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Sansalone G, Wroe S, Coates G, Attard MRG, Fruciano C. Unexpectedly uneven distribution of functional trade-offs explains cranial morphological diversity in carnivores. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3275. [PMID: 38627430 PMCID: PMC11021405 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47620-x] [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: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Functional trade-offs can affect patterns of morphological and ecological evolution as well as the magnitude of morphological changes through evolutionary time. Using morpho-functional landscape modelling on the cranium of 132 carnivore species, we focused on the macroevolutionary effects of the trade-off between bite force and bite velocity. Here, we show that rates of evolution in form (morphology) are decoupled from rates of evolution in function. Further, we found theoretical morphologies optimising for velocity to be more diverse, while a much smaller phenotypic space was occupied by shapes optimising force. This pattern of differential representation of different functions in theoretical morphological space was highly correlated with patterns of actual morphological disparity. We hypothesise that many-to-one mapping of cranium shape on function may prevent the detection of direct relationships between form and function. As comparatively only few morphologies optimise bite force, species optimising this function may be less abundant because they are less likely to evolve. This, in turn, may explain why certain clades are less variable than others. Given the ubiquity of functional trade-offs in biological systems, these patterns may be general and may help to explain the unevenness of morphological and functional diversity across the tree of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Sansalone
- Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology (CNR-IRBIM), National Research Council, Via S. Raineri 4, 98122, Messina, Italy.
- Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research Lab, Zoology Division, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 213D, 41125, Modena, Italy.
| | - Stephen Wroe
- Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research Lab, Zoology Division, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Geoffrey Coates
- Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research Lab, Zoology Division, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
| | - Marie R G Attard
- Function, Evolution and Anatomy Research Lab, Zoology Division, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
- British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, CB3 0ET, Cambridge, UK
| | - Carmelo Fruciano
- Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology (CNR-IRBIM), National Research Council, Via S. Raineri 4, 98122, Messina, Italy.
- National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina 61, 90133, Palermo, Italy.
- Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, via Androne 81, 95124, Catania, Italy.
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2
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Tse YT, Miller CV, Pittman M. Morphological disparity and structural performance of the dromaeosaurid skull informs ecology and evolutionary history. BMC Ecol Evol 2024; 24:39. [PMID: 38622512 PMCID: PMC11020771 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-024-02222-5] [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: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-avialan theropod dinosaurs had diverse ecologies and varied skull morphologies. Previous studies of theropod cranial morphology mostly focused on higher-level taxa or characteristics associated with herbivory. To better understand morphological disparity and function within carnivorous theropod families, here we focus on the Dromaeosauridae, 'raptors' traditionally seen as agile carnivorous hunters.We applied 2D geometric morphometrics to quantify skull shape, performed mechanical advantage analysis to assess the efficiency of bite force transfer, and performed finite element analysis to examine strain distribution in the skull during biting. We find that dromaeosaurid skull morphology was less disparate than most non-avialan theropod groups. Their skulls show a continuum of form between those that are tall and short and those that are flat and long. We hypothesise that this narrower morphological disparity indicates developmental constraint on skull shape, as observed in some mammalian families. Mechanical advantage indicates that Dromaeosaurus albertensis and Deinonychus antirrhopus were adapted for relatively high bite forces, while Halszkaraptor escuilliei was adapted for high bite speed, and other dromaeosaurids for intermediate bite forces and speeds. Finite element analysis indicates regions of high strain are consistent within dromaeosaurid families but differ between them. Average strain levels do not follow any phylogenetic pattern, possibly due to ecological convergence between distantly-related taxa.Combining our new morphofunctional data with a re-evaluation of previous evidence, we find piscivorous reconstructions of Halszkaraptor escuilliei to be unlikely, and instead suggest an invertivorous diet and possible adaptations for feeding in murky water or other low-visibility conditions. We support Deinonychus antirrhopus as being adapted for taking large vertebrate prey, but we find that its skull is relatively less resistant to bite forces than other dromaeosaurids. Given the recovery of high bite force resistance for Velociraptor mongoliensis, which is believed to have regularly engaged in scavenging behaviour, we suggest that higher bite force resistance in a dromaeosaurid taxon may reflect a greater reliance on scavenging rather than fresh kills.Comparisons to the troodontid Gobivenator mongoliensis suggest that a gracile rostrum like that of Velociraptor mongoliensis is ancestral to their closest common ancestor (Deinonychosauria) and the robust rostra of Dromaeosaurus albertensis and Deinonychus antirrhopus are a derived condition. Gobivenator mongoliensis also displays a higher jaw mechanical advantage and lower resistance to bite force than the examined dromaeosaurids, but given the hypothesised ecological divergence of troodontids from dromaeosaurids it is unclear which group, if either, represents the ancestral condition. Future work extending sampling to troodontids would therefore be invaluable and provide much needed context to the origin of skull form and function in early birds. This study illustrates how skull shape and functional metrics can discern non-avialan theropod ecology at lower taxonomic levels and identify variants of carnivorous feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuen Ting Tse
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Case Vincent Miller
- Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Michael Pittman
- School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China.
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3
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Mitchell DR, Sherratt E, Weisbecker V. Facing the facts: adaptive trade-offs along body size ranges determine mammalian craniofacial scaling. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:496-524. [PMID: 38029779 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13032] [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: 03/27/2023] [Revised: 11/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
The mammalian cranium (skull without lower jaw) is representative of mammalian diversity and is thus of particular interest to mammalian biologists across disciplines. One widely retrieved pattern accompanying mammalian cranial diversification is referred to as 'craniofacial evolutionary allometry' (CREA). This posits that adults of larger species, in a group of closely related mammals, tend to have relatively longer faces and smaller braincases. However, no process has been officially suggested to explain this pattern, there are many apparent exceptions, and its predictions potentially conflict with well-established biomechanical principles. Understanding the mechanisms behind CREA and causes for deviations from the pattern therefore has tremendous potential to explain allometry and diversification of the mammalian cranium. Here, we propose an amended framework to characterise the CREA pattern more clearly, in that 'longer faces' can arise through several kinds of evolutionary change, including elongation of the rostrum, retraction of the jaw muscles, or a more narrow or shallow skull, which all result in a generalised gracilisation of the facial skeleton with increased size. We define a standardised workflow to test for the presence of the pattern, using allometric shape predictions derived from geometric morphometrics analysis, and apply this to 22 mammalian families including marsupials, rabbits, rodents, bats, carnivores, antelopes, and whales. Our results show that increasing facial gracility with size is common, but not necessarily as ubiquitous as previously suggested. To address the mechanistic basis for this variation, we then review cranial adaptations for harder biting. These dictate that a more gracile cranium in larger species must represent a structural sacrifice in the ability to produce or withstand harder bites, relative to size. This leads us to propose that facial gracilisation in larger species is often a product of bite force allometry and phylogenetic niche conservatism, where more closely related species tend to exhibit more similar feeding ecology and biting behaviours and, therefore, absolute (size-independent) bite force requirements. Since larger species can produce the same absolute bite forces as smaller species with less effort, we propose that relaxed bite force demands can permit facial gracility in response to bone optimisation and alternative selection pressures. Thus, mammalian facial scaling represents an adaptive by-product of the shifting importance of selective pressures occurring with increased size. A reverse pattern of facial 'shortening' can accordingly also be found, and is retrieved in several cases here, where larger species incorporate novel feeding behaviours involving greater bite forces. We discuss multiple exceptions to a bite force-mediated influence on facial proportions across mammals which lead us to argue that ecomorphological specialisation of the cranium is likely to be the primary driver of facial scaling patterns, with some developmental constraints as possible secondary factors. A potential for larger species to have a wider range of cranial functions when less constrained by bite force demands might also explain why selection for larger sizes seems to be prevalent in some mammalian clades. The interplay between adaptation and constraint across size ranges thus presents an interesting consideration for a mechanistically grounded investigation of mammalian cranial allometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Rex Mitchell
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia, 5001, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia
| | - Emma Sherratt
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, 5005, Australia
- South Australian Museum, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia
| | - Vera Weisbecker
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia, 5001, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, New South Wales, 2522, Australia
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4
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Schwab JA, Figueirido B, Martín-Serra A, van der Hoek J, Flink T, Kort A, Esteban Núñez JM, Jones KE. Evolutionary ecomorphology for the twenty-first century: examples from mammalian carnivores. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231400. [PMID: 38018109 PMCID: PMC10685142 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1400] [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: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Carnivores (cats, dogs and kin) are a diverse group of mammals that inhabit a remarkable range of ecological niches. While the relationship between ecology and morphology has long been of interest in carnivorans, the application of quantitative techniques has resulted in a recent explosion of work in the field. Therefore, they provide a case study of how quantitative techniques, such as geometric morphometrics (GMM), have impacted our ability to tease apart complex ecological signals from skeletal anatomy, and the implications for our understanding of the relationships between form, function and ecological specialization. This review provides a synthesis of current research on carnivoran ecomorphology, with the goal of illustrating the complex interaction between ecology and morphology in the skeleton. We explore the ecomorphological diversity across major carnivoran lineages and anatomical systems. We examine cranial elements (skull, sensory systems) and postcranial elements (limbs, vertebral column) to reveal mosaic patterns of adaptation related to feeding and hunting strategies, locomotion and habitat preference. We highlight the crucial role that new approaches have played in advancing our understanding of carnivoran ecomorphology, while addressing challenges that remain in the field, such as ecological classifications, form-function relationships and multi-element analysis, offering new avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia A. Schwab
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, M13 9PL Manchester, UK
| | - Borja Figueirido
- Departamento de Ecología y Geología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Alberto Martín-Serra
- Departamento de Ecología y Geología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Julien van der Hoek
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, M13 9PL Manchester, UK
| | - Therese Flink
- Department of Palaeobiology, Swedish Museum of Natural History, PO Box 50007, 10405 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Anne Kort
- Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Indiana University Bloomington, 1001 E 10th St, Bloomington, IN, USA
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Michigan, 1100 N University Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | | | - Katrina E. Jones
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, M13 9PL Manchester, UK
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5
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Safian D, Ahmed M, van Kruistum H, Furness AI, Reznick DN, Wiegertjes GF, Pollux BJ. Repeated independent origins of the placenta reveal convergent and divergent organ evolution within a single fish family (Poeciliidae). SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadf3915. [PMID: 37611099 PMCID: PMC10446500 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf3915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
An outstanding question in biology is to what extent convergent evolution produces similar, but not necessarily identical, complex phenotypic solutions. The placenta is a complex organ that repeatedly evolved in the livebearing fish family Poeciliidae. Here, we apply comparative approaches to test whether evolution has produced similar or different placental phenotypes in the Poeciliidae and to what extent these phenotypes correlate with convergence at the molecular level. We show the existence of two placental phenotypes characterized by distinctly different anatomical adaptations (divergent evolution). Furthermore, each placental phenotype independently evolved multiple times across the family, providing evidence for repeated convergence. Moreover, our comparative genomic analysis revealed that the genomes of species with different placentas are evolving at a different pace. Last, we show that the two placental phenotypes correlate with two previously described contrasting life-history optima. Our results argue for high evolvability (both divergent and convergent) of the placenta within a group of closely related species in a single family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Safian
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Aquaculture and Fisheries Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Evolutionary Developmental Biology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
| | - Marwa Ahmed
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Aquaculture and Fisheries Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Henri van Kruistum
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
- Animal Breeding and Genomics, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Andrew I. Furness
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Maryland Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office, Annapolis, MD, USA
| | - David N. Reznick
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Geert F. Wiegertjes
- Aquaculture and Fisheries Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Bart J.A. Pollux
- Experimental Zoology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
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6
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Wilson LAB, López-Aguirre C, Archer M, Hand SJ, Flores D, Abdala F, Giannini NP. Patterns of ontogenetic evolution across extant marsupials reflect different allometric pathways to ecomorphological diversity. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2689. [PMID: 37164950 PMCID: PMC10172307 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38365-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The relatively high level of morphological diversity in Australasian marsupials compared to that observed among American marsupials remains poorly understood. We undertake a comprehensive macroevolutionary analysis of ontogenetic allometry of American and Australasian marsupials to examine whether the contrasting levels of morphological diversity in these groups are reflected in their patterns of allometric evolution. We collate ontogenetic series for 62 species and 18 families of marsupials (n = 2091 specimens), spanning across extant marsupial diversity. Our results demonstrate significant lability of ontogenetic allometric trajectories among American and Australasian marsupials, yet a phylogenetically structured pattern of allometric evolution is preserved. Here we show that species diverging more than 65 million years ago converge in their patterns of ontogenetic allometry under animalivorous and herbivorous diets, and that Australasian marsupials do not show significantly greater variation in patterns of ontogenetic allometry than their American counterparts, despite displaying greater magnitudes of extant ecomorphological diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura A B Wilson
- School of Archaeology and Anthropology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia.
- Earth & Sustainability Science Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
| | - Camilo López-Aguirre
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Michael Archer
- Earth & Sustainability Science Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Suzanne J Hand
- Earth & Sustainability Science Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - David Flores
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-Fundación Miguel Lillo). Instituto de Vertebrados, Fundación Miguel Lillo. Miguel Lillo 251, CP 4000, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Fernando Abdala
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-Fundación Miguel Lillo), Miguel Lillo 251, CP4000, Tucumán, Argentina
| | - Norberto P Giannini
- Unidad Ejecutora Lillo (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas-Fundación Miguel Lillo), Miguel Lillo 251, CP4000, Tucumán, Argentina
- Cátedra de Biogeografía, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán, Tucumán, Argentina
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7
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Ferreira-Cardoso S, Claude J, Goswami A, Delsuc F, Hautier L. Flexible conservatism in the skull modularity of convergently evolved myrmecophagous placental mammals. BMC Ecol Evol 2022; 22:87. [PMID: 35773630 PMCID: PMC9248141 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-022-02030-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The skull of placental mammals constitutes one of the best studied systems for phenotypic modularity. Several studies have found strong evidence for the conserved presence of two- and six-module architectures, while the strength of trait correlations (integration) has been associated with major developmental processes such as somatic growth, muscle-bone interactions, and tooth eruption. Among placentals, ant- and termite-eating (myrmecophagy) represents an exemplar case of dietary convergence, accompanied by the selection of several cranial morphofunctional traits such as rostrum elongation, tooth loss, and mastication loss. Despite such drastic functional modifications, the covariance patterns of the skull of convergently evolved myrmecophagous placentals are yet to be studied in order to assess the potential consequences of this dietary shift on cranial modularity. Results Here, we performed a landmark-based morphometric analysis of cranial covariance patterns in 13 species of myrmecophagous placentals. Our analyses reveal that most myrmecophagous species present skulls divided into six to seven modules (depending on the confirmatory method used), with architectures similar to those of non-myrmecophagous placentals (therian six modules). Within-module integration is also similar to what was previously described for other placentals, suggesting that most covariance-generating processes are conserved across the clade. Nevertheless, we show that extreme rostrum elongation and tooth loss in myrmecophagid anteaters have resulted in a shift in intermodule correlations in the proximal region of the rostrum. Namely, the naso-frontal and maxillo-palatine regions are strongly correlated with the oro-nasal module, suggesting an integrated rostrum conserved from pre-natal developmental processes. In contrast, the similarly toothless pangolins show a weaker correlation between the anterior rostral modules, resembling the pattern of toothed placentals. Conclusions These results reveal that despite some integration shifts related to extreme functional and morphological features of myrmecophagous skulls, cranial modular architectures have conserved the typical mammalian scheme. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-022-02030-9.
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8
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The Predictable Complexity of Evolutionary Allometry. Evol Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11692-022-09581-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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9
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Differentiation of skull morphology and cranial kinesis in common toads. ORG DIVERS EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s13127-022-00585-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
AbstractWe examined the cranial morphology and cranial kinesis of the common toads Bufo bufo and B. spinosus with micro-computed tomography and geometric morphometrics and compared the results with published data for related species in a phylogenetic context. The species significantly diverge in skull shape. The skull of B. spinosus is shorter and higher, with a ventral arm of the squamosal bone and the jaw articulation point positioned perpendicular to the braincase, in comparison with a more lateral position in B. bufo. In either species, females have a shorter snout and a higher and wider skull at the jaw articulation point that is positioned more posteriorly, in comparison with conspecific males. High variation in the amount of bone ossification was recorded in both species, ranging from scarcely ossified and loosely connected bones to highly ossified and firmly connected bones. We also found that skull shape and inferred kinetic properties of the skull are highly variable across the Bufonini tribe. However, sample sizes are mostly small and intraspecific variation is high, which might compromise the analyses. Overall, the results suggest that developmental plasticity produces high variation in ossification and cranial kinesis, affecting individuals’ feeding performances. At the population level, this variation supports an efficient exploitation of the habitat and may promote morphological adaptation in a changing environment.
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10
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Siciliano-Martina L, Michaud M, Tanis BP, Scicluna EL, Lawing AM. Endocranial volume increases across captive generations in the endangered Mexican wolf. Sci Rep 2022; 12:8147. [PMID: 35581330 PMCID: PMC9114419 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12371-6] [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: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Endangered animals in captivity may display reduced brain sizes due to captive conditions and limited genetic diversity. Captive diets, for example, may differ in nutrition and texture, altering cranial musculature and alleviating constraints on cranial shape development. Changes in brain size are associated with biological fitness, which may limit reintroduction success. Little is known about how changes in brain size progress in highly managed carnivoran populations and whether such traits are retained among reintroduced populations. Here, we measured the endocranial volume of preserved Mexican wolf skulls across captive generations and between captive, wild, and reintroduced populations and assessed endocranial volume dependence on inbreeding and cranial musculature. Endocranial volume increased across captive generations. However, we did not detect a difference among captive, wild, and reintroduced groups, perhaps due to the variability across captive generations. We did not find a relationship between endocranial volume and either inbreeding or cranial musculature, although the captive population displayed an increase in the cross-sectional area of the masseter muscle. We hypothesize that the increase in endocranial volume observed across captive generations may be related to the high-quality nutrition provided in captivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leila Siciliano-Martina
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, 154 Supple Science Building, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA. .,Interdisciplinary Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Margot Michaud
- Department of African Zoology, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgium
| | - Brian P Tanis
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oregon State University-Cascades, Bend, OR, USA
| | - Emily L Scicluna
- Department of Ecology, Environment and Evolution, School of Life Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - A Michelle Lawing
- Interdisciplinary Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.,Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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11
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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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12
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Bates KT, Wang L, Dempsey M, Broyde S, Fagan MJ, Cox PG. Back to the bones: do muscle area assessment techniques predict functional evolution across a macroevolutionary radiation? J R Soc Interface 2021; 18:20210324. [PMID: 34283941 PMCID: PMC8292018 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2021.0324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Measures of attachment or accommodation area on the skeleton are a popular means of rapidly generating estimates of muscle proportions and functional performance for use in large-scale macroevolutionary studies. Herein, we provide the first evaluation of the accuracy of these muscle area assessment (MAA) techniques for estimating muscle proportions, force outputs and bone loading in a comparative macroevolutionary context using the rodent masticatory system as a case study. We find that MAA approaches perform poorly, yielding large absolute errors in muscle properties, bite force and particularly bone stress. Perhaps more fundamentally, these methods regularly fail to correctly capture many qualitative differences between rodent morphotypes, particularly in stress patterns in finite-element models. Our findings cast doubts on the validity of these approaches as means to provide input data for biomechanical models applied to understand functional transitions in the fossil record, and perhaps even in taxon-rich statistical models that examine broad-scale macroevolutionary patterns. We suggest that future work should go back to the bones to test if correlations between attachment area and muscle size within homologous muscles across a large number of species yield strong predictive relationships that could be used to deliver more accurate predictions for macroevolutionary and functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karl T Bates
- Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, The William Henry Duncan Building, 6 West Derby Street, Liverpool L7 8TX, UK
| | - Linjie Wang
- Department of Engineering, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Matthew Dempsey
- Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, The William Henry Duncan Building, 6 West Derby Street, Liverpool L7 8TX, UK
| | - Sarah Broyde
- Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, Institute of Life Course and Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, The William Henry Duncan Building, 6 West Derby Street, Liverpool L7 8TX, UK
| | - Michael J Fagan
- Department of Engineering, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Philip G Cox
- Department of Archaeology, University of York, PalaeoHub, Wentworth Way, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK.,Hull York Medical School, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
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13
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Fabre AC, Dowling C, Portela Miguez R, Fernandez V, Noirault E, Goswami A. Functional constraints during development limit jaw shape evolution in marsupials. Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20210319. [PMID: 33906406 PMCID: PMC8079998 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Differences in jaw function experienced through ontogeny can have striking consequences for evolutionary outcomes, as has been suggested for the major clades of mammals. By contrast to placentals, marsupial newborns have an accelerated development of the head and forelimbs, allowing them to crawl to the mother's teats to suckle within just a few weeks of conception. The different functional requirements that marsupial newborns experience in early postnatal development have been hypothesized to have constrained their morphological diversification relative to placentals. Here, we test whether marsupials have a lower ecomorphological diversity and rate of evolution in comparison with placentals, focusing specifically on their jaws. To do so, a geometric morphometric approach was used to characterize jaw shape for 151 living and extinct species of mammals spanning a wide phylogenetic, developmental and functional diversity. Our results demonstrate that jaw shape is significantly influenced by both reproductive mode and diet, with substantial ecomorphological convergence between metatherians and eutherians. However, metatherians have markedly lower disparity and rate of mandible shape evolution than observed for eutherians. Thus, despite their ecomorphological diversity and numerous convergences with eutherians, the evolution of the jaw in metatherians appears to be strongly constrained by their specialized reproductive biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Claire Fabre
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5DB, UK
- Palaeontological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Carys Dowling
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5DB, UK
| | | | - Vincent Fernandez
- Imaging and Analysis Centre, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5DB, UK
| | - Eve Noirault
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5DB, UK
| | - Anjali Goswami
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London SW7 5DB, UK
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14
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Rovinsky DS, Evans AR, Adams JW. Functional ecological convergence between the thylacine and small prey-focused canids. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:58. [PMID: 33882837 PMCID: PMC8059158 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01788-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Morphological convergence is a fundamental aspect of evolution, allowing for inference of the biology and ecology of extinct species by comparison with the form and function of living species as analogues. The thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus), the iconic recently extinct marsupial, is considered a classic example of convergent evolution with the distantly related placental wolf or dog, though almost nothing is actually known regarding its ecology. This lack of data leads to questions regarding the degree of convergence with, and the similarity of, the functional ecology of the thylacine and the wolf/dog. Here, we examined the cranium of the thylacine using 3D geometric morphometrics and two quantitative tests of convergence to more precisely determine convergent analogues, within a phylogenetically informed dataset of 56 comparative species across 12 families of marsupial and placental faunivorous mammals. Using this dataset, we investigated patterns of correlation between cranial shape and diet, phylogeny, and relative prey size across these terrestrial faunivores. RESULTS We find a correlation between cranial, facial, and neurocranial shape and the ratio of prey-to-predator body mass, though neurocranial shape may not correlate with prey size within marsupials. The thylacine was found to group with predators that routinely take prey smaller than 45% of their own body mass, not with predators that take subequal-sized or larger prey. Both convergence tests find significant levels of convergence between the thylacine and the African jackals and South American 'foxes', with lesser support for the coyote and red fox. We find little support for convergence between the thylacine and the wolf or dog. CONCLUSIONS Our study finds little support for a wolf/dog-like functional ecology in the thylacine, with it instead being most similar to mid-sized canids such as African jackals and South American 'foxes' that mainly take prey less than half their size. This work suggests that concepts of convergence should extend beyond superficial similarity, and broader comparisons can lead to false interpretations of functional ecology. The thylacine was a predator of small to mid-sized prey, not a big-game specialist like the placental wolf.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglass S Rovinsky
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
| | - Alistair R Evans
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Geosciences, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Justin W Adams
- Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.,Geosciences, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
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15
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Tse YT, Calede JJM. Quantifying the link between craniodental morphology and diet in the Soricidae using geometric morphometrics. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blab005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Dietary adaptations have often been associated with heightened taxonomic diversity. Yet, one of the most species-rich mammalian families, the Soricidae, is often considered to be ecologically and morphologically relatively homogenous. Here, we use geometric morphometrics to capture skull and dentary morphology in a broad sample of shrew species and test the hypothesis that morphological variation among shrew species reflects adaptations to food hardness. Our analyses demonstrate that morphology is associated with dietary ecology. Species that consume hard food items are larger and have specific morphological adaptions including an anteroposteriorly expanded parietal, an anteroposteriorly short and dorsoventrally tall rostrum, a mediolaterally wide palate, buccolingually wide cheek teeth, a large coronoid process and a dorsoventrally short jaw joint. The masseter muscle does not appear to play an important role in the strong bite force of shrews and the dentary is a better indicator of ecology than the skull. Our phylogenetic flexible discriminant function analysis suggests that the evolutionary history of shrews has shaped their morphology, canalizing dietary adaptations and enabling functional equivalence whereby different morphologies achieve similar dietary performances. Our work makes possible future studies of niche partitioning among sympatric species as well as the investigation of the diet of extinct soricids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuen Ting Tse
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, OH, USA
| | - Jonathan J M Calede
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, OH, USA
- The Ohio State University at Marion, Marion, Ohio, OH, USA
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16
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Broyde S, Dempsey M, Wang L, Cox PG, Fagan M, Bates KT. Evolutionary biomechanics: hard tissues and soft evidence? Proc Biol Sci 2021; 288:20202809. [PMID: 33593183 PMCID: PMC7935025 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.2809] [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: 11/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Biomechanical modelling is a powerful tool for quantifying the evolution of functional performance in extinct animals to understand key anatomical innovations and selective pressures driving major evolutionary radiations. However, the fossil record is composed predominantly of hard parts, forcing palaeontologists to reconstruct soft tissue properties in such models. Rarely are these reconstruction approaches validated on extant animals, despite soft tissue properties being highly determinant of functional performance. The extent to which soft tissue reconstructions and biomechanical models accurately predict quantitative or even qualitative patterns in macroevolutionary studies is therefore unknown. Here, we modelled the masticatory system in extant rodents to objectively test the ability of current muscle reconstruction methods to correctly identify quantitative and qualitative differences between macroevolutionary morphotypes. Baseline models generated using measured soft tissue properties yielded differences in muscle proportions, bite force, and bone stress expected between extant sciuromorph, myomorph, and hystricomorph rodents. However, predictions from models generated using reconstruction methods typically used in fossil studies varied widely from high levels of quantitative accuracy to a failure to correctly capture even relative differences between macroevolutionary morphotypes. Our novel experiment emphasizes that correctly reconstructing even qualitative differences between taxa in a macroevolutionary radiation is challenging using current methods. Future studies of fossil taxa should incorporate systematic assessments of reconstruction error into their hypothesis testing and, moreover, seek to expand primary datasets on muscle properties in extant taxa to better inform soft tissue reconstructions in macroevolutionary studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Broyde
- Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, Institute of Aging and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, The William Henry Duncan Building, 6 West Derby Street, Liverpool L7 8TX, UK
| | - Matthew Dempsey
- Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, Institute of Aging and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, The William Henry Duncan Building, 6 West Derby Street, Liverpool L7 8TX, UK
| | - Linjie Wang
- Department of Engineering, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Philip G. Cox
- Department of Archaeology, University of York, PalaeoHub, Wentworth Way, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
- Hull York Medical School, University of York, PalaeoHub, Wentworth Way, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Michael Fagan
- Department of Engineering, University of Hull, Hull HU6 7RX, UK
| | - Karl T. Bates
- Department of Musculoskeletal Biology, Institute of Aging and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, The William Henry Duncan Building, 6 West Derby Street, Liverpool L7 8TX, UK
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17
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Heading for higher ground: Developmental origins and evolutionary diversification of the amniote face. Curr Top Dev Biol 2021; 141:241-277. [PMID: 33602490 DOI: 10.1016/bs.ctdb.2020.12.003] [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] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Amniotes, a clade of terrestrial vertebrates, which includes all of the descendants of the last common ancestor of the reptiles (including dinosaurs and birds) and mammals, is one of the most successful group of animals on our planet. In addition to having an egg equipped with an amnion, an adaptation to lay eggs on land, amniotes possess a number of other major morphological characteristics. Chief among them is the amniote skull, which can be classified into several major types distinguished by the presence and number of temporal fenestrae (windows) in the posterior part. Amniotes evolved from ancestors who possessed a skull composed of a complex mosaic of small bones separated by sutures. Changes in skull composition underlie much of the large-scale evolution of amniotes with many lineages showing a trend in reduction of cranial elements known as the "Williston's Law." The skull of amniotes is also arranged into a set of modules of closely co-evolving bones as revealed by modularity and integration tests. One of the most consistently recovered and at the same time most versatile modules is the "face," anatomically defined as the anterior portion of the head. The faces of amniotes display extraordinary amount of variation, with many adaptive radiations showing parallel tendencies in facial scaling, e.g., changes in length or width. This review explores the natural history of the amniote face and discusses how a better understanding of its anatomy and developmental biology helps to explain the outstanding scale of adaptive facial diversity. We propose a model for facial evolution in the amniotes, based on the differential rate of cranial neural crest cell proliferation and the timing of their skeletal differentiation.
