1 #WBTC1 #EvoBeh1 Bats have diverse diets and foraging strategies which shape their morphology. Anecdotally, frugivores have small ears and no tail membrane. How similar are these traits between frugivorous pteropodids and phyllostomids? Are they a case of convergent evolution?
2 #WBTC1 #EvoBeh1 Data collected from museum bat skins (n = 272). Concentrated on ‘ancillary’ structures rather than wings. Diet data from EltonTraits. PCA used to explore diet/morphology trends. PCA scores and phylogeny used to model adaptive landscapes and test convergence.
3 #WBTC1 #EvoBeh1 PCA separates frugivores from insectivores. Frugivores characterised by smaller tail and ears, and longer thumbs. However, when split by suborder, some separation on PC2 within frugivores. Perhaps pteropodid and phyllostomid morphology is not truly convergent?
4 #WBTC1 #EvoBeh1 Modelling of adaptive landscapes shows frugivorous bats from each suborder are under different selective regimes. No support for convergent evolution despite broad similarities in morphology. Interestingly, insectivorous ancestral selective regime very stable.
5 #WBTC1 #EvoBeh1 Conclusion: Broad similarities in frugivorous morphology across suborders. Smaller tails and ears, and longer thumbs. However, no evidence for convergent evolution. Thanks @cbrassey, @RobBrock93 and my new #WFH office mate Ada for all their help. @LivEvoBiomech
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