Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society最新文献

A never-ending story of Western Palaearctic Pyramidula taxonomy and phylogeny 西部古北锥体分类和系统发育的永无止境的故事

IF 2.8 2区生物学

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society Pub Date : 2026-03-23 DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag043

Michal Horsák, Sara Kafimola, Radovan Coufal, Farshad Nejat, Veronika Horsáková, Jeffrey C Nekola

{"title":"A never-ending story of Western Palaearctic Pyramidula taxonomy and phylogeny","authors":"Michal Horsák, Sara Kafimola, Radovan Coufal, Farshad Nejat, Veronika Horsáková, Jeffrey C Nekola","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag043","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag043","url":null,"abstract":"The genus Pyramidula (Gastropoda: Pupilloidea) has represented one of the most taxonomically puzzling groups of Western Palaearctic micro land snails owing to a high level of morphological conservatism and shell convergence. We reconstructed Pyramidula phylogeny across the entire Western Palaearctic, using both mitochondrial (COI) and nuclear (ITS1 + ITS2) markers, based on 123 individuals from 89 localities. Unlike earlier efforts, we treated each distinct ITS indel area as a separate binary presence/absence variable that could be used as a genetic character state. Quantitative and qualitative shell features were also coded from 355 individuals sourced from genetically verified populations. Bayesian analysis and maximum likelihood both generated trees with nine well-supported species-level clades, with ITS1 + ITS2 tree resolution being notably improved at shallow phylogenetic levels through formal inclusion of indel information. Each of these clades was also found to possess distinct shell morphology and biogeography. Two are described as new species: Pyramidula koshka Horsák & Leonov sp. nov. and Pyramidula pygmaea Horsák & Kafimola sp. nov. Our results establish the first comprehensive phylogenetic framework for the genus across the Western Palaearctic. We document how indels can affect phylogenetic inference at multiple evolutionary scales and provide practical guidelines for incorporating them into Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood analyses.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"13 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147496084","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Cave-dwelling Homoscleromorpha (Porifera) from Cape Verde archipelago (Northeast Atlantic): one new genus of aspiculate Plakinidae and five new species 来自佛得角群岛（东北大西洋）的穴居同硬壳虫属（Porifera）：棘皮虫科一新属和五新种

IF 2.8 2区生物学

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society Pub Date : 2026-03-21 DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag040

Clément Cabioch, César Ruiz, Marie Grenier, Alexander Ereskovsky, Fernando Moraes, Cécile Fauvelot, Thierry Pérez

{"title":"Cave-dwelling Homoscleromorpha (Porifera) from Cape Verde archipelago (Northeast Atlantic): one new genus of aspiculate Plakinidae and five new species","authors":"Clément Cabioch, César Ruiz, Marie Grenier, Alexander Ereskovsky, Fernando Moraes, Cécile Fauvelot, Thierry Pérez","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag040","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag040","url":null,"abstract":"Significant efforts have been made to describe the diversity of the sponge class Homoscleromorpha across various oceanic regions, yet the Tropical Eastern Atlantic remains largely unexplored. The insular nature and volcanic origin of the Cape Verde archipelago favour the presence of numerous submarine caves, which are recognized as favourite habitats for Homoscleromorpha. Prior to this study, three species had previously been reported from shallow-water habitats of Cape Verde: Plakina monolopha, Plakortis simplex, and Oscarella lobularis, and all three species had long been considered cosmopolitan. Our exploration of submarine caves has led to the discovery of four new species and one new genus, belonging to the Families Oscarellidae and Plakinidae: Oscarella antea sp. nov., Aspiculina malanoba gen. nov., sp. nov., Plakinastrella fauvelotae sp. nov., and Plakinastrella freitasi sp. nov. We have also examined the two Plakinidae reported in past studies, which in fact correspond to a fifth new species, here named Plakinastrella cachupa sp. nov. These descriptions have been conducted using an integrative approach, combining molecular investigation with accurate morphological analyses. Among the new taxa, two skeleton-less sponges could be described only after histological and cytological investigations, underscoring the need to generalize this type of approach for all Homoscleromorpha. Additionally, for three new Plakinastrella, we have used, for the first time, a mathematical method to analyse spicule size distributions in different classes. We believe that only detailed descriptions of phenotypes such as these can help to reveal the true diversity of Homoscleromorpha and their evolutionary history.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492768","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Brain drain: exceptional pattern of calvarial venation in pangolins and its phylogenetic significance for Ferae 人才外流：穿山甲颅静脉的特殊模式及其Ferae的系统发育意义