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18
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19
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Ontogenetic origins of cranial convergence between the extinct marsupial thylacine and placental gray wolf. Commun Biol 2021; 4:51. [PMID: 33420327 PMCID: PMC7794302 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-020-01569-x] [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: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenotypic convergence, describing the independent evolution of similar characteristics, offers unique insights into how natural selection influences developmental and molecular processes to generate shared adaptations. The extinct marsupial thylacine and placental gray wolf represent one of the most extraordinary cases of convergent evolution in mammals, sharing striking cranial similarities despite 160 million years of independent evolution. We digitally reconstructed their cranial ontogeny from birth to adulthood to examine how and when convergence arises through patterns of allometry, mosaicism, modularity, and integration. We find the thylacine and wolf crania develop along nearly parallel growth trajectories, despite lineage-specific constraints and heterochrony in timing of ossification. These constraints were found to enforce distinct cranial modularity and integration patterns during development, which were unable to explain their adult convergence. Instead, we identify a developmental origin for their convergent cranial morphologies through patterns of mosaic evolution, occurring within bone groups sharing conserved embryonic tissue origins. Interestingly, these patterns are accompanied by homoplasy in gene regulatory networks associated with neural crest cells, critical for skull patterning. Together, our findings establish empirical links between adaptive phenotypic and genotypic convergence and provides a digital resource for further investigations into the developmental basis of mammalian evolution.
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20
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Michaud M, Veron G, Fabre AC. Phenotypic integration in feliform carnivores: Covariation patterns and disparity in hypercarnivores versus generalists. Evolution 2020; 74:2681-2702. [PMID: 33085081 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2019] [Revised: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The skeleton is a complex arrangement of anatomical structures that covary to various degrees depending on both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Among the Feliformia, many species are characterized by predator lifestyles providing a unique opportunity to investigate the impact of highly specialized hypercarnivorous diet on phenotypic integration and shape diversity. To do so, we compared the shape of the skull, mandible, humerus, and femur of species in relation to their feeding strategies (hypercarnivorous vs. generalist species) and prey preference (predators of small vs. large prey) using three-dimensional geometric morphometric techniques. Our results highlight different degrees of morphological integration in the Feliformia depending on the functional implication of the anatomical structure, with an overall higher covariation of structures in hypercarnivorous species. The skull and the forelimb are not integrated in generalist species, whereas they are integrated in hypercarnivores. These results can potentially be explained by the different feeding strategies of these species. Contrary to our expectations, hypercarnivores display a higher disparity for the skull than generalist species. This is probably due to the fact that a specialization toward high-meat diet could be achieved through various phenotypes. Finally, humeri and femora display shape variations depending on relative prey size preference. Large species feeding on large prey tend to have robust long bones due to higher biomechanical constraints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margot Michaud
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Paris, 75231 cedex 05, France
| | - Géraldine Veron
- Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Paris, 75231 cedex 05, France
| | - Anne-Claire Fabre
- Department of Life Sciences, The Natural History Museum, London, SW7 5BD, United Kingdom
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21
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Viacava P, Blomberg SP, Sansalone G, Phillips MJ, Guillerme T, Cameron SF, Wilson RS, Weisbecker V. Skull shape of a widely distributed, endangered marsupial reveals little evidence of local adaptation between fragmented populations. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:9707-9720. [PMID: 33005341 PMCID: PMC7520215 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The biogeographic distribution of diversity among populations of threatened mammalian species is generally investigated using population genetics. However, intraspecific phenotypic diversity is rarely assessed beyond taxonomy-focused linear measurements or qualitative descriptions. Here, we use a technique widely used in the evolutionary sciences-geometric morphometrics-to characterize shape diversity in the skull of an endangered marsupial, the northern quoll, across its 5,000 km distribution range along Northern Australia. Skull shape is a proxy for feeding, behavior, and phenotypic differentiation, allowing us to ask whether populations can be distinguished and whether patterns of variation indicate adaptability to changing environmental conditions. We analyzed skull shape in 101 individuals across four mainland populations and several islands. We assessed the contribution of population, size, sex, rainfall, temperature, and geography to skull shape variation using principal component analysis, Procrustes ANOVA, and variation partitioning analyses. The populations harbor similar amounts of broadly overlapping skull shape variation, with relatively low geographic effects. Size predicted skull shape best, coinciding with braincase size variation and differences in zygomatic arches. Size-adjusted differences in populations explained less variation with far smaller effect sizes, relating to changes in the insertion areas of masticatory muscles, as well as the upper muzzle and incisor region. Climatic and geographic variables contributed little. Strikingly, the vast majority of shape variation-76%-remained unexplained. Our results suggest a uniform intraspecific scope for shape variation, possibly due to allometric constraints or phenotypic plasticity beyond the relatively strong allometric effect. The lack of local adaptation indicates that cross-breeding between populations will not reduce local morphological skull (and probably general musculoskeletal) adaptation because none exists. However, the potential for heritable morphological variation (e.g., specialization to local diets) seems exceedingly limited. We conclude that 3D geometric morphometrics can provide a comprehensive, statistically rigorous phenomic contribution to genetic-based conservation studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pietro Viacava
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St. Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Simone P Blomberg
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St. Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Gabriele Sansalone
- Form, Evolution and Anatomy Research Laboratory, Zoology School of Environmental and Rural Sciences University of New England Armidale NSW Australia
| | - Matthew J Phillips
- Earth, Environmental and Biological Sciences School Queensland University of Technology Brisbane QLD Australia
| | - Thomas Guillerme
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St. Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Skye F Cameron
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St. Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Robbie S Wilson
- School of Biological Sciences The University of Queensland St. Lucia QLD Australia
| | - Vera Weisbecker
- College of Science and Engineering Flinders University Adelaide SA Australia
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22
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Serio C, Raia P, Meloro C. Locomotory Adaptations in 3D Humerus Geometry of Xenarthra: Testing for Convergence. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
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23
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Abstract
Frogs (Anura) are one of the most diverse vertebrate orders, comprising more than 7,000 species with a worldwide distribution and extensive ecological diversity. In contrast to other tetrapods, frogs have a highly derived body plan and simplified skull. In many lineages of anurans, increased mineralization has led to hyperossified skulls, but the function of this trait and its relationship with other aspects of head morphology are largely unexplored. Using three-dimensional morphological data from 158 species representing all frog families, we assessed wide-scale patterns of shape variation across all major lineages, reconstructed the evolutionary history of cranial hyperossification across the anuran phylogeny, and tested for relationships between ecology, skull shape, and hyperossification. Although many frogs share a conserved skull shape, several extreme forms have repeatedly evolved that commonly are associated with hyperossification, which has evolved independently more than 25 times. Variation in cranial shape is not explained by phylogenetic relatedness but is correlated with shifts in body size and ecology. The species with highly divergent, hyperossified skulls often have a specialized diet or a unique predator defense mechanism. Thus, the evolution of hyperossification has repeatedly facilitated the expansion of the head into multiple new shapes and functions.
