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Evolutionary dynamics of sexual size dimorphism in non-volant mammals following their independent colonization of Madagascar.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Kappeler, PM; Nunn, CL; Vining, AQ; Goodman, SM
Published in: Scientific reports
February 2019

As predicted by sexual selection theory, males are larger than females in most polygynous mammals, but recent studies found that ecology and life history traits also affect sexual size dimorphism (SSD) through evolutionary changes in either male size, female size, or both. The primates of Madagascar (Lemuriformes) represent the largest group of mammals without male-biased SSD. The eco-evo-devo hypothesis posited that adaptations to unusual climatic unpredictability on Madagascar have ultimately reduced SSD in lemurs after dispersing to Madagascar, but data have not been available for comparative tests of the corresponding predictions that SSD is also absent in other terrestrial Malagasy mammals and that patterns of SSD changed following the colonization of Madagascar. We used phylogenetic methods and new body mass data to test these predictions among the four endemic radiations of Malagasy primates, carnivorans, tenrecs, and rodents. In support of our prediction, we found that male-biased SSD is generally absent among all Malagasy mammals. Phylogenetic comparative analyses further indicated that after their independent colonization of Madagascar, SSD decreased in primates and tenrecs, but not in the other lineages or when analyzed across all species. We discuss several mechanisms that may have generated these patterns and conclude that neither the eco-evo-devo hypothesis, founder effects, the island rule nor sexual selection theory alone can provide a compelling explanation for the observed patterns of SSD in Malagasy mammals.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Scientific reports

DOI

EISSN

2045-2322

ISSN

2045-2322

Publication Date

February 2019

Volume

9

Issue

1

Start / End Page

1454

Related Subject Headings

  • Strepsirhini
  • Sex Characteristics
  • Phylogeny
  • Male
  • Madagascar
  • Female
  • Ecosystem
  • Body Size
  • Biological Evolution
  • Animals
 

Citation

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Kappeler, P. M., Nunn, C. L., Vining, A. Q., & Goodman, S. M. (2019). Evolutionary dynamics of sexual size dimorphism in non-volant mammals following their independent colonization of Madagascar. Scientific Reports, 9(1), 1454. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36246-x
Kappeler, Peter M., Charles L. Nunn, Alexander Q. Vining, and Steven M. Goodman. “Evolutionary dynamics of sexual size dimorphism in non-volant mammals following their independent colonization of Madagascar.Scientific Reports 9, no. 1 (February 2019): 1454. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-36246-x.
Kappeler PM, Nunn CL, Vining AQ, Goodman SM. Evolutionary dynamics of sexual size dimorphism in non-volant mammals following their independent colonization of Madagascar. Scientific reports. 2019 Feb;9(1):1454.
Kappeler, Peter M., et al. “Evolutionary dynamics of sexual size dimorphism in non-volant mammals following their independent colonization of Madagascar.Scientific Reports, vol. 9, no. 1, Feb. 2019, p. 1454. Epmc, doi:10.1038/s41598-018-36246-x.
Kappeler PM, Nunn CL, Vining AQ, Goodman SM. Evolutionary dynamics of sexual size dimorphism in non-volant mammals following their independent colonization of Madagascar. Scientific reports. 2019 Feb;9(1):1454.

Published In

Scientific reports

DOI

EISSN

2045-2322

ISSN

2045-2322

Publication Date

February 2019

Volume

9

Issue

1

Start / End Page

1454

Related Subject Headings

  • Strepsirhini
  • Sex Characteristics
  • Phylogeny
  • Male
  • Madagascar
  • Female
  • Ecosystem
  • Body Size
  • Biological Evolution
  • Animals