IF 2.8 2区生物学

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society Pub Date : 2026-03-21 DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag020

Guillaume Billet, Lionel Hautier, Timothy J Gaudin, John J Flynn, Irina Ruf, Juan D Carrillo, Sandrine Ladevèze, Thomas Lehmann, Violaine Nicolas, Maëva J Orliac, Cassandre Tornero, John R Wible, Nicole M Wong, Philippe Gaubert

{"title":"Brain drain: exceptional pattern of calvarial venation in pangolins and its phylogenetic significance for Ferae","authors":"Guillaume Billet, Lionel Hautier, Timothy J Gaudin, John J Flynn, Irina Ruf, Juan D Carrillo, Sandrine Ladevèze, Thomas Lehmann, Violaine Nicolas, Maëva J Orliac, Cassandre Tornero, John R Wible, Nicole M Wong, Philippe Gaubert","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag020","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag020","url":null,"abstract":"The repeated failure of morphological phylogenetics to recover topologies congruent with molecular data in the interordinal diversification of placental mammals has become an iconic example of the challenges inherent in deep-time evolutionary reconstruction. This situation impedes the reliable placement of extinct taxa and stems, in part, from the underutilization of potentially informative morphological features. Diploic veins are a key example of such neglected structures, in that their diversity remains largely unexplored. Using microcomputed tomography scans and histology, this study investigates the phylogenetic signal of the diploic venous system across a broad spectrum of extant and extinct placental species. Our analysis reveals an exceptionally dense network of diploic venous channels in pangolins, contrasting sharply with the sparse development observed in most other placentals. Notably, a pattern similar to pangolins, albeit less pronounced, is present in many carnivorans and their extinct relatives. These discoveries could establish diploic veins as a powerful phylogenetic marker, unveiling a distinctive signature for Pholidota and suggesting a previously elusive synapomorphy for the Ferae clade. Comparisons with human cases of sinus hypoplasia further suggest that diploic veins play a major role in pangolin cerebral drainage and highlight a likely compensating mechanism involving these vessels and the superior sagittal sinus.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"85 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492878","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Sex-limited experimental evolution, mating, and sexual conflict in a hermaphrodite 雌雄同体的性限制实验进化、交配和性冲突

IF 2.8 2区生物学

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society Pub Date : 2026-03-21 DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag036

Aivars Cīrulis, Martin Majvall, Jessica K Abbott

{"title":"Sex-limited experimental evolution, mating, and sexual conflict in a hermaphrodite","authors":"Aivars Cīrulis, Martin Majvall, Jessica K Abbott","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag036","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag036","url":null,"abstract":"Sexual selection in simultaneous hermaphrodites can act through male–male competition and female choice, often favouring male-biased traits, yet remains understudied relative to gonochorists. We tested how sex-limited experimental evolution alters mating behaviour and the male copulatory organ (the stylet) in Macrostomum lignano. After more than 40 generations of selection for male- or female-specific fitness, we recorded mating behaviour and quantified stylet morphology. Mating frequency and duration did not differ significantly among lines, though female-selected lines tended to mate slightly less. In contrast, we detected pronounced divergence in post-copulatory ‘sucking’ by wild-type partners, in which a worm covers its female antrum with its mouth, attempting to remove the ejaculate. Partners sucked most after mating with male-selected worms, and least after mating with female-selected worms. The probability of sucking decreased with increasing mating duration, but increased with the number of matings. These patterns match predictions if sucking reflects sexual conflict over fertilization, expected to be especially salient in hermaphrodites. Finally, the stylet shape diverged among lines, indicating rapid evolution of the male organ under sexual selection. Our results demonstrate that sex-limited selection can reshape genital morphology and post-copulatory behaviour in a simultaneous hermaphrodite in this free-living flatworm model.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"60 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492879","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The Neotropical giant ground sloth Ocnotherium giganteum (Xenarthra: Mylodontinae) from the Late Pleistocene of Brazil: anatomy, palaeoneurology, and phylogenetic relationships 巴西晚更新世新热带巨型地懒Ocnotherium giganteum (Xenarthra: Mylodontinae)：解剖学、古神经学和系统发育关系

IF 2.8 2区生物学

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society Pub Date : 2026-03-21 DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag008

François Pujos, Gerardo De Iuliis, Alberto Boscaini, Dawid A Iurino, André Strauss, Luciano Vilaboim, Leonard J S Tsuji, Cástor Cartelle

{"title":"The Neotropical giant ground sloth Ocnotherium giganteum (Xenarthra: Mylodontinae) from the Late Pleistocene of Brazil: anatomy, palaeoneurology, and phylogenetic relationships","authors":"François Pujos, Gerardo De Iuliis, Alberto Boscaini, Dawid A Iurino, André Strauss, Luciano Vilaboim, Leonard J S Tsuji, Cástor Cartelle","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag008","url":null,"abstract":"Xenarthrans are among the more iconic endemic groups of South American mammals. We present new specimens, including a nearly complete skull and two partial skeletons, of the giant mylodontid sloth Ocnotherium giganteum, a large quadrupedal herbivorous sloth from the Late Pleistocene of the intertropical region of Brazil. The comprehensive osteological description of O. giganteum provided here sheds light on a previously very poorly known member of the mammalian assemblage from the Pleistocene of the intertropical region of Brazil. For nearly 200 years the species was known from only three isolated teeth and has long been misunderstood. Although several features suggest affinities between O. giganteum and Lestodontinae, phylogenetic analysis places this species within Mylodontinae, and the taxon is characterized by 22 autapomorphies. Ocnotherium giganteum exhibits a distinctive dentition, featuring a first upper molariform that is strongly arched posteriorly, a long diastema between the second and third upper teeth, short and robust limbs with powerful muscles, a pentadactyl manus with three clawed digits, a pes with at least four digits, and dermal ossicles. Digital endocranial studies on Ocnotherium reveal that it was characterized by large olfactory bulbs, extensive cranial pneumatization, and a relatively small osseous labyrinth.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147492880","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A new genus and species of bathyal cidaroid (Echinoidea: Ctenocidaridae) from the Mar del Plata submarine canyon, Southwest Atlantic, with insights into its phylogenetic affinities 西南大西洋马德普拉塔海底峡谷深水潜生cidaroid一新属一新种（棘总科：栉水母科）及其系统发育亲缘关系

IF 2.8 2区生物学

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society Pub Date : 2026-03-19 DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag044

Jonathan N Flores, Mariano I Martinez, Martín I Brogger

{"title":"A new genus and species of bathyal cidaroid (Echinoidea: Ctenocidaridae) from the Mar del Plata submarine canyon, Southwest Atlantic, with insights into its phylogenetic affinities","authors":"Jonathan N Flores, Mariano I Martinez, Martín I Brogger","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag044","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlag044","url":null,"abstract":"The deep ocean represents the largest yet least studied habitat on Earth, and the deep sea off Argentina is no exception. Here, we describe Bathycidaris argentina gen. nov., sp. nov. (Cidaroida: Ctenocidaridae) from the Mar del Plata submarine canyon, Southwest Atlantic, at depths between 1099 and 1950 m. The new taxon is characterized by: a low test, slightly domed aborally; apical disc between 46% and 61% of horizontal test diameter; oblique and non-confluent pore pairs; aboral primary spines rod-like and spinulated; oral primary spines slightly flattened distally, with finely serrated margins; and globiferous pedicellariae, lacking a terminal tooth. Phylogenetic analyses based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I sequences, using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood, recover the new taxon as a strongly supported monophyletic lineage within Ctenocidaridae, consistent with intergeneric and species-level genetic divergence. The new species occurs within the core of the Circumpolar Deep Water, suggesting potential connectivