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Li
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Craig Moritz
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Ian G Brennan
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Andreas Zwick
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - James Nicholls
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Alicia Grealy
- Australian National Herbarium, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Adam Slipinski
- Australian National Insect Collection, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
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2
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Grossnickle DM, Brightly WH, Weaver LN, Stanchak KE, Roston RA, Pevsner SK, Stayton CT, Polly PD, Law CJ. Challenges and advances in measuring phenotypic convergence. Evolution 2024; 78:1355-1371. [PMID: 38771219 DOI: 10.1093/evolut/qpae081] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Tests of phenotypic convergence can provide evidence of adaptive evolution, and the popularity of such studies has grown in recent years due to the development of novel, quantitative methods for identifying and measuring convergence. These methods include the commonly applied C1-C4 measures of Stayton (2015a), which measure morphological distances between lineages, and Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU) model-fitting analyses, which test whether lineages converged on shared adaptive peaks. We test the performance of C-measures and other convergence measures under various evolutionary scenarios and reveal a critical issue with C-measures: they often misidentify divergent lineages as convergent. We address this issue by developing novel convergence measures-Ct1-Ct4-measures-that calculate distances between lineages at specific points in time, minimizing the possibility of misidentifying divergent taxa as convergent. Ct-measures are most appropriate when focal lineages are of the same or similar geologic ages (e.g., extant taxa), meaning that the lineages' evolutionary histories include considerable overlap in time. Beyond C-measures, we find that all convergence measures are influenced by the position of focal taxa in phenotypic space, with morphological outliers often statistically more likely to be measured as strongly convergent. Further, we mimic scenarios in which researchers assess convergence using OU models with a priori regime assignments (e.g., classifying taxa by ecological traits) and find that multiple-regime OU models with phenotypically divergent lineages assigned to a shared selective regime often outperform simpler models. This highlights that model support for these multiple-regime OU models should not be assumed to always reflect convergence among focal lineages of a shared regime. Our new Ct1-Ct4-measures provide researchers with an improved comparative tool, but we emphasize that all available convergence measures are imperfect, and researchers should recognize the limitations of these methods and use multiple lines of evidence to test convergence hypotheses.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Grossnickle
- Natural Sciences Department, Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls, OR, United States
| | - William H Brightly
- School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Lucas N Weaver
- Museum of Paleontology and Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Kathryn E Stanchak
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Rachel A Roston
- Center for Developmental Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Spencer K Pevsner
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - C Tristan Stayton
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, United States
| | - P David Polly
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Chris J Law
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States
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3
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Burtner AE, M. Grossnickle D, Santana SE, Law CJ. Gliding toward an understanding of the origin of flight in bats. PeerJ 2024; 12:e17824. [PMID: 39071138 PMCID: PMC11283779 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.17824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Bats are the only mammals capable of powered flight and have correspondingly specialized body plans, particularly in their limb morphology. The origin of bat flight is still not fully understood due to an uninformative fossil record but, from the perspective of a functional transition, it is widely hypothesized that bats evolved from gliding ancestors. Here, we test predictions of the gliding-to-flying hypothesis of the origin of bat flight by using phylogenetic comparative methods to model the evolution of forelimb and hindlimb traits on a dataset spanning four extinct bats and 231 extant mammals with diverse locomotor modes. Our results reveal that gliders exhibit adaptive trait optima (1) toward relatively elongate forelimbs that are intermediate between those of bats and non-gliding arborealists, and (2) toward relatively narrower but not longer hindlimbs that are intermediate between those of non-gliders and bats. We propose an adaptive landscape based on limb length and width optimal trends derived from our modeling analyses. Our results support a hypothetical evolutionary pathway wherein glider-like postcranial morphology precedes a bat-like morphology adapted to powered-flight, setting a foundation for future developmental, biomechanical, and evolutionary research to test this idea.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David M. Grossnickle
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Oregon Institute of Technology, Klamath Falls, OR, United States
| | | | - Chris J. Law
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- University of Texas at Austin, Austin, United States
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4
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Giannini NP, Cannell A, Amador LI, Simmons NB. Palaeoatmosphere facilitates a gliding transition to powered flight in the Eocene bat, Onychonycteris finneyi. Commun Biol 2024; 7:365. [PMID: 38532113 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06032-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The evolutionary transition to powered flight remains controversial in bats, the only flying mammals. We applied aerodynamic modeling to reconstruct flight in the oldest complete fossil bat, the archaic Onychonycteris finneyi from the early Eocene of North America. Results indicate that Onychonycteris was capable of both gliding and powered flight either in a standard normodense aerial medium or in the hyperdense atmosphere that we estimate for the Eocene from two independent palaeogeochemical proxies. Aerodynamic continuity across a morphological gradient is further demonstrated by modeled intermediate forms with increasing aspect ratio (AR) produced by digital elongation based on chiropteran developmental data. Here a gliding performance gradient emerged of decreasing sink rate with increasing AR that eventually allowed applying available muscle power to achieve level flight using flapping, which is greatly facilitated in hyperdense air. This gradient strongly supports a gliding (trees-down) transition to powered flight in bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norberto P Giannini
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo, CONICET-Fundación Miguel Lillo, Tucumán, Argentina.
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales e Instituto Miguel Lillo, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina.
- Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, NY, USA.
| | - Alan Cannell
- ISIPU - Istituto Italiano di Paleontologia Umana, Rome, Italy
- Instituto de Estudos Avançados, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil
| | - Lucila I Amador
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo, CONICET-Fundación Miguel Lillo, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Nancy B Simmons
- Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, NY, USA
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5
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Law CJ, Hlusko LJ, Tseng ZJ. Uncovering the mosaic evolution of the carnivoran skeletal system. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20230526. [PMID: 38263882 PMCID: PMC10806395 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0526] [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: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The diversity of vertebrate skeletons is often attributed to adaptations to distinct ecological factors such as diet, locomotion, and sensory environment. Although the adaptive evolution of skull, appendicular skeleton, and vertebral column is well studied in vertebrates, comprehensive investigations of all skeletal components simultaneously are rarely performed. Consequently, we know little of how modes of evolution differ among skeletal components. Here, we tested if ecological and phylogenetic effects led to distinct modes of evolution among the cranial, appendicular and vertebral regions in extant carnivoran skeletons. Using multivariate evolutionary models, we found mosaic evolution in which only the mandible, hindlimb and posterior (i.e. last thoracic and lumbar) vertebrae showed evidence of adaptation towards ecological regimes whereas the remaining skeletal components reflect clade-specific evolutionary shifts. We hypothesize that the decoupled evolution of individual skeletal components may have led to the origination of distinct adaptive zones and morphologies among extant carnivoran families that reflect phylogenetic hierarchies. Overall, our work highlights the importance of examining multiple skeletal components simultaneously in ecomorphological analyses. Ongoing work integrating the fossil and palaeoenvironmental record will further clarify deep-time drivers that govern the carnivoran diversity we see today and reveal the complexity of evolutionary processes in multicomponent systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris J. Law
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA
- Burke Museum and Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Leslea J. Hlusko
- National Research Center on Human Evolution (CENIEH), Burgos, Spain
| | - Z. Jack Tseng
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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6
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DeHaan LM, Burns MD, Egan JP, Bloom DD. Diadromy Drives Elevated Rates of Trait Evolution and Ecomorphological Convergence in Clupeiformes (Herring, Shad, and Anchovies). Am Nat 2023; 202:830-850. [PMID: 38033182 DOI: 10.1086/726894] [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] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
AbstractMigration can have a profound influence on rates and patterns of phenotypic evolution. Diadromy is the migration between marine and freshwater habitats for feeding and reproduction that can require individuals to travel tens to thousands of kilometers. The high energetic demands of diadromy are predicted to select for ecomorphological traits that maximize swimming and locomotor efficiency. Intraspecific studies have shown repeated instances of divergence among diadromous and nondiadromous populations in locomotor and foraging traits, which suggests that at a macroevolutionary scale diadromous lineages may experience convergent evolution onto one or multiple adaptive optima. We tested for differences in rates and patterns of phenotypic evolution among diadromous and nondiadromous lineages in Clupeiformes, a clade that has evolved diadromy more than 10 times. Our results show that diadromous clupeiforms show convergent evolution for some locomotor traits and faster rates of evolution, which we propose are adaptive responses to the locomotor demands of migration. We also find evidence that diadromous lineages show convergence into multiple regions of multivariate trait space and suggest that these respective trait spaces are associated with differences in migration and trophic ecology. However, not all locomotor traits and no trophic traits show evidence of convergence or elevated rates of evolution associated with diadromy. Our results show that long-distance migration influences the tempo and patterns of phenotypic evolution at macroevolutionary scales, but there is not a single diadromous syndrome.
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7
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Scott JE. The macroevolutionary dynamics of activity pattern in mammals: Primates in context. J Hum Evol 2023; 184:103436. [PMID: 37741141 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Activity pattern has played a prominent role in discussions of primate evolutionary history. Most primates are either diurnal or nocturnal, but a small number are active both diurnally and nocturnally. This pattern-cathemerality-also occurs at low frequency across mammals. Using a large sample of mammalian species, this study evaluates two macroevolutionary hypotheses proposed to explain why cathemerality is less common than diurnality and nocturnality: 1) that cathemeral lineages have higher extinction probabilities (differential diversification) and 2) that transitions out of cathemerality are more frequent, making it a less persistent state (differential state persistence). Rates of speciation, extinction, and transition between character states were estimated using hidden-rates models applied to a phylogenetic tree containing 3013 mammals classified by activity pattern. The models failed to detect consistent differences in diversification dynamics among activity patterns, but there is strong support for differential state persistence. Transition rates out of cathemerality tend to be much higher than transition rates out of nocturnality. Transition rates out of diurnality are similar to those for cathemerality in most clades, with two important exceptions: diurnality is unusually persistent in anthropoid primates and sciurid rodents. These two groups combine very low rates of transition out of diurnality with high speciation rates. This combination has no parallels among cathemeral lineages, explaining why diurnality has become more common than cathemerality in mammals. Similarly, the combination of rates found in anthropoids is sufficient to explain the low relative frequency of cathemerality in primates, making it unnecessary to appeal to high extinction probabilities in cathemeral lineages in this clade. These findings support the hypothesis that the distribution of activity patterns across mammals has been influenced primarily by differential state persistence, whereas the effect of differential diversification appears to have been more idiosyncratic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremiah E Scott
- Department of Medical Anatomical Sciences, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA.
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8
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Alfieri F, Botton-Divet L, Wölfer J, Nyakatura JA, Amson E. A macroevolutionary common-garden experiment reveals differentially evolvable bone organization levels in slow arboreal mammals. Commun Biol 2023; 6:995. [PMID: 37770611 PMCID: PMC10539518 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-05371-3] [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: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Eco-morphological convergence, i.e., similar phenotypes evolved in ecologically convergent taxa, naturally reproduces a common-garden experiment since it allows researchers to keep ecological factors constant, studying intrinsic evolutionary drivers. The latter may result in differential evolvability that, among individual anatomical parts, causes mosaic evolution. Reconstructing the evolutionary morphology of the humerus and femur of slow arboreal mammals, we addressed mosaicism at different bone anatomical spatial scales. We compared convergence strength, using it as indicator of evolvability, between bone external shape and inner structure, with the former expected to be less evolvable and less involved in convergent evolution, due to anatomical constraints. We identify several convergent inner structural traits, while external shape only loosely follows this trend, and we find confirmation for our assumption in measures of convergence magnitude. We suggest that future macroevolutionary reconstructions based on bone morphology should include structural traits to better detect ecological effects on vertebrate diversification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Alfieri
- Comparative Zoology, Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10117, Berlin, Germany.
- Museum Für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Léo Botton-Divet
- Comparative Zoology, Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Wölfer
- Comparative Zoology, Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - John A Nyakatura
- Comparative Zoology, Institute for Biology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden 6, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eli Amson
- Paleontology Department, Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde, Rosenstein 1-3, 70191, Stuttgart, Germany
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9
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Rickman J, Burtner AE, Linden TJ, Santana SE, Law CJ. Size And Locomotor Ecology Have Differing Effects on the External and Internal Morphologies of Squirrel (Rodentia: Sciuridae) Limb Bones. Integr Org Biol 2023; 5:obad017. [PMID: 37361915 PMCID: PMC10286724 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obad017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammals exhibit a diverse range of limb morphologies that are associated with different locomotor ecologies and structural mechanics. Much remains to be investigated, however, about the combined effects of locomotor modes and scaling on the external shape and structural properties of limb bones. Here, we used squirrels (Sciuridae) as a model clade to examine the effects of locomotor mode and scaling on the external shape and structure of the two major limb bones, the humerus and femur. We quantified humeral and femoral morphologies using 3D geometric morphometrics and bone structure analyses on a sample of 76 squirrel species across their four major ecotypes. We then used phylogenetic generalized linear models to test how locomotor ecology, size, and their interaction influenced morphological traits. We found that size and locomotor mode exhibit different relationships with the external shape and structure of the limb bones, and that these relationships differ between the humerus and femur. External shapes of the humerus and, to a lesser extent, the femur are best explained by locomotor ecology rather than by size, whereas structures of both bones are best explained by interactions between locomotor ecology and scaling. Interestingly, the statistical relationships between limb morphologies and ecotype were lost when accounting for phylogenetic relationships among species under Brownian motion. That assuming Brownian motion confounded these relationships is not surprising considering squirrel ecotypes are phylogenetically clustered; our results suggest that humeral and femoral variation partitioned early between clades and their ecomorphologies were maintained to the present. Overall, our results show how mechanical constraints, locomotor ecology, and evolutionary history may enact different pressures on the shape and structure of limb bones in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - T J Linden
- Department of Biology and Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - S E Santana
- Department of Biology and Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
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10
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Rothier PS, Fabre AC, Clavel J, Benson RBJ, Herrel A. Mammalian forelimb evolution is driven by uneven proximal-to-distal morphological diversity. eLife 2023; 12:81492. [PMID: 36700542 PMCID: PMC9908075 DOI: 10.7554/elife.81492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate limb morphology often reflects the environment due to variation in locomotor requirements. However, proximal and distal limb segments may evolve differently from one another, reflecting an anatomical gradient of functional specialization that has been suggested to be impacted by the timing of development. Here, we explore whether the temporal sequence of bone condensation predicts variation in the capacity of evolution to generate morphological diversity in proximal and distal forelimb segments across more than 600 species of mammals. Distal elements not only exhibit greater shape diversity, but also show stronger within-element integration and, on average, faster evolutionary responses than intermediate and upper limb segments. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that late developing distal bones display greater morphological variation than more proximal limb elements. However, the higher integration observed within the autopod deviates from such developmental predictions, suggesting that functional specialization plays an important role in driving within-element covariation. Proximal and distal limb segments also show different macroevolutionary patterns, albeit not showing a perfect proximo-distal gradient. The high disparity of the mammalian autopod, reported here, is consistent with the higher potential of development to generate variation in more distal limb structures, as well as functional specialization of the distal elements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priscila S Rothier
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire NaturelleParisFrance
| | - Anne-Claire Fabre
- Naturhistorisches Museum BernBernSwitzerland
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of BernBernSwitzerland
- Life Sciences Department, Vertebrates Division, Natural History MuseumLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Julien Clavel
- Life Sciences Department, Vertebrates Division, Natural History MuseumLondonUnited Kingdom
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023VilleurbanneFrance
| | - Roger BJ Benson
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Anthony Herrel
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire NaturelleParisFrance
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11
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Linden TJ, Burtner AE, Rickman J, McFeely A, Santana SE, Law CJ. Scaling patterns of body plans differ among squirrel ecotypes. PeerJ 2023; 11:e14800. [PMID: 36718452 PMCID: PMC9884040 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Body size is often hypothesized to facilitate or constrain morphological diversity in the cranial, appendicular, and axial skeletons. However, how overall body shape scales with body size (i.e., body shape allometry) and whether these scaling patterns differ between ecological groups remains poorly investigated. Here, we test whether and how the relationships between body shape, body size, and limb lengths differ among species with different locomotor specializations, and describe the underlying morphological components that contribute to body shape evolution among squirrel (Sciuridae) ecotypes. We quantified the body size and shape of 87 squirrel species from osteological specimens held at museum collections. Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we first found that body shape and its underlying morphological components scale allometrically with body size, but these allometric patterns differ among squirrel ecotypes: chipmunks and gliding squirrels exhibited more elongate bodies with increasing body sizes whereas ground squirrels exhibited more robust bodies with increasing body size. Second, we found that only ground squirrels exhibit a relationship between forelimb length and body shape, where more elongate species exhibit relatively shorter forelimbs. Third, we found that the relative length of the ribs and elongation or shortening of the thoracic region contributes the most to body shape evolution across squirrels. Overall, our work contributes to the growing understanding of mammalian body shape evolution and how it is influenced by body size and locomotor ecology, in this case from robust subterranean to gracile gliding squirrels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tate J. Linden
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | | | | | - Annika McFeely
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America
| | | | - Chris J. Law
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America,University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America,American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, United States of America
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12
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Amson E, Scheyer TM, Martinez Q, Schwermann AH, Koyabu D, He K, Ziegler R. Unique bone microanatomy reveals ancestry of subterranean specializations in mammals. Evol Lett 2022; 6:552-561. [PMID: 36579164 PMCID: PMC9783445 DOI: 10.1002/evl3.303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Acquiring a subterranean lifestyle entails a substantial shift for many aspects of terrestrial vertebrates' biology. Although this lifestyle is associated with multiple instances of convergent evolution, the relative success of some subterranean lineages largely remains unexplained. Here, we focus on the mammalian transitions to life underground, quantifying bone microanatomy through high-resolution X-ray tomography. The true moles stand out in this dataset. Examination of this family's bone histology reveals that the highly fossorial moles acquired a unique phenotype involving large amounts of compacted coarse cancellous bone. This phenotype exceeds the adaptive optimum seemingly shared by several other subterranean mammals and can be traced back to some of the first known members of the family. This remarkable microanatomy was acquired early in the history of the group and evolved faster than the gross morphology innovations of true moles' forelimb. This echoes the pattern described for other lifestyle transitions, such as the acquisition of bone mass specializations in secondarily aquatic tetrapods. Highly plastic traits-such as those pertaining to bone structure-are hence involved in the early stages of different types of lifestyle transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eli Amson
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde StuttgartDE‐70191StuttgartGermany
| | - Torsten M. Scheyer
- Palaeontological Institute and MuseumUniversity of ZurichZurichCH‐8006Switzerland
| | - Quentin Martinez
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde StuttgartDE‐70191StuttgartGermany
| | - Achim H. Schwermann
- LWL‐Museum für NaturkundeWestfälisches Landesmuseum mit PlanetariumDE‐48161MünsterGermany
| | - Daisuke Koyabu
- Research and Development Center for Precision MedicineUniversity of TsukubaTsukuba305‐8550Japan
| | - Kai He
- Key Laboratory of Conservation and Application in Biodiversity of South China, School of Life SciencesGuangzhou UniversityGuangzhou510006China
| | - Reinhard Ziegler
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde StuttgartDE‐70191StuttgartGermany
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13
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Ford KL, Peterson R, Bernt M, Albert JS. Convergence is Only Skin Deep: Craniofacial Evolution in Electric Fishes from South America and Africa (Apteronotidae and Mormyridae). Integr Org Biol 2022; 4:obac022. [PMID: 35976714 PMCID: PMC9375771 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obac022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Apteronotidae and Mormyridae are species-rich clades of weakly electric fishes from Neotropical and Afrotropical freshwaters, respectively, known for their high morphological disparity and often regarded as a classic example of convergent evolution. Here, we use CT-imaging and 3D geometric morphometrics to quantify disparity in craniofacial morphologies, and to test the hypothesis of convergent skull-shape evolution in a phylogenetic context. For this study, we examined 391 specimens representing 78 species of Apteronotidae and Mormyridae including 30 of 37 (81%) of all valid genera with the goal to sample most of the craniofacial disparity known in these clades. We found no overlap between Apteronotidae and Mormyridae in the skull-shape morphospace using PCA and a common landmark scheme, and therefore no instances of complete phenotypic convergence. Instead, we found multiple potential instances of incomplete convergence, and at least one parallel shift among electric fish clades. The greatest components of shape variance in both families are the same as observed for most vertebrate clades: heterocephaly (i.e., opposite changes in relative sizes of the snout and braincase regions of the skull), and heterorhynchy (i.e., dorsoventral changes in relative snout flexion and mouth position). Mormyrid species examined here exhibit less craniofacial disparity than do apteronotids, potentially due to constraints associated with a larger brain size, ecological constraints related to food-type availability. Patterns of craniofacial evolution in these two clades depict a complex story of phenotypic divergence and convergence in which certain superficial similarities of external morphology obscure deeper osteological and presumably developmental differences of skull form and function. Among apteronotid and mormyrid electric fishes, craniofacial convergence is only skin deep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kassandra L Ford
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Universität Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Fish Ecology and Evolution, Eawag Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Switzerland
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, USA
| | - Rose Peterson
- Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, USA
| | - Maxwell Bernt
