Environment and space as drivers of variation in skull shape in two widely distributed South‐American Tayassuidae,Pecari tajacu and Tayassu pecari (Mammalia: Cetartiodactyla) |
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| Authors: | Carla D Hendges Jamile M Bubadué Nilton C Cáceres |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Programa de Pós‐Gradua??o em Biodiversidade Animal, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil;2. Departamento de Ecologia e Evolu??o, CCNE, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | The influence of the environment on the geographical variation of morphological traits has been recognized in a number of taxa. Pecari tajacu and Tayassu pecari are ideal models to investigate intraspecific geographic variation in skull because of their wide and heterogeneous geographical distribution in South America. We used geometric morphometric procedures to examine the geographical variation in skull shape of 294 adult specimens of these species from 134 localities. We quantified to what extent skull shape variation was explained by environment, skull size and geographical space using variation partitioning analysis. We detected a strong pattern of geographic variation for P. tajacu skull shape, but not for T. pecari. The environment seems to be the major selective force that drives skull shape variation in both species. Nevertheless, other spatially structured processes (e.g. genetic drift, gene flow) might also have affected variation in the skull shape of the more widespread species P. tajacu. Allometric relationships might reflect the biomechanical constraints that are thought to be strong enough to limit size‐related changes in T. pecari skull shape. |
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| Keywords: | collared peccary geographic clines geometric morphometrics macroenvironmental patterns Suiformes ungulates |
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