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24
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Functional morphology of the jaw adductor muscles in the Canidae. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2020; 303:2878-2903. [DOI: 10.1002/ar.24391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2019] [Revised: 01/18/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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25
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Shi B, Wang Y, Gong L, Chang Y, Liu T, Zhao X, Lin A, Feng J, Jiang T. Correlation of skull morphology and bite force in a bird-eating bat ( Ia io; Vespertilionidae). Front Zool 2020; 17:8. [PMID: 32206076 PMCID: PMC7082990 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-020-00354-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Genetic and ecological factors influence morphology, and morphology is compatible with function. The morphology and bite performance of skulls of bats show a number of characteristic feeding adaptations. The great evening bat, Ia io (Thomas, 1902), eats both insects and birds (Thabah et al. J Mammal 88: 728-735, 2007), and as such, it is considered to represent a case of dietary niche expansion from insects to birds. How the skull morphology or bite force in I. io are related to the expanded diet (that is, birds) remains unknown. We used three-dimensional (3D) geometry of the skulls and measurements of bite force and diets from I. io and 13 other species of sympatric or closely related bat species to investigate the characteristics and the correlation of skull morphology and bite force to diets. Results Significant differences in skull morphology and bite force among species and diets were observed in this study. Similar to the carnivorous bats, bird-eaters (I. io) differed significantly from insectivorous bats; I. io had a larger skull size, taller crania, wider zygomatic arches, shorter but robust mandibles, and larger bite force than the insectivores. The skull morphology of bats was significantly associated with bite force whether controlling for phylogeny or not, but no significant correlations were found between diets and the skulls, or between diets and residual bite force, after controlling for phylogeny. Conclusions These results indicated that skull morphology was independent of diet, and phylogeny had a greater impact on skull morphology than diet in these species. The changes in skull size and morphology have led to variation in bite force, and finally different bat species feeding on different foods. In conclusion, I. io has a larger skull size, robust mandibles, shortened dentitions, longer coronoid processes, expanded angular processes, low condyles, and taller cranial sagittal crests, and wider zygomatic arches that provide this species with mechanical advantages; their greater bite force may help them use larger and hard-bodied birds as a dietary component.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biye Shi
- 1Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China.,2Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China
| | - Yuze Wang
- 1Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China.,2Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China
| | - Lixin Gong
- 1Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China.,2Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China
| | - Yang Chang
- 1Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China.,2Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China
| | - Tong Liu
- 1Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China.,2Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China
| | - Xin Zhao
- 1Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China.,2Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China
| | - Aiqing Lin
- 1Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China.,2Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China
| | - Jiang Feng
- 1Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China.,2Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China.,3College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural University, 2888 Xincheng Street, Changchun, 130118 China
| | - Tinglei Jiang
- 1Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China.,2Key Laboratory of Vegetation Ecology of Education Ministry, Institute of Grassland Science, Northeast Normal University, 2555 Jingyue Street, Changchun, 130117 China
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26
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Feigin CY, Newton AH, Pask AJ. Widespread cis-regulatory convergence between the extinct Tasmanian tiger and gray wolf. Genome Res 2019; 29:1648-1658. [PMID: 31533979 PMCID: PMC6771401 DOI: 10.1101/gr.244251.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The extinct marsupial Tasmanian tiger, or thylacine, and the eutherian gray wolf are among the most widely recognized examples of convergent evolution in mammals. Despite being distantly related, these large predators independently evolved extremely similar craniofacial morphologies, and evidence suggests that they filled similar ecological niches. Previous analyses revealed little evidence of adaptive convergence between their protein-coding genes. Thus, the genetic basis of their convergence is still unclear. Here, we identified candidate craniofacial cis-regulatory elements across vertebrates and compared their evolutionary rates in the thylacine and wolf, revealing abundant signatures of convergent positive selection. Craniofacial thylacine-wolf accelerated regions were enriched near genes involved in TGF beta (TGFB) and BMP signaling, both of which are key morphological signaling pathways with critical roles in establishing the identities and boundaries between craniofacial tissues. Similarly, enhancers of genes involved in craniofacial nerve development showed convergent selection and involvement in these pathways. Taken together, these results suggest that adaptation in cis-regulators of TGF beta and BMP signaling may provide a mechanism to explain the coevolution of developmentally and functionally integrated craniofacial structures in these species. We also found that despite major structural differences in marsupial and eutherian brains, accelerated regions in both species were common near genes with roles in brain development. Our findings support the hypothesis that, relative to protein-coding genes, positive selection on cis-regulatory elements is likely to be an essential driver of adaptive convergent evolution and may underpin thylacine-wolf phenotypic similarities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Y Feigin
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.,Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA
| | - Axel H Newton
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.,Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria 3053, Australia
| | - Andrew J Pask
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.,Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria 3053, Australia
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27
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Camargo NF, Machado LF, Mendonça AF, Vieira EM. Cranial shape predicts arboreal activity of Sigmodontinae rodents. J Zool (1987) 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- N. F. Camargo
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Vertebrados Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade de Brasília Brasília Brazil
| | - L. F. Machado
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Departamento de Zoologia Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade de Brasília Brasília Brazil
| | - A. F. Mendonça
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Vertebrados Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade de Brasília Brasília Brazil
| | - E. M. Vieira
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Vertebrados Departamento de Ecologia Instituto de Ciências Biológicas Universidade de Brasília Brasília Brazil
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Randau M, Sanfelice D, Goswami A. Shifts in cranial integration associated with ecological specialization in pinnipeds (Mammalia, Carnivora). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2019; 6:190201. [PMID: 31032062 PMCID: PMC6458409 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.190201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Patterns of trait integration reflect the underlying genetic and developmental architecture of morphology and significantly influence the direction of evolution. Nevertheless, the relationship between integration and disparity is complex and unlikely to be uniform across large phylogenetic and ecological scales. To date, there are little data comparing patterns of integration across major ecological transitions, limiting understanding of the processes driving changes in trait integration and their consequences. Here, we investigated patterns of cranial integration and disparity across pinnipeds, three closely related carnivoran families that have undergone a secondary adaptation to the aquatic niche with varying levels of ecological differentiation. With a three-dimensional geometric morphometric dataset of 677 specimens spanning 15 species, we compared five models of trait integration, and examined the effects of sexual dimorphism and allometry on model support. Pinnipeds varied greatly in patterns of cranial integration compared to terrestrial carnivorans. Interestingly, this variation is concentrated in phocids, which may reflect the broader range of ecological and life-history specializations across phocid species, and greater independence from the terrestrial habitat observed in that group, relative to otariids. Overall, these results indicate that major ecological transitions, and presumably large changes in selection pressures, may drive changes in phenotypic trait integration.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniela Sanfelice
- Instituto Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Campus Restinga, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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29
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Taverne M, Fabre AC, Herbin M, Herrel A, Peigné S, Lacroux C, Lowie A, Pagès F, Theil JC, Böhmer C. Convergence in the functional properties of forelimb muscles in carnivorans: adaptations to an arboreal lifestyle? Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/bly123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Maxime Taverne
- UMR 7179, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Département Adaptations du Vivant, rue Buffon, Paris, France
| | - Anne-Claire Fabre
- UMR 7179, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Département Adaptations du Vivant, rue Buffon, Paris, France
| | - Marc Herbin
- UMR 7179, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Département Adaptations du Vivant, rue Buffon, Paris, France
| | - Anthony Herrel
- UMR 7179, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Département Adaptations du Vivant, rue Buffon, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Peigné
- UMR 7207 – CR2P, CNRS/MNHN, Département Origines et Evolution, rue Buffon, Paris, France
| | - Camille Lacroux
- UMR 7179, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Département Adaptations du Vivant, rue Buffon, Paris, France
| | - Aurélien Lowie
- UMR 7179, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Département Adaptations du Vivant, rue Buffon, Paris, France
| | - Fanny Pagès
- UMR 7179, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Département Adaptations du Vivant, rue Buffon, Paris, France
| | - Jean-Christophe Theil
- UMR 7179, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Département Adaptations du Vivant, rue Buffon, Paris, France
| | - Christine Böhmer
- UMR 7179, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Département Adaptations du Vivant, rue Buffon, Paris, France
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30
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Flores DA, Giannini N, Abdala F. Evolution of post-weaning skull ontogeny in New World opossums (Didelphidae). ORG DIVERS EVOL 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s13127-018-0369-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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31
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Machado FA, Zahn TMG, Marroig G. Evolution of morphological integration in the skull of Carnivora (Mammalia): Changes in Canidae lead to increased evolutionary potential of facial traits. Evolution 2018; 72:1399-1419. [PMID: 29803199 DOI: 10.1111/evo.13495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Morphological integration refers to the fact that different phenotypic traits of organisms are not fully independent from each other, and tend to covary to different degrees. The covariation among traits is thought to reflect properties of the species' genetic architecture and thus can have an impact on evolutionary responses. Furthermore, if morphological integration changes along the history of a group, inferences of past selection regimes might be problematic. Here, we evaluated the stability and evolution of the morphological integration of skull traits in Carnivora by using evolutionary simulations and phylogenetic comparative methods. Our results show that carnivoran species are able to respond to natural selection in a very similar way. Our comparative analyses show that the phylogenetic signal for pattern of integration is lower than that observed for morphology (trait averages), and that integration was stable throughout the evolution of the group. That notwithstanding, Canidae differed from other families by having higher integration, evolvability, flexibility, and allometric coefficients on the facial region. These changes might have allowed canids to rapidly adapt to different food sources, helping to explain not only the phenotypic diversification of the family, but also why humans were able to generate such a great diversity of dog breeds through artificial selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Andrade Machado
- División Mastozoologa, Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales, "Bernardino Rivadavia". Av. Ángel Gallardo 470 (C1405DJR), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Thiago Macek Gonçalves Zahn
- Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, SP 05508-090, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Marroig
- Departamento de Genética e Biologia Evolutiva, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, SP 05508-090, Brazil
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32
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Styga JM, Houslay TM, Wilson AJ, Earley RL. Ontogeny of the morphology-performance axis in an amphibious fish (Kryptolebias marmoratus). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2018. [PMID: 29537626 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Establishing links between morphology and performance is important for understanding the functional, ecological, and evolutionary implications of morphological diversity. Relationships between morphology and performance are expected to be age dependent if, at different points during ontogeny, animals must perform in different capacities to achieve high fitness returns. Few studies have examined how the relationship between form and function changes across ontogeny. Here, we assess this relationship in the amphibious mangrove rivulus (Kryptolebias marmoratus) fish, a species that is both capable of and reliant on "tail-flip jumping" for terrestrial locomotion. Tail-flip jumping entails an individual transferring its weight to the caudal region of the body, launching itself from the substrate to navigate to new aquatic or semi-aquatic habitats. By combining repeated trials of jumping performance in 237 individuals from distinct age classes with a clearing and staining procedure to visualize bones in the caudal region, we test the hypotheses that as age increases (i) average jumping performance (body lengths jumped) will increase, (ii) the amount of variation for each trait will change, and (iii) the patterns of covariation/correlation among traits, which tell us about the integration of form with function, will also change. We find a significant increase in size-adjusted jumping performance with age, and modification to the correlation structure among traits across ontogeny. However, we also find that significant links between form and function evident in young animals disappear at later ontogenetic stages. Our study suggests that different functional mechanisms may be associated with high performance at different stages of development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Styga
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Thomas M Houslay
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter-Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK
| | - Alastair J Wilson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter-Penryn Campus, Cornwall, UK
| | - Ryan L Earley
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
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33
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Newton AH, Spoutil F, Prochazka J, Black JR, Medlock K, Paddle RN, Knitlova M, Hipsley CA, Pask AJ. Letting the 'cat' out of the bag: pouch young development of the extinct Tasmanian tiger revealed by X-ray computed tomography. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:171914. [PMID: 29515893 PMCID: PMC5830782 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/22/2018] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The Tasmanian tiger or thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was an iconic Australian marsupial predator that was hunted to extinction in the early 1900s. Despite sharing striking similarities with canids, they failed to evolve many of the specialized anatomical features that characterize carnivorous placental mammals. These evolutionary limitations are thought to arise from functional constraints associated with the marsupial mode of reproduction, in which otherwise highly altricial young use their well-developed forelimbs to climb to the pouch and mouth to suckle. Here we present the first three-dimensional digital developmental series of the thylacine throughout its pouch life using X-ray computed tomography on all known ethanol-preserved specimens. Based on detailed skeletal measurements, we refine the species growth curve to improve age estimates for the individuals. Comparison of allometric growth trends in the appendicular skeleton (fore- and hindlimbs) with that of other placental and marsupial mammals revealed that despite their unique adult morphologies, thylacines retained a generalized early marsupial ontogeny. Our approach also revealed mislabelled specimens that possessed large epipubic bones (vestigial in thylacine) and differing vertebral numbers. All of our generated CT models are publicly available, preserving their developmental morphology and providing a novel digital resource for future studies of this unique marsupial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel H. Newton
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Museum, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Frantisek Spoutil
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i., Prague, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Prochazka
- Czech Centre for Phenogenomics, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, v.v.i., Prague, Vestec, Czech Republic
| | - Jay R. Black
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Robert N. Paddle
- School of Psychology, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | | | - Christy A. Hipsley
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Museum, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Andrew J. Pask
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Melbourne Museum, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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34
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Tseng ZJ, Flynn JJ. Structure-function covariation with nonfeeding ecological variables influences evolution of feeding specialization in Carnivora. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2018; 4:eaao5441. [PMID: 29441363 PMCID: PMC5810607 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aao5441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Skull shape convergence is pervasive among vertebrates. Although this is frequently inferred to indicate similar functional underpinnings, neither the specific structure-function linkages nor the selective environments in which the supposed functional adaptations arose are commonly identified and tested. We demonstrate that nonfeeding factors relating to sexual maturity and precipitation-related arboreality also can generate structure-function relationships in the skulls of carnivorans (dogs, cats, seals, and relatives) through covariation with masticatory performance. We estimated measures of masticatory performance related to ecological variables that covary with cranial shape in the mammalian order Carnivora, integrating geometric morphometrics and finite element analyses. Even after accounting for phylogenetic autocorrelation, cranial shapes are significantly correlated to both feeding and nonfeeding ecological variables, and covariation with both variable types generated significant masticatory performance gradients. This suggests that mechanisms of obligate shape covariation with nonfeeding variables can produce performance changes resembling those arising from feeding adaptations in Carnivora.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z. Jack Tseng
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY 14203, USA
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, USA
- Corresponding author.
| | - John J. Flynn
- Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, USA
- Richard Gilder Graduate School, American Museum of Natural History, Central Park West at 79th Street, New York, NY 10024, USA
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35
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Feigin CY, Newton AH, Doronina L, Schmitz J, Hipsley CA, Mitchell KJ, Gower G, Llamas B, Soubrier J, Heider TN, Menzies BR, Cooper A, O'Neill RJ, Pask AJ. Genome of the Tasmanian tiger provides insights into the evolution and demography of an extinct marsupial carnivore. Nat Ecol Evol 2017; 2:182-192. [PMID: 29230027 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0417-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The Tasmanian tiger or thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus) was the largest carnivorous Australian marsupial to survive into the modern era. Despite last sharing a common ancestor with the eutherian canids ~160 million years ago, their phenotypic resemblance is considered the most striking example of convergent evolution in mammals. The last known thylacine died in captivity in 1936 and many aspects of the evolutionary history of this unique marsupial apex predator remain unknown. Here we have sequenced the genome of a preserved thylacine pouch young specimen to clarify the phylogenetic position of the thylacine within the carnivorous marsupials, reconstruct its historical demography and examine the genetic basis of its convergence with canids. Retroposon insertion patterns placed the thylacine as the basal lineage in Dasyuromorphia and suggest incomplete lineage sorting in early dasyuromorphs. Demographic analysis indicated a long-term decline in genetic diversity starting well before the arrival of humans in Australia. In spite of their extraordinary phenotypic convergence, comparative genomic analyses demonstrated that amino acid homoplasies between the thylacine and canids are largely consistent with neutral evolution. Furthermore, the genes and pathways targeted by positive selection differ markedly between these species. Together, these findings support models of adaptive convergence driven primarily by cis-regulatory evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Y Feigin
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Axel H Newton
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Liliya Doronina
- Institute of Experimental Pathology (ZMBE), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Jürgen Schmitz
- Institute of Experimental Pathology (ZMBE), University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Christy A Hipsley
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.,Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kieren J Mitchell
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Graham Gower
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Bastien Llamas
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Julien Soubrier
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Thomas N Heider
- Institute for Systems Genomics and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Brandon R Menzies
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alan Cooper
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Rachel J O'Neill
- Institute for Systems Genomics and Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA
| | - Andrew J Pask
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia. .,Museums Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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36
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Patterns of integration in the canine skull: an inside view into the relationship of the skull modules of domestic dogs and wolves. ZOOLOGY 2017; 125:1-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.zool.2017.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2016] [Revised: 06/02/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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37
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Keagy J, Braithwaite VA, Boughman JW. Brain differences in ecologically differentiated sticklebacks. Curr Zool 2017; 64:243-250. [PMID: 30402065 PMCID: PMC5905471 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zox074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Populations that have recently diverged offer a powerful model for studying evolution. Ecological differences are expected to generate divergent selection on multiple traits, including neurobiological ones. Animals must detect, process, and act on information from their surroundings and the form of this information can be highly dependent on the environment. We might expect different environments to generate divergent selection not only on the sensory organs, but also on the brain regions responsible for processing sensory information. Here, we test this hypothesis using recently evolved reproductively isolated species pairs of threespine stickleback fish Gasterosteus aculeatus that have well-described differences in many morphological and behavioral traits correlating with ecological differences. We use a state-of-the-art method, magnetic resonance imaging, to get accurate volumetric data for 2 sensory processing regions, the olfactory bulbs and optic tecta. We found a tight correlation between ecology and the size of these brain regions relative to total brain size in 2 lakes with intact species pairs. Limnetic fish, which rely heavily on vision, had relatively larger optic tecta and smaller olfactory bulbs compared with benthic fish, which utilize olfaction to a greater extent. Benthic fish also had larger total brain volumes relative to their body size compared with limnetic fish. These differences were erased in a collapsed species pair in Enos Lake where anthropogenic disturbance has led to intense hybridization. Together these data indicate that evolution of sensory processing regions can occur rapidly and independently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Keagy
- Department of Animal Biology, School of Integrative Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL 61801, USA.,Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Victoria A Braithwaite
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.,Center for Brain, Behavior and Cognition, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Janette W Boughman
- Department of Integrative Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,BEACON Center for the Study of Evolution in Action, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.,Program in Ecology, Evolutionary Biology and Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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38
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Hautier L, Billet G, de Thoisy B, Delsuc F. Beyond the carapace: skull shape variation and morphological systematics of long-nosed armadillos (genus Dasypus). PeerJ 2017; 5:e3650. [PMID: 28828252 PMCID: PMC5562145 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.3650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The systematics of long-nosed armadillos (genus Dasypus) has been mainly based on a handful of external morphological characters and classical measurements. Here, we studied the pattern of morphological variation in the skull of long-nosed armadillos species, with a focus on the systematics of the widely distributed nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). Methods We present the first exhaustive 3D comparison of the skull morphology within the genus Dasypus, based on micro-computed tomography. We used geometric morphometric approaches to explore the patterns of the intra- and interspecific morphological variation of the skull with regard to several factors such as taxonomy, geography, allometry, and sexual dimorphism. Results We show that the shape and size of the skull vary greatly among Dasypus species, with Dasypus pilosus representing a clear outlier compared to other long-nosed armadillos. The study of the cranial intraspecific variation in Dasypus novemcinctus evidences clear links to the geographic distribution and argues in favor of a revision of past taxonomic delimitations. Our detailed morphometric comparisons detected previously overlooked morphotypes of nine-banded armadillos, especially a very distinctive unit restricted to the Guiana Shield. Discussion As our results are congruent with recent molecular data and analyses of the structure of paranasal sinuses, we propose that Dasypus novemcinctus should be regarded either as a polytypic species (with three to four subspecies) or as a complex of several distinct species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lionel Hautier
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, UMR5554, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Mammal Section, Life Sciences, Vertebrate Division, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Guillaume Billet
- Sorbonne Universités, CR2P, UMR 7207, CNRS, Université Paris 06, Museum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Benoit de Thoisy
- Institut Pasteur de la Guyane, Cayenne, French Guiana, France.,Kwata NGO, Cayenne, French Guiana, France
| | - Frédéric Delsuc
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, UMR5554, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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39
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Serb JM, Sherratt E, Alejandrino A, Adams DC. Phylogenetic convergence and multiple shell shape optima for gliding scallops (Bivalvia: Pectinidae). J Evol Biol 2017; 30:1736-1747. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Revised: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. M. Serb
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames IA USA
| | - E. Sherratt
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames IA USA
- Department of Genetics and Evolution School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide Adelaide SA Australia
| | - A. Alejandrino
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames IA USA
- Department of Biology Whittier College Whittier CA USA
| | - D. C. Adams
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology Iowa State University Ames IA USA
- Department of Statistics Iowa State University Ames IA USA
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40
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Zatoń-Dobrowolska M, Moska M, Mucha A, Wierzbicki H, Dobrowolski M. Variation in fur farm and wild populations of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes (Carnivora: Canidae). Part II: Craniometry. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2017. [DOI: 10.1139/cjas-2017-0015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Zatoń-Dobrowolska
- Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy we Wroclawiu, 56641, Deoartment of Genetics, Kożuchowska 7, Wroclaw, Poland, 51-631
| | - Magdalena Moska
- Wroclaw University of Environmenatl and Life Sciences, Department of Genetics, Kozuchowska 7, Wroclaw, Poland, 51-631
| | - Anna Mucha
- Wroclaw University of Environmenatl and Life Sciences, Department of Genetics, Kożuchowska 7, Wroclaw, Poland, 51-631
| | - Heliodor Wierzbicki
- Wroclaw University of Environmenatl and Life Sciences, Department of Genetics, Kozuchowska 7, Wroclaw, Poland, 51-631
| | - Maciej Dobrowolski
- Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Institute of Animal Breeding, Kożuchowska 5a, Wroclaw, Poland, 51-631
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41
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Newton AH, Feigin CY, Pask AJ. RUNX2 repeat variation does not drive craniofacial diversity in marsupials. BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:110. [PMID: 28472940 PMCID: PMC5418715 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-0955-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/23/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) is a transcription factor essential for skeletal development. Variation within the RUNX2 polyglutamine / polyalanine (QA) repeat is correlated with facial length within orders of placental mammals and is suggested to be a major driver of craniofacial diversity. However, it is not known if this correlation exists outside of the placental mammals. RESULTS Here we examined the correlation between the RUNX2 QA repeat ratio and facial length in the naturally evolving sister group to the placental mammals, the marsupials. Marsupials have a diverse range of facial lengths similar to that seen in placental mammals. Despite their diversity there was almost no variation seen in the RUNX2 QA repeat across individuals spanning the entire marsupial infraclass. The extreme conservation of the marsupial RUNX2 QA repeat indicates it is under strong purifying selection. Despite this, we observed an unexpectedly high level of repeat purity. CONCLUSIONS Unlike within orders of placental mammals, RUNX2 repeat variation cannot drive craniofacial diversity in marsupials. We propose conservation of the marsupial RUNX2 QA repeat is driven by the constraint of accelerated ossification of the anterior skeleton to facilitate life in the pouch. Thus, marsupials must utilize alternate pathways to placental mammals to drive craniofacial evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axel H. Newton
- The School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010 Australia
| | - Charles Y. Feigin
- The School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010 Australia
| | - Andrew J. Pask
- The School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, 3010 Australia
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Botton-Divet L, Cornette R, Houssaye A, Fabre AC, Herrel A. Swimming and running: a study of the convergence in long bone morphology among semi-aquatic mustelids (Carnivora: Mustelidae). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blw027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Evans KM, Waltz B, Tagliacollo V, Chakrabarty P, Albert JS. Why the short face? Developmental disintegration of the neurocranium drives convergent evolution in neotropical electric fishes. Ecol Evol 2017; 7:1783-1801. [PMID: 28331588 PMCID: PMC5355199 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Revised: 11/13/2016] [Accepted: 11/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Convergent evolution is widely viewed as strong evidence for the influence of natural selection on the origin of phenotypic design. However, the emerging evo‐devo synthesis has highlighted other processes that may bias and direct phenotypic evolution in the presence of environmental and genetic variation. Developmental biases on the production of phenotypic variation may channel the evolution of convergent forms by limiting the range of phenotypes produced during ontogeny. Here, we study the evolution and convergence of brachycephalic and dolichocephalic skull shapes among 133 species of Neotropical electric fishes (Gymnotiformes: Teleostei) and identify potential developmental biases on phenotypic evolution. We plot the ontogenetic trajectories of neurocranial phenotypes in 17 species and document developmental modularity between the face and braincase regions of the skull. We recover a significant relationship between developmental covariation and relative skull length and a significant relationship between developmental covariation and ontogenetic disparity. We demonstrate that modularity and integration bias the production of phenotypes along the brachycephalic and dolichocephalic skull axis and contribute to multiple, independent evolutionary transformations to highly brachycephalic and dolichocephalic skull morphologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kory M Evans
- Department of Biology University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette LA USA
| | - Brandon Waltz
- Department of Biology University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette LA USA
| | - Victor Tagliacollo
- Universidade Federal do Tocantins Programa de Pós-graduação Ciências do Ambiente (CIAMB) Palmas Tocantins 77001-090 Brazil
| | | | - James S Albert
- Department of Biology University of Louisiana at Lafayette Lafayette LA USA
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Fluctuations in Evolutionary Integration Allow for Big Brains and Disparate Faces. Sci Rep 2017; 7:40431. [PMID: 28091543 PMCID: PMC5238424 DOI: 10.1038/srep40431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
In theory, evolutionary modularity allows anatomical structures to respond differently to selective regimes, thus promoting morphological diversification. These differences can then influence the rate and direction of phenotypic evolution among structures. Here we use geometric morphometrics and phenotypic matrix statistics to compare rates of craniofacial evolution and estimate evolvability in the face and braincase modules of a clade of teleost fishes (Gymnotiformes) and a clade of mammals (Carnivora), both of which exhibit substantial craniofacial diversity. We find that the face and braincase regions of both clades display different degrees of integration. We find that the face and braincase evolve at similar rates in Gymnotiformes and the reverse in Carnivora with the braincase evolving twice as fast as the face. Estimates of evolvability and constraints in these modules suggest differential responses to selection arising from fluctuations in phylogenetic integration, thus influencing differential rates of skull-shape evolution in these two clades.
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45
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McIntosh AF, Cox PG. The impact of gape on the performance of the skull in chisel-tooth digging and scratch digging mole-rats (Rodentia: Bathyergidae). ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160568. [PMID: 27853575 PMCID: PMC5099000 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
The African mole-rats (Bathyergidae) are a family of rodents highly adapted for life underground. Previous research has shown that chisel-tooth digging mole-rats (which use their incisors to dig burrows) are clearly distinguishable from scratch diggers (which only use the forelimbs to tunnel) on the basis of morphology of the skull, and that the differences are linked to the production of high bite forces and wide gapes. We hypothesized that the skull of a chisel-tooth digging mole-rat would perform better at wider gapes than that of a scratch digging mole-rat during incisor biting. To test this hypothesis, we created finite-element models of the cranium of the scratch digging Bathyergus suillus and the chisel-tooth digging Fukomys mechowii, and loaded them to simulate incisor bites at different gapes. Muscle loads were scaled such that the ratio of force to surface area was the same in both models. We measured three performance variables: overall stress across the cranium, mechanical efficiency of biting and degree of deformation across the skull. The Fukomys model had a more efficient incisor bite at all gapes, despite having greater average stress across the skull. In addition, the Fukomys model deformed less at wider gapes, whereas the Bathyergus model deformed less at narrower gapes. These properties of the cranial morphology of Fukomys and Bathyergus are congruent with their respective chisel-tooth and scratch digging behaviours and, all other factors being equal, would enable the more efficient production of bite force at wider gapes in Fukomys. However, in vivo measurements of muscle forces and activation patterns are needed to fully understand the complex biomechanics of tooth digging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew F. McIntosh
- Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Hull, UK
| | - Philip G. Cox
- Centre for Anatomical and Human Sciences, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, UK
- Department of Archaeology, University of York, York, UK
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46
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Kraatz B, Sherratt E. Evolutionary morphology of the rabbit skull. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2453. [PMID: 27688967 PMCID: PMC5036099 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2015] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The skull of leporids (rabbits and hares) is highly transformed, typified by pronounced arching of the dorsal skull and ventral flexion of the facial region (i.e., facial tilt). Previous studies show that locomotor behavior influences aspects of cranial shape in leporids, and here we use an extensive 3D geometric morphometrics dataset to further explore what influences leporid cranial diversity. Facial tilt angle, a trait that strongly correlates with locomotor mode, significantly predicts the cranial shape variation captured by the primary axis of cranial shape space, and describes a small proportion (13.2%) of overall cranial shape variation in the clade. However, locomotor mode does not correlate with overall cranial shape variation in the clade, because there are two district morphologies of generalist species, and saltators and cursorial species have similar morphologies. Cranial shape changes due to phyletic size change (evolutionary allometry) also describes a small proportion (12.5%) of cranial shape variation in the clade, but this is largely driven by the smallest living leporid, the pygmy rabbit (Brachylagus idahoensis). By integrating phylogenetic history with our geometric morphometric data, we show that the leporid cranium exhibits weak phylogenetic signal and substantial homoplasy. Though these results make it difficult to reconstruct what the ‘ancestral’ leporid skull looked like, the fossil records suggest that dorsal arching and facial tilt could have occurred before the origin of the crown group. Lastly, our study highlights the diversity of cranial variation in crown leporids, and highlights a need for additional phylogenetic work that includes stem (fossil) leporids and includes morphological data that captures the transformed morphology of rabbits and hares.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Kraatz
- Department of Anatomy, Western University of Health Sciences , United States
| | - Emma Sherratt
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Genetics, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University , Canberra, ACT , Australia
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Penone C, Weinstein BG, Graham CH, Brooks TM, Rondinini C, Hedges SB, Davidson AD, Costa GC. Global mammal beta diversity shows parallel assemblage structure in similar but isolated environments. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 283:20161028. [PMID: 27559061 PMCID: PMC5013794 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.1028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The taxonomic, phylogenetic and trait dimensions of beta diversity each provide us unique insights into the importance of historical isolation and environmental conditions in shaping global diversity. These three dimensions should, in general, be positively correlated. However, if similar environmental conditions filter species with similar trait values, then assemblages located in similar environmental conditions, but separated by large dispersal barriers, may show high taxonomic, high phylogenetic, but low trait beta diversity. Conversely, we expect lower phylogenetic diversity, but higher trait biodiversity among assemblages that are connected but are in differing environmental conditions. We calculated all pairwise comparisons of approximately 110 × 110 km grid cells across the globe for more than 5000 mammal species (approx. 70 million comparisons). We considered realms as units representing geographical distance and historical isolation and biomes as units with similar environmental conditions. While beta diversity dimensions were generally correlated, we highlight geographical regions of decoupling among beta diversity dimensions. Our analysis shows that assemblages from tropical forests in different realms had low trait dissimilarity while phylogenetic beta diversity was significantly higher than expected, suggesting potential convergent evolution. Low trait beta diversity was surprisingly not found between isolated deserts, despite harsh environmental conditions. Overall, our results provide evidence for parallel assemblage structure of mammal assemblages driven by environmental conditions at a global scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Penone
- Departamento de Ecologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Ben G Weinstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Catherine H Graham
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Thomas M Brooks
- International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland, Switzerland
| | - Carlo Rondinini
- Department of Biology and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - S Blair Hedges
- Center for Biodiversity, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Ana D Davidson
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA NatureServe, Arlington, VA, USA
| | - Gabriel C Costa
- Departamento de Ecologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
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Penrose F, Kemp GJ, Jeffery N. Scaling and Accommodation of Jaw Adductor Muscles in Canidae. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2016; 299:951-66. [PMID: 27103346 PMCID: PMC5084800 DOI: 10.1002/ar.23355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Revised: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The masticatory apparatus amongst closely related carnivoran species raises intriguing questions about the interplay between allometry, function, and phylogeny in defining interspecific variations of cranial morphology. Here we describe the gross structure of the jaw adductor muscles of several species of canid, and then examine how the muscles are scaled across the range of body sizes, phylogenies, and trophic groups. We also consider how the muscles are accommodated on the skull, and how this is influenced by differences of endocranial size. Data were collected for a suite of morphological metrics, including body mass, endocranial volume, and muscle masses and we used geometric morphometric shape analysis to reveal associated form changes. We find that all jaw adductor muscles scale isometrically against body mass, regardless of phylogeny or trophic group, but that endocranial volume scales with negative allometry against body mass. These findings suggest that head shape is partly influenced by the need to house isometrically scaling muscles on a neurocranium scaling with negative allometry. Principal component analysis suggests that skull shape changes, such as the relatively wide zygomatic arches and large sagittal crests seen in species with higher body masses, allow the skull to accommodate a relative enlargement of the jaw adductors compared with the endocranium. Anat Rec, 299:951-966, 2016. © 2016 The Authors The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fay Penrose
- Institute of Ageing and Chronic DiseaseDepartment of Musculoskeletal Biology and the MRCArthritis Research UK Centre for Integrated Research into Musculoskeletal Ageing (CIMA)University of LiverpoolLiverpoolUnited Kingdom
- School of Veterinary ScienceDepartment of Veterinary Preclinical ScienceUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUnited Kingdom
| | - Graham J. Kemp
- Institute of Ageing and Chronic DiseaseDepartment of Musculoskeletal Biology and the MRCArthritis Research UK Centre for Integrated Research into Musculoskeletal Ageing (CIMA)University of LiverpoolLiverpoolUnited Kingdom
| | - Nathan Jeffery
- Institute of Ageing and Chronic DiseaseDepartment of Musculoskeletal Biology and the MRCArthritis Research UK Centre for Integrated Research into Musculoskeletal Ageing (CIMA)University of LiverpoolLiverpoolUnited Kingdom
- Human Anatomy Resource CentreUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUnited Kingdom
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49
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Goswami A, Randau M, Polly PD, Weisbecker V, Bennett CV, Hautier L, Sánchez-Villagra MR. Do Developmental Constraints and High Integration Limit the Evolution of the Marsupial Oral Apparatus? Integr Comp Biol 2016; 56:404-15. [PMID: 27260858 PMCID: PMC4990707 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icw039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental constraints can have significant influence on the magnitude and direction of evolutionary change, and many studies have demonstrated that these effects are manifested on macroevolutionary scales. Phenotypic integration, or the strong interactions among traits, has been similarly invoked as a major influence on morphological variation, and many studies have demonstrated that trait integration changes through ontogeny, in many cases decreasing with age. Here, we unify these perspectives in a case study of the ontogeny of the mammalian cranium, focusing on a comparison between marsupials and placentals. Marsupials are born at an extremely altricial state, requiring, in most cases, the use of the forelimbs to climb to the pouch, and, in all cases, an extended period of continuous suckling, during which most of their development occurs. Previous work has shown that marsupials are less disparate in adult cranial form than are placentals, particularly in the oral apparatus, and in forelimb ontogeny and adult morphology, presumably due to functional selection pressures on these two systems during early postnatal development. Using phenotypic trajectory analysis to quantify prenatal and early postnatal cranial ontogeny in 10 species of therian mammals, we demonstrate that this pattern of limited variation is also apparent in the development of the oral apparatus of marsupials, relative to placentals, but not in the skull more generally. Combined with the observation that marsupials show extremely high integration of the oral apparatus in early postnatal ontogeny, while other cranial regions show similar levels of integration to that observed in placentals, we suggest that high integration may compound the effects of the functional constraints for continuous suckling to ultimately limit the ontogenetic and adult disparity of the marsupial oral apparatus throughout their evolutionary history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjali Goswami
- *Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK Department of Earth Sciences, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Marcela Randau
- *Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - P David Polly
- Department of Geological Sciences, 1001 E. 10th Street, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, 47405, USA
| | - Vera Weisbecker
- School of Biological Sciences, Goddard Building 8, University of Queensland, St. Lucia 4072, Australia
| | - C Verity Bennett
- *Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Lionel Hautier
- Laboratoire de Paléontologie, Institut des Sciences de l'Èvolution de Montpellier (CNRS, UM, IRD, EPHE), c.c. 064, Université Montpellier 2, Place Eugène Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier, Cedex 5 , France
| | - Marcelo R Sánchez-Villagra
- Palaeontological Institute and Museum, University of Zürich, Karl-Schmid-Strasse 4, CH-8006, Zürich, Switzerland
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50
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Vassallo AI. Analysis of arch-like bones: The rodent mandible as a case study. J Morphol 2016; 277:879-87. [PMID: 27059294 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2015] [Revised: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Bone strength is determined by the mechanical properties of bone material, and the size and shape of the whole bone, i.e., its architecture. The mandible of vertebrates has been traditionally regarded as a beam oriented in relation to main masticatory loads, i.e., the longer dimension of its cross-section being parallel to the load. Rodents follow this pattern but, in addition, their mandible possesses an intriguing arch-like shape that is apparent when seen in the lateral view. Little attention was given to the structural capacity of this trait. The advantage of an arch is that it can withstand a greater load than a horizontal beam. The objective of this study was to model the rodent mandible like an arch to evaluate its structural strength. The bending moment in an arch-like mandible was 15-25% lower with respect to a beam-like mandible. Further, bending varies with mandible "slenderness" and incisor procumbency, a functionally relevant rodent trait. In the rodent Ctenomys talarum (Caviomorpha; Ctenomyidae), bone stress was substantially reduced when the mandible was modeled as an arch-like structure as compared with a beam-like structure, and safety factors were 15-34% higher. The shape of rodents' mandible might confer a functional advantage to high and repeatedly applied loads resulting from a unique feeding mode: gnawing. J. Morphol. 277:879-887, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldo Iván Vassallo
- Department of Biology - IIMyC Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; CONICET, University of Mar Del Plata, Funes, 3250, Mar del Plata, Argentina
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