scholarly journals Terrestriality and bacterial transfer: A comparative study of gut microbiomes in sympatric Malagasy mammals

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda C. Perofsky ◽  
Rebecca J. Lewis ◽  
Lauren Ancel Meyers
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Horizontal Transmission ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Shared History ◽  
Ecological Predictors ◽  
Captive Populations ◽  
History Of ◽  
Lemur Species

AbstractThe gut microbiomes of mammals appear to mirror their hosts’ phylogeny, suggesting a shared history of co-speciation. Yet, much of this evidence stems from comparative studies of distinct wild or captive populations that lack data for disentangling the relative influences of shared phylogeny and environment. Here, we present phylogenetic and multivariate analyses of gut microbiomes from six sympatric (i.e., co-occurring) mammal species inhabiting a 1-km2 area in western Madagascar—three lemur and three non-primate species—that consider genetic, dietary, and ecological predictors of microbiome functionality and composition. Host evolutionary history, indeed, appears to drive gut microbial patterns among distantly related species. However, we also find that diet—reliance on leaves versus fruit—is the best predictor of microbiome similarity among closely related lemur species, and that host substrate preference—ground versus tree— constrains horizontal transmission via incidental contact with feces, with arboreal species harboring far more distinct communities than those of their terrestrial and semi-terrestrial counterparts.

scholarly journals Molecular evolutionary analysis of human primary microcephaly genes

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nashaiman Pervaiz ◽  
Hongen Kang ◽  
Yiming Bao ◽  
Amir Ali Abbasi
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Genetic Basis ◽  
Brain Size ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Evolutionary Analysis ◽  
Australopithecus Afarensis ◽  
Primary Microcephaly ◽  
Modern Humans ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Brain

Abstract Background There has been a rapid increase in the brain size relative to body size during mammalian evolutionary history. In particular, the enlarged and globular brain is the most distinctive anatomical feature of modern humans that set us apart from other extinct and extant primate species. Genetic basis of large brain size in modern humans has largely remained enigmatic. Genes associated with the pathological reduction of brain size (primary microcephaly-MCPH) have the characteristics and functions to be considered ideal candidates to unravel the genetic basis of evolutionary enlargement of human brain size. For instance, the brain size of microcephaly patients is similar to the brain size of Pan troglodyte and the very early hominids like the Sahelanthropus tchadensis and Australopithecus afarensis. Results The present study investigates the molecular evolutionary history of subset of autosomal recessive primary microcephaly (MCPH) genes; CEP135, ZNF335, PHC1, SASS6, CDK6, MFSD2A, CIT, and KIF14 across 48 mammalian species. Codon based substitutions site analysis indicated that ZNF335, SASS6, CIT, and KIF14 have experienced positive selection in eutherian evolutionary history. Estimation of divergent selection pressure revealed that almost all of the MCPH genes analyzed in the present study have maintained their functions throughout the history of placental mammals. Contrary to our expectations, human-specific adoptive evolution was not detected for any of the MCPH genes analyzed in the present study. Conclusion Based on these data it can be inferred that protein-coding sequence of MCPH genes might not be the sole determinant of increase in relative brain size during primate evolutionary history.

First North African record of a melanistic common genet (Genetta genetta Linnaeus, 1758)

Mammalia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mourad Ahmim ◽  
Hafid Aroudj ◽  
Farouk Aroudj ◽  
Saaid Saidi ◽  
Samir Aroudj
Keyword(s):  
North Africa ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
North African ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Genetta Genetta ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Common ◽  
True Occurrence

Abstract The common genet (Genetta genetta Linnaeus, 1758) is a rare and protected mammal species in Algeria. We report the first melanistic individual of this species ever recorded in North Africa. Such animals have only been recorded in Spain and Portugal so far. It is unclear why melanistic common genets seem to be so rare in its African range. More research is needed to determine the true occurrence of melanistic individuals, and what the evolutionary history of melanism is in common genets.

scholarly journals The evolutionary history of a mammal species with a highly fragmented range: the phylogeography of the European snow vole

2009 ◽  
Vol 279 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Castiglia ◽  
F. Annesi ◽  
B. Kryštufek ◽  
M. G. Filippucci ◽  
G. Amori
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
History Of

scholarly journals New thinking: the evolution of human cognition

2012 ◽  
Vol 367 (1599) ◽  
pp. 2091-2096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia Heyes
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Evolutionary Biology ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Human Cognition ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
New Thinking ◽  
History Of ◽  
New Research ◽  
Political Economic ◽  
Vast Range

