Morphological and Dietary Correlates of Clutch Size in North American Woodpeckers

The Auk ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 104 (4) ◽  
pp. 757-765 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter D. Koenig
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Clutch Size ◽  
North American ◽  
Life History Evolution ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
The Family ◽  
Size And Morphology ◽  
Cranial Kinesis ◽  
Wood Boring

Abstract There are diverse relations among ecological, morphological, and life-history traits in North American woodpeckers (family Picidae). Within the family as a whole, clutch size does not correlate with body size. However, clutch size increases with body size within the genus Melanerpes and decreases with size in Picoides. In the family as a whole, species that specialize on wood-boring larvae have small clutches. Such species use pecking as a major foraging technique, and pecking is associated with a wide suite of morphological specializations, including relatively wide first ribs, long pygostyle disks, short tibia, wide crania, wide maxillae, long mandibular symphyses, less cranial kinesis, and greater culmen sexual dimorphism. Hence, these morphological characters also correlate with clutch size, in two cases (length of the mandibular symphysis and cranial kinesis) even after controlling for both body size and generic effects. The observed correlations between clutch size and morphology are probably the result of dietary influences. These correlations, however, may at least in part be due to morphological constraints. Morphological design may thus constrain life-history evolution at the intrafamilial and intrageneric levels as well as at higher taxonomic levels.

Clutch Mass, Offspring Mass, and Clutch Size: Body Mass Scaling and Taxonomic and Environmental Variation

2018 ◽  
pp. 68-97
Author(s):  
Douglas S. Glazier
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Clutch Size ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Life History Evolution ◽  
Offspring Size ◽  
Egg Mass ◽  
Mass Scaling ◽  
Scaling Relationships ◽  
Clutch Mass

In this chapter, I show how clutch mass, offspring (egg) mass, and clutch size relate to body mass among species of branchiopod, maxillipod, and malacostracan crustaceans, as well as how these important life history traits vary among major taxa and environments independently of body size. Clutch mass relates strongly and nearly isometrically to body mass, probably because of physical volumetric constraints. By contrast, egg mass and clutch size relate more weakly and curvilinearly to body mass and vary in inverse proportion to one another, thus indicating a fundamental trade-off, which occurs within many crustacean taxa as well. In general, offspring (egg) size and number and their relationships to body mass appear to be more ecologically sensitive and evolutionarily malleable than clutch mass. The body mass scaling relationships of egg mass and clutch size show much more taxonomic and ecological variation (log-log scaling slopes varying from near 0 to almost 1 among major taxa) than do those for clutch mass, a pattern also observed in other animal taxa. The curvilinear body mass scaling relationships of egg mass and number also suggest a significant, size-related shift in how natural selection affects offspring versus maternal fitness. As body size increases, selection apparently predominantly favors increases in offspring size and fitness up to an asymptote, beyond which increases in offspring number and thus maternal fitness are preferentially favored. Crustaceans not only offer excellent opportunities for furthering our general understanding of life history evolution, but also their ecological and economic importance warrants further study of the various factors affecting their reproductive success.

scholarly journals Latitudinal Variation in Life History Reveals a Reproductive Disadvantage in the Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel F. Hughes ◽  
Walter E. Meshaka ◽  
Carl S. Lieb ◽  
Joseph H. K. Pechmann
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Clutch Size ◽  
Life History Strategy ◽  
Life History Evolution ◽  
Population Variation ◽  
Latitudinal Variation ◽  
Widespread Species ◽  
Phrynosoma Cornutum ◽  
History Evolution

