The role of wing geometric morphometrics in the identification of sandflies within the subgenus Lutzomyia

ABSTRACTAmong vertebrates, placental mammals are particularly variable in the covariance between their cranial shapes and body size (allometry), with the notable exception of rodents. Australian murid rodents present an opportunity to assess the cause of this anomaly because they radiated on an ecologically diverse continent unique for lacking other terrestrial placentals. Here we used 3D geometric morphometrics to quantify species-level and evolutionary allometries in 38 species (317 crania) from all Australian murid genera. We ask if ecological opportunity resulted in greater allometric diversity; conversely, we test if intrinsic constraints and/or stabilizing selection conserved allometry. To increase confidence in species-level allometric slopes, we introduce a new phylogeny-based method of bootstrapping and randomly resampling across the whole sample. We found exceedingly conserved allometry across the 10 million year split between Mus and the clade containing Australian murids. Cranial shapes followed craniofacial evolutionary allometry (CREA) patterns, with larger species having relatively longer snouts and smaller braincases. CREA is consistent with both intrinsic constraints and stabilizing selection hypotheses for conserved allometry. However, large-bodied frugivores evolved faster, while carnivorous specialists showed skull modifications known to conflict with masticatory efficiency. These results suggest a strong role of stabilizing selection on the masticatory apparatus of murid rodents.

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Shell shape variation of queen conch Strombus gigas (Mesograstropoda: Strombidae) from Southwest Caribbean

Revista de Biología Tropical ◽

10.15517/rbt.v64i4.21468 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 64 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Edna Judith Márquez ◽

Natalia Restrepo-Escobar ◽

Francisco Luis Montoya-Herrera

Keyword(s):

Phenotypic Plasticity ◽

Geometric Morphometrics ◽

Genetic Background ◽

Principal Component ◽

Caribbean Region ◽

Shell Shape ◽

Shape Variation ◽

Morphometric Variation ◽

Strombus Gigas

The endangered species Strombus gigas is a marine gastropod of significant economic importance through the Greater Caribbean region. In contrast to phenotypic plasticity, the role of genetics on shell variations in S. gigas has not been addressed so far, despite its importance in evolution, management and conservation of this species. This work used geometric morphometrics to investigate the phenotypic variation of 219 shells of S. gigas from eight sites of the Colombian Southwest Caribbean. Differences in mean size between sexes and among sites were contrasted by analysis of variance. Allometry was tested by multivariate regression and the hypothesis of common slope was contrasted by covariance multivariate analysis. Differences in the shell shape among sites were analyzed by principal component analysis. Sexual size dimorphism was not significant, whereas sexual shape dimorphism was significant and variable across sites. Differences in the shell shape among sites were concordant with genetic differences based on microsatellite data, supporting its genetic background. Besides, differences in the shell shape between populations genetically similar suggest a role of phenotypic plasticity in the morphometric variation of the shell shape. These outcomes evidence the role of genetic background and phenotypic plasticity in the shell shape of S. gigas. Thus, geometric morphometrics of shell shape may constitute a complementary tool to explore the genetic diversity of this species.

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Species boundaries inPhilaethriabutterflies: an integrative taxonomic analysis based on genitalia ultrastructure, wing geometric morphometrics, DNA sequences, and amplified fragment length polymorphisms

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society ◽

10.1111/zoj.12118 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 170 (4) ◽

pp. 690-709 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Kim R. Barão ◽

Gislene L. Gonçalves ◽

Olaf H. H. Mielke ◽

Marcus R. Kronforst ◽

Gilson R. P. Moreira

Keyword(s):

Geometric Morphometrics ◽

Dna Sequences ◽

Fragment Length ◽

Species Boundaries ◽

Taxonomic Analysis ◽

Length Polymorphisms ◽

Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphisms ◽

Wing Geometric Morphometrics

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Identification of the species of the Cheilosia variabilis group (Diptera, Syrphidae) from the Balkan Peninsula using wing geometric morphometrics, with the revision of status of C. melanopa redi Vujić, 1996

