Impact of transition to a subterranean lifestyle on morphological disparity and integration in talpid moles (Mammalia, Talpidae)

BMC Evolutionary Biology

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[1] 0000 0004 1936 7371, grid.1020.3, Form, Evolution and Anatomy Research Laboratory, Zoology, School of Environmental and Rural Sciences, University of New England, 2351, Armidale, NSW, Australia;0000 0004 1936 7371, grid.1020.3, Form, Evolution and Anatomy Research Laboratory, Zoology, School of Environmental and Rural Sciences, University of New England, 2351, Armidale, NSW, Australia;0000000121622106, grid.8509.4, Department of Sciences, Roma Tre University, Largo San Leonardo Murialdo 1, I-00146, Rome, Italy;0000000122055422, grid.10373.36, Environmetrics Lab, Dipartimento STAT, Università del Molise, I-86090, Pesche, Italy;National Research Council, Institute of Research on Terrestrial Ecosystems, Via Salaria km 29.300, 00015, Monterotondo (Rome), Italy;Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Department of Earth Sciences, Environment and Resources, L.go San Marcellino 10, 80138, Naples, Italy;grid.7841.a, Dipartimento di Scienze Cardiovascolari,Respiratorie, Nefrologiche, Anestesiologiche e Geriatriche, “Sapienza”, Università di Roma, Via del Policlinico 155, 00161, Rome, Italy;grid.7841.a, Dipartimento di Ingegneria Strutturale e Geotecnica, Sapienza, Università di Roma, Via Eudossiana 18, 00100, Rome, Italy;

关键词: Geometric morphometrics;    Disparity;    Integration;    Humerus;    Mandible;    Phylogenetic comparative methods;    Partial warps;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12862-019-1506-0

来源: publisher

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundUnderstanding the mechanisms promoting or constraining morphological diversification within clades is a central topic in evolutionary biology. Ecological transitions are of particular interest because of their influence upon the selective forces and factors involved in phenotypic evolution. Here we focused on the humerus and mandibles of talpid moles to test whether the transition to the subterranean lifestyle impacted morphological disparity and phenotypic traits covariation between these two structures.ResultsOur results indicate non-subterranean species occupy a significantly larger portion of the talpid moles morphospace. However, there is no difference between subterranean and non-subterranean moles in terms of the strength and direction of phenotypic integration.ConclusionsOur study shows that the transition to a subterranean lifestyle significantly reduced morphological variability in talpid moles. However, this reduced disparity was not accompanied by changes in the pattern of traits covariation between the humerus and the mandible, suggesting the presence of strong phylogenetic conservatism within this pattern.

【 授权许可】

CC BY