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Body size, shape and ecology in tetrapods

Author

Listed:
  • Alice E. Maher

    (University of Liverpool, William Henry Duncan Building)

  • Gustavo Burin

    (Natural History Museum, London)

  • Philip G. Cox

    (University of York, PalaeoHub)

  • Thomas W. Maddox

    (University of Liverpool, Small Animal Teaching Hospital, Leahurst Campus)

  • Susannah C. R. Maidment

    (Natural History Museum, London)

  • Natalie Cooper

    (Natural History Museum, London)

  • Emma R. Schachner

    (Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center)

  • Karl T. Bates

    (University of Liverpool, William Henry Duncan Building)

Abstract

Body size and shape play fundamental roles in organismal function and it is expected that animals may possess body proportions that are well-suited to their ecological niche. Tetrapods exhibit a diverse array of body shapes, but to date this diversity in body proportions and its relationship to ecology have not been systematically quantified. Using whole-body skeletal models of 410 extinct and extant tetrapods, we show that allometric relationships vary across individual body segments thereby yielding changes in overall body shape as size increases. However, we also find statistical support for quadratic relationships indicative of differential scaling in small-medium versus large animals. Comparisons of locomotor and dietary groups highlight key differences in body proportions that may mechanistically underlie occupation of major ecological niches. Our results emphasise the pivotal role of body proportions in the broad-scale ecological diversity of tetrapods.

Suggested Citation

  • Alice E. Maher & Gustavo Burin & Philip G. Cox & Thomas W. Maddox & Susannah C. R. Maidment & Natalie Cooper & Emma R. Schachner & Karl T. Bates, 2022. "Body size, shape and ecology in tetrapods," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-16, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:13:y:2022:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-022-32028-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32028-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Hilary A Edgington & Douglas R Taylor, 2019. "Ecological contributions to body shape evolution in salamanders of the genus Eurycea (Plethodontidae)," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(5), pages 1-14, May.
    2. Susannah C R Maidment & Deborah H Linton & Paul Upchurch & Paul M Barrett, 2012. "Limb-Bone Scaling Indicates Diverse Stance and Gait in Quadrupedal Ornithischian Dinosaurs," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 7(5), pages 1-23, May.
    3. Bhart-Anjan S. Bhullar & Jesús Marugán-Lobón & Fernando Racimo & Gabe S. Bever & Timothy B. Rowe & Mark A. Norell & Arhat Abzhanov, 2012. "Birds have paedomorphic dinosaur skulls," Nature, Nature, vol. 487(7406), pages 223-226, July.
    4. Vivian Allen & Karl T. Bates & Zhiheng Li & John R. Hutchinson, 2013. "Linking the evolution of body shape and locomotor biomechanics in bird-line archosaurs," Nature, Nature, vol. 497(7447), pages 104-107, May.
    5. Thomas Claverie & Peter C Wainwright, 2014. "A Morphospace for Reef Fishes: Elongation Is the Dominant Axis of Body Shape Evolution," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(11), pages 1-11, November.
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