Adaptive processes drive ecomorphological convergent evolution in antwrens (Thamnophilidae).

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Ornithology
• Phylogenetics

Background:

• Phylogenetic niche conservatism (PNC) and convergence explain phenotypic similarity across lineages.
• Understanding adaptive processes is key to phenotypic evolution.
• The Myrmotherula complex birds are small, sexually dimorphic, insectivorous forest birds.

Purpose of the Study:

• To distinguish between PNC and convergence in the Myrmotherula complex.
• To identify evolutionary mechanisms of body size and shape.
• To test if adaptive processes explain phenotypic similarity.

Main Methods:

• Integrated species-level molecular phylogeny with morphometric and ecological data.
• Employed a comparative phylogenetic framework.
• Utilized phylogenetic model-based approaches.

Main Results:

• Myrmotherula antwrens represent distantly related clades.
• Demonstrated adaptive convergent evolution in body size.
• Showed divergent evolution in body shape, linked to ecological factors.

Conclusions:

• Phenotypic similarity in Myrmotherula is driven by convergence towards smaller body sizes.
• Body size and shape evolution are influenced by ecological and behavioral factors.
• Adaptive processes significantly shape phenotypic evolution in this avian group.