Evolutionary Acceleration and Divergence in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Procolobus kirkii</Emphasis> |
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Authors: | Katarzyna Nowak Andrea Cardini Sarah Elton |
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Institution: | (1) Wildlife Conservation Research Unit (WildCRU), University of Oxford, Tubney House, Abingdon Road, Abingdon, OX13 5QL, UK;(2) Museo di Paleobiologia e dell’Orto Botanico, Universitá di Modena e Reggio Emilia, 41100 Modena, Italy;(3) Hull York Medical School, The University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK |
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Abstract: | We investigated the role of geographical insularity in divergence and speciation of Procolobus kirkii by examining cranial morphology. The sample (n = 369) included museum specimens of Procolobus spp. and recently deceased individuals of P. kirkii from the main island of Zanzibar and 2 smaller islands in the archipelago. Geometric morphometrics evinced pronounced divergence
of Procolobus kirkii from mainland Procolobus, including members of P. badius ssp., P. pennantii ssp., P. rufomitratus, P. gordonorum and also representatives of the assemblage of red colobus populations from Central Equatorial Africa. Procolobus kirkii has a small cranium, consistent with the island rule for large mammals, reduced sexual dimorphism consistent with Rensch’s
rule, and a distinct cranial form. Analyses of phenotypic variance of Procolobus kirkii gave no evidence for population bottlenecks in the history of the species, but there is a clear indication that the species
has experienced accelerated morphological evolution of size, probably as a result of insularity. Their highly distinctive
morphology lends weight to the argument that they are a unique insular endemic species in need of active conservation.
An erratum to this article can be found at |
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Keywords: | endemism geometric morphometrics island rule Procolobus taxonomy |
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