Published Dec 14, 2021 on Dryad.
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.xwdbrv1f6
Cite this dataset
Tejero-Cicuéndez, Héctor; Simó-Riudalbas, Marc; Menéndez, Iris; Carranza, Salvador (2021). Ecological specialization, rather than the island effect, explains morphological diversification in an ancient radiation of geckos [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.xwdbrv1f6
Abstract
Island colonists are often assumed to experience higher levels of phenotypic diversification than continental taxa. However, empirical evidence has uncovered exceptions to this ‘island effect’. Here, we tested this pattern using the geckos of the genus
Pristurus
from continental Arabia and Africa and the Socotra Archipelago. Using a recently published phylogeny and an extensive morphological dataset, we explore the differences in phenotypic evolution between Socotran and continental taxa. Moreover, we reconstructed ancestral habitat occupancy to examine if ecological specialization is correlated with morphological change, comparing phenotypic disparity and trait evolution between habitats. We found a heterogeneous outcome of island colonization. Namely, only one of the three colonization events resulted in a body size increase. However, in general, Socotran species do not present higher levels or rates of morphological diversification than continental groups. Instead, habitat specialization explains better the body size and shape evolution in
Pristurus
. Particularly, the colonization of ground habitats appears as the main driver of morphological change, producing the highest disparity and evolutionary rates. Additionally, arboreal species show very similar body size and head proportions. These results reveal a determinant role of ecological mechanisms in morphological evolution and corroborate the complexity of ecomorphological dynamics in continent–island systems.
Funding
Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Award: PGC2018-094955-A-I00
Secretaria d'Universitats i Recerca del Departament d'Economia i Coneixement de la Generalitat de Catalunya, Award: 2017-SGR-00991
MINECO/FEDER, UE, Award: CGL2015-70390-P
MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE, Award: PGC2018-098290-B-I00
Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Award: CT27/16-CT28/16
