scholarly journals Distributional range, ecology, and mating system of the Cape mole-rat (Georychus capensis) family Bathyergidae

2017 ◽  
Vol 95 (10) ◽  
pp. 713-726 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.H. Visser ◽  
N.C. Bennett ◽  
B. Jansen van Vuuren
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Mating System ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Disjunct Distribution ◽  
Testis Size ◽  
Extrinsic Factors ◽  
Mole Rat ◽  
Testicular Size ◽  
Life History Patterns

Interpopulation variation in life-history patterns are influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Life-history patterns have been intensely studied in the eusocial African bathyergid species, largely neglecting the solitary species. Of these solitary genera, the Cape mole-rat (Georychus capensis (Pallas, 1778)) is endemic to South Africa with a disjunct distribution across its range. Knowledge regarding this species is rudimentary; therefore, this study aimed to investigate the current distribution of the species with particular attention to common ecological variables, differences in body size between localities and sexes, as well as its reproduction and mating system. Georychus is a habitat specialist restricted to specific ecological areas. A lack of sexual size dimorphism and correlation between male testis size and number of females in the population, suggests a polygynous mating system, facilitated by the spatial distribution of the sexes. A positive relationship between male testes size and percentage of females in populations sampled suggests that larger sperm reserves (i.e., larger testes) are required in populations with a higher percentage of females. In addition, mating variables (testicular size and litter size) are linked to ecological factors (elevation, aridity, soil type, and vegetation type) that could impact mate searching, mating success, and food resources.

scholarly journals Life history and habitat do not mediate temporal changes in body size due to climate warming in rodents

PeerJ ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. e9792
Author(s):  
Aluwani Nengovhela ◽  
Christiane Denys ◽  
Peter J. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Climate Warming ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Vegetation Type ◽  
Reproductive Rate ◽  
Temporal Changes ◽  
Temporal Response ◽  
Extrinsic Factors ◽  
African Species

Temporal changes in body size have been documented in a number of vertebrate species, with different contested drivers being suggested to explain these changes. Among these are climate warming, resource availability, competition, predation risk, human population density, island effects and others. Both life history traits (intrinsic factors such as lifespan and reproductive rate) and habitat (extrinsic factors such as vegetation type, latitude and elevation) are expected to mediate the existence of a significant temporal response of body size to climate warming but neither have been widely investigated. Using examples of rodents, we predicted that both life history traits and habitat might explain the probability of temporal response using two tests of this hypothesis. Firstly, taking advantage of new data from museum collections spanning the last 106 years, we investigated geographical and temporal variation in cranial size (a proxy for body size) in six African rodent species of two murid subfamilies (Murinae and Gerbillinae) of varying life history, degree of commensality, range size, and habitat. Two species, the commensal Mastomys natalensis, and the non-commensal Otomys unisulcatus showed significant temporal changes in body size, with the former increasing and the latter decreasing, in relation with climate warming. Commensalism could explain the increase in size with time due to steadily increasing food availability through increased agricultural production. Apart from this, we found no general life history or habitat predictors of a temporal response in African rodents. Secondly, in order to further test this hypothesis, we incorporated our data into a meta-analysis based on published literature on temporal responses in rodents, resulting in a combined dataset for 50 species from seven families worldwide; among these, 29 species showed no significant change, eight showed a significant increase in size, and 13 showed a decline in size. Using a binomial logistic regression model for these metadata, we found that none of our chosen life history or habitat predictors could significantly explain the probability of a temporal response to climate warming, reinforcing our conclusion based on the more detailed data from the six African species.

Brain size evolution in anurans: a review

2019 ◽  
Vol 69 (3) ◽  
pp. 265-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun Lan Mai ◽  
Wen Bo Liao
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Selection ◽  
Life History ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Brain Size ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Sperm Length ◽  
Testis Size ◽  
Size Evolution

Abstract Selection pressure is an important force in shaping the evolution of vertebrate brain size among populations within species as well as between species. The evolution of brain size is tightly linked to natural and sexual selection, and life-history traits. In particular, increased environmental stress, intensity of sexual selection, and slower life history usually result in enlarged brains. However, although previous studies have addressed the causes of brain size evolution, no systematic reviews have been conducted to explain brain size in anurans. Here, we review whether brain size evolution supports the cognitive buffer hypothesis (CBH), the expensive tissue hypothesis (ETH), or the developmental cost hypothesis (DCH) by analyzing the intraspecific and/or interspecific patterns in brain size and brain regions (i.e., olfactory nerves, olfactory bulbs, telencephalon, optic tectum, and cerebellum) associated with ecological factors (habitat, diet and predator risk), sexual selection intensity, life-history traits (age at sexual maturity, mean age, longevity, clutch size and egg size, testis size and sperm length), and other energetic organs. Our findings suggest that brain size evolution in anurans supports the CBH, ETH or DCH. We also suggest future directions for studying the relationships between brain size evolution and crypsis (i.e., ordinary mucous glands in the skin), and food alteration in different developmental stages.

Mating system consequences on resistance to herb ivory and life history traits in Datura stramonium

1996 ◽  
Vol 83 (8) ◽  
pp. 1041-1049 ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Núnez-Farfán ◽  
Roberto A. Cabrales-Vargas ◽  
Rodolfo Dirzo
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Mating System ◽  
Life History Traits ◽  
Datura Stramonium

Recognition of larvae of the Tetrabothriidae (Eucestoda): implications for the origin of tapeworms in marine homeotherms

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 997-1000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric P. Hoberg
Keyword(s):  
Life History ◽  
Phylogenetic Relationships ◽  
Host Switching ◽  
Larval Morphology ◽  
Dominant Group ◽  
Marine Birds ◽  
Marine Communities ◽  
Definitive Evidence ◽  
Life History Patterns ◽  
Ecological Associations

The Tetrabothriidae represent the dominant group of cestodes, previously known only as adult parasites, in marine birds and mammals. Recognition of their unique plerocercoid larvae provides the first definitive evidence for life history patterns and phylogenetic relationships with other cestodes. Affinities of the Tetrabothriidae and Tetraphyllidea, cestodes of elasmobranchs, are indicated by larval morphology and ontogeny. However, patterns of sequential heterochrony in the ontogeny of the adult scolex of Tetrabothrius sp. appear to be unique among the Eucestoda. Tetrabothriids constitute a fauna that originated by host switching from elasmobranchs to homeotherms, via ecological associations, following invasion of marine communities by birds and mammals in the Tertiary.

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