Humans are animals that specialize in thinking and knowing, and our extraordinary cognitive abilities have transformed every aspect of our lives. In contrast to our chimpanzee cousins and Stone Age ancestors, we are complex political, economic, scientific and artistic creatures, living in a vast range of habitats, many of which are our own creation. Research on the evolution of human cognition asks what types of thinking make us such peculiar animals, and how they have been generated by evolutionary processes. New research in this field looks deeper into the evolutionary history of human cognition, and adopts a more multi-disciplinary approach than earlier ‘Evolutionary Psychology’. It is informed by comparisons between humans and a range of primate and non-primate species, and integrates findings from anthropology, archaeology, economics, evolutionary biology, neuroscience, philosophy and psychology. Using these methods, recent research reveals profound commonalities, as well striking differences, between human and non-human minds, and suggests that the evolution of human cognition has been much more gradual and incremental than previously assumed. It accords crucial roles to cultural evolution, techno-social co-evolution and gene–culture co-evolution. These have produced domain-general developmental processes with extraordinary power—power that makes human cognition, and human lives, unique.

scholarly journals Distributions and phylogeographic data of rheophilic freshwater fishes provide evidences on the geographic extension of a central-brazilian amazonian palaeoplateau in the area of the present day Pantanal Wetland

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 319-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexandre C. Ribeiro ◽  
Rodrigo M. Jacob ◽  
Ronnayana R. S. R. Silva ◽  
Flávio C. T. Lima ◽  
Daniela C. Ferreira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Analysis ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Sister Group ◽  
Freshwater Fishes ◽  
Drainage Basins ◽  
Vicariant Event ◽  
Shared History ◽  
History Of ◽  
Pantanal Wetland

The analysis of the distribution patterns presented by examples of freshwater fishes restricted to headwater habitat: the anostomid Leporinus octomaculatus, the characins Jubiaba acanthogaster, Oligosarcus perdido, Moenkhausia cosmops, Knodus chapadae, Planaltina sp., the loricariid Hypostomus cochliodon, and the auchenipterid Centromochlus sp. provided evidences of a relatively recent shared history between the highlands of the upper rio Paraguay and adjoining upland drainage basins. Restricted to headwater of the uplands in the upper rio Paraguay and adjoining basins, these species provide biological evidence of the former extension of the central Brazilian plateau before the origin of the Pantanal Wetland. Disjunction took place due to an ecological barrier to these rheophilic taxa represented tectonic subsidence related to the origin of the Pantanal Wetland. Molecular analysis of Jubiaba acanthogaster revealed that the sample from the upper rio Xingu basin are the sister-group of a clade that includes samples from the upper rio Arinos (upper rio Tapajós) plus the upper rio Paraguay basin, supporting the assumption that the origin of the upper rio Paraguay basin causing vicariance between this basin and the upper rio Tapajós is the least vicariant event in the evolutionary history of the group.

Cooperation in primates

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 361-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Albiach-Serrano
Keyword(s):  
Observational Studies ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Nonhuman Primates ◽  
Cooperative Behavior ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Primate Species ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
History Of ◽  
Methodological Difficulties

Observational studies have suggested that some nonhuman primates’ cooperative behavior may rely on their capacity to share goals and understand the role of their partners. Experimental studies have tried to find evidence for this under controlled conditions, investigating aspects like the degree of organization in different primate species and the individuals’ capacity to recognize and choose good partners, switch roles with them, and care about their outcomes. Often, the results have been mixed. Partly, this is because of the methodological difficulties inherent to empirical research. In this paper, I offer a critical, methodological review of the experimental studies done in the last years on nonhuman primates’ cooperation, I discuss their findings, and suggest possible solutions to some of the procedural problems. Hopefully, this will contribute to improve the design of future studies and therefore our knowledge about the evolutionary history of cooperation.

scholarly journals Recombination patterns in coronaviruses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola F. Müller ◽  
Kathryn E. Kistler ◽  
Trevor Bedford
Keyword(s):  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Sequence Data ◽  
Template Switching ◽  
Recombination Rates ◽  
Genetic Sequence ◽  
Recombinant Viruses ◽  
Switching Model ◽  
Shared History ◽  
Phylogenetic Methods ◽  
History Of

