Pub Date : 2024-02-23DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blae008
George Sangster, Magnus S Robb, William A Mackin, Mark Bolton
Species limits in the North Atlantic clade of small shearwaters (Puffinus lherminieri lherminieri, P. l. baroli, and P. l. boydi) have been controversial. In this study, the aerial calls of P. l. boydi are described in detail and compared with those of P. l. baroli and P. l. lherminieri. Multivariate methods were used to test for differences in seven characteristics of aerial calls among the three taxonomic groups, in a sample of 135 individuals. There were differences between males and females in five of the seven call elements studied and differences in all seven call elements among the three taxonomic groups. Discriminant function analysis provided a high degree of discrimination, with 91%–100% of the calls being assigned to the correct taxon. The overall level of acoustic differentiation between P. l. baroli and P. l. boydi was similar to that between P. l. baroli and P. l. lherminieri and twice as high as that of P. l. boydi and P. l. lherminieri. These acoustic data, in combination with previously reported patterns of morphometric and molecular divergence, support the recognition of three North Atlantic species: P. lherminieri, P. baroli, and P. boydi. This study underscores that patterns of acoustic variation provide a useful source of information for taxonomic studies of procellariiform seabirds.
北大西洋小剪鸦科（Puffinus lherminieri lherminieri、P. l. baroli 和 P. l. boydi）的物种界限一直存在争议。本研究详细描述了 P. l. boydi 的空中鸣叫，并将其与 P. l. baroli 和 P. l. lherminieri 的空中鸣叫进行了比较。在 135 个样本中，采用多变量方法检验了三个分类群之间气鸣声的七个特征的差异。在所研究的七种叫声要素中，有五种存在雌雄差异，而在三个分类群中，所有七种叫声要素都存在差异。判别函数分析提供了很高的区分度，91%-100%的叫声被归入正确的分类群。P. l. baroli 和 P. l. boydi 之间的总体声学分辨水平与 P. l. baroli 和 P. l. lherminieri 之间相似，是 P. l. boydi 和 P. l. lherminieri 的两倍。这些声学数据与之前报道的形态和分子分化模式相结合，支持确认三个北大西洋物种：lherminieri、P. baroli 和 P. boydi。这项研究强调，声学变异模式为原鳞海鸟的分类研究提供了有用的信息来源。
{"title":"Vocalizations and species limits in the North Atlantic clade of small shearwaters (Procellariiformes: Puffinus)","authors":"George Sangster, Magnus S Robb, William A Mackin, Mark Bolton","doi":"10.1093/biolinnean/blae008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blae008","url":null,"abstract":"Species limits in the North Atlantic clade of small shearwaters (Puffinus lherminieri lherminieri, P. l. baroli, and P. l. boydi) have been controversial. In this study, the aerial calls of P. l. boydi are described in detail and compared with those of P. l. baroli and P. l. lherminieri. Multivariate methods were used to test for differences in seven characteristics of aerial calls among the three taxonomic groups, in a sample of 135 individuals. There were differences between males and females in five of the seven call elements studied and differences in all seven call elements among the three taxonomic groups. Discriminant function analysis provided a high degree of discrimination, with 91%–100% of the calls being assigned to the correct taxon. The overall level of acoustic differentiation between P. l. baroli and P. l. boydi was similar to that between P. l. baroli and P. l. lherminieri and twice as high as that of P. l. boydi and P. l. lherminieri. These acoustic data, in combination with previously reported patterns of morphometric and molecular divergence, support the recognition of three North Atlantic species: P. lherminieri, P. baroli, and P. boydi. This study underscores that patterns of acoustic variation provide a useful source of information for taxonomic studies of procellariiform seabirds.","PeriodicalId":55373,"journal":{"name":"Biological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139956207","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-23DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blae016
Francesca S E Dawson Pell, Ben J Hatchwell, Alba Ortega-Segalerva, Juan Carlos Senar
Social associations among conspecifics are typically non-random, often being a function of relatedness, familiarity, or spatial distributions. The aim of this study was to combine field observations with molecular genetic techniques and social network analysis to investigate the predictors of social associations in free-living monk parakeets, Myiopsitta monachus. Monk parakeets are non-territorial parrots whose nests are often aggregated, with relatives clustered in kin neighbourhoods and within cooperatively breeding groups. First, we characterized social associations when away from the nest, showing that individuals typically had a few strong social ties. Second, we investigated whether these social associations were related to nest proximity or genetic relatedness. The strength of association decreased with increasing inter-nest distance, but there was negligible influence of relatedness on the strength of associations. These patterns did not differ between same-sex and opposite-sex dyads. Finally, we investigated whether members of breeding pairs were close social associates, finding that in most cases the closest associate of an individual was their mate, although social bonds also existed outside of the pair; members of breeding groups also associated closely when foraging. Social associations are poorly known in parrots owing to methodological challenges, hence our results add to the limited knowledge of sociality in this taxon.
{"title":"Social associations are predicted by nest proximity but not kinship in a free-living social parrot","authors":"Francesca S E Dawson Pell, Ben J Hatchwell, Alba Ortega-Segalerva, Juan Carlos Senar","doi":"10.1093/biolinnean/blae016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blae016","url":null,"abstract":"Social associations among conspecifics are typically non-random, often being a function of relatedness, familiarity, or spatial distributions. The aim of this study was to combine field observations with molecular genetic techniques and social network analysis to investigate the predictors of social associations in free-living monk parakeets, Myiopsitta monachus. Monk parakeets are non-territorial parrots whose nests are often aggregated, with relatives clustered in kin neighbourhoods and within cooperatively breeding groups. First, we characterized social associations when away from the nest, showing that individuals typically had a few strong social ties. Second, we investigated whether these social associations were related to nest proximity or genetic relatedness. The strength of association decreased with increasing inter-nest distance, but there was negligible influence of relatedness on the strength of associations. These patterns did not differ between same-sex and opposite-sex dyads. Finally, we investigated whether members of breeding pairs were close social associates, finding that in most cases the closest associate of an individual was their mate, although social bonds also existed outside of the pair; members of breeding groups also associated closely when foraging. Social associations are poorly known in parrots owing to methodological challenges, hence our results add to the limited knowledge of sociality in this taxon.","PeriodicalId":55373,"journal":{"name":"Biological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139951817","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-21DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blae010
Ana Maria Costa-Leonardo, Vanelize Janei, Iago Bueno da Silva
Over many years of co-evolution, termites and fungi have developed varied interactions. Sclerotia, termed termite balls, are fungal resting structures often mixed with termite eggs, with many reports in temperate areas. Here, we show that this interaction is more widespread than suggested, by reporting the occurrence of fungal sclerotia harboured in the nests of four Neotropical termitids: Cornitermes cumulans, Silvestritermes euamignathus (Syntermitinae), Velocitermes heteropterus, and Nasutitermes corniger (Nasutitermitinae). We performed termite–fungus recognition bioassays and carried out morphometrical, histological, and histochemical analyses on the sclerotia, assuming that they vary in their stored materials according to the maturation stage. Morphometrical and morphological features varied among the sclerotia associated with the different termite species. Moreover, workers preferentially carried related sclerotia, suggesting a species-specific interaction, and did not mistake them for eggs. Immature and mature sclerotia varied in the concentration of stored proteins, polysaccharides, and melanin. This facultative mutualism is advantageous for the sclerotia because they are kept in a competitor-free environment and, in turn, are likely to serve as an additional source of termite digestive enzymes. We provide new findings concerning the geographical distribution, termite species, and nesting habits related to this termite–fungus association, reinforcing its parallel evolution.
{"title":"New reports on the association between eggs and sclerotium-forming fungi in Neotropical termites with insights into this mutualistic interaction","authors":"Ana Maria Costa-Leonardo, Vanelize Janei, Iago Bueno da Silva","doi":"10.1093/biolinnean/blae010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blae010","url":null,"abstract":"Over many years of co-evolution, termites and fungi have developed varied interactions. Sclerotia, termed termite balls, are fungal resting structures often mixed with termite eggs, with many reports in temperate areas. Here, we show that this interaction is more widespread than suggested, by reporting the occurrence of fungal sclerotia harboured in the nests of four Neotropical termitids: Cornitermes cumulans, Silvestritermes euamignathus (Syntermitinae), Velocitermes heteropterus, and Nasutitermes corniger (Nasutitermitinae). We performed termite–fungus recognition bioassays and carried out morphometrical, histological, and histochemical analyses on the sclerotia, assuming that they vary in their stored materials according to the maturation stage. Morphometrical and morphological features varied among the sclerotia associated with the different termite species. Moreover, workers preferentially carried related sclerotia, suggesting a species-specific interaction, and did not mistake them for eggs. Immature and mature sclerotia varied in the concentration of stored proteins, polysaccharides, and melanin. This facultative mutualism is advantageous for the sclerotia because they are kept in a competitor-free environment and, in turn, are likely to serve as an additional source of termite digestive enzymes. We provide new findings concerning the geographical distribution, termite species, and nesting habits related to this termite–fungus association, reinforcing its parallel evolution.","PeriodicalId":55373,"journal":{"name":"Biological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139951616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-19DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blae012
Emmanuel F. A. Toussaint, Conrad P D T Gillett, Ivan Löbl
{"title":"The fate of natural history museums in the face of good intentions","authors":"Emmanuel F. A. Toussaint, Conrad P D T Gillett, Ivan Löbl","doi":"10.1093/biolinnean/blae012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blae012","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":55373,"journal":{"name":"Biological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139958895","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-19DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blae014
Bruno Henrique de Castro Evaldt, Yuri Luiz Reis Leite, Ana Carolina Loss
Current climate change represents the unprecedented change in weather patterns across global and regional scales over a short period due to human activity. It is expected to drive changes in species distributions across the globe. Our goal here was to analyse (i) how climate change can impact the future distribution of species in two Neotropical hotspots, and (ii) how future distribution can impact the threatened status of species. We used ecological niche modelling to estimate suitable areas in the present and four future climate change scenarios (SSPs) for 40 species of nonvolant small mammals endemic to the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes of South America. We also inferred species’ future threat levels according to the IUCN’s A3 criteria using future relative area estimates. We found that species will gradually lose more area in all future scenarios, from the most optimistic Shared Socio-economic Pathway (SSP1-2.6) to the most pessimistic (SSP5-8.5) scenario. Species endemic to the Cerrado will see a greater area reduction than species endemic to the Atlantic Forest. Consequently, the Cerrado will have more threatened species than the Atlantic Forest. Species that occupy both biomes will lose proportionally less area than those endemic to the Cerrado but more area than those endemic to the Atlantic Forest. In conclusion, small mammal species will, in general, be negatively impacted by climate change. However, the degree of impact depends on the trajectory of greenhouse gas concentrations and where the species live.
{"title":"Climate change impact on small mammals from two Neotropical hotspots","authors":"Bruno Henrique de Castro Evaldt, Yuri Luiz Reis Leite, Ana Carolina Loss","doi":"10.1093/biolinnean/blae014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blae014","url":null,"abstract":"Current climate change represents the unprecedented change in weather patterns across global and regional scales over a short period due to human activity. It is expected to drive changes in species distributions across the globe. Our goal here was to analyse (i) how climate change can impact the future distribution of species in two Neotropical hotspots, and (ii) how future distribution can impact the threatened status of species. We used ecological niche modelling to estimate suitable areas in the present and four future climate change scenarios (SSPs) for 40 species of nonvolant small mammals endemic to the Atlantic Forest and Cerrado biomes of South America. We also inferred species’ future threat levels according to the IUCN’s A3 criteria using future relative area estimates. We found that species will gradually lose more area in all future scenarios, from the most optimistic Shared Socio-economic Pathway (SSP1-2.6) to the most pessimistic (SSP5-8.5) scenario. Species endemic to the Cerrado will see a greater area reduction than species endemic to the Atlantic Forest. Consequently, the Cerrado will have more threatened species than the Atlantic Forest. Species that occupy both biomes will lose proportionally less area than those endemic to the Cerrado but more area than those endemic to the Atlantic Forest. In conclusion, small mammal species will, in general, be negatively impacted by climate change. However, the degree of impact depends on the trajectory of greenhouse gas concentrations and where the species live.","PeriodicalId":55373,"journal":{"name":"Biological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-02-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139911260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-17DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blae005
Andrzej A Romaniuk, Sabrina Renaud, Robin Bendrey, Jeremy B Searle, Olwyn Owen, Jeremy Herman
Archaeological material adds a temporal dimension to evolutionary studies that is valuable for elucidating long-term population stability and evolutionary shifts for species closely associated with humans. Here, a two-dimensional geometric morphometrics approach on first upper molars was applied to modern and archaeological samples to assess the evolution of house mice in Orkney, an archipelago north of Scotland. Modern populations included localities in Orkney, north Scotland, and France. Two archaeological sites in Orkney represented the Norse period: Birsay Beachview (Mainland) and Tuquoy (Westray) (10th–14th/15th centuries AD). The archaeological specimens were larger than modern specimens from similar settings, suggesting processes leading to a recent decline in the size of Orkney house mice. Molar morphology and associated non-metric traits distinct to the Orkney lineage were already established in the Norse period, as indicated by morphological similarity of the Birsay samples to modern Orkney and north Scotland populations. Stability of human settlement is likely to influence morphological evolution in house mice. The Birsay site, located in Birsay village, which has been inhabited since Norse times, might represent the ancestral house mouse population in Orkney. Tuquoy, a settlement abandoned by the end of the medieval period, provided samples different from modern house mouse populations in Westray and neighbouring isles.
{"title":"Insular evolution from an archaeological perspective: a case study of Orkney house mouse","authors":"Andrzej A Romaniuk, Sabrina Renaud, Robin Bendrey, Jeremy B Searle, Olwyn Owen, Jeremy Herman","doi":"10.1093/biolinnean/blae005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blae005","url":null,"abstract":"Archaeological material adds a temporal dimension to evolutionary studies that is valuable for elucidating long-term population stability and evolutionary shifts for species closely associated with humans. Here, a two-dimensional geometric morphometrics approach on first upper molars was applied to modern and archaeological samples to assess the evolution of house mice in Orkney, an archipelago north of Scotland. Modern populations included localities in Orkney, north Scotland, and France. Two archaeological sites in Orkney represented the Norse period: Birsay Beachview (Mainland) and Tuquoy (Westray) (10th–14th/15th centuries AD). The archaeological specimens were larger than modern specimens from similar settings, suggesting processes leading to a recent decline in the size of Orkney house mice. Molar morphology and associated non-metric traits distinct to the Orkney lineage were already established in the Norse period, as indicated by morphological similarity of the Birsay samples to modern Orkney and north Scotland populations. Stability of human settlement is likely to influence morphological evolution in house mice. The Birsay site, located in Birsay village, which has been inhabited since Norse times, might represent the ancestral house mouse population in Orkney. Tuquoy, a settlement abandoned by the end of the medieval period, provided samples different from modern house mouse populations in Westray and neighbouring isles.","PeriodicalId":55373,"journal":{"name":"Biological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139903532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-17DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blae015
Vinicius M Lopez, Felipe Datto-Liberato, Stanislav N Gorb, Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira
Colour lightness has received considerable attention owing to its diverse functional aspects, such as in thermoregulation, pathogen resistance, and photoprotection. However, the theoretical basis underlying the function of colour lightness is closely related to melanin pigments. Therefore, here we discuss that neglecting other colour-producing mechanisms may bias interpretation of the results. In general, colour lightness is indiscriminately employed as a measure of melanization. Nevertheless, animals may exhibit colours that derive from several pigmentary and structural mechanisms other than melanin. Our primary argument is that colour lightness should not be used indiscriminately before knowing the colour-producing mechanism and validating correlated physiological parameters. For instance, the use of colour lightness as a proxy for thermal or photoprotection function must be validated for pterins, ommochromes, and structural colours.
{"title":"A critique of the use of colour lightness in animal studies","authors":"Vinicius M Lopez, Felipe Datto-Liberato, Stanislav N Gorb, Rhainer Guillermo-Ferreira","doi":"10.1093/biolinnean/blae015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blae015","url":null,"abstract":"Colour lightness has received considerable attention owing to its diverse functional aspects, such as in thermoregulation, pathogen resistance, and photoprotection. However, the theoretical basis underlying the function of colour lightness is closely related to melanin pigments. Therefore, here we discuss that neglecting other colour-producing mechanisms may bias interpretation of the results. In general, colour lightness is indiscriminately employed as a measure of melanization. Nevertheless, animals may exhibit colours that derive from several pigmentary and structural mechanisms other than melanin. Our primary argument is that colour lightness should not be used indiscriminately before knowing the colour-producing mechanism and validating correlated physiological parameters. For instance, the use of colour lightness as a proxy for thermal or photoprotection function must be validated for pterins, ommochromes, and structural colours.","PeriodicalId":55373,"journal":{"name":"Biological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139904211","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-16DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blae009
Kristoffer H Wild, C M Gienger
Host–parasite relationships are important components of ecological systems that influence the evolution of both hosts and parasites. High levels of ectoparasitic infections can disrupt host homeostasis, causing adverse effects on health and performance. However, the effects of natural ectoparasite levels on host physiology are less understood, with most research designs implementing experimental or hormonal manipulations of hosts. In this study, we examined the interplay between tick parasitism and host characteristics on body condition and locomotor performance in Eastern fence lizards in natural settings. We found a higher frequency of tick infections in male lizards relative to females, with larger males being more likely to experience tick infection. Infected lizards had reduced locomotor performance, max sprint speed and 2-m run speed. Together this suggests an energetic trade-off between increased immune function and reduced locomotor performance, which is consistent with the immunocompetence–handicap hypothesis. Higher numbers of ticks on adult male lizards may be explained by age as well as the immunosuppressive effects of testosterone. Tick infection did not appear to reduce overall body condition of lizard hosts. Our findings shed light on the interplay between ectoparasitic infection, host characteristics, and locomotor performance under natural conditions. Such insights are crucial for understanding host–parasite dynamics and determining the trade-offs for hosts within ecological contexts.
{"title":"Tick-tock, racing the clock: parasitism is associated with decreased sprint performance in the Eastern fence lizard","authors":"Kristoffer H Wild, C M Gienger","doi":"10.1093/biolinnean/blae009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blae009","url":null,"abstract":"Host–parasite relationships are important components of ecological systems that influence the evolution of both hosts and parasites. High levels of ectoparasitic infections can disrupt host homeostasis, causing adverse effects on health and performance. However, the effects of natural ectoparasite levels on host physiology are less understood, with most research designs implementing experimental or hormonal manipulations of hosts. In this study, we examined the interplay between tick parasitism and host characteristics on body condition and locomotor performance in Eastern fence lizards in natural settings. We found a higher frequency of tick infections in male lizards relative to females, with larger males being more likely to experience tick infection. Infected lizards had reduced locomotor performance, max sprint speed and 2-m run speed. Together this suggests an energetic trade-off between increased immune function and reduced locomotor performance, which is consistent with the immunocompetence–handicap hypothesis. Higher numbers of ticks on adult male lizards may be explained by age as well as the immunosuppressive effects of testosterone. Tick infection did not appear to reduce overall body condition of lizard hosts. Our findings shed light on the interplay between ectoparasitic infection, host characteristics, and locomotor performance under natural conditions. Such insights are crucial for understanding host–parasite dynamics and determining the trade-offs for hosts within ecological contexts.","PeriodicalId":55373,"journal":{"name":"Biological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139754881","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-13DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blae001
Emanuele Berrilli, Benedetta Gambioli, Pierluigi Bombi, Matteo Garzia, Martina Muraro, Claudio Pardo, Marco Reale, Stéphanie Sherpa, Gentile Francesco Ficetola, Leonardo Vignoli, Daniele Salvi
The common practice of using subspecies as conservation targets raises the question of whether efforts are focused on preserving conspicuous components of the species’ phenotypic variability rather than evolutionarily significant units. To address this question, in this study we performed a comprehensive morphological and genetic assessment on all the subspecies of wall lizard described for the Aeolian Archipelago (Italy) to determine whether they represent distinct evolutionary lineages and/or discrete phenotypic partitions. Further, we applied a monophyly test to 70 subspecies belonging to seven wall lizard species occurring in Italy, based on our results and on previous phylogeographic studies. We found that none of the Aeolian subspecies represents a distinct evolutionary lineage, despite some morphological differentiation of island populations across the archipelago, suggesting a very recent origin of island populations and of the observed phenotype variation. Across seven wall lizard species, tests revealed that lizard subspecies rarely (< 9% of cases) match evolutionary units. This study demonstrates that intraspecific taxonomy of wall lizards is a poor predictor of phylogeographic partitions and evolutionary units, and therefore of limited use (if not dangerous) for defining conservation and management units. A better approach would be relying on the integration of genomic and phenotypic data to assess the evolutionary significance and conservation value of phenotypic and genetic units within species.
