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Salamander braincase morphology as revealed by micro-computed tomography.

Matt Szostakiwskyj1, Jason S Anderson2

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Salamander phylogeny research often excludes morphology due to skull homoplasy. However, examining braincase morphology reveals significant variation in paedomorphic species, suggesting its value for phylogenetic analyses.

Keywords:
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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Comparative Anatomy
  • Phylogenetics

Background:

  • Morphological data in salamander (Caudata) phylogeny are often misleading due to homoplasy in dermal skull traits, particularly in paedomorphic forms.
  • This has led to a trend of excluding morphological data from phylogenetic analyses, relying more heavily on molecular data.
  • Previous studies in caecilians (Gymnophiona) showed that including braincase morphology can improve phylogenetic accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate salamander braincase variation across all 10 families using high-resolution micro-computed tomography.
  • To describe and differentiate between paedomorphic and metamorphic salamander braincase morphologies.
  • To assess the utility of braincase morphology in resolving salamander phylogeny despite concerns about homoplasy.

Main Methods:

  • High-resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scanning of 28 salamander species (25 genera) representing all 10 families.
  • Detailed morphological description and comparative analysis of braincase structures.
  • Distinguishing between paedomorphic and metamorphic braincase morphologies.

Main Results:

  • A general uniformity in braincase morphology was observed among metamorphic salamander species, with variation concentrated in the occipito-otic region.
  • Paedomorphic salamanders exhibited greater braincase variation than expected, particularly in the anterior region for obligate paedomorphs compared to facultative paedomorphs.
  • This variation suggests complex evolutionary and developmental processes in paedomorphic forms beyond simple neoteny.

Conclusions:

  • Braincase morphology offers valuable characters for salamander phylogenetic analyses, potentially rescuing datasets compromised by dermal skull homoplasy.
  • The significant variation in paedomorphic braincases highlights their evolutionary complexity and importance for phylogenetic reconstruction.
  • Further investigation into character independence and correlations within morphological datasets is warranted before excluding them from phylogenetic studies.