Are diet preferences associated to skulls shape diversification in xenodontine snakes?

Snakes are a highly successful group of vertebrates, within great diversity in habitat, diet, and morphology. The unique adaptations for the snake skull for ingesting large prey in more primitive macrostomatan snakes have been well documented. However, subsequent diversification in snake cranial shape in relation to dietary specializations has rarely been studied (e.g. piscivory in natricine snakes). Here we examine a large clade of snakes with a broad spectrum of diet preferences to test if diet preferences are correlated to shape variation in snake skulls. Specifically, we studied the Xenodontinae snakes, a speciose clade of South American snakes, which show a broad range of diets including invertebrates, amphibians, snakes, lizards, and small mammals. We characterized the skull morphology of 19 species of xenodontine snakes using geometric morphometric techniques, and used phylogenetic comparative methods to test the association between diet and skull morphology. Using phylogenetic partial least squares analysis (PPLS) we show that skull morphology is highly associated with diet preferences in xenodontine snakes.Julia Klaczko, Emma Sherratt, Eleonore Z. F. Set

The first transcriptome of Italian wall lizard, a new tool to infer about the Island Syndrome

Some insular lizards show a high degree of differentiation from their conspecific mainland populations, like Licosa island lizards, which are described as affected by Reversed Island Syndrome (RIS). In previous works, we demonstrated that some traits of RIS, as melanization, depend on a differential expression of gene encoding melanocortin receptors. To better understand the basis of syndrome, and providing raw data for future investigations, we generate the first de novo transcriptome of the Italian wall lizard. Comparing mainland and island transcriptomes, we link differences in life-traits to differential gene expression. Our results, taking together testis and brain sequences, generated 275,310 and 269,885 transcripts, 18,434 and 21,606 proteins in Gene Ontology annotation, for mainland and island respectively. Variant calling analysis identified about the same number of SNPs in island and mainland population. Instead, through a differential gene expression analysis we found some putative genes involved in syndrome more expressed in insular samples like Major Histocompatibility Complex class I, Immunoglobulins, Melanocortin 4 receptor, Neuropeptide Y and Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen

Species tree estimation for a deep phylogenetic divergence in the New World monkeys (Primates: Platyrrhini)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)The estimation of a robust phylogeny is a necessary first step in understanding the biological diversification of the platyrrhines. Although the most recent phylogenies are generally robust, they differ from one another in the relationship between Aotus and other genera as well as in the relationship between Pitheciidae and other families. Here, we used coding and non-coding sequences to infer the species tree and embedded gene trees of the platyrrhine genera using the Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo method for the multispecies coalescent (*BEAST) for the first time and to compared the results with those of a Bayesian concatenated phylogenetic analysis. Our species tree, based on all available sequences, shows a closer phylogenetic relationship between Atelidae and Cebidae and a closer relationship between Aotus and the Cebidae clade. The posterior probabilities are lower for these conflictive tree nodes compared to those in the concatenated analysis; this finding could be explained by some gene trees showing no concordant topologies between Aotus and the other genera. Moreover, the topology of our species tree also differs from the findings of previous molecular and morphological studies regarding the position of Aotus. The existence of discrepancies between morphological data, gene trees and the species tree is widely reported and can be related to processes such as incomplete lineage sorting or selection. Although these processes are common in species trees with low divergence, they can also occur in species trees with deep and rapid divergence. The sources of the inconsistency of morphological and molecular traits with the species tree could be a main focus of further research on platyrrhines. (C) 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.652621630Fundo de Apoio ao Ensino, a Pesquisa e a Extensao (FAEPEX - UNICAMP)Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas (CONICET)FONCyT [PICT-2011-0307]Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)FONCyT [PICT-2011-0307]FAPESP [2011/17070-6

Genitals Evolve Faster Than Other Traits In Anolis Lizards

Male genitalia are thought to be particularly rapidly evolving morphological structures, but there have been few quantitative interspecific comparisons between the evolutionary rates of genital and nongenital traits. We characterize the morphology of hemipenes in 25 Caribbean Anolis lizard species, and compare rates of hemipenial evolution to those of traits related to ecology or visual signaling. Using phylogenetically based comparisons of rates of evolutionary divergence, we show that genital traits evolve more rapidly than nongenital traits in anoles.29514448Adams, D.C., Comparing evolutionary rates for different phenotypic traits on a phylogeny using likelihood (2012) Syst. Biol., 62, pp. 181-192Ah-King, M., Barron, A.B., Herberstein, M.E., Genital evolution: why are females still understudied? (2014) PLoS Biol., 12, p. e1001851Arnegard, M.E., McIntyre, P.B., Harmon, L.J., Zelditch, M.L., Crampton, W.G.R., Davis, J.K., Sullivan, J.P., Hopkins, C.D., Sexual signal evolution outpaces ecological divergence during electric fish species radiation (2010) Am. Nat., 176, pp. 335-356Arnold, E.N., Osteology, genitalia and the relationships of Acanthodactylus (Reptilia: Lacertidae) (1983) Bull. Brit.Mus. (Nat. Hist.), Zool., 62, pp. 291-339Arnold, E.N., The hemipenis of lacertid lizards (Reptilia: Lacertidae): structure, variation and systematic implications (1986) J. Nat. Hist., 20, pp. 1221-1257Arnold, E.N., Why copulatory organs provide so many useful taxonomic characters: the origin and maintenance of hemipenial differences in lacertid lizards (Reptilia: Lacertidae) (1986) Biol. J. Linn. Soc., 29, pp. 263-281Arnqvist, G., The evolution of animal genitalia: distinguishing between hypotheses by single species studies (1997) Biol. J. Linn. Soc., 60, pp. 365-379Arnqvist, G., Rowe, L., Correlated evolution of male and female morphologies in water striders (2002) Evolution, 56, pp. 936-947Blomberg, S.P., Garland, T., Ives, A.R., Testing for phylogenetic signal in comparative data: behavioral traits are more labile (2003) Evolution, 57, pp. 717-745Böhme, W., Ziegler, T., A review of iguanian and anguimorph lizard genitalia (Squamata: ChamaeleonidaeVaranoidea, Shinisauridae, Xenosauridae, Anguidae) and their phylogenetic significance: comparisons with molecular data sets (2009) J. Zool. Syst. Evol. Res., 47, pp. 189-202Burnham, K.P., Anderson, D.R., (2002) Model selection and multimodel inference: a practical information-theoretic approach, , New York: SpringerEberhard, W.G., (1985) Sexual selection and animal genitalia, , Cambridge, MA: Harvard University PressEberhard, W.G., Evolution of genitalia: theories, evidence, and new directions (2009) Genetica, 138, pp. 5-18Eberhard, W.G., Rapid divergent evolution of genitalia (2010) The evolution of primary sexual characters in animals, pp. 40-78. , Leonard, J.L. & Córdoba-Aguilar, A. (Eds). Oxford: Oxford University PressGlor, R.E., Laport, R.G., Are subspecies of Anolis lizards that differ in dewlap color and pattern also genetically distinct? A mitochondrial analysis (2012) Mol. Phylogenet. Evol., 64, pp. 255-260Harrison, A., Poe, S., Evolution of an ornament, the dewlap, in females of the lizard genus Anolis (2012) Biol. J. Linnean Soc., 106, pp. 191-201Hosken, D.J., Stockley, P., Sexual selection and genital evolution (2004) Trends Ecol. Evol., 19, pp. 87-93Klaczko, J., Stuart, Y., press. Hemipenial allometry in Anolis grahami. J. HerpetolKöhler, G., A new species of anole related to Anolis altae from Volcán Tenorio, Costa Rica (Reptilia, Squamata, Polychrotidae) (2011) Zootaxa, 3120, pp. 29-42Köhler, G., Dehling, D.M., Köhler, J., Cryptic species and hybridization in the Anolis polylepis complex, with the description of a new species from the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica (Squamata: Polychrotidae) (2010) Zootaxa, 2718, pp. 23-38Köhler, J., Hahn, M., Köhler, G., Divergent evolution of hemipenial morphology in two cryptic species of mainland anoles related to Anolis polylepis (2012) Salamandra, 48, pp. 1-11Lessells, C.M., Boag, P.T., Unrepeatable repeatabilities: a common mistake (1987) The Auk, 104, pp. 116-121Losos, J.B., Ecomorphology, performance capability, and scaling of West Indian Anolis lizards: an evolutionary analysis (1990) Ecol. Monogr., 60, pp. 369-388Losos, J.B., (2009) Lizards in an evolutionary tree: ecology and adaptive radiation of anoles, , Berkeley: University of California PressMahler, D.L., Revell, L.J., Glor, R.E., Losos, J.B., Ecological opportunity and the rate of morphological evolution in the diversification of Greater Antillean Anoles (2010) Evolution, 64, pp. 2731-2745Mahler, D.L., Ingram, T., Revell, L.J., Losos, J.B., Exceptional convergence on the macroevolutionary landscape in island lizard radiations (2013) Science, 341, pp. 292-295Nunes, P.M.S., Fouquet, A., Curcio, F.F., Kok, P.J.R., Rodrigues, M.T., Cryptic species in Iphisa elegans Gray, 1851 (Squamata: Gymnophthalmidae) revealed by hemipenial morphology and molecular data (2012) Zool. J. Linnean Soc., 166, pp. 361-376(2013) R: a language and environment for statistical computing, , Vienna, Austria: R Foundation for Statistical ComputingRowe, L., Arnqvist, G., Sexual selection and the evolution of genital shape and complexity in water striders (2011) Evolution, 66, pp. 40-54Williams, E.E., The origin of faunas. Evolution of lizard congeners in a complex island fauna: a trial analysis (1972) Evol. Biol., 6, pp. 47-89Wolak, M.E., Fairbairn, D.J., Paulsen, Y.R., Guidelines for estimating repeatability (2012) Methods Ecol. Evol., 3, pp. 129-13

Patterns of cranial shape diversification during the phylogenetic branching process of New World monkeys (Primates: Platyrrhini)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)One of the central topics in evolutionary biology is understanding the processes responsible for phenotypic diversification related to ecological factors. New World monkeys are an excellent reference system to investigate processes of diversification at macroevolutionary scales. Here, we investigate the cranial shape diversification related to body size and ecology during the phylogenetic branching process of platyrrhines. To investigate this diversification, we used geometric morphometric techniques, a molecular phylogenetic tree, ecological data and phylogenetic comparative methods. Our statistical analyses demonstrated that the phylogenetic branching process is the most important dimension to understand cranial shape variation among extant platyrrhines and suggested that the main shape divergence among the four principal platyrrhine clades probably occurred during the initial branching process. The phylogenetic conservatism, which is the retention of ancestral traits over time within the four principal platyrrhine clades, could be the most important characteristic of platyrrhine cranial shape diversification. Different factors might have driven early shape divergence and posterior relative conservatism, including genetic drift, stabilizing selection, genetic constraints owing to pleiotropy, developmental or functional constraint, lack of genetic variation, among others. Understanding the processes driving the diversification among platyrrhines will probably require further palaeontological, phylogenetic and comparative studies.24818261835Fundo de Apoio ao Ensino, a Pesquisa e a Extensao (FAEPEX - UNICAMP)Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y TecnicasFundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq

Molecular phylogenetic relationships and phenotypic diversity in miniaturized toadlets, genus Brachycephalus (Amphibia: Anura: Brachycephalidae)

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Toadlets of the genus Brachycephalus are endemic to the Atlantic rainforests of southeastern and southern Brazil. The 14 species currently described have snout-vent lengths less than 18 mm and are thought to have evolved through miniaturization: an evolutionary process leading to an extremely small adult body size. Here, we present the first comprehensive phylogenetic analysis for Brachycephalus, using a multilocus approach based on two nuclear (Rag-1 and Tyr) and three mitochondrial (Cyt b, 12S, and 165 rRNA) gene regions. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred using a partitioned Bayesian analysis of concatenated sequences and the hierarchical Bayesian method (BEST) that estimates species trees based on the multispecies coalescent model. Individual gene trees showed conflict and also varied in resolution. With the exception of the mitochondrial gene tree, no gene tree was completely resolved. The concatenated gene tree was completely resolved and is identical in topology and degree of statistical support to the individual mtDNA gene tree. On the other hand, the BEST species tree showed reduced significant node support relative to the concatenate tree and recovered a basal trichotomy, although some bipartitions were significantly supported at the tips of the species tree. Comparison of the log likelihoods for the concatenated and BEST trees suggests that the method implemented in BEST explains the multilocus data for Brachycephalus better than the Bayesian analysis of concatenated data. Landmark-based geometric morphometrics revealed marked variation in cranial shape between the species of Brachycephalus. In addition, a statistically significant association was demonstrated between variation in cranial shape and genetic distances estimated from the mtDNA and nuclear loci. Notably, B. ephippium and B. garbeana that are predicted to be sister-species in the individual and concatenated gene trees and the BEST species tree share an evolutionary novelty, the hyperossified dorsal plate. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.6117989Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas, ArgentinaConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)CNPq [470041/2006-4, 141629/2008-8]FAPESP [2005/55449-6, 2008/50928-1, 2003/12396-4

Analysis Of Mitochondrial Dna Variability And Genetic Structure In Populations Of New World Screwworm Flies (diptera: Calliphoridae) From Uruguay

The New Word screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel 1858) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), is one of the most important insect pests of livestock in the Neotropical region. In this work, polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was used to study the diversity and population structure of seven geographically distinct populations of C. hominivorax from most of the important livestock areas in Uruguay. The control region (A+T/12S) and subunits 1 and 2 of cytochrome oxidase (cox1/cox2) were amplified and digested with restriction endonucleases. Nine haplotypes were observed among the populations sampled. The mean nucleotide diversity and the haplotype diversity indicated high mtDNA variability in this species. The similarity index, average nucleotide divergence, and analysis of molecular variance results showed no evidence of subpopulation differentiation, indicating that the C. hominivorax populations of Uruguay form a single panmitic population. The distribution pattern of the genetic-variation in natural populations of C. hominivorax and the implications of these results for establishing control program are discussed. © 2005 Entomological Society of America.424589595Avise, J.C., (1994) Molecular Markers, Natural History and Evolution, , Chapman & Hall, New YorkAvise, J.C., Arnold, J., Ball, R.M., Bermingham, E., Lamb, T., Neigel, J.E., Reeb, C.A., Saunders, N.C., Intraspecific phylogeography: The mitochondrial DNA bridge between population genetics and systematics (1987) Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst., 18, pp. 489-522Azeredo-Espin, A.M.L., Mitochondrial DNA variability in geographic populations of screwworm fly from Brazil (1993) Int. Atomic Energy Agency, 327, pp. 161-165Carballo, M., Colombo, A., Heinzen, T., Presencia de especies de dípteros Califóridos causantes de miasis cutáneas en Uruguay. Relevamiento de larvas parasitarias (instar III) en rumiantes (1990) Veterinaria, 26, pp. 4-6Dueñas, J.C.R., Panzetta-Dutari, G.M., Blanco, A., Gardenal, C.N., Restriction fragment-length polymorphism of mtDNA A+T-rich region as a genetic marker in Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) (2002) Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am., 95, pp. 352-358Excoffier, L., Smouse, P.E., Quattro, J.M., Analysis of molecular variance inferred from metric distances among DNA haplotypes: Application to human mitochondrial DNA restriction data (1992) Genetics, 131, pp. 479-491Guimarães, J.H., Papavero, N., Prado, A.P., As miíases na região Neotropical (identificaçã o, biologia, bibliografia) (1983) Rev. Bras. Zool., 1, pp. 239-416Hall, M., Wall, R., Myiasis of human and domestic animals (1995) Adv. Parasitol., 35, pp. 256-333Heiman, M., (1997) Software Webcutter 2.0, , http://www.firstmarket.com/cutterInfante-Malachias, M.E., (1999) Estrutura Genética de Populações de Cochliomyia hominivorax (DípteraCalliphoridae) Da Região Sudeste Do Brasil: Análise Através de 3 Tipos de Marcadores Genéticos, , Ph.D. dissertation, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, BrazilInfante-Malachias, M.E., Yotoko, K.S.C., Azeredo-Espin, A.M.L., Random amplified polymorphic DNA of screwworm fly populations (Diptera: Calliphoridae) from southeastern Brazil and northern Argentina (1999) Genome, 42, pp. 772-779Infante-Vargas, M.E., Azeredo-Espin, A.M.L., Genetic variability in mitochondrial DNA of screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Diptera: Calliphoridae), from Brazil (1995) Biochem. Genet., 33, pp. 237-256(2000) Genetic Sexing and Population Genetics of Screwworms, , IAEA-314-D4-00CT2176. International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna, AustriaKrafsur, E.S., Whitten, C.J., Breeding structure of screwworm fly populations (Diptera-Calliphoridae) in Colima, Mexico (1993) J. Med. Entomol., 30, pp. 477-480Litjens, P., Lessinger, A.C., Azeredo-Espin, A.M.L., Characterization of screwworm flies Cochliomyia hominivorax and Cochliomyia macellaria by PCR-RFLP of mitochondrial DNA (2001) Med. Vet. Entomol., 15, pp. 183-188Lessinger, A.C., Azeredo-Espin, A.M.L., Evolution and structural organization of mitochondrial DNA control region of myiasis-causing flies (2000) Med. Vet. Entomol., 14, pp. 71-80Lessinger, A.C., Junqueira, A.C.M., Lemos, T.A., Kemper, E.L., Da