Skull morphology in Lemuriform (Primates: Strepsirrhini) skull
| Grant number: | 13/06577-8 |
| Support type: | Scholarships in Brazil - Master |
| Effective date (Start): | July 01, 2013 |
| Effective date (End): | July 31, 2015 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Genetics - Quantitative Genetics |
| Principal Investigator: | Gabriel Henrique Marroig Zambonato |
| Grantee: | Anna Paula Casselli Penna |
| Home Institution: | Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil |
| Associated research grant: | 11/14295-7 - Modularity and its evolutionary consequences, AP.TEM |
| Associated scholarship(s): | 14/15116-7 - Skull morphology in Lemuriform (Primates: Strepsirrhini) skull, BE.EP.MS |
Abstract Integration and modularity are closely related concepts that deals with the tension between coordination and independence of characters in a complex system, e.g. body parts throughout a whole organism. For morphological data these concepts can be explored in a variety of biological context by covariation and correlation of multiple traits. While integration is the cohesion among traits on a phenotypic structure (result from interactions of the biological processes), modularity refers to the patterns of connection between elements, where traits from the same module are more related with each other. Differences on pattern and strength of integration play an important role in multivariate evolution by constraining or facilitating evolutionary paths. Here we propose a project to estimate V/CV matrices in order to describe patterns and strength of morphological integration based on skull characters from Strepsirrhini, lineage that comprises a third of Primates genera. Quantitative genetics theory specifies some evolutionary expectations for morphological diversification and here we will test the null hipotesys that genetic drift is the main responsible for morphological diversification of Lemuriforms, a radiation endemic to the island of Madagascar. | |