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The essential role for graphs in allometric analysis
The allometric method, which is widely (but somewhat inaccurately) attributed to Julian Huxley, is at the heart of some of the most important theoretical models in the field of evolutionary biology (e.g. the Metabolic Theory of Ecology). The procedure entails fitting a straight line to logarithmic transformations of the original bivariate data and then back‐transforming the resulting equation to form a two‐parameter power function on the arithmetic scale. Although the distribution for logarithms in graphical display may satisfy the requirement for linearity (as well as assumptions of the fitted model for normality and ...
Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society - September 18, 2016 Category: Research Authors: Gary C. Packard Tags: Comment Source Type: research

A natural regionalization of the world based on primary biogeographic homology of terrestrial mammals
Primary biogeographic homology implies that different taxa are spatiotemporally integrated in a biota with a common biogeographic history, namely naturalness. Primary spatial homology includes the identification of areas of endemism. Therefore, the first step to approach a natural regionalization is to identify the patterns of endemism. In order to achieve this, I obtained the areas of endemism of terrestrial mammals of the world at two different spatial scales of analysis using a Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity (PAE): 8° latitude‐longitude (families and genera) and 4° latitude‐longitude (species). Fourteen general ...
Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society - September 18, 2016 Category: Research Authors: Tania Escalante Tags: Original Article Source Type: research

Righting ability in hatchling turtles does not predict survival during dispersal in the field
While many studies use laboratory‐based whole‐organism performance measures as proxies for fitness, the implicit assumption that better laboratory performance translates into higher fitness in the wild is rarely tested. Righting response in turtles is frequently quantified in the laboratory and interpreted as either a measure of coordination or a direct proxy for survival. Here, we quantify two aspects of the righting response (latency time and active righting time) of hatchling red‐eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans) in the laboratory and perform a release experiment to measure survival at a critical, terrestr...
Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society - September 18, 2016 Category: Research Authors: Timothy S. Mitchell, Erin M. Myers, John K. Tucker, Suzanne E. McGaugh Tags: Research Article Source Type: research

Comparative phylogeography of the endemic Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi) and the continental Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica) revealed by complete mitochondrial genome sequences
We analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome for 26 individuals of the endemic Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi) and 20 individuals of its continental sister species, the Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica). These species diverged an estimated 1.19 Mya, in the Early Pleistocene. Mustela itatsi comprised two haplotype clades that diverged an estimated 0.93 Mya, in the Middle Pleistocene: a northern (Honshu) clade comprising geographically distinct basal, northern, and eastern subclades, and a western paraphyletic group, as well as a southern clade comprising geographically distinct subclades on Kyushu, Shikoku, and adjacent...
Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society - September 18, 2016 Category: Research Authors: Mohammed A. Shalabi, Alexei V. Abramov, Pavel A. Kosintsev, Liang ‐Kong Lin, Sang‐Hoon Han, Shigeki Watanabe, Koji Yamazaki, Yayoi Kaneko, Ryuichi Masuda Tags: Research Article Source Type: research

Niche conservatism for ecological preference in the Louisiana iris species complex
Spatial and temporal environmental variation influences evolutionary processes such as divergence among populations and species. In the present study, we investigated the patterns of niche evolution for the Louisiana irises, as well as the phylogenetic relationship between these species. Using BEAST, a species phylogeny was generated for the Louisiana irises aiming to test the hypothesis of whether niche conservatism has played an important role for this species complex. Species distribution models were constructed for present day distributions to determine the environmental factors that contribute to species ranges. Tests...
Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society - September 18, 2016 Category: Research Authors: Jennafer A. P. Hamlin, Tyler J. Simmonds, Michael L. Arnold Tags: Research Article Source Type: research

Why so many polyphagous fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae)? A further contribution to the ‘generalism’ debate
It has been suggested that generalist herbivorous insects are an evolutionary ‘improbability’. However, many species of tephritid fruit flies are generalists utilising larval hosts across two or more plant families. Focusing on the genus Bactrocera, it is argued that this high frequency of generalism is due to four evolutionary drivers which both decrease the need for specialism and promote generalism. Decreasing the need for specialism, there is firstly no co‐evolutionary arms race between host plant and herbivore as Bactrocera do not negatively impact on plant fitness; this removes the need for specialism to counte...
Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society - September 18, 2016 Category: Research Authors: Anthony R Clarke Tags: Review Source Type: research

Crinoid phylogeny: new interpretation of the main Permo ‐Triassic divergence, comparisons with echinoids and brachiopods, and EvoDevo interpretations of major morphological variations
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, EarlyView. (Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society)
Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society - September 15, 2016 Category: Research Authors: Bernard L. Cohen, Andrzej Pisera Source Type: research

Out of Borneo, again and again: biogeography of the Stream Toad genus Ansonia Stoliczka (Anura: Bufonidae) and the discovery of the first limestone cave ‐dwelling species
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, EarlyView. (Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society)
Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society - September 15, 2016 Category: Research Authors: L. Lee Grismer, Perry L. Wood, Anchalee Aowphol, Michael Cota, Marta S. Grismer, Matthew L. Murdoch, Cesar Aguilar, Jesse L. Grismer Source Type: research

Crinoid phylogeny: new interpretation of the main Permo ‐Triassic divergence, comparisons with echinoids and brachiopods, and EvoDevo interpretations of major morphological variations
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, EarlyView. (Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society)
Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society - September 15, 2016 Category: Research Authors: Bernard L. Cohen , Andrzej Pisera Source Type: research

Out of Borneo, again and again: biogeography of the Stream Toad genus Ansonia Stoliczka (Anura: Bufonidae) and the discovery of the first limestone cave ‐dwelling species
Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, EarlyView. (Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society)
Source: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society - September 15, 2016 Category: Research Authors: L. Lee Grismer , Perry L. Wood Jr , Anchalee Aowphol , Michael Cota , Marta S. Grismer , Matthew L. Murdoch , Cesar Aguilar , Jesse L. Grismer Source Type: research