Climatic niche evolution in New World monkeys (Platyrrhini)

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Evolutionary Biology
• Zoology

Background:

• Species distribution modeling and phylogenetic niche conservatism are areas of growing interest.
• Understanding how climatic niches change over evolutionary time is crucial for predicting species distributions and impacts of climate change.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the tempo and mode of climatic niche evolution in New World monkeys (Platyrrhini).
• To identify key climatic factors influencing primate distributions and assess evolutionary patterns.

Main Methods:

• Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to analyze climatic conditions across 140 primate species.
• Models of trait evolution were fitted to PCA scores to detect phylogenetic signals.

Main Results:

• Mean winter temperature (PC1) was the primary climatic correlate of platyrrhine distribution, showing significant phylogenetic signal.
• Precipitation, especially during the dry season (PC2), was the second most important factor, with no significant phylogenetic signal detected.
• Some Aotus species exhibit distinct niches in drier areas, potentially facilitated by nocturnal habits.

Conclusions:

• Climatic niche evolution is a critical factor in shaping species distributions.
• Nocturnal habits may allow certain species to adapt to novel climatic conditions, highlighting exaptation.
• Further research into the tempo and mode of niche evolution is essential for conservation efforts under climate change.