Distinct causes underlie double-peaked trilobite morphological disparity in cephalic shape.

ABSTRACT: Trilobite cephalic shape disparity varied through geological time and was integral to their ecological niche diversity, and so is widely used for taxonomic assignments. To fully appreciate trilobite cephalic evolution, we must understand how this disparity varies and the factors responsible. We explore trilobite cephalic disparity using a dataset of 983 cephalon outlines of c. 520 species, analysing the associations between cephalic morphometry and taxonomic assignment and geological Period. Elliptical Fourier transformation visualised as a Principal Components Analysis suggests significant differences in morphospace occupation and in disparity measures between the groups. Cephalic shape disparity peaks in the Ordovician and Devonian. The Cambrian-Ordovician expansion of morphospace occupa

SUBMITTER: Drage HB 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11557869 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature