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Rawson JRG, Deakin WJ, Stubbs TL, Smith TJ, Rayfield EJ, Donoghue PCJ. Widespread convergence towards functional optimization in the lower jaws of crocodile-line archosaurs. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240720. [PMID: 39163982 PMCID: PMC11335402 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0720] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Extant crocodilian jaws are subject to functional demands induced by feeding and hydrodynamics. However, the morphological and ecological diversity of extinct crocodile-line archosaurs is far greater than that of living crocodilians, featuring repeated convergence towards disparate ecologies including armoured herbivores, terrestrial macropredators and fully marine forms. Crocodile-line archosaurs, therefore, present a fascinating case study for morphological and functional divergence and convergence within a clade across a wide range of ecological scenarios. Here, we build performance landscapes of two-dimensional theoretical jaw shapes to investigate the influence of strength, speed and hydrodynamics in the morphological evolution of crocodile-line archosaur jaws, and test whether ecologically convergent lineages evolved similarly optimal jaw function. Most of the 243 sampled jaw morphologies occupy optimized regions of theoretical morphospace for either rotational efficiency, resistance to Von Mises stress, hydrodynamic efficiency or a trade-off between multiple functions, though some seemingly viable shapes remain unrealized. Jaw speed is optimized only in a narrow region of morphospace whereas many shapes possess optimal jaw strength, which may act as a minimum boundary rather than a strong driver for most taxa. This study highlights the usefulness of theoretical morphology in assessing functional optimality, and for investigating form-function relationships in diverse clades.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Thomas J. Smith
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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2
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Sabolić I, Mira Ó, Brandt DYC, Lisičić D, Stapley J, Novosolov M, Bakarić R, Cizelj I, Glogoški M, Hudina T, Taverne M, Allentoft ME, Nielsen R, Herrel A, Štambuk A. Plastic and genomic change of a newly established lizard population following a founder event. Mol Ecol 2024; 33:e17255. [PMID: 38133599 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17255] [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: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how phenotypic divergence arises among natural populations remains one of the major goals in evolutionary biology. As part of competitive exclusion experiment conducted in 1971, 10 individuals of Italian wall lizard (Podarcis siculus (Rafinesque-Schmaltz, 1810)) were transplanted from Pod Kopište Island to the nearby island of Pod Mrčaru (Adriatic Sea). Merely 35 years after the introduction, the newly established population on Pod Mrčaru Island had shifted their diet from predominantly insectivorous towards omnivorous and changed significantly in a range of morphological, behavioural, physiological and ecological characteristics. Here, we combine genomic and quantitative genetic approaches to determine the relative roles of genetic adaptation and phenotypic plasticity in driving this rapid phenotypic shift. Our results show genome-wide genetic differentiation between ancestral and transplanted population, with weak genetic erosion on Pod Mrčaru Island. Adaptive processes following the founder event are indicated by highly differentiated genomic loci associating with ecologically relevant phenotypic traits, and/or having a putatively adaptive role across multiple lizard populations. Diverged traits related to head size and shape or bite force showed moderate heritability in a crossing experiment, but between-population differences in these traits did not persist in a common garden environment. Our results confirm the existence of sufficient additive genetic variance for traits to evolve under selection while also demonstrating that phenotypic plasticity and/or genotype by environment interactions are the main drivers of population differentiation at this early evolutionary stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iva Sabolić
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Óscar Mira
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Débora Y C Brandt
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Duje Lisičić
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Jessica Stapley
- Department of Environmental Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Maria Novosolov
- Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Robert Bakarić
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Ivan Cizelj
- Zoological Garden of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Marko Glogoški
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
| | | | - Maxime Taverne
- C.N.R.S/M.N.H.N., Département d'Ecologie et de Gestion de la Biodiversité, Paris, France
| | - Morten E Allentoft
- Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre, GLOBE Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Laboratory, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Rasmus Nielsen
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Berkeley, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Anthony Herrel
- C.N.R.S/M.N.H.N., Département d'Ecologie et de Gestion de la Biodiversité, Paris, France
- Department of Biology, Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
- Naturhistorisches Museum Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anamaria Štambuk
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
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Sherpa S, Paris JR, Silva‐Rocha I, Di Canio V, Carretero MA, Ficetola GF, Salvi D. Genetic depletion does not prevent rapid evolution in island-introduced lizards. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10721. [PMID: 38034325 PMCID: PMC10682264 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10721] [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: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Experimental introductions of species have provided some of the most tractable examples of rapid phenotypic changes, which may reflect plasticity, the impact of stochastic processes, or the action of natural selection. Yet to date, very few studies have investigated the neutral and potentially adaptive genetic impacts of experimental introductions. We dissect the role of these processes in shaping the population differentiation of wall lizards in three Croatian islands (Sušac, Pod Kopište, and Pod Mrčaru), including the islet of Pod Mrčaru, where experimentally introduced lizards underwent rapid (~30 generations) phenotypic changes associated with a shift from an insectivorous to a plant-based diet. Using a genomic approach (~82,000 ddRAD loci), we confirmed a founder effect during introduction and very low neutral genetic differentiation between the introduced population and its source. However, genetic depletion did not prevent rapid population growth, as the introduced lizards exhibited population genetic signals of expansion and are known to have reached a high density. Our genome-scan analysis identified just a handful of loci showing large allelic shifts between ecologically divergent populations. This low overall signal of selection suggests that the extreme phenotypic differences observed among populations are determined by a small number of large-effect loci and/or that phenotypic plasticity plays a major role in phenotypic changes. Nonetheless, functional annotation of the outlier loci revealed some candidate genes relevant to diet-induced adaptation, in agreement with the hypothesis of directional selection. Our study provides important insights on the evolutionary potential of bottlenecked populations in response to new selective pressures on short ecological timescales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphanie Sherpa
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche AmbientaliUniversità degli Studi di MilanoMilanoItaly
| | - Josephine R. Paris
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica, Sanità Pubblica, Scienze della Vita e dell'AmbienteUniversità degli Studi dell'AquilaL'Aquila‐CoppitoItaly
| | - Iolanda Silva‐Rocha
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO), InBIO Laboratório AssociadoUniversidade do PortoVairãoPortugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land PlanningCIBIOVairãoPortugal
| | - Viola Di Canio
- Dipartimento di Scienze e Politiche AmbientaliUniversità degli Studi di MilanoMilanoItaly
| | - Miguel Angel Carretero
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos (CIBIO), InBIO Laboratório AssociadoUniversidade do PortoVairãoPortugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land PlanningCIBIOVairãoPortugal
- Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de CiênciasUniversidade do PortoPortoPortugal
| | | | - Daniele Salvi
- Dipartimento di Medicina Clinica, Sanità Pubblica, Scienze della Vita e dell'AmbienteUniversità degli Studi dell'AquilaL'Aquila‐CoppitoItaly
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Taverne M, Watson PJ, Dutel H, Boistel R, Lisicic D, Tadic Z, Fabre AC, Fagan MJ, Herrel A. Form-function relationships underlie rapid dietary changes in a lizard. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230582. [PMID: 37282532 PMCID: PMC10244978 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0582] [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: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Macroevolutionary changes such as variation in habitat use or diet are often associated with convergent, adaptive changes in morphology. However, it is still unclear how small-scale morphological variation at the population level can drive shifts in ecology such as observed at a macroevolutionary scale. Here, we address this question by investigating how variation in cranial form and feeding mechanics relate to rapid changes in diet in an insular lizard (Podarcis siculus) after experimental introduction into a new environment. We first quantified differences in the skull shape and jaw muscle architecture between the source and introduced population using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics and dissections. Next, we tested the impact of the observed variation in morphology on the mechanical performance of the masticatory system using computer-based biomechanical simulation techniques. Our results show that small differences in shape, combined with variation in muscle architecture, can result in significant differences in performance allowing access to novel trophic resources. The confrontation of these data with the already described macroevolutionary relationships between cranial form and function in these insular lizards provides insights into how selection can, over relatively short time scales, drive major changes in ecology through its impact on mechanical performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Taverne
