Ecological correlates of cranial evolution in the megaradiation of dipsadine snakes.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Dipsadine snakes represent one of the most spectacular vertebrate radiations that have occurred in any continental setting, with over 800 species in South and Central America. Their species richness is paralleled by stunning ecological diversity, ranging from arboreal snail-eating and aquatic eel-eating specialists to terrestrial generalists. Despite the ecological importance of this clade, little is known about the extent to which ecological specialization shapes broader patterns of phenotypic diversity within the group. Here, we test how habitat use and diet have influenced morphological diversification in skull shape across 160 dipsadine species using micro-CT and 3-D geometric morphometrics, and we use a phylogenetic comparative approach to test the contributions of

SUBMITTER: Pandelis GG 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10485986 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature