NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2019: Evolution of body shape in carnivoran mammals

Law, Chris, Santa Cruz CA

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2019, Research Using Biological Collections. The fellowship supports research and training of the fellow that will utilize biological collections in innovative ways. Mammals vary by a magnitude of shapes from robust tank-like elephants to elongate rodents. What contributes to this range of body shapes? Why do some closely related species exhibit similar body shapes (e.g. mice and rats) whereas others belong to groups with members that hardly resemble one another (e.g. elephants and manatees)? Can unifying evolutionary or ecological patterns that led to this diversity in mammalian body shapes be identified? And could these patterns have led to the major transitions that we observe in primates and even human lineages? To answer these questions, this project will assemble a database that records body shapes in mammals and test questions about the ecology and evolution of body shapes and the underlying forms that contribute to diverse body plans. The fellow will also work the American Museum of Natural History to showcase the great diversity of mammalian body forms. Understanding the major patterns and adaptive significance of phenotypic variation is a central goal of evolutionary biology. In vertebrates, body shape diversity is one of the most prominent features of phenotypic variation that can lead to increased diversification, niche specialization, and innovations within a clade. However, biologists still lack a full understanding of the underlying morphological components that contribute to body shape diversity, particularly in endothermic vertebrates such as mammals. Consequently, little is known about the morphology, ecology, and evolution of mammalian body shapes as well as the underlying traits that contribute to different body plans. This research will test hypotheses pertaining to the evolutionary integration of the cranial, axial, and appendicular components that contribute to body shape diversity, and the adaptive significance of body shapes. To accomplish these goals, this research will generate the first quantitative database of mammalian body shapes using skeletal specimens held at natural history museums and test the following hypotheses: H1) skeletal components contributing to body shape diversity in carnivorans are evolutionarily integrated, H2) the relationship between body shape and limb length in mammals follows a similar trend as ectothermic vertebrates, and H3) locomotor and dietary ecologies influence the evolution of carnivoran body shapes. The fellow will also work the American Museum of Natural History to showcase the great diversity of mammalian cranial, axial, and appendicular skeletons and their contributions towards generating diversity and disparity in mammals. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.