Journal
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Volume 288, Issue 1953, Pages -Publisher
ROYAL SOC
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2021.0340
Keywords
adaptive radiation; anolis; constraint; allometry
Categories
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Adaptive radiations in Anolis lizards show a scarcity of theoretically plausible trait combinations, with selective forces potentially leading to the rarity of certain combinations. Differences in scale between inter- and intraspecific comparisons complicate the assessment of causes, but the absence of interspecific patterns at the intraspecific level suggests selection favoring specific trait combinations.
Adaptive radiations fill ecological and morphological space during evolutionary diversification. Why do some trait combinations evolve during such radiations, whereas others do not? 'Required' constraints of pleiotropy and developmental interaction frequently are implicated in explanations for such patterns, but selective forces also may discourage particular trait combinations. Here, we use a dataset of 351 species to demonstrate the dearth of some theoretically plausible trait combinations of limb, toe and tail length in Anolis lizards. For example, disproportionately few Anolis species display long limbs and short toes. We evaluate recovered patterns within three species of Anolis, and find that cladewide patterns are not evident at intraspecific levels. For example, within species, the combination of long limbs and short toes is not significantly rarer than long limbs and long toes. Differences in scale complicate inter- and intraspecific comparisons and disallow concrete conclusions of cause. However, the absence of the interspecific pattern at the intraspecific level is more compatible with selection favouring particular trait combinations than with 'required' forces dictating which trait combinations are available for selection. We also demonstrate the isometry of toe, tail and hindlimb length relative to body length between species but allometry in four of nine trait-body comparisons within species.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available