- UMR 7179, Département Adaptations du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France
| | - P. J. Watson
- Department of Engineering, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
| | - H. Dutel
- Department of Engineering, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - R. Boistel
- UMR 7179, Département Adaptations du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France
| | - D. Lisicic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Z. Tadic
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb, Rooseveltov trg 6, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - A-C. Fabre
- Naturhistorisches Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern, Bernastrasse 15, 3005 Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Ecology & Evolution, Universität Bern, Baltzerstrasse 6, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - M. J. Fagan
- Department of Engineering, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
| | - A. Herrel
- UMR 7179, Département Adaptations du Vivant, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France
- Naturhistorisches Museum der Burgergemeinde Bern, Bernastrasse 15, 3005 Bern, Switzerland
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Donihue CM, Herrel A, Taverne M, Foufopoulos J, Pafilis P. The Evolution of Diet and Morphology in Insular Lizards: Insights from a Replicated Island Introduction Experiment. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:1788. [PMID: 37889735 PMCID: PMC10251849 DOI: 10.3390/ani13111788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Resource-limited environments may drive the rapid evolution of phenotypic traits and ecological preferences optimizing the exploitation of resources. Very small islands are often characterized by reduced food availability, seasonal fluctuations in resources and strong unpredictability. These features may drive the evolution of phenotypic traits such as high bite forces, allowing animals to exploit a wider variety of the available resources. They may also lead to more generalist dietary patterns in response to food scarcity. However, the lack of predators and competitors on such small islands often also leads to high densities and the evolution of strong sexual dimorphism, which may also drive the evolution of bite force. Here, we take advantage of a unique replicated introduction experiment to test whether lizards introduced into very small islands alter their feeding ecology and use different resources, resulting in the evolution of a large body size, large head size and large bite forces. Our results show that three years after their introduction, the island lizards were larger and had greater bite forces and more pronounced sexual dimorphism. However, the diets were only marginally different between animals from the source population on a very large nearby island and those on the islets. Moreover, distinct differences in diet between animals on the different islets were observed, suggesting that the local environment is a strong driver of resource use. Overall, lizards with absolutely and relatively (adjusted for body size) large bite forces did eat larger and harder prey. Taken together, our data suggest that intraspecific competition is an important driver of the rapid evolution of bite force, which may allow these lizards to exploit the scarce and fluctuating resources on the islets. Whether or not lizards will evolve to include other types of food such as plants in their diet, facilitated by their large bite forces, remains to be explored in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin M. Donihue
- Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, Brown University, Providence, RI 02903, USA
| | - Anthony Herrel
- UMR 7179 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Département Adaptations du Vivant, Bâtiment d’Anatomie Comparée, 55 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France; (A.H.); (M.T.)
- Department of Biology, Functional Morphology, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
- Department of Biology, Evolutionary Morphology of Vertebrates, Ghent University, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Maxime Taverne
- UMR 7179 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Département Adaptations du Vivant, Bâtiment d’Anatomie Comparée, 55 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France; (A.H.); (M.T.)
| | - Johannes Foufopoulos
- School for Environment and Sustainability, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;
| | - Panayiotis Pafilis
- Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece;
- Zoological Museum, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784 Athens, Greece
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6
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Hunter LE. Digest: Macroevolutionary pattern from microevolutionary processes . Evolution 2021; 75:2996-2997. [PMID: 34498272 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
How can we bridge the gap between studies concerning microevolution and those concerning macroevolution? Taverne et al. provide a framework for how to study both intraspecific and interspecific variations simultaneously through their examination of how craniomandibular skeletal and muscle shape responds to ecological pressures in Podarcis lizards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E Hunter
- Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, 60637
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