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, USA
- Department of Ichthyology, American Museum of Natural History, USA
| | - James S Albert
- Department of Biology, University of Louisiana at Lafayette, USA
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14
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Sinnott‐Armstrong MA, Deanna R, Pretz C, Liu S, Harris JC, Dunbar‐Wallis A, Smith SD, Wheeler LC. How to approach the study of syndromes in macroevolution and ecology. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8583. [PMID: 35342598 PMCID: PMC8928880 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Syndromes, wherein multiple traits evolve convergently in response to a shared selective driver, form a central concept in ecology and evolution. Recent work has questioned the existence of some classic syndromes, such as pollination and seed dispersal syndromes. Here, we discuss some of the major issues that have afflicted research into syndromes in macroevolution and ecology. First, correlated evolution of traits and hypothesized selective drivers is often relied on as the only evidence for adaptation of those traits to those hypothesized drivers, without supporting evidence. Second, the selective driver is often inferred from a combination of traits without explicit testing. Third, researchers often measure traits that are easy for humans to observe rather than measuring traits that are suited to testing the hypothesis of adaptation. Finally, species are often chosen for study because of their striking phenotypes, which leads to the illusion of syndromes and divergence. We argue that these issues can be avoided by combining studies of trait variation across entire clades or communities with explicit tests of adaptive hypotheses and that taking this approach will lead to a better understanding of syndrome-like evolution and its drivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda A. Sinnott‐Armstrong
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Colorado‐BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of CambridgeCambridgeUK
| | - Rocio Deanna
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Colorado‐BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología VegetalIMBIV (CONICET‐UNC)CórdobaArgentina
- Departamento de Ciencias FarmacéuticasFacultad de Ciencias Químicas (FCQ, UNC)CórdobaArgentina
| | - Chelsea Pretz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Colorado‐BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
| | - Sukuan Liu
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Colorado‐BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
| | - Jesse C. Harris
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Colorado‐BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
| | - Amy Dunbar‐Wallis
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Colorado‐BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
| | - Stacey D. Smith
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Colorado‐BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
| | - Lucas C. Wheeler
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary BiologyUniversity of Colorado‐BoulderBoulderColoradoUSA
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15
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Moen DS, Cabrera-Guzmán E, Caviedes-Solis IW, González-Bernal E, Hanna AR. Phylogenetic analysis of adaptation in comparative physiology and biomechanics: overview and a case study of thermal physiology in treefrogs. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274250. [PMID: 35119071 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Comparative phylogenetic studies of adaptation are uncommon in biomechanics and physiology. Such studies require data collection from many species, a challenge when this is experimentally intensive. Moreover, researchers struggle to employ the most biologically appropriate phylogenetic tools for identifying adaptive evolution. Here, we detail an established but greatly underutilized phylogenetic comparative framework - the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process - that explicitly models long-term adaptation. We discuss challenges in implementing and interpreting the model, and we outline potential solutions. We demonstrate use of the model through studying the evolution of thermal physiology in treefrogs. Frogs of the family Hylidae have twice colonized the temperate zone from the tropics, and such colonization likely involved a fundamental change in physiology due to colder and more seasonal temperatures. However, which traits changed to allow colonization is unclear. We measured cold tolerance and characterized thermal performance curves in jumping for 12 species of treefrogs distributed from the Neotropics to temperate North America. We then conducted phylogenetic comparative analyses to examine how tolerances and performance curves evolved and to test whether that evolution was adaptive. We found that tolerance to low temperatures increased with the transition to the temperate zone. In contrast, jumping well at colder temperatures was unrelated to biogeography and thus did not adapt during dispersal. Overall, our study shows how comparative phylogenetic methods can be leveraged in biomechanics and physiology to test the evolutionary drivers of variation among species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel S Moen
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Elisa Cabrera-Guzmán
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Itzue W Caviedes-Solis
- Science Unit, Lingnan University, Hong Kong S.A.R., China.,Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | - Edna González-Bernal
- CONACYT - CIIDIR Oaxaca, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, C.P. 71230, Oaxaca, México
| | - Allison R Hanna
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
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16
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Gardner NM, Dececchi TA. Flight and echolocation evolved once in Chiroptera: comments on ‘The evolution of flight in bats: a novel hypothesis’. Mamm Rev 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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17
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Pevsner SK, Grossnickle DM, Luo ZX. The functional diversity of marsupial limbs is influenced by both ecology and developmental constraint. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2022. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Extant marsupials are less ecologically diverse than placentals, and this is reflected by placentals exhibiting a greater diversity of locomotor modes, including powered flight and fully aquatic swimming. One proposed explanation for this discrepancy is that the development of more disparate marsupial forelimbs is prevented by the neonate’s crawl to the pouch, which requires precocious forelimb development for climbing adaptations. To test predictions of this Developmental Constraint Hypothesis (DCH), we pursue a comparative morphometric study on osteological traits of mammalian limbs, with an emphasis on functional differentiation of marsupial limbs among locomotor modes. We apply multivariate analyses to a large dataset of limb metrics and a diverse sample of mammals, with the placental sample limited to taxa whose locomotor modes are exhibited in marsupials. Overall, we do not find consistent evidence in support of the DCH. Diprotodontia serves as an exception, with comparisons of their forelimbs to hind limbs supporting the DCH. Our results suggest that developmental constraints on marsupial forelimbs may have limited marsupial diversity to some degree. Despite this, the marsupial locomotor groups show unexpectedly high levels of morphological differentiation relative to placentals of the same locomotor modes, indicating that ecological functions may overcome developmental constraints on a macroevolutionary scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Spencer K Pevsner