Geographically widespread species that occupy many thermal environments provide testable models for understanding the evolution of life-history responses to latitude, yet studies that draw range-wide conclusions using descriptive data from populations in the core of a species’ distribution can overlook meaningful inter-population variation. The phrynosomatid lizard Phrynosoma cornutum spans an extensive latitudinal distribution in North America and has been well-studied in connection with life-history evolution, yet populations occupying the most northern and coldest areas within its range were absent from previous examinations. We tested genus-wide models and challenged species-specific findings on the evolution of the life-history strategy for P. cornutum using populations at the northern edge of its geographic range and comparative material from farther south. Multivariate analyses revealed that egg dimensions decreased with clutch size, suggestive of a previously unrecognized tradeoff between egg size and egg number in this species. Interestingly, reproductive traits of females with shelled eggs did not covary with latitude, yet we found that populations at the highest latitudes typified several traits of the genus and for the species, including a model for Phrynosoma of large clutches and delayed reproduction. A significant deviation from earlier findings is that we detected latitudinal variation in clutch size. This finding, although novel, is unsurprising given the smaller body sizes from northern populations and the positive relationship between clutch size and body size. Intriguing, however, was that the significant reduction in clutch size persisted when female body size was held constant, indicating a reproductive disadvantage to living at higher latitudes. We discuss the possible selective pressures that may have resulted in the diminishing returns on reproductive output at higher latitudes. Our findings highlight the type of insights in the study of life-history evolution that can be gained across Phrynosomatidae from the inclusion of populations representing latitudinal endpoints.

Intraspecific variation in reproductive effort by female Parapediasia teterrella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and its relation to body size

1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 44-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry D. Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Egg Production ◽  
Egg Size ◽  
Reproductive Effort ◽  
Life History Evolution ◽  
Reproductive Parameters ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Egg Number ◽  
Lepidoptera Pyralidae

Daily egg production of the moth Parapediasia teterrella declined over the life-span of the female but egg size remained constant. The absence of water resulted in lower fecundity and early mortality. Egg size and lifetime fecundity showed considerable inter-individual variation and large females produced more and larger eggs than their smaller counterparts. Large females expended greater reproductive effort than small females. Hatching success was negatively related to egg size. In spite of this, large females laying large eggs had higher fitness than small females. I postulate that multiple reproductive strategies within a species, resulting from differences in reproductive effort expended, may explain why expected trade-offs in reproductive parameters (e.g., egg size versus egg number) were not found in this species. Furthermore, I argue that the prevalent interpretation of life-history evolution (that body size is the important determining parameter of life-history parameters) may reflect correlation of body size with reproductive effort, and reproductive effort may be more important in determining the nature of trade-offs between reproductive parameters.

scholarly journals Life history of Xenodexia ctenolepis: implications for life history evolution in the family Poeciliidae

2007 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 77-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
DAVID REZNICK ◽  
TOMAS HRBEK ◽  
SUNNY CAURA ◽  
JAAP DE GREEF ◽  
DEREK ROFF
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Life History Evolution ◽  
The Family ◽  
History Of ◽  
History Evolution

scholarly journals Growth in fossil and extant deer and implications for body size and life history evolution

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Kolb ◽  
Torsten M Scheyer ◽  
Adrian M Lister ◽  
Concepcion Azorit ◽  
John de Vos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Life History Evolution ◽  
History Evolution

PROPOSAL OF NUDOMIDEOPSIDAE FAM.NOV. (ACARI: ARRENUROIDEA) WITH A REVIEW OF NORTH AMERICAN TAXA AND DESCRIPTION OF A NEW SUBGENUS AND SPECIES OF NUDOMIDEOPSIS SZALAY, 1945

1990 ◽  
Vol 122 (2) ◽  
pp. 229-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian M. Smith
Keyword(s):  
North American ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
North American Species ◽  
New Subgenus ◽  
The Family

AbstractThe family Nudomideopsidae fam.nov. is proposed on the basis of an analysis of morphological characters of larvae and adults of species of Nudomideopsis and related genera, and consideration of the zoogeography of the group. The systematics and distribution of North American species are reviewed, and adults of Nudomideopsis (Allomideopsis) wichitaensis subgen.nov., sp.nov. are described.

