INVESTIGADORES
BASSO Nestor Guillermo
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Phylogeny and Evolution of Body Size in Caviidae (Rodentia, Hystricognathi, Cavioidea): Approach of a Combined Analysis with Morphology and Molecular Data
Autor/es:
PÉREZ, M. E.; BASSO, N.G.; HOLLEY, A.; PATTERSON, B.D.; WEKSLER, M
Lugar:
Philadelphia
Reunión:
Congreso; 93rd Annual Meeting American Society of Mammalogists; 2013
Institución organizadora:
American Society of Mammalogists
Resumen:
Caviidae forms part of the highly diverse South American hystricognath rodents and includes 3 major living lineages:
Caviinae (cavies), Dolichotinae (maras), and Hydrochoerinae (capybaras and rock cavies). Caviids have the broadest
range of body sizes among extant rodents, but so far the evolution of body size has never been properly analyzed in
this group. In this contribution, we include new sequences of 4 genes (CoII, 16S, Rag-1, Vwf) for extant caviids and
integrate them with published sequences of 4 other genes (cyt b,12S, Tth, Ghr) as well as a recently published
morphological dataset scored for extant and extinct taxa (including the extinct "eocardiids," which form the successive
sister groups of Caviidae). The resultant topologies are used to infer the evolution of body size in this group through
the optimization of body mass estimates. The analysis reveals static body size across eocardiids and a much more
dynamic history of body size changes within the crown group Caviidae. Hydrochoerines and dolichotines both
increased in size but through 2 independent and temporally separated transitions. In turn, caviines reduced their body
size during the middle-late Miocene, as major environmental changes were altering the South American biomes. This
research was supported by an Oliver P. Pearson Award awarded to Maria Encarnacion Perez in 2012.b,12S, Tth, Ghr) as well as a recently published
morphological dataset scored for extant and extinct taxa (including the extinct "eocardiids," which form the successive
sister groups of Caviidae). The resultant topologies are used to infer the evolution of body size in this group through
the optimization of body mass estimates. The analysis reveals static body size across eocardiids and a much more
dynamic history of body size changes within the crown group Caviidae. Hydrochoerines and dolichotines both
increased in size but through 2 independent and temporally separated transitions. In turn, caviines reduced their body
size during the middle-late Miocene, as major environmental changes were altering the South American biomes. This
research was supported by an Oliver P. Pearson Award awarded to Maria Encarnacion Perez in 2012.