Contributions to Zoology ◽

10.1163/18759866-07803004 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 78 (3) ◽

pp. 129-140 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Lj. Francuski ◽

A. Vujić ◽

A. Kovačević ◽

J. Ludoški ◽

V. Milankov

Keyword(s):

Geometric Morphometrics ◽

Balkan Peninsula ◽

Wing Shape ◽

Canonical Variate ◽

Species Boundaries ◽

Wing Size ◽

Mahalanobis Distances ◽

Males And Females ◽

Wing Geometric Morphometrics ◽

Shape And Size

The present study investigates phenotypic differentiation patterns among four species of the Cheilosia variabilis group (Diptera, Syrphidae) using a landmark-based geometric morphometric approach. Herein, wing geometric morphometrics established species boundaries that confirm C. melanopa and C. redi stat. nov. as evolutionarily independent entities or separate species within the previously described C. melanopa species. Seventeen samples of C. lasiopa, C. variabilis, C. melanopa and C. redi from 11 localities on the Balkan Peninsula were analysed. Based on wing shape and size, both species boundaries and intraspecific divergent units were delineated indicating the possible presence of evolutionarily independent units within the analysed taxa. Significant differences in wing size were obtained among the analysed species and canonical variate analysis showed that wing shape was sufficiently different to allow the correct classification of 99.7% and 100% individuals of males and females, respectively. Considerable wing size variation was detected among males and females of conspecific populations of C. melanopa and males of C. variabilis. Contrary to partial discrimination based on the male wing shape among conspecific populations of C. redi and C. variabilis, clear separation of conspecific populations of C. melanopa (for both sexes) and females of C. redi and C. variabilis was observed. The UPGMA cluster analysis based on squared Mahalanobis distances revealed a close similarity between C. melanopa and C. redi, whereas C. lasiopa was the most divergent species. Results presented in this study utilize wing shape and size as new taxonomic characters in delimitating the closely related species and populations of the Cheilosia variabilis group.

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Wing Geometric Morphometrics as a Tool for the Identification of Culex Subgenus Mosquitoes of Culex (Diptera: Culicidae)

Insects ◽

10.3390/insects11090567 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 567

Author(s):

Roseli França Simões ◽

André Barretto Bruno Wilke ◽

Carolina Romeiro Fernandes Chagas ◽

Regiane Maria Tironi de Menezes ◽

Lincoln Suesdek ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Geometric Morphometrics ◽

Control Strategies ◽

Mosquito Species ◽

Distinct Species ◽

Canonical Variate ◽

Effective Control ◽

Correct Identification ◽

Nj Tree ◽

Wing Geometric Morphometrics ◽

The Cross

Culex is the largest subgenus within the genus Culex that includes important vectors of diseases. The correct identification of mosquitoes is critical for effective control strategies. Wing geometric morphometrics (WGM) has been used to identify mosquito species alongside traditional identification methods. Here, WGM was used for eleven Culex species from São Paulo, Brazil, and one from Esquel, Argentina. Adult mosquitoes were collected using CDC (Centers for Disease Control) traps, morphologically identified and analyzed by WGM. The canonical variate analysis (CVA) was performed and a Neighbor-joining (NJ) tree was constructed to illustrate the patterns of species segregation. A cross-validated reclassification test was also carried out. From 110 comparisons in the cross-validated reclassification test, 87 yielded values higher than 70%, with 13 comparisons yielding 100% reclassification scores. Culexquinquefasciatus yielded the highest reclassification scores among the analyzed species, corroborating with the results obtained by the CVA, in which Cx. quinquefasciatus was the most distinct species. The high values obtained at the cross-validated reclassification test and in the NJ analysis as well as the segregation observed at the CVA made it possible to distinguish among Culex species with high degrees of confidence, suggesting that WGM is a reliable tool to identify Culex species of the subgenus Culex.

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