Convergent evolution associated with habitat decouples phenotype from phylogeny in a clade of lizards

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dc.contributor.authorEdwards, Shelleyen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorVanhooydonck, Biekeen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorHerrel, Anthonyen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorMeasey, G. Johnen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorTolley, Krystal A.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2013-03-01T07:17:37Z
dc.date.available2013-03-01T07:17:37Z
dc.date.issued2012-12-12
dc.descriptionCITATION: Edwards, S., et al. 2012. Convergent evolution associated with habitat decouples phenotype from phylogeny in a clade of lizards. PLoS ONE, 7(12): 1-9, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051636.en_ZA
dc.descriptionThe original publication is available at http://journals.plos.org/plosoneen_ZA
dc.description.abstractConvergent evolution can explain similarity in morphology between species, due to selection on a fitness-enhancing phenotype in response to local environmental conditions. As selective pressures on body morphology may be strong, these have confounded our understanding of the evolutionary relationships between species. Within the speciose African radiation of lacertid lizards (Eremiadini), some species occupy a narrow habitat range (e.g. open habitat, cluttered habitat, strictly rupicolous, or strictly psammophilic), which may exert strong selective pressures on lizard body morphology. Here we show that the overall body plan is unrelated to shared ancestry in the African radiation of Eremiadini, but is instead coupled to habitat use. Comprehensive Bayesian and likelihood phylogenies using multiple representatives from all genera (2 nuclear, 2 mitochondrial markers) show that morphologically convergent species thought to represent sister taxa within the same genus are distantly related evolutionary lineages (Ichnotropis squamulosa and Ichnotropis spp.; Australolacerta rupicola and A. australis). Hierarchical clustering and multivariate analysis of morphological characters suggest that body, and head, width and height (stockiness), all of which are ecologically relevant with respect to movement through habitat, are similar between the genetically distant species. Our data show that convergence in morphology, due to adaptation to similar environments, has confounded the assignment of species leading to misidentification of the taxonomic position of I. squamulosa and the Australolacerta species.en_ZA
dc.description.sponsorshipThe authors thank the National Research Foundation (NRF) of South Africa (South African Biosystematics Initiative-SABI, Key International Science Collaboration-KISC) and the International Foundation of Science (IFS) of Sweden (D/5009-1) and Oppenheimer & Sons for funding this work. SE was supported by NRF Free-standing (Grant no: 74973) and SABI Grant-holder linked bursaries. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0051636
dc.description.versionPublisher's versionen_ZA
dc.format.extent9 pages : illustrationsen_ZA
dc.identifier.citationEdwards, S., et al. 2012. Convergent evolution associated with habitat decouples phenotype from phylogeny in a clade of lizards. PLoS ONE, 7(12): 1-9, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051636en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn1932-6203 (online)
dc.identifier.issn1932-6203 (print)
dc.identifier.otherdoi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0051636
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/79625
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherPublic Library of Scienceen_ZA
dc.rights.holderAuthors retain copyrighten_ZA
dc.subjectLizards -- Phylogenyen_ZA
dc.subjectConvergence (Biology)en_ZA
dc.subjectLizards -- Habitaten_ZA
dc.subjectConvergent evolution and habitsen_ZA
dc.titleConvergent evolution associated with habitat decouples phenotype from phylogeny in a clade of lizardsen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA
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