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Convergent evolution of giant size in eurypterids.

Alexander Ruebenstahl1, Nicolás Mongiardino Koch2, James C Lamsdell3

  • 1Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Yale University , New Haven, CT 06520, USA.

Proceedings. Biological Sciences
|July 30, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Giant sea scorpions (eurypterids) evolved large sizes multiple times. Their gigantism was driven by intrinsic factors, not environmental conditions like temperature or habitat.

Keywords:
arthropodconvergencegigantismpalaeozoicpredatorsea scorpion

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Area of Science:

  • Paleontology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Arthropod Paleobiology

Background:

  • Eurypterids, or sea scorpions, were Palaeozoic arthropods that achieved remarkable sizes.
  • These marine and freshwater creatures repeatedly evolved gigantism and colonized diverse aquatic habitats.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolutionary drivers behind the giant size of eurypterids.
  • To test hypotheses linking eurypterid gigantism to habitat, temperature, oxygen, latitude, and diversity.

Main Methods:

  • Compiled data on a majority of eurypterid species.
  • Employed a phylogenetic comparative approach utilizing a new tip-dated phylogenetic tree.
  • Analyzed correlations between body size evolution and environmental/ecological factors.

Main Results:

  • No compelling evidence supports temperature or oxygen levels driving eurypterid gigantism.
  • Giant size evolution was not coupled with continental aquatic invasions, latitude, or local faunal diversity.
  • Eurypterid body size evolution is characterized by rapid, independent bursts of change.

Conclusions:

  • Intrinsic factors played a significant role in the convergent evolution of eurypterid gigantism.
  • Habitat and environmental conditions were not primary drivers of sea scorpion size evolution.