Sexual differences in locomotor performance in Tropidurus catalanensis lizards (Squamata: Tropiduridae) - body shape, size and limb musculature explain variation between males and females

Autor(es)

Brandt, Renata ; De Barros, Fabio Cury ; Noronha, Carolina ; Jose Tulli, Maria ; Kohlsdorf, Tiana

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society; v. 118, n. 3, p. 598-609, JUL 2016.
• Citações Web of Science: 5

Resumo

Sexual dimorphism (SD) is the evolutionary outcome of selection acting differently on males and females. Several studies describe sexual differences in body size, although other morphological traits might be allometric between sexes and imply functional consequences. Here we test whether morphological differences between sexes in size and shape in the lizard Tropidurus catalanensis explain variation in performance of four locomotor traits. Our results show that males are larger than females and also exhibit longer limbs, longer muscles and larger muscle cross-sectional areas, while females have longer trunks and more sharped anterior claws; males outperform females in all locomotor performances measured. Sexual differences in sprinting and climbing is related with body size, and climbing performance is also explained by limb lengths, by differences in lengths and cross-sectional areas of specific muscles, and by interlimb distances. Between-sex differences in exertion are also related to SD, despite associations with sharper posterior claws that are independent of sex. Grasping performance, however, is associated with some muscle and morphological parameters that are not sexually dimorphic. Together our results suggest that morphology might be under sexual selection in T. catalanensis, given that better locomotor performance likely favours male lizards in typical activities of this polygenic species, such as territory defence and female acquisition. Moreover, the longer trunks that characterize females may confer more space to accommodate eggs. On the other hand, territory defence by males probably increases their exposure to predators, resulting in a synergistic effect of sexual and natural selection in the evolution of SD in T. catalanensis. (C) 2016 The Linnean Society of London (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 11/18868-1 - Evolução de diversidade merística e morfométrica no Autopódio de Squamata: padrões, processos e mecanismos
• Beneficiário: Tiana Kohlsdorf
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 11/24171-3 - Adaptações fenotípicas em Tropidurus torquatus (Squamata, Tropiduridae): populações periféricas evoluem sob pressões seletivas locais?
• Beneficiário: Fábio Cury de Barros
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 11/01801-1 - Evolução da noturnalidade em Gymnophthalmidae (Squamata): sensibilidade térmica enzimática
• Beneficiário: Carolina Ribeiro Noronha de Souza
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 12/51012-6 - Morfologia e fisiologia comparadas entre duas das famílias mais especiosas de lagartos neotropicais: Liolaemidae versus Tropiduridae
• Beneficiário: Tiana Kohlsdorf
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 13/14125-0 - Análise integrativa do dimorfismo sexual em lagartos: morfologia, significado funcional e seleção
• Beneficiário: Renata Brandt Nunes
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado