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Punctuated Versus Gradual Shifts in the Multivariate Evolutionary Process: A Test With Paired Radiations of Scincid

Natasha Stepanova1,2, James D Boyko1, Jada Lin1

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 1105 North University Ave., Biological Sciences Building, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.

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Summary

Evolutionary changes in lizard traits were compared between Australia and Madagascar. Despite similar appearances, the genus Ctenotus shows unique evolutionary patterns, indicating rapid changes in trait correlations.

Keywords:
MacroevolutionScincidaemorphologysquamatestrait evolution

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Area of Science:

  • Evolutionary biology
  • Comparative anatomy
  • Macroevolutionary dynamics

Background:

  • Lineages accumulating mutations over time can alter macroevolutionary trajectories.
  • Phenotypic parallelism, where distinct lineages evolve similar traits, is common in scincid lizards from Australia and Madagascar.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare phenotypic evolution dynamics in Australian and Malagasy scincid lizards.
  • To test if the evolutionary covariance structure underlying phenotypic parallelism is conserved across these ancient lineages.
  • To investigate if evolutionary patterns are consistent across different functional modules (skull, limbs, limb girdles).

Main Methods:

  • Collected linear measurements from micro-CT scans of 94 Australian and 29 Malagasy skink species.
  • Applied multivariate comparative methods to analyze evolutionary covariance structures.
  • Assessed trait correlation architecture across functional modules and geographic groups.

Main Results:

  • Skull evolution showed similar covariance matrices between Malagasy and most Australian skinks.
  • Results for limbs and limb girdles were ambiguous, with some subsets supporting different evolutionary processes.
  • The Australian genus Ctenotus displayed a distinct covariance structure compared to all other studied lizards, suggesting a recent evolutionary shift.

Conclusions:

  • The architecture of trait correlations can change dramatically over relatively short evolutionary timescales.
  • The unique evolutionary patterns in Ctenotus may explain its distinct morphospace position.
  • Multivariate evolutionary processes can undergo significant changes even in geologically short periods.