AbstractAs shown during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, phylogenetic and phylodynamic methods are essential tools to study the spread and evolution of pathogens. One of the central assumptions of these methods is that the shared history of pathogens isolated from different hosts can be described by a branching phylogenetic tree. Recombination breaks this assumption. This makes it problematic to apply phylogenetic methods to study recombining pathogens, including, for example, coronaviruses. Here, we introduce a Markov chain Monte Carlo approach that allows inference of recombination networks from genetic sequence data under a template switching model of recombination. Using this method, we first show that recombination is extremely common in the evolutionary history of SARS-like coronaviruses. We then show how recombination rates across the genome of the human seasonal coronaviruses 229E, OC43 and NL63 vary with rates of adaptation. This suggests that recombination could be beneficial to fitness of human seasonal coronaviruses. Additionally, this work sets the stage for Bayesian phylogenetic tracking of the spread and evolution of SARS-CoV-2 in the future, even as recombinant viruses become prevalent.

Gender dependent and independent morphological dimorphism in sexual and apomictic Antennaria monocephala sensu lato

1991 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
pp. 1433-1448 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. G. Chmielewski ◽  
C. C. Chinnappa
Keyword(s):  
Chromosome Number ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Reproductive Biology ◽  
Chromosome Numbers ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Reproductive Mode ◽  
Polyploid Complex ◽  
Adaxial Surface ◽  
History Of

Taxa included in the Antennaria monocephala DC. polyploid complex were previously circumscribed at the specific, subspecific, or varietal levels without concensus. The purpose of this phenetic study was to construct a taxonomy that not only reflects the presumed evolutionary history of the complex but also presents a taxonomy that is both functional and informative, regardless of an individual's gender or more importantly, the reproductive mode of the population. The rank of subspecies (A. monocephala ssp. monocephala and A. monocephala ssp. angustata (Green) Hultén) was accepted as the most appropriate level of gender independent circumscription that satisfied the purpose of the phenetic study. These subspecies differ with respect to tomentum, chromosome number, reproductive biology, and (in part) provenance. The former taxon, A. monocephala ssp. monocephala, is a sexual diploid (2n = 28); the latter taxon, A. monocephala ssp. augustata, is an apomictic polyploid, with chromosome numbers ranging from tetraploid (2n = 56) to octoploid (2n = 112). In A. monocephala ssp. monocephala the adaxial surface of the basal and cauline leaves is glabrous-strigose, as is the stem. In A. monocephala ssp. angustata the adaxial surface of both basal and cauline leaves is floccose-tomentose, as is the surface of the stem. Key words: Antennaria monocephala polyploid complex, multivariate analyses.

Morphometric characteristics of Alpine salamanders: a support for subspecies validation and conservation?

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emina Šunje ◽  
Raoul Van Damme ◽  
Dušan Jelić ◽  
Maria Mueller ◽  
Rifat Škrijelj ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Morphological Traits ◽  
Genetic Architecture ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Multivariate Analyses ◽  
Morphometric Study ◽  
Evolutionary Potential ◽  
Conservation Units ◽  
Correlation Pattern ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Alps

Abstract The subspecies concept is not only useful to assess the evolutionary history of species and therefore describe their evolutionary potential, but it also has corollaries for defining conservation units and their management. Within Alpine salamanders, the subspecies status of Salamandra atra prenjensis, isolated in the Dinarides from its nominal subspecies Salamandra atra atra that occurs in the Alps, has been under debate. To remediate this fuzzy taxonomy, the present study investigates 14 morphological traits of Alpine salamanders originating from Austria and from Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H). Multivariate analyses support a geographical structuring of morphological variation and the differentiation between the Dinaric (B&H) and Alpine (Austrian) populations. Within populations, a different correlation pattern among traits is registered, reflecting the distinct genetic architecture of multivariate phenotypes. This morphometric study supports recent molecular evidences of a strong differentiation between the Dinaric and Alpine populations and pleads in favour of the separate subspecies status, although a wider sampling of other populations and the inclusion of additional characters would be necessary to reinforce this conclusion. The recognition of Salamandra atra prenjensis as a distinct subspecies would highly contribute to the better conservation of this emblematic salamander.

Elaborating the role of reflection and individual differences in the study of folk-economic beliefs

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin Arceneaux
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Behavioral Responses ◽  
History Of ◽  
Economic Beliefs

AbstractIntuitions guide decision-making, and looking to the evolutionary history of humans illuminates why some behavioral responses are more intuitive than others. Yet a place remains for cognitive processes to second-guess intuitive responses – that is, to be reflective – and individual differences abound in automatic, intuitive processing as well.

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