Cladistic analysis of continuous modularized traits provides phylogenetic signals in Homo evolution


Autoria(s): GONZALEZ-JOSE, Rolando; ESCAPA, Ignacio; NEVES, Walter A.; CUNEO, Ruben; PUCCIARELLI, Hector M.
Contribuinte(s)

UNIVERSIDADE DE SÃO PAULO

Data(s)

20/10/2012

20/10/2012

2008

Resumo

Evolutionary novelties in the skeleton are usually expressed as changes in the timing of growth of features intrinsically integrated at different hierarchical levels of development(1). As a consequence, most of the shape- traits observed across species do vary quantitatively rather than qualitatively(2), in a multivariate space(3) and in a modularized way(4,5). Because most phylogenetic analyses normally use discrete, hypothetically independent characters(6), previous attempts have disregarded the phylogenetic signals potentially enclosed in the shape of morphological structures. When analysing low taxonomic levels, where most variation is quantitative in nature, solving basic requirements like the choice of characters and the capacity of using continuous, integrated traits is of crucial importance in recovering wider phylogenetic information. This is particularly relevant when analysing extinct lineages, where available data are limited to fossilized structures. Here we show that when continuous, multivariant and modularized characters are treated as such, cladistic analysis successfully solves relationships among main Homo taxa. Our attempt is based on a combination of cladistics, evolutionary- development- derived selection of characters, and geometric morphometrics methods. In contrast with previous cladistic analyses of hominid phylogeny, our method accounts for the quantitative nature of the traits, and respects their morphological integration patterns. Because complex phenotypes are observable across different taxonomic groups and are potentially informative about phylogenetic relationships, future analyses should point strongly to the incorporation of these types of trait.

Identificador

NATURE, v.453, n.7196, p.775-U4, 2008

0028-0836

http://producao.usp.br/handle/BDPI/27562

10.1038/nature06891

http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature06891

Idioma(s)

eng

Publicador

NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

Relação

Nature

Direitos

restrictedAccess

Copyright NATURE PUBLISHING GROUP

Palavras-Chave #INTEGRATION #SYSTEMATICS #CHARACTERS #Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tipo

article

original article

publishedVersion