Pythons and boas are globally distributed and distantly related radiations with remarkable phenot... more Pythons and boas are globally distributed and distantly related radiations with remarkable phenotypic and ecological diversity. We tested whether pythons, boas and their relatives have evolved convergent phenotypes when they display similar ecology. We collected geometric morphometric data on head shape for 1073 specimens representing over 80% of species. We show that these two groups display strong and widespread convergence when they occupy equivalent ecological niches and that the history of phenotypic evolution strongly matches the history of ecological diversification, suggesting that both processes are strongly coupled. These results are consistent with replicated adaptive radiation in both groups. We argue that strong selective pressures related to habitat-use have driven this convergence. Pythons and boas provide a new model system for the study of macro-evolutionary patterns of morphological and ecological evolution and they do so at a deeper level of divergence and global ...
Two new species of the Liolaemus elongatus-kriegi Complex (Iguania, Liolaemidae) from the Andean highlands of Southern Chile. Troncoso-Palacios, Damien Esquerré, Hugo Diaz & Félix A. Urra, 2015
Liolaemus zabalai and Liolaemus scorialis sp. nov.
Pythons and boas are globally distributed and distantly related radiations with remarkable phenot... more Pythons and boas are globally distributed and distantly related radiations with remarkable phenotypic and ecological diversity. We tested whether pythons, boas and their relatives have evolved convergent phenotypes when they display similar ecology. We collected geometric morphometric data on head shape for 1073 specimens representing over 80% of species. We show that these two groups display strong and widespread convergence when they occupy equivalent ecological niches and that the history of phenotypic evolution strongly matches the history of ecological diversification, suggesting that both processes are strongly coupled. These results are consistent with replicated adaptive radiation in both groups. We argue that strong selective pressures related to habitat-use have driven this convergence. Pythons and boas provide a new model system for the study of macro-evolutionary patterns of morphological and ecological evolution and they do so at a deeper level of divergence and global ...
Two new species of the Liolaemus elongatus-kriegi Complex (Iguania, Liolaemidae) from the Andean highlands of Southern Chile. Troncoso-Palacios, Damien Esquerré, Hugo Diaz & Félix A. Urra, 2015
Liolaemus zabalai and Liolaemus scorialis sp. nov.
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