Ontogeny of morphological traits in Eupelops variatus (Mihelčič, 1957), with remarks on juveniles of Phenopelopidae (Acari: Oribatida) 

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 161
Author(s):  
Badamdorj Bayartogtokh ◽  
Sergey G. Ermilov ◽  
Umukusum Ya. Shtanchaeva ◽  
Luis S. Subías
Keyword(s):  
Body Size ◽  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Morphological Characters ◽  
Oribatid Mites ◽  
Southern Europe ◽  
The Family ◽  
Species Specific

Juvenile instars of oribatid mites of the family Phenopelopidae are well known compared to most other families, however, information on the morphological ontogeny of the majority of species is still insufficient or unknown. Comparative characteristics of immatures of species of Phenopelopidae are given based on our own data and available literature sources. The major characteristics of immature instars of 11 species are presented, and the morphological ontogeny of Eupelops variatus (Mihelčič, 1957) is investigated based on material from southern Europe. From these studies, it can be generalized that the juvenile morphologies of phenopelopid genera are quite similar and uniform. The juveniles have plicate integument, marginally flattened opisthonotum, and short gastronotic setae c1, c3 and of the d-series. The juveniles of the phenopelopid species differ from one another in morphological characters such as body size, development of the prodorsal ridges, lamellar, interlamellar as well as gastronotic setae of c2, lp and h-series either in larva or nymphs, and all these characters have species-specific value. 

scholarly journals Clutch size in the small-sized lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae (Tropiduridae): does it vary along the geographic distribution of the species?

2011 ◽  
Vol 101 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 61-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Conrado A. B Galdino ◽  
Monique Van Sluys
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Clutch Size ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Geographic Range ◽  
Southeastern Brazil ◽  
Rock Outcrop ◽  
Female Body Size ◽  
Clutch Mass

We studied life history traits of females of the lizard Eurolophosaurus nanuzae (Rodrigues, 1981), an endemic species of rock outcrop habitats in southeastern Brazil. During October 2002 and 2003 we sampled three populations in sites that encompass the meridional portion of the geographic range of the species. Clutch size varied from one to three eggs, with most females carrying two eggs. Clutch size did not vary among populations, but was correlated to female body size. Only larger females produced clutches of three eggs. Females of the small-sized E. nanuzae produce eggs as large as those of medium-sized tropidurids, thus investing a considerable amount of energy to produce clutches resulting in high values of relative clutch mass.

scholarly journals Quality versus quantity: The balance between egg and clutch size among Australian amphibians is related to life history and environmental conditions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Gould ◽  
Chad Beranek ◽  
Jose Valdez ◽  
Michael Mahony
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Parental Care ◽  
Clutch Size ◽  
Female Body ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Breeding Habitat ◽  
Female Body Size

AbstractAn inverse relationship between egg and clutch size has been found repeatedly across animal groups, including birds, reptiles and amphibians, and is considered to be a result of resource limitations and physical constraints on the reproducing female. However, few studies have contextualised this relationship with respect to various environmental selecting pressures and life history traits that have also likely influenced the selection of an optimal egg/clutch size combination, while even fewer have tested these interrelationships using robust natural history datasets. In this study, we aimed to test current hypothesises regarding these relationships on both egg and clutch sizes among the Australian Anurans, which to date have not received this kind of investigation. Specifically, we looked at the influence of environmental selecting pressures (egg laying location, environment persistence and bioregion) and life history traits (adult female body size, egg development type, parental care level, breeding period and temporal breeding pattern). As expected, a clear inverse relationship was found between egg and clutch size, while female body size was positively related to both. Generally speaking, smaller clutches of larger eggs tended to be produced by species that i) oviposit terrestrially, ii) showcase direct development and iii) possess high levels of parental care. Temporal breeding pattern was strongly related to clutch size only, with large clutches occurring in explosive breeding species, while breeding habitat was strongly related to egg size only, with large eggs sizes occurring in terrestrial species. Altogether, these findings indicate that numerous factors have likely influenced the evolution of an optimal clutch type in this group, highlighting the importance of incorporating such variables into animal studies on egg and clutch sizes.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document