The Macroecology of Chemical Communication in Lizards: Do Climatic Factors Drive the Evolution of Signalling Glands?

Evolutionary Biology
Manuel JaraDaniel Pincheira-Donoso

Abstract

Chemical communication plays a pivotal role in shaping sexual and ecological interactions among animals. In lizards, fundamental mechanisms of sexual selection such as female mate choice have rarely been shown to be influenced by quantitative phenotypic traits (e.g., ornaments), while chemical signals have been found to potentially influence multiple forms of sexual and social interactions, including mate choice and territoriality. Chemical signals in lizards are secreted by glands primarily located on the edge of the cloacae (precloacal glands, PG) and thighs (femoral glands), and whose interspecific and interclade number ranges from 0 to > 100. However, elucidating the factors underlying the evolution of such remarkable variation remains an elusive endeavour. Competing hypotheses suggest a dominant role for phylogenetic conservatism (i.e., species within clades share similar numbers of glands) or for natural selection (i.e., their adaptive diversification results in deviating numbers of glands from ancestors). Using the prolific Liolaemus lizard radiation from South America (where PG vary from 0 to 14), we present one of the largest-scale tests of both hypotheses to date. Based on climatic and phylogenetic modelling, we show ...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jun 12, 2019·Scientific Reports·Marco MangiacottiRoberto Sacchi
Aug 9, 2020·Behavioral Ecology : Official Journal of the International Society for Behavioral Ecology·Stephanie M CamposEmília P Martins
Feb 18, 2021·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Simon Baeckens, Martin J Whiting

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Software Mentioned

usdm
WorldClim2
R package “ phytools ”
R
ArcGIS
R package ‘ caper

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