Evolutionary integration and modularity in the diversity of the suckermouth armoured catfishes
The evolution of morphological diversity has held a long-standing fascination among scientists. In particular, do bodies evolve as single, integrated units or do different body parts evolve semi-independently (modules)? Suckermouth armoured catfishes (Loricariidae) have a morphology that lends nicel...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Royal Society
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.220713 |
| _version_ | 1797845325794246656 |
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| author | Corinthia R. Black Jonathan W. Armbruster |
| author_facet | Corinthia R. Black Jonathan W. Armbruster |
| author_sort | Corinthia R. Black |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The evolution of morphological diversity has held a long-standing fascination among scientists. In particular, do bodies evolve as single, integrated units or do different body parts evolve semi-independently (modules)? Suckermouth armoured catfishes (Loricariidae) have a morphology that lends nicely to evolutionary modularity and integration studies. In addition to a ventrally facing oral jaw that directly contacts surfaces, the neurocranium and pectoral girdle are fused, which limits movement of the anterior part of the body. Functional constraints suggest it is likely the head and post-cranial body act as separate modules that can evolve independently. If true, one would expect to see a two- or three-module system where the head and post-cranial body are morphologically distinct. To test this hypothesis, we quantified shape using geometric morphometric analysis and assessed the degree of modularity across functionally important regions. We found the armoured catfish body is highly modularized, with varying degrees of integration between each module. Within subfamilies, there are different patterns of evolutionary modularity and integration, suggesting that the various patterns may have driven diversification along a single trajectory in each subfamily. This study suggests the evolution of armoured catfish diversification is complex, with morphological evolution influenced by interactions within and between modules. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:38:24Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4fb743958a2343f2a20f5f5ef35e5d3c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T17:38:24Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-4fb743958a2343f2a20f5f5ef35e5d3c2023-04-17T10:54:42ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032022-11-0191110.1098/rsos.220713Evolutionary integration and modularity in the diversity of the suckermouth armoured catfishesCorinthia R. Black0Jonathan W. Armbruster1Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USADepartment of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USAThe evolution of morphological diversity has held a long-standing fascination among scientists. In particular, do bodies evolve as single, integrated units or do different body parts evolve semi-independently (modules)? Suckermouth armoured catfishes (Loricariidae) have a morphology that lends nicely to evolutionary modularity and integration studies. In addition to a ventrally facing oral jaw that directly contacts surfaces, the neurocranium and pectoral girdle are fused, which limits movement of the anterior part of the body. Functional constraints suggest it is likely the head and post-cranial body act as separate modules that can evolve independently. If true, one would expect to see a two- or three-module system where the head and post-cranial body are morphologically distinct. To test this hypothesis, we quantified shape using geometric morphometric analysis and assessed the degree of modularity across functionally important regions. We found the armoured catfish body is highly modularized, with varying degrees of integration between each module. Within subfamilies, there are different patterns of evolutionary modularity and integration, suggesting that the various patterns may have driven diversification along a single trajectory in each subfamily. This study suggests the evolution of armoured catfish diversification is complex, with morphological evolution influenced by interactions within and between modules.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.220713neotropicalgeometric morphometricsshapemorphological evolutionphylogenetic comparative methodsLoricariidae |
| spellingShingle | Corinthia R. Black Jonathan W. Armbruster Evolutionary integration and modularity in the diversity of the suckermouth armoured catfishes Royal Society Open Science neotropical geometric morphometrics shape morphological evolution phylogenetic comparative methods Loricariidae |
| title | Evolutionary integration and modularity in the diversity of the suckermouth armoured catfishes |
| title_full | Evolutionary integration and modularity in the diversity of the suckermouth armoured catfishes |
| title_fullStr | Evolutionary integration and modularity in the diversity of the suckermouth armoured catfishes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evolutionary integration and modularity in the diversity of the suckermouth armoured catfishes |
| title_short | Evolutionary integration and modularity in the diversity of the suckermouth armoured catfishes |
| title_sort | evolutionary integration and modularity in the diversity of the suckermouth armoured catfishes |
| topic | neotropical geometric morphometrics shape morphological evolution phylogenetic comparative methods Loricariidae |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.220713 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT corinthiarblack evolutionaryintegrationandmodularityinthediversityofthesuckermoutharmouredcatfishes AT jonathanwarmbruster evolutionaryintegrationandmodularityinthediversityofthesuckermoutharmouredcatfishes |