RT Journal Article
T1 Serial disparity in the carnivoran backbone unveil a complex adaptive role in metameric evolution.
A1 Figueirido-Castillo, Francisco Borja
A1 Martín-Serra, Alberto
A1 Pérez-Ramos, Alejandro
A1 Velasco, David
A1 Pastor, Francisco J.
A1 Benson, Roger J.
K1 Columna vertebral - Evolución
K1 Carnívoros
AB Organisms comprise multiple interacting parts, but few quantitative studies have analysed multi-element systems, limiting understanding of phenotypic evolution. We investigate how disparity of vertebral morphology varies along the axial column of mammalian carnivores — a chain of 27 subunits — and the extent to which morphological variation have been structured by evolutionary constraints and locomotory adaptation. We find that lumbars and posterior thoracics exhibit high individual disparity but low serial differentiation. They are pervasively recruited into locomotory functions and exhibit relaxed evolutionary constraint. More anterior vertebrae also show signals of locomotory adaptation, but nevertheless have low individual disparity and constrained patterns of evolution, characterised by low-dimensional shape changes. Our findings demonstrate the importance of the thoracolumbar region as an innovation enabling evolutionary versatility of mammalian locomotion. Moreover, they underscore the complexity of phenotypic macroevolution of multi-element systems and that the strength of ecomorphological signal does not have a predictable influence on macroevolutionary outcomes
YR 2021
FD 2021
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10630/32660
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10630/32660
LA eng
NO Figueirido B, Martín-Serra A, Pérez-Ramos A, Velasco D, Pastor FJ, Benson RBJ. 2021. Serial disparity in the carnivoran backbone unveil a complex adaptive role in metameric evolution. Communications Biology 4: 863
DS RIUMA. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Málaga
RD 19 ene 2026