Patterns of ontogenetic evolution across extant marsupials reflect different allometric pathways to ecomorphological diversity

LAURA WILSON; CAMILO LÓPEZ AGUIRRE; MICHAEL ARCHER; SUZANNE HAND; DAVID FLORES; FERNANDO ABDALA; NORBERTO GIANNINI

NATURE COMMUNICATIONS

Springer Nature

Año: 2023

2041-1723

v>The relatively high level of morphological diversity in Australasian marsupialscompared to that observed among American marsupials remains poorlyunderstood. We undertake a comprehensive macroevolutionary analysis ofontogenetic allometry of American and Australasian marsupials to examinewhether the contrasting levels of morphological diversity in these groups arereflflected in their patterns of allometric evolution. We collate ontogeneticseries for 62 species and 18 families of marsupials (n = 2091 specimens),spanning across extant marsupial diversity. Our results demonstrate signifificant lability of ontogenetic allometric trajectories among American andAustralasian marsupials, yet a phylogenetically structured pattern of allometric evolution is preserved. Here we show that species diverging more than65 million years ago converge in their patterns of ontogenetic allometry underanimalivorous and herbivorous diets, and that Australasian marsupials do notshow signifificantly greater variation in patterns of ontogenetic allometry thantheir American counterparts, despite displaying greater magnitudes of extantecomorphological diversity.