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Related Concept Videos

Speciation Rates01:07

Speciation Rates

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Overview
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Formation of Species01:31

Formation of Species

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Speciation describes the formation of one or more new species from one or sometimes multiple original species. The resulting species are discrete from the parent species, and barriers to reproduction will typically exist. There are two primary mechanisms, speciation with and without geographic isolation—allopatric and sympatric speciation, respectively.
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Genetics of Speciation02:16

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Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.
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Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction (i.e., fitness). Routine predator-prey interactions elicit mutual adaptations that improve predator offenses, such as claws, teeth, and speed, as well as prey defenses, including crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry. Thus, predator-prey interactions resemble an evolutionary arms race.
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Frequency-dependent Selection01:21

Frequency-dependent Selection

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When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.
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Types of Selection01:46

Types of Selection

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Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...
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Color polymorphic carnivores have faster speciation rates.

Moritz M Heuer1,2, Klaus Fischer2, Laura Tensen3,4,5

  • 1Department of Physical Geography, Trier University, Trier, Germany.

Scientific Reports
|October 10, 2024
PubMed
Summary

Color variation in carnivores drives faster speciation rates. This suggests that color polymorphism, not habitat breadth, significantly impacts how quickly new species evolve in the Carnivora order.

Keywords:
Balancing selectionCarnivoraColor morphsExtinction rateNiche segregationPhylogeneticsSympatric evolution

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Zoology
  • Speciation research

Background:

  • Coat color variation is a notable trait in carnivores, potentially influenced by environmental factors.
  • Color polymorphism may enable populations to adapt to new niches, possibly maintained by balancing selection.
  • Polymorphic species might speciate more rapidly, leading to monomorphic daughter species.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if speciation rates are higher in polymorphic carnivore lineages.
  • To determine if divergence between polymorphic lineages is more recent.
  • To test if color polymorphism is ancestral to monomorphism and if niche breadth influences speciation rates.

Main Methods:

  • Phylogenetic comparative methods were used to assess speciation rates.
  • Data were collected for 48 polymorphic and 192 monomorphic carnivore species.
  • Hidden and quantitative state speciation and extinction models were applied.

Main Results:

  • Polymorphic carnivores exhibited significantly higher speciation rates (λ1 = 0.29) compared to monomorphic species (λ0 = 0.053).
  • Color polymorphism was identified as the primary factor influencing speciation rates.
  • Niche breadth, measured by habitat number and range size, did not significantly affect speciation rates.

Conclusions:

  • Color polymorphism accelerates the speciation rate in carnivores.
  • Factors beyond spatial niche segregation, such as predator-prey coevolution, may drive color polymorphism.
  • This research provides insights into the evolutionary dynamics of color variation and speciation in mammals.