Flightless rails endemic to islands have lower energy expenditures and clutch sizes than flighted rails on islands and continents

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology
Brian K McNab, Hugh I Ellis

Abstract

Data are presented on the standard energetics of six flighted and five flightless species of rails (Aves: Rallidae). The factors influencing these data and those from three additional species available from the literature, one of which was flightless, are examined. Basal rate of metabolism correlates with body mass, residency on islands or continents, volant condition, pectoral muscle mass, and food habits, but not with climate. The greatest capacity (96.2%) to account for the variation in basal rate of metabolism in 15 populations that belong to the 14 species occurs when body mass, volant condition, and food habits are combined. Then flighted species have basal rates that average 1.38 times those of flightless species and herbivorous rails have basal rates that are 1.37 times those of omnivorous species, which means that, independent of body mass, flighted gallinules have basal rates that are 1.9 times those of flightless, omnivorous rails. Distribution, pectoral muscle mass, and flight ability cannot be combined in the same analysis because they code for similar information. The evolution of a flightless condition in rails requires the absence of eutherian predators, but has occurred in the presence of marsupial predators. E...Continue Reading

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Citations

Sep 5, 2009·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·David A RaichlenJ Josh Snodgrass
May 22, 2013·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Kyle H ElliottGail K Davoren
Nov 11, 2011·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Rita Covas
Oct 11, 2011·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part D, Genomics & Proteomics·Bernard WoneJack P Hayes
Oct 13, 2010·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology·Craig R White
Sep 23, 2008·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology·Brian Keith McNab
Oct 13, 2015·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology·Brian K McNab
Oct 16, 2012·Journal of Biogeography·Natalie A Wright, David W Steadman
Jan 24, 2014·Ecology and Evolution·Jennifer MorinayRita Covas
Sep 27, 2014·Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution·Juan C Garcia-RSteve A Trewick
Aug 27, 2014·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·B K McNab
Jul 1, 2008·Trends in Ecology & Evolution·Eva Bellemain, Robert E Ricklefs
Jul 25, 2018·Journal of Comparative Physiology. B, Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology·Brian K McNab, Kerry A Weston

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