Ecomorphological diversification of squamates in the Cretaceous.

ABSTRACT: Squamates (lizards and snakes) are highly successful modern vertebrates, with over 10 000 species. Squamates have a long history, dating back to at least 240 million years ago (Ma), and showing increasing species richness in the Late Cretaceous (84 Ma) and Early Palaeogene (66-55 Ma). We confirm that the major expansion of dietary functional morphology happened before these diversifications, in the mid-Cretaceous, 110-90 Ma. Until that time, squamates had relatively uniform tooth types, which then diversified substantially and ecomorphospace expanded to modern levels. This coincides with the Cretaceous Terrestrial Revolution, when angiosperms began to take over terrestrial ecosystems, providing new roles for plant-eating and pollinating insects, which were, in turn, new sources of food for

SUBMITTER: Herrera-Flores JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8074880 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature