Design and physiology compared between two of the most specious families of neotropical lizards: Liolaemidae versus Tropiduridae

• Grant number: 12/51012-6
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: January 01, 2013 - December 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology
• Cooperation agreement: CONICET
• Principal Investigator: Tiana Kohlsdorf
• Grantee: Tiana Kohlsdorf
• Principal investigator abroad: Virginia Abdala
• Institution abroad: Fundación Miguel Lillo, Argentina
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 11/18868-1 - Evolution of meristic and morphometric diversity in the Autopodium of Squamata: patterns, processes and mechanisms, AP.R

Abstract

The biomechanical theory predicts associations between morphology and ecology, given that physical demands acting on locomotion differ between environments that are structurally distinct. Ecomorphology considers that variation in locomotor modes might be correlated with differences in the anatomy of associated traits, as limbs and feet. Two squamate families have been particularly well studied for the presence of associations between morphological traits and ecological parameters: Tropiduridae and Liolaemidae. The absence of ecomorphological relationships in Liolaemidae contradicts the presence of such associations detected in Tropiduridae, especially given the phylogenetic proximity of these two lineages and the ecological similarity observed among species belonging to these two clades. The present proposal aims to implement a comparative synthesis of the several biological traits available for these two families, based on the development of a data matrix including data published by the researchers involved as well as new measured traits. Based on such meta-analysis, we expect to identify differences and similarities between these two lineages in theirs relationships with ecological parameters, as the use of microhabitats. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

BRANDT, RENATA; DE BARROS, FABIO CURY; NORONHA, CAROLINA; JOSE TULLI, MARIA; KOHLSDORF, TIANA. Sexual differences in locomotor performance in Tropidurus catalanensis lizards (Squamata: Tropiduridae) - body shape, size and limb musculature explain variation between males and females. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, v. 118, n. 3, p. 598-609, JUL 2016. Web of Science Citations: 5.

PEREIRA, ANIELI G.; ABDALA, VIRGINIA; KOHLSDORF, TIANA. Function and position determine relative proportions of different fiber types in limb muscles of the lizard Tropidurus psammonastes. ZOOLOGY, v. 118, n. 1, p. 27-33, FEB 2015. Web of Science Citations: 3.