Walk before you jump: new insights on early frog locomotion from the oldest known salientian

Paleobiology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 612-623 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrés I. Lires ◽  
Ignacio M. Soto ◽  
Raúl O. Gómez
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Literature ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Morphological Evolution ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Intermediate Stage ◽  
Main Mode ◽  
Phylogenetic Relatedness ◽  
Limb Bones ◽  
Phylogenetic Methods ◽  
Extinct Taxon

AbstractUnderstanding the evolution of a Bauplan starts with discriminating phylogenetic signal from adaptation and the latter from exaptation in the observed biodiversity. Whether traits have predated, accompanied, or followed evolution of particular functions is the basic inference to establish the type of explanations required to determine morphological evolution. To accomplish this, we focus in a particular group of vertebrates, the anurans. Frogs and toads have a unique Bauplan among vertebrates, with a set of postcranial features that have been considered adaptations to jumping locomotion since their evolutionary origin. This interpretation is frequently stated but rarely tested in scientific literature. We test this assumption reconstructing the locomotor capabilities of the earliest known salientian, Triadobatrachus massinoti. This extinct taxon exhibits a mosaic of features that have traditionally been considered as representing an intermediate stage in the evolution of the anuran Bauplan, some of which were also linked to jumping skills. We considered T. massinoti in an explicit evolutionary framework by means of multivariate analyses and comparative phylogenetic methods. We used length measurements of major limb bones of 188 extant limbed amphibians (frogs and salamanders) and lizards as a morphological proxy of observed locomotor behavior. Our findings show that limb data correlate with locomotion, regardless of phylogenetic relatedness, and indicate that salamander-like lateral undulatory movements were the main mode of locomotion of T. massinoti. These results contrast with recent hypotheses and indicate that derived postcranial features that T. massinoti shared with anurans might have been later co-opted as exaptations in jumping frogs.

scholarly journals Functional Morphology and Morphological Diversification of Hind Limb Cross-Sectional Traits in Mustelid Mammals

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Parsi-Pour ◽  
B M Kilbourne
Keyword(s):  
Hind Limb ◽  
Structural Strength ◽  
Aquatic Environments ◽  
Sectional Area ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Phylogenetic Relatedness ◽  
Limb Bone ◽  
Limb Bones ◽  
Section Modulus ◽  
Second Moments

Synopsis Locomotor habits in mammals are strongly tied to limb bones’ lengths, diameters, and proportions. By comparison, fewer studies have examined how limb bone cross-sectional traits relate to locomotor habit. Here, we tested whether climbing, digging, and swimming locomotor habits reflect biomechanically meaningful differences in three cross-sectional traits rendered dimensionless— cross-sectional area (CSA), second moments of area (SMA), and section modulus (MOD)—using femora, tibiae, and fibulae of 28 species of mustelid. CSA and SMA represent resistance to axial compression and bending, respectively, whereas MOD represents structural strength. Given the need to counteract buoyancy in aquatic environments and soil’s high density, we predicted that natatorial and fossorial mustelids have higher values of cross-sectional traits. For all three traits, we found that natatorial mustelids have the highest values, followed by fossorial mustelids, with both of these groups significantly differing from scansorial mustelids. However, phylogenetic relatedness strongly influences diversity in cross-sectional morphology, as locomotor habit strongly correlates with phylogeny. Testing whether hind limb bone cross-sectional traits have evolved adaptively, we fit Ornstein–Uhlenbeck (OU) and Brownian motion (BM) models of trait diversification to cross-sectional traits. The cross-sectional traits of the femur, tibia, and fibula appear to have, respectively, diversified under a multi-rate BM model, a single rate BM model, and a multi-optima OU model. In light of recent studies on mustelid body size and elongation, our findings suggest that the mustelid body plan—and perhaps that of other mammals—is likely the sum of a suite of traits evolving under different models of trait diversification.

scholarly journals Accounting for phylogenetic relatedness in cross-species analyses of telomere shortening rates

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Le Pepke ◽  
Dan T.A. Eisenberg
Keyword(s):  
Multivariate Analysis ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Dna Sequences ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Life History Strategies ◽  
Laboratory Mice ◽  
Telomere Shortening ◽  
Wild Mice ◽  
Phylogenetic Relatedness ◽  
Telomere Dynamics

AbstractTelomeres are repeating DNA sequences found on the ends of chromosomes, which shorten with age and are implicated in senescence. Cross-species analyses of telomere shortening rates (TSR) and telomere lengths are important for understanding mechanisms underlying senescence, lifespan and life-history strategies of different species. Whittemore et al. (2019) generated a new dataset on variation in TSR, lifespan and body mass. In phylogenetically uncorrected analyses they found that TSR negatively correlates with lifespan. We re-ran analyses of their dataset using appropriate phylogenetic corrections. We found a strong phylogenetic signal in the association between TSR and body mass. We were able to corroborate Whittemore et al.’s major findings, including while correcting for body mass in a multivariate analysis. Since laboratory mice have different telomere lengths and potentially different telomere dynamics than wild mice, we removed mice from the analysis, which attenuates most associations.

scholarly journals Phylogenomic analysis of echinoderm class relationships supports Asterozoa

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1786) ◽  
pp. 20140479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maximilian J. Telford ◽  
Christopher J. Lowe ◽  
Christopher B. Cameron ◽  
Olga Ortega-Martinez ◽  
Jochanan Aronowicz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Convergent Evolution ◽  
Sea Urchins ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Phylogenomic Analysis ◽  
Phylogenetic Studies ◽  
Phylogenetic Methods ◽  
Complete Dataset ◽  
Type Larva ◽  
Molecular Phylogenetic

While some aspects of the phylogeny of the five living echinoderm classes are clear, the position of the ophiuroids (brittlestars) relative to asteroids (starfish), echinoids (sea urchins) and holothurians (sea cucumbers) is controversial. Ophiuroids have a pluteus-type larva in common with echinoids giving some support to an ophiuroid/echinoid/holothurian clade named Cryptosyringida. Most molecular phylogenetic studies, however, support an ophiuroid/asteroid clade (Asterozoa) implying either convergent evolution of the pluteus or reversals to an auricularia-type larva in asteroids and holothurians. A recent study of 10 genes from four of the five echinoderm classes used ‘phylogenetic signal dissection’ to separate alignment positions into subsets of (i) suboptimal, heterogeneously evolving sites (invariant plus rapidly changing) and (ii) the remaining optimal, homogeneously evolving sites. Along with most previous molecular phylogenetic studies, their set of heterogeneous sites, expected to be more prone to systematic error, support Asterozoa. The homogeneous sites, in contrast, support an ophiuroid/echinoid grouping, consistent with the cryptosyringid clade, leading them to posit homology of the ophiopluteus and echinopluteus. Our new dataset comprises 219 genes from all echinoderm classes; analyses using probabilistic Bayesian phylogenetic methods strongly support Asterozoa. The most reliable, slowly evolving quartile of genes also gives highest support for Asterozoa; this support diminishes in second and third quartiles and the fastest changing quartile places the ophiuroids close to the root. Using phylogenetic signal dissection, we find heterogenous sites support an unlikely grouping of Ophiuroidea + Holothuria while homogeneous sites again strongly support Asterozoa. Our large and taxonomically complete dataset finds no support for the cryptosyringid hypothesis; in showing strong support for the Asterozoa, our preferred topology leaves the question of homology of pluteus larvae open.

scholarly journals Karyotype asymmetry shapes diversity within the physaloids (Physalidinae, Physalideae, Solanaceae)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julieta Rodríguez ◽  
Rocío Deanna ◽  
Franco Chiarini
Keyword(s):  
Chromosome Number ◽  
Karyotype Evolution ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Monotypic Genus ◽  
Independent Events ◽  
Phylogenetic Methods ◽  
Karyotype Asymmetry ◽  
Chromosome Arm ◽  
Cytogenetic Analyses ◽  
Diploid Ancestor

AbstractWithin the cosmopolitan family Solanaceae, Physalideae is the tribe with the highest generic diversity (30 genera and more than 200 species). This tribe embraces subtribe Physalidinae, in which positions of some genera are not entirely resolved. Chromosomes may help on this goal, by providing information on the processes underlying speciation. Thus, cytogenetic analyses were carried out in the subtribe in order to establish its chromosome number and morphology. Physalidinae is characterized by x = 12 and most species shows a highly asymmetric karyotype. These karyotype traits were mapped onto a molecular phylogeny to test the congruence between karyotype evolution and clade differentiation. A diploid ancestor was reconstructed for the subtribe, and five to six polyploidy independent events were estimated, plus one aneuploidy event (X = 11 in the monotypic genus Quincula). Comparative phylogenetic methods showed that asymmetry indices and chromosome arm ratio (r) have a high phylogenetic signal, whereas the number of telocentric and submetacentric chromosomes presented a conspicuous amount of changes. Karyotype asymmetry allow us to differentiate genera within the subtribe. Overall, our study suggests that Physalidineae diversification has been accompanied by karyotype changes, which can be applied to delimit genera within the group.

Phylogeny, ancestors and anagenesis in the hominin fossil record

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Parins-Fukuchi ◽  
Elliot Greiner ◽  
Laura M. MacLatchy ◽  
Daniel C. Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Probabilistic Models ◽  
Morphological Evolution ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Probabilistic Methods ◽  
Evolutionary Divergence ◽  
Temporal Data ◽  
Evolutionary Pattern ◽  
Phylogenetic Methods ◽  
Competing Models ◽  
Fossil Preservation

AbstractProbabilistic approaches to phylogenetic inference have recently gained traction in paleontological studies. Because they directly model processes of evolutionary change, probabilistic methods facilitate a deeper assessment of variability in evolutionary pattern by weighing evidence for competing models. Although phylogenetic methods used in paleontological studies have generally assumed that evolution proceeds by splitting cladogenesis, extensions to previous models help explore the potential for morphological and temporal data to provide differential support for contrasting modes of evolutionary divergence. Recent methodological developments have integrated ancestral relationships into probabilistic phylogenetic methods. These new approaches rely on parameter-rich models and sophisticated inferential methods, potentially obscuring the respective contributions of data and models. In this study, we describe a simple likelihoodist approach that combines probabilistic models of morphological evolution and fossil preservation to reconstruct both cladogenetic and anagenetic relationships. By applying this approach to a dataset of fossil hominins, we demonstrate the capability of existing models to unveil evidence for anagenesis presented by morphological and temporal data. This evidence was previously recognized by qualitative assessments, but largely ignored by quantitative phylogenetic analyses. For example, we find support for directly ancestral relationships in multiple lineages: Sahelanthropus is ancestral to later hominins; Australopithecus anamensis is ancestral to Au. afarensis; Au. garhi is ancestral to Homo; H. antecessor is ancestral to H. heidelbergensis, which in turn is ancestral to both H. sapiens and H. neanderthalensis. These results show a benefit of accommodating direct ancestry in phylogenetics. By so doing, quantitative results align more closely with previous qualitative expectations.

Quantifying tooth variation within a single population of Albertosaurus sarcophagus (Theropoda: Tyrannosauridae) and implications for identifying isolated teeth of tyrannosauridsThis article is one of a series of papers published in this Special Issue on the theme Albertosaurus.

2010 ◽  
Vol 47 (9) ◽  
pp. 1227-1251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa G. Buckley ◽  
Derek W. Larson ◽  
Miriam Reichel ◽  
Tanya Samman
Keyword(s):  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Canonical Variate ◽  
Large Sample Size ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Theropod Dinosaurs ◽  
Degree Of Separation ◽  
Lower Maastrichtian

Documenting variation in theropod dinosaurs is usually hindered by the lack of a large sample size and specimens representing several ontogenetic stages. Here, variation within 140 disassociated and seven in situ tyrannosaur teeth from the Upper Cretaceous (lower Maastrichtian) monodominant Albertosaurus sarcophagus (Theropoda: Tyrannosauridae) bonebed is documented. This sample represents the largest data set of teeth from one population of A. sarcophagus containing both adult and juvenile specimens. Tooth variation was assessed using multivariate analyses (principal component, discriminant, and canonical variate analyses). Heterodonty in the teeth of A. sarcophagus contributes to the large amount of variation in the data set. Premaxillary teeth are significantly different from maxillary and dentary teeth, but there is no quantifiable difference between a priori identified maxillary and dentary teeth. Juvenile and adult teeth of A. sarcophagus show apparent quantitative differences that are size dependent on closer investigation, suggesting a cautious approach when interpreting multivariate analyses to identify novel tooth morphologies. Multivariate analyses on teeth of A. sarcophagus and published tooth data from other North American tyrannosaurid species reveals species-level clusters with little separation. The degree of separation among tooth clusters may reveal a phylogenetic signal in tyrannosaurid teeth.

scholarly journals Morphospaces of functionally analogous traits show ecological separation between birds and pterosaurs

2017 ◽  
Vol 284 (1865) ◽  
pp. 20171556 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas R. Chan
Keyword(s):  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Small Body ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
The Other ◽  
Small Body Size ◽  
Ecological Strategies ◽  
Limb Bones ◽  
Lower Jaw ◽  
Ecological Separation ◽  
Feeding Adaptations

Birds originated and radiated in the presence of another group of flying vertebrates, the pterosaurs. Opinion is divided as to whether birds competitively displaced pterosaurs from small-body size niches or whether the two groups coexisted with little competition. Previous studies of Mesozoic birds and pterosaurs compared measurements of homologous limb bones to test these hypotheses. However, these characters probably reflect differing ancestries rather than ecologies. Here, competition and ecological separation were tested for using multivariate analyses of functionally equivalent morphological characters. As well as using characters from the fore- and hindlimbs, these analyses also included measurements of the lower jaw. The results of this study indicate that pterosaurs had relatively longer jaws, shorter metatarsals and shorter brachial regions compared with birds of similar size. Contrary to the results of previous studies, the distal wing was not important for separating the two clades in morphospace owing to the inclusion of the primary feathers in this unit. The differences found here indicate ecological separation based on differences in size, locomotory features and feeding adaptations. Thus, instead of one group displacing the other, birds and pterosaurs appear to have adopted distinctive ecological strategies throughout their period of coexistence.

scholarly journals Nomograms including the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing transarterial chemoembolization for prediction survival: A retrospective analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Yi Chen ◽  
Wen-ji Xu ◽  
Yi Yang ◽  
Yu-Jing Xin ◽  
Xin-yuan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hepatocellular Carcinoma ◽  
Nutritional Status ◽  
Transarterial Chemoembolization ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Intermediate Stage ◽  
Rank Test ◽  
Log Rank Test ◽  
Kaplan Meier ◽  
Conut Score

Abstract Objectives: This retrospective study investigated the predictive value of the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score in patients with intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who received transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). Nomograms were developed to predict progression-free and overall survival (PFS, OS). Methods: The medical data of 228 patients with HCC and treated with TACE were collected. The patients were apportioned to 2 groups according to CONUT score: low or high (<4, ≥4). Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using Cox regression for OS and PFS. OS and PFS were estimated by the Kaplan-Meier curve and compared with the log-rank test. Nomograms were constructed to predict patient OS and PFS. The nomograms were evaluated for accuracy, discrimination, and efficiency. Results: The cut-off value of CONUT score was 4. The higher the CONUT score, the worse the survival; Kaplan-Meier curves showed significant differences in OS and PFS between the low and high CONUT score groups (P = 0.033, 0.047). The nomograms including CONUT, based on the prognostic factors determined by the univariate and multivariate analyses, to predict survival in HCC after TACE were generated. Conclusions: The CONUT score is an important prognostic factor for both OS and PFS for patients with intermediate HCC who underwent TACE. The cut-off value of the CONUT score was 4. A high CONUT score suggests poor survival outcomes. Nomograms generated based on the CONUT score were good models to predict patient OS and PFS.

scholarly journals Local adaptation fuels cryptic speciation in terrestrial annelids

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Fernández Marchán ◽  
Marta Novo ◽  
Nuria Sánchez ◽  
Jorge Domínguez ◽  
Darío J. Díaz Cosín ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Geometric Morphometrics ◽  
Cryptic Species ◽  
Local Adaptation ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Morphological Evolution ◽  
Phylogenetic Signal ◽  
Regulation Of Transcription ◽  
Cryptic Speciation ◽  
Evolutionary Forces ◽  
Genome Wide

AbstractUncovering the genetic and evolutionary basis of cryptic speciation is a major focus of evolutionary biology. Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) allows the identification of genome-wide local adaptation signatures, but has rarely been applied to cryptic complexes - particularly in the soil milieu - as is the case with integrative taxonomy. The earthworm genus Carpetania, comprising six previously suggested putative cryptic lineages, is a promising model to study the evolutionary phenomena shaping cryptic speciation in soil-dwelling lineages. Genotyping-By-Sequencing (GBS) was used to provide genome-wide information about genetic variability between seventeen populations, and geometric morphometrics analyses of genital chaetae were performed to investigate unexplored cryptic morphological evolution. Genomic analyses revealed the existence of three cryptic species, with half of the previously-identified potential cryptic lineages clustering within them. Local adaptation was detected in more than 800 genes putatively involved in a plethora of biological functions (most notably reproduction, metabolism, immunological response and morphogenesis). Several genes with selection signatures showed shared mutations for each of the cryptic species, and genes under selection were enriched in functions related to regulation of transcription, including SNPs located in UTR regions. Finally, geometric morphometrics approaches partially confirmed the phylogenetic signal of relevant morphological characters such as genital chaetae. Our study therefore unveils that local adaptation and regulatory divergence are key evolutionary forces orchestrating genome evolution in soil fauna.

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