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Department of Organismal Biology & Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Zhe-Xi Luo
- Department of Organismal Biology & Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
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18
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Integrative Approach Uncovers New Patterns of Ecomorphological Convergence in Slow Arboreal Xenarthrans. J MAMM EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10914-021-09590-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIdentifying ecomorphological convergence examples is a central focus in evolutionary biology. In xenarthrans, slow arboreality independently arose at least three times, in the two genera of ‘tree sloths’, Bradypus and Choloepus, and the silky anteater, Cyclopes. This specialized locomotor ecology is expectedly reflected by distinctive morpho-functional convergences. Cyclopes, although sharing several ecological features with ‘tree sloths’, do not fully mirror the latter in their outstandingly similar suspensory slow arboreal locomotion. We hypothesized that the morphology of Cyclopes is closer to ‘tree sloths’ than to anteaters, but yet distinct, entailing that slow arboreal xenarthrans evolved through ‘incomplete’ convergence. In a multivariate trait space, slow arboreal xenarthrans are hence expected to depart from their sister taxa evolving toward the same area, but not showing extensive phenotypical overlap, due to the distinct position of Cyclopes. Conversely, a pattern of ‘complete’ convergence (i.e., widely overlapping morphologies) is hypothesized for ‘tree sloths’. Through phylogenetic comparative methods, we quantified humeral and femoral convergence in slow arboreal xenarthrans, including a sample of extant and extinct non-slow arboreal xenarthrans. Through 3D geometric morphometrics, cross-sectional properties (CSP) and trabecular architecture, we integratively quantified external shape, diaphyseal anatomy and internal epiphyseal structure. Several traits converged in slow arboreal xenarthrans, especially those pertaining to CSP. Phylomorphospaces and quantitative convergence analyses substantiated the expected patterns of ‘incomplete’ and ‘complete’ convergence for slow arboreal xenarthrans and ‘tree sloths’, respectively. This work, highlighting previously unidentified convergence patterns, emphasizes the value of an integrative multi-pronged quantitative approach to cope with complex mechanisms underlying ecomorphological convergence.
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19
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Law CJ. Different evolutionary pathways lead to incomplete convergence of elongate body shapes in carnivoran mammals. Syst Biol 2021; 71:788-796. [PMID: 34791502 DOI: 10.1093/sysbio/syab091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although convergence is often recognized as a ubiquitous feature across the Tree of Life, whether the underlying traits also exhibit similar evolutionary pathways towards convergent forms puzzles biologists. In carnivoran mammals, "elongate," "slender," and "long" are often used to describe and even to categorize mustelids (martens, polecats, and weasels), herpestids (mongooses), viverrids (civets and genets), and other carnivorans together. But just how similar these carnivorans are and whether there is convergence in the morphological component that contribute to elongation has never been assessed. Here, I found that these qualitatively-described elongate carnivorans exhibited incomplete convergence towards elongate bodies compared to other terrestrial carnivorans. In contrast, the morphological components underlying body shape variation do not exhibit convergence despite evidence that these components are more elongate in elongate carnivorans compared to non-elongate carnivorans. Furthermore, these components also exhibited shorter but different phylogenetic half-lives towards more elongate adaptive peaks, indicating that different selective pressures can create multiple pathways to elongation. Incorporating the fossil record will facilitate further investigation of whether body elongation evolved adaptively or if it is simply a retained ancestral trait.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris J Law
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, 98105; Richard Gilder Graduate School, Department of Mammalogy, and Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY, USA 10024
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20
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Melstrom KM, Angielczyk KD, Ritterbush KA, Irmis RB. The limits of convergence: the roles of phylogeny and dietary ecology in shaping non-avian amniote crania. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:202145. [PMID: 34540239 PMCID: PMC8441121 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.202145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Cranial morphology is remarkably varied in living amniotes and the diversity of shapes is thought to correspond with feeding ecology, a relationship repeatedly demonstrated at smaller phylogenetic scales, but one that remains untested across amniote phylogeny. Using a combination of morphometric methods, we investigate the links between phylogenetic relationships, diet and skull shape in an expansive dataset of extant toothed amniotes: mammals, lepidosaurs and crocodylians. We find that both phylogeny and dietary ecology have statistically significant effects on cranial shape. The three major clades largely partition morphospace with limited overlap. Dietary generalists often occupy clade-specific central regions of morphospace. Some parallel changes in cranial shape occur in clades with distinct evolutionary histories but similar diets. However, members of a given clade often present distinct cranial shape solutions for a given diet, and the vast majority of species retain the unique aspects of their ancestral skull plan, underscoring the limits of morphological convergence due to ecology in amniotes. These data demonstrate that certain cranial shapes may provide functional advantages suited to particular dietary ecologies, but accounting for both phylogenetic history and ecology can provide a more nuanced approach to inferring the ecology and functional morphology of cryptic or extinct amniotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keegan M. Melstrom
- Dinosaur Institute, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 W Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90007, USA
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, 115 S 1460 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0102, USA
- Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, 301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108-1214, USA
| | - Kenneth D. Angielczyk
- Negaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum of Natural History, 1400 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605-2496, USA
| | - Kathleen A. Ritterbush
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, 115 S 1460 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0102, USA
| | - Randall B. Irmis
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, 115 S 1460 E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0102, USA
- Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, 301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108-1214, USA
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21
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Gómez RO, Lois-Milevicich J. Why the long beak? Phylogeny, convergence, feeding ecology, and evolutionary allometry shaped the skull of the Giant Cowbird Molothrus oryzivorus (Icteridae). J Morphol 2021; 282:1587-1603. [PMID: 34369611 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Cowbirds are a successful group of obligate brood parasites in the Neotropical passerine family Icteridae that offer an interesting model to explore the factors behind the evolution of the bird craniomandibular complex. The Giant Cowbird, Molothrus oryzivorus, stands out from its congeners, among other features, in diet (feeds mostly on fruit, nectar, and arthropods, instead on seeds), its larger body size, and longer, more robust beak with a much broader bony casque than in other cowbirds. In turn, Giant Cowbirds show a remarkable resemblance in these features to the distantly related caciques and oropendolas (some are its breeding hosts). However, the causes behind the latter resemblance and the distinctiveness among cowbirds have not yet been elucidated. We aim to explore the factors involved in the diverging morphology of the Giant Cowbird from its congeners and the convergence with caciques and oropendolas, surveying their skull and lower jaw under an explicit evolutionary framework. Using geometric morphometrics and comparative methods, we assessed the signal of phylogeny, convergence, feeding ecology, and size in skull shape. Our results indicated that evolution of the craniomandibular complex of icterids in general, and of the beak morphology in the Giant Cowbird in particular, are shaped by multiple factors, with phylogeny being largely overridden by changes in size (evolutionary allometry), primarily, and feeding ecology, secondarily. However, the evolution of a broad bony casque in the Giant Cowbird, otherwise a hallmark of caciques and oropendolas, does not appear to have primarily been ruled by evolutionary allometry. Instead, taking into account the unique extreme convergence between Giant Cowbirds and some of its caciques hosts, it might be consequence of selective regimes associated with parasite-host interactions acting on top of other evolutionary processes. This suggests chick mimicry as a reasonable explanation for this peculiar morphology that would require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raúl O Gómez
- CONICET-Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón II Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jimena Lois-Milevicich
- Departamento de Ecología, Genética y Evolución and Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución (IEGEBA-CONICET), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón II Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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22
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Tamagnini D, Meloro C, Raia P, Maiorano L. Testing the occurrence of convergence in the craniomandibular shape evolution of living carnivorans. Evolution 2021; 75:1738-1752. [PMID: 33844288 PMCID: PMC8359831 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Convergence consists in the independent evolution of similar traits in distantly related species. The mammalian craniomandibular complex constitutes an ideal biological structure to investigate ecomorphological dynamics and the carnivorans, due to their phenotypic variability and ecological flexibility, offer an interesting case study to explore the occurrence of convergent evolution. Here, we applied multiple pattern‐based metrics to test the occurrence of convergence in the craniomandibular shape of extant carnivorans. To this aim, we tested for convergence in many dietary groups and analyzed several cases of carnivoran convergence concerning either ecologically equivalent species or ecologically similar species of different body sizes described in the literature. Our results validate the occurrence of convergence in ecologically equivalent species in a few cases (as well as in the case of giant and red pandas), but almost never support the occurrence of convergent evolution in dietary categories of living carnivorans. Therefore, convergent evolution in this clade appears to be a rare phenomenon. This is probably the consequence of a complex interplay of one‐to‐many, many‐to‐one, and many‐to‐many relationships taking place between ecology, biomechanics, and morphology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Tamagnini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin,", University of Rome "La Sapienza,", Rome, 00185, Italy.,Museum of Zoology, Sapienza Museum Centre, University of Rome "La Sapienza,", Rome, 00185, Italy
| | - Carlo Meloro
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, United Kingdom
| | - Pasquale Raia
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, dell'Ambiente e delle Risorse, University of Naples Federico II, Napoli, 80126, Italy
| | - Luigi Maiorano
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies "Charles Darwin,", University of Rome "La Sapienza,", Rome, 00185, Italy.,Museum of Zoology, Sapienza Museum Centre, University of Rome "La Sapienza,", Rome, 00185, Italy
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23
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Amson E, Bibi F. Differing effects of size and lifestyle on bone structure in mammals. BMC Biol 2021; 19:87. [PMID: 33926429 PMCID: PMC8086358 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01016-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mammals are a highly diverse group, with body mass ranging from 2 g to 170 t, and encompassing species with terrestrial, aquatic, aerial, and subterranean lifestyles. The skeleton is involved in most aspects of vertebrate life history, but while previous macroevolutionary analyses have shown that structural, phylogenetic, and functional factors influence the gross morphology of skeletal elements, their inner structure has received comparatively little attention. Here we analysed bone structure of the humerus and mid-lumbar vertebrae across mammals and their correlations with different lifestyles and body size. RESULTS We acquired bone structure parameters in appendicular and axial elements (humerus and mid-lumbar vertebra) from 190 species across therian mammals (placentals + marsupials). Our sample captures all transitions to aerial, fully aquatic, and subterranean lifestyles in extant therian clades. We found that mammalian bone structure is highly disparate and we show that the investigated vertebral structure parameters mostly correlate with body size, but not lifestyle, while the opposite is true for humeral parameters. The latter also show a high degree of convergence among the clades that have acquired specialised (non-terrestrial) lifestyles. CONCLUSIONS In light of phylogenetic, size, and functional factors, the distribution of each investigated structural parameter reveals patterns explaining the construction of appendicular and axial skeletal elements in mammalian species spanning most of the extant diversity of the clade in terms of body size and lifestyle. These patterns should be further investigated with analyses focused on specific lifestyle transitions that would ideally include key fossils.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eli Amson
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany.