{"title":"Subspecies inflation hampers conservation efforts: a case study on wall lizards","authors":"Emanuele Berrilli, Benedetta Gambioli, Pierluigi Bombi, Matteo Garzia, Martina Muraro, Claudio Pardo, Marco Reale, Stéphanie Sherpa, Gentile Francesco Ficetola, Leonardo Vignoli, Daniele Salvi","doi":"10.1093/biolinnean/blae001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blae001","url":null,"abstract":"The common practice of using subspecies as conservation targets raises the question of whether efforts are focused on preserving conspicuous components of the species’ phenotypic variability rather than evolutionarily significant units. To address this question, in this study we performed a comprehensive morphological and genetic assessment on all the subspecies of wall lizard described for the Aeolian Archipelago (Italy) to determine whether they represent distinct evolutionary lineages and/or discrete phenotypic partitions. Further, we applied a monophyly test to 70 subspecies belonging to seven wall lizard species occurring in Italy, based on our results and on previous phylogeographic studies. We found that none of the Aeolian subspecies represents a distinct evolutionary lineage, despite some morphological differentiation of island populations across the archipelago, suggesting a very recent origin of island populations and of the observed phenotype variation. Across seven wall lizard species, tests revealed that lizard subspecies rarely (&lt; 9% of cases) match evolutionary units. This study demonstrates that intraspecific taxonomy of wall lizards is a poor predictor of phylogeographic partitions and evolutionary units, and therefore of limited use (if not dangerous) for defining conservation and management units. A better approach would be relying on the integration of genomic and phenotypic data to assess the evolutionary significance and conservation value of phenotypic and genetic units within species.","PeriodicalId":55373,"journal":{"name":"Biological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.9,"publicationDate":"2024-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139754922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-13DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blae007
Landon R Jones, Chelsea M Berns, Mark C Belk, Robert M Bogardus
Feeding morphology permits animals to adapt to changing environments and is often under strong selection. We evaluated if bill shape varies according to differences in dietary prey taken across geographical ranges (North America, Central America, South America, and Caribbean islands) in a ubiquitous, New World raptor species, the American kestrel (Falco sparverius). Specifically, we predicted that bills in geographies where kestrels consumed a larger proportion of vertebrates would be shorter and wider, with a larger tomial tooth. We reviewed the literature on kestrel diets across their range and quantified potential differences in bill shape using geometric morphometric methods for 245 museum specimens. The literature review revealed that most prey consumed by kestrels in North, South, and Central America were invertebrates (51.6–69.1%), whereas Caribbean kestrels consumed mostly vertebrates (61.4%), most of which were reptiles (77.3%). Morphometric analyses agreed with these findings; bill shape differed for island versus mainland kestrels but not among mainland regions. Bill shape on islands reflected a more robust bill with a larger tomial tooth, but had a longer hook, which we suggest is adaptive for consumption of lizard prey, more available on islands due to reduced competition with other raptors compared to mainland regions.
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