Do different disparity proxies converge on a common signal? Insights from the cranial morphometrics and evolutionary history of Pterosauria (Diapsida: Archosauria)

Journal of Evolutionary Biology
Christian FothRichard J Butler

Abstract

Disparity, or morphological diversity, is often quantified by evolutionary biologists investigating the macroevolutionary history of clades over geological timescales. Disparity is typically quantified using proxies for morphology, such as measurements, discrete anatomical characters, or geometric morphometrics. If different proxies produce differing results, then the accurate quantification of disparity in deep time may be problematic. However, despite this, few studies have attempted to examine disparity of a single clade using multiple morphological proxies. Here, as a case study for this question, we examine the disparity of the volant Mesozoic fossil reptile clade Pterosauria, an intensively studied group that achieved substantial morphological, ecological and taxonomic diversity during their 145+ million-year evolutionary history. We characterize broadscale patterns of cranial morphological disparity for pterosaurs for the first time using landmark-based geometric morphometrics and make comparisons to calculations of pterosaur disparity based on alternative metrics. Landmark-based disparity calculations suggest that monofenestratan pterosaurs were more diverse cranially than basal non-monofenestratan pterosaurs (at least ...Continue Reading

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Citations

Sep 13, 2013·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Thomas L StubbsPhilip S L Anderson
May 31, 2016·Palaeontology·Christopher D DeanRichard J Butler
Apr 16, 2013·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Roger B J Benson, Patrick S Druckenmiller
Apr 25, 2014·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Andrew J SmithElizabeth R Dumont
Jul 26, 2013·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Martin HughesMatthew Albion Wills
Sep 2, 2015·Current Biology : CB·Michael S Y Lee, Robin M D Beck
Jun 8, 2018·Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society·Jordan BestwickMark A Purnell
Feb 7, 2018·Nature Ecology & Evolution·Ciara O'DonovanChris Venditti
Dec 3, 2016·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Christian Foth, Walter G Joyce
May 17, 2018·Royal Society Open Science·Charlie A NavarroThomas L Stubbs
Sep 6, 2018·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Bradley DelinePhilip C J Donoghue
Oct 8, 2020·Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·Heather E WhiteAnjali Goswami
Apr 13, 2021·Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology·Heather E WhiteAbigail S Tucker

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