Dataset Information

Skeletal determinants of tail length are different between macaque species groups.

ABSTRACT: Macaques (genus Macaca) are known to have wide variation in tail length. Within each species group tail length varies, which could be associated with a phylogenetic trend seen in caudal vertebral morphology. We compared numbers and lengths of caudal vertebrae in species of the fascicularis group, M. assamensis (sinica group), M. nemestrina (silenus group), and those obtained from reports for an additional 11 species. Our results suggest different trends in number and lengths. The caudal vertebral length profiles revealed upward convex patterns for macaques with relative tail lengths of ?15%, and flat to decreasing for those with relative tail lengths of ?12%. They varied between species groups in terms of the lengths of proximal vertebrae, position and length of the longest vertebra, numbers and lengths of distal vertebrae, and total number of vertebrae. In silenus and sinica group, the vertebral length is the major skeletal determinant of tail length. On the other hand, the vertebral number is the skeletal determinant of tail length in the fascicularis group. Tail length variation among species groups are caused by different mechanisms which reflect the evolutionary history of macaques.

SUBMITTER: Wakamori H

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6362266 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Skeletal determinants of tail length are different between macaque species groups.

Wakamori Hikaru H Hamada Yuzuru Y

Scientific reports 20190204 1

Macaques (genus Macaca) are known to have wide variation in tail length. Within each species group tail length varies, which could be associated with a phylogenetic trend seen in caudal vertebral morphology. We compared numbers and lengths of caudal vertebrae in species of the fascicularis group, M. assamensis (sinica group), M. nemestrina (silenus group), and those obtained from reports for an additional 11 species. Our results suggest different trends in number and lengths. The caudal vertebra ...[more]

PMID: 30718761

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Project description:Aim? To test whether species groups (i.e. assemblages of species co-occurring in nature) that are statistically derived at one scale (broad, medium, or fine scale) can be transferred to another scale, and to identify the driving forces that determine species groups at the various scales. Location? Northern Bohemia (Czech Republic, central Europe) in the Ješt?dský h?bet mountain range and its neighbourhood. Methods? Three data sets were sampled: a floristic data set at the broad scale, another floristic data set at the intermediate scale, and a vegetation data set at the habitat scale. First, in each data set, species groups were produced by the COCKTAIL algorithm, which ensures maximized joint occurrence in the data set using a fidelity coefficient. Corresponding species groups were produced in the individual data sets by employing the same species for starting the algorithm. Second, the species groups formed in one data set, i.e. at a particular scale, were applied crosswise to the other data sets, i.e. to the other scales. Correspondence of a species group formed at a particular scale with a species group at another scale was determined. Third, to highlight the driving factors for the distribution of the plant species groups at each scale, canonical correspondence analysis was carried out. Results? Twelve species groups were used to analyse the transferability of the groups across the three scales, but only six of them were found to be common to all scales. Correspondence of species groups derived from the finest scale with those derived at the broadest scale was, on average, higher than in the opposite direction. Forest (tree layer) cover, altitude and bedrock type explained most of the variability in canonical correspondence analysis across all scales. Main conclusions? Transferability of species groups distinguished at a fine scale to broader scales is better than it is in the opposite direction. Therefore, a possible application of the results is to use species groups to predict the potential occurrence of missing species in broad-scale floristic surveys from fine-scale vegetation-plot data.

Dataset Information

Skeletal determinants of tail length are different between macaque species groups.

Publications

Skeletal determinants of tail length are different between macaque species groups.

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