Cranial ecomorphology of turtles and neck retraction as a possible trigger of ecological diversification
Turtles have a highly modified body plan, including a rigid shell that constrains postcranial anatomy. Skull morphology and neck mobility may therefore be key to ecological specialization in turtles. However, the ecological signal of turtle skull morphologies has not been rigorously evaluated, leavi...
| প্রধান লেখক: | , , , , , |
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| বিন্যাস: | Journal article |
| ভাষা: | English |
| প্রকাশিত: |
Wiley
2022
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| _version_ | 1826309260188844032 |
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| author | Hermanson, G Evers, SW Farina, BM Ferreira, GS Langer, MC Benson, RBJ |
| author_facet | Hermanson, G Evers, SW Farina, BM Ferreira, GS Langer, MC Benson, RBJ |
| author_sort | Hermanson, G |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | Turtles have a highly modified body plan, including a rigid shell that constrains postcranial anatomy. Skull morphology and neck mobility may therefore be key to ecological specialization in turtles. However, the ecological signal of turtle skull morphologies has not been rigorously evaluated, leaving uncertainties about the roles of ecological adaptation and convergence. We evaluate turtle cranial ecomorphology using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics and phylogenetic comparative methods. Skull shape correlates with allometry, neck retraction capability, and different aquatic feeding ecologies. We find that ecological variables influence skull shape only, whereas a key functional variable (the capacity for neck retraction) influences both shape and size. Ecology and functional predictions from three-dimensional shape are validated by high success rates for extant species, outperforming previous two-dimensional approaches. We use this to infer ecological and functional traits of extinct species. Neck retraction evolved among crownward stem-turtles by the Late Jurassic, signaling functional decoupling of the skull and neck from the shell, possibly linked to a major episode of ecomorphological diversification. We also find strong evidence for convergent ecological adaptations among marine groups. This includes parallel loss of neck retraction, evidence for active hunting, possible grazing, and suction feeding in extinct marine groups. Our large-scale assessment of dietary and functional adaptation throughout turtle evolution reveals the timing and origin of their distinct ecomorphologies, and highlights the potential for ecology and function to have distinct effects on skull form. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:31:31Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:320e6aa4-9c45-4843-8634-2f261b9684ce |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-07T07:31:31Z |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:320e6aa4-9c45-4843-8634-2f261b9684ce2023-02-08T09:41:16ZCranial ecomorphology of turtles and neck retraction as a possible trigger of ecological diversificationJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:320e6aa4-9c45-4843-8634-2f261b9684ceEnglishSymplectic ElementsWiley2022Hermanson, GEvers, SWFarina, BMFerreira, GSLanger, MCBenson, RBJTurtles have a highly modified body plan, including a rigid shell that constrains postcranial anatomy. Skull morphology and neck mobility may therefore be key to ecological specialization in turtles. However, the ecological signal of turtle skull morphologies has not been rigorously evaluated, leaving uncertainties about the roles of ecological adaptation and convergence. We evaluate turtle cranial ecomorphology using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics and phylogenetic comparative methods. Skull shape correlates with allometry, neck retraction capability, and different aquatic feeding ecologies. We find that ecological variables influence skull shape only, whereas a key functional variable (the capacity for neck retraction) influences both shape and size. Ecology and functional predictions from three-dimensional shape are validated by high success rates for extant species, outperforming previous two-dimensional approaches. We use this to infer ecological and functional traits of extinct species. Neck retraction evolved among crownward stem-turtles by the Late Jurassic, signaling functional decoupling of the skull and neck from the shell, possibly linked to a major episode of ecomorphological diversification. We also find strong evidence for convergent ecological adaptations among marine groups. This includes parallel loss of neck retraction, evidence for active hunting, possible grazing, and suction feeding in extinct marine groups. Our large-scale assessment of dietary and functional adaptation throughout turtle evolution reveals the timing and origin of their distinct ecomorphologies, and highlights the potential for ecology and function to have distinct effects on skull form. |
| spellingShingle | Hermanson, G Evers, SW Farina, BM Ferreira, GS Langer, MC Benson, RBJ Cranial ecomorphology of turtles and neck retraction as a possible trigger of ecological diversification |
| title | Cranial ecomorphology of turtles and neck retraction as a possible trigger of ecological diversification |
| title_full | Cranial ecomorphology of turtles and neck retraction as a possible trigger of ecological diversification |
| title_fullStr | Cranial ecomorphology of turtles and neck retraction as a possible trigger of ecological diversification |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cranial ecomorphology of turtles and neck retraction as a possible trigger of ecological diversification |
| title_short | Cranial ecomorphology of turtles and neck retraction as a possible trigger of ecological diversification |
| title_sort | cranial ecomorphology of turtles and neck retraction as a possible trigger of ecological diversification |
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