- Staatliches Museum für Naturkunde Stuttgart, Rosenstein 1, 70191, Stuttgart, Germany.
| | - Faysal Bibi
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstraße 43, 10115, Berlin, Germany
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24
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Amson E. Humeral diaphysis structure across mammals. Evolution 2021; 75:748-755. [PMID: 33433007 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Long bones comprise articular ends (epiphyses) joined by transitional metaphyses and a diaphysis (shaft). The structure of the latter is often viewed as regularly tubular across tetrapods (limbed vertebrates). However, assessments of the bone structure along the whole diaphysis are rare. Here, I assess whole-diaphysis profiles of global compactness (bone fraction) of 164 species of extant and extinct therian mammals (marsupials + placentals) in a phylogenetically informed context. Generally terrestrial, mammals have acquired multiple times the highly specialized aerial, fully aquatic, and subterranean lifestyles, allowing to potentially associate specific traits with these lifestyles. I show that there is a consistent increase in global compactness along the diaphysis in most mammals. This pattern is modified in a limited number of specialized species: all aerial clades (gliders and bats) have rather uniform and low values, while cetaceans' humeral diaphysis is marked by a slightly more compact mid-diaphyseal region. Among subterranean clades, structure alterations are most obvious in fossorial talpids (true moles) and their highly modified humerus. These results call for the investigation of bone structure in whole skeletal elements of key fossils in order to reconstruct the patterns of evolutionary modifications associated with lifestyle transitions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eli Amson
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Invalidenstraße 43, Berlin, 10115, Germany
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25
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Geng WH, Wang XP, Che LF, Wang X, Liu R, Zhou T, Roos C, Irwin DM, Yu L. Convergent Evolution of Locomotory Modes in Euarchontoglires. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.615862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The research of phenotypic convergence is of increasing importance in adaptive evolution. Locomotory modes play important roles in the adaptive evolution of species in the Euarchontoglires, however, the investigation of convergent evolution of the locomotory modes across diverse Euarchontoglire orders is incomplete. We collected measurements of three phalangeal indices of manual digit III, including metacarpal of digit III (MC3), manus proximal phalanx of digit III (MPP3), and manus intermediate phalanx of digit III (MIP3), from 203 individuals of 122 Euarchontoglires species representing arboreal (orders Scandentia, Rodentia, and Primates), terrestrial (orders Scandentia and Rodentia), and gliding (orders Dermoptera and Rodentia) locomotory modes. This data can be separated into seven groups defined by order and locomotory mode. Based on combination of the three phalangeal indices, the Principle component analyses (PCA), phylomorphospace plot, and C-metrics analyses clustered the arboreal species of Scandentia, Rodentia, and Primates together and the terrestrial species of Scandentia and Rodentia together, showing the convergent signal in evolution of the arboreal (C1 = 0.424, P < 0.05) and terrestrial (C1 = 0.560, P < 0.05) locomotory modes in Euarchontoglires. Although the gliding species from Dermoptera and Rodentia did not cluster together, they also showed the convergent signal (C1 = 0.563, P < 0.05). Our work provides insight into the convergent evolution of locomotory modes in Euarchontoglires, and reveals that these three indices contribute valuable information to identify convergent evolution in Euarchontoglires.
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26
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Quinn BL. Digest: Incomplete convergence drives form–function relationship in gliders*. Evolution 2020; 74:2746-2747. [DOI: 10.1111/evo.14115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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27
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Weaver LN, Grossnickle DM. Functional diversity of small-mammal postcrania is linked to both substrate preference and body size. Curr Zool 2020; 66:539-553. [PMID: 33293932 PMCID: PMC7705507 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Selective pressures favor morphologies that are adapted to distinct ecologies, resulting in trait partitioning among ecomorphotypes. However, the effects of these selective pressures vary across taxa, especially because morphology is also influenced by factors such as phylogeny, body size, and functional trade-offs. In this study, we examine how these factors impact functional diversification in mammals. It has been proposed that trait partitioning among mammalian ecomorphotypes is less pronounced at small body sizes due to biomechanical, energetic, and environmental factors that favor a “generalist” body plan, whereas larger taxa exhibit more substantial functional adaptations. We title this the Divergence Hypothesis (DH) because it predicts greater morphological divergence among ecomorphotypes at larger body sizes. We test DH by using phylogenetic comparative methods to examine the postcranial skeletons of 129 species of taxonomically diverse, small-to-medium-sized (<15 kg) mammals, which we categorize as either “tree-dwellers” or “ground-dwellers.” In some analyses, the morphologies of ground-dwellers and tree-dwellers suggest greater between-group differentiation at larger sizes, providing some evidence for DH. However, this trend is neither particularly strong nor supported by all analyses. Instead, a more pronounced pattern emerges that is distinct from the predictions of DH: within-group phenotypic disparity increases with body size in both ground-dwellers and tree-dwellers, driven by morphological outliers among “medium”-sized mammals. Thus, evolutionary increases in body size are more closely linked to increases in within-locomotor-group disparity than to increases in between-group disparity. We discuss biomechanical and ecological factors that may drive these evolutionary patterns, and we emphasize the significant evolutionary influences of ecology and body size on phenotypic diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas N Weaver
- Department of Biology, Life Sciences Building, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - David M Grossnickle
- Department of Biology, Life Sciences Building, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
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