Silva, F.R., Vettore, A.L., Arruda, P., Azeredo-Espin, A.M.L., The mitochondrial genome of the primary screwworm fly Cochliomyia hominivorax (Diptera: Calliphoridae) (2000) Insect Mol. Biol., 9, pp. 521-529McElroy, D., Moran, P., Bermingham, E., Kornfield, I., (1992) Restriction Analysis Package (REAP), Version 4.0, , University of Maine, Orono, ME(2002), http://www.mgap.gub.uy/Nei, M., (1987) Molecular Evolutionary Genetics, , Columbia University, New YorkNei, M., Li, W.H., Mathematical model for studying genetic variation in terms of restriction endonucleases (1979) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 76, pp. 5269-5273Nei, M., Tajima, F., DNA polymorphism detectable by restriction endonucleases (1981) Genetics, 97, pp. 145-163Roehrdanz, R.L., Intraspecific genetic variability in mitochondrial DNA of the screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax) (1989) Biochem. Genet., 27, pp. 551-569Roehrdanz, R.L., Johnson, D.A., Mitochondrial DNA variation among geographical populations of the screwworm fly, Cochliomyia hominivorax (1988) J. Med. Entomol., 25, pp. 136-141Rokas, A., Ladoukakis, E., Zouros, E., Animal mitochondrial DNA recombination revisited (2003) Trends Ecol. Evol., 18, pp. 411-417Ross, K.G., Krieger, M.J.B., Shoemaker, D.D., Vargo, E.L., Keller, L., Hierarchical analysis of genetic structure in native fire ant populations: Results from three classes of molecular markers (1997) Genetics, 147, pp. 643-655Schneider, Roessli, S.D., Excoffier, L., (2001) Arlequin Ver. 2.01. Software for Population Genetics Data Analyses, , Genetics and Biometry Laboratory. Department of Anthropology and Ecology, University of Geneva, SwitzerlandSimon, C., Frati, F., Beckenbach, A., Crespi, B., Liu, H., Flook, P., Evolution, weighting and phylogenetic utility of mitochondrial gene sequences and compilation of conserved polymerase chain reaction primers (1994) Annu. Entomol. Soc. Am., 87, pp. 651-701Taylor, D.B., Peterson II, R.D., Population genetics and gene variation in primary and secondary screwworm (Diptera: Calliphoridae) (1994) Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am., 87, pp. 626-633Taylor, D.B., Szalanski, A.L., Peterson II, R.D., Mitochondrial DNA variation in screwworm (1996) Med. Vet. Entomol., 10, pp. 161-169Thomas, D.B., Mangan, R.L., Oviposition and wound visiting behavior of the screwworm fly Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel) (1989) Ann. Entomol. Soc. Am., 82, pp. 526-534Torres, T.T., Brondani, R.P.V., Garcia, J.E., Azeredo-Espin, A.M.L., Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers in the new world screw-worm Cochliomyia hominivorax (Diptera: Calliphoridae) (2004) Mol. Ecol. Notes, 4, pp. 182-184Vargas-Teran, M., Hursey, B.S., Cunningham, E.P., Eradication of the screwworm from Libya using the sterile insect technique (1994) Parasitol. Today, 10, pp. 119-122Wyss, J.H., Galvin, T.J., Central America regional screwworm eradication program (benefit/cost study) (1996) Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., 791, pp. 241-24

Sexual dimorphism of body size and sternopleural bristle number: a comparison of geographic populations of an invasive cosmopolitan drosophilid

Zaprionus indianus is a cosmopolitan drosophilid, of Afrotropical origin, which has recently colonized South America. The sexual dimorphism (SD) of body size is low, males being almost as big as females. We investigated 10 natural populations, 5 from America and 5 from Africa, using the isofemale line technique. Three traits were measured on each fly: wing and thorax length and sternopleural bristle number. Two indices of SD were compared, and found to be highly correlated (r > 0.99). For the sake of simplicity, only the female/male (F/M) ratio was further considered. A significant genetic variability of SD was found in all cases, although with a low heritability (intra-class correlation of 0.13), about half the value found for the traits themselves. For size SD, we did not find any variation among continents or any latitudinal trend, and average values were 1.02 for wing length and 1.01 for thorax length. Bristle number SD was much greater (1.07). Among mass laboratory strains, SD was genetically much more variable than in recently collected populations, a likely consequence of laboratory drift. Altogether, SD, although genetically variable and prone to laboratory drift, is independent of size variations and presumably submitted to a stabilizing selection in nature.1284169910912