Convergence in morphological patterns and community organization between Old and New World rodent guilds

The American Naturalist
A Ben-MosheDaniel Simberloff

Abstract

We studied morphological relationships within three guilds of gerbillid rodents in Israel. We found a nonrandom pattern of overdispersed means (community-wide character displacement) for upper incisor widths among the species in these three guilds. Upper tooth-row lengths, condylo-basal skull lengths, and tooth-row surfaces displayed similar patterns. We also studied seed-size selection by two well-studied gerbil species, which have previously been found to compete, in order to test whether specializing on husking seeds of different sizes as a mechanism of coexistence may underlie the morphological patterns. The seed-size selection experiments took place in two large aviaries with artificial lighting simulating full-moon nights, which is when predation risk is perceived as high. Seeds of different sizes (commercial seeds in one experiment and husked wheat particles in the other) mixed with sand were offered in trays. The larger Gerbillus pyramidum took significantly larger commercial seeds and marginally larger wheat particles than the smaller Gerbillus allenbyi. The patterns attest to ecomorphological convergence at the guild level; we previously demonstrated size structuring in several North American heteromyid rodent guilds,...Continue Reading

Citations

Mar 16, 2006·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Jane MelvilleJonathan B Losos
Apr 18, 2014·The American Naturalist·Julie A Meachen, Trina E Roberts
Apr 6, 2005·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Luke J HarmonJonathan B Losos
Nov 25, 2003·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Jason H Knouft
Nov 12, 2019·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Fábio P de SáKelly R Zamudio

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