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Quantitative genetics of plastron shape in slider turtles (Trachemys scripta).

Erin M Myers1, Fredric J Janzen, Dean C Adams

  • 1Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Iowa State University, Ames 50011, USA. emyers1@iastate.edu

Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution
|April 28, 2006
PubMed
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Slider turtle plastron shape shows high heritability, indicating strong genetic influence on evolution. However, the direction of shape evolution differs between nesting sites, suggesting varied selective pressures impacting turtle populations.

Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Quantitative genetics
  • Geometric morphometrics

Background:

  • Shape variation is crucial for evolution and natural selection.
  • Understanding shape evolution requires assessing genetic factors and environmental influences.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the quantitative genetic basis of plastron shape variation in slider turtles (Trachemys scripta).
  • To investigate the influence of nesting area and maternal effects on shape variation.
  • To estimate heritability of shape and identify evolutionary trends.

Main Methods:

  • Geometric morphometrics was used to quantify plastron shape variation in 1314 neonatal slider turtles.
  • Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) assessed the effects of nesting area and clutch.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Heritability was estimated using univariate and multivariate methods, including Procrustes distances and maximal additive heritability.

    • Main Results:

    • Clutch, not nesting area, significantly influenced plastron shape variation.
    • Maternal effects (yolk hormones, egg dimensions) showed negligible covariation with shape.
    • High heritability estimates for shape were observed (univariate h² ≈ 0.86, multivariate h²max ≈ 0.57).
    • The direction of heritable shape change differed between nesting populations, despite similar magnitudes of evolution.

    Conclusions:

    • Plastron shape in slider turtles is highly heritable, with significant clutch-level variation.
    • The univariate approach for quantitative genetic analysis of morphometric data has limitations in describing the direction of shape evolution.
    • Different evolutionary trajectories suggest distinct selective pressures acting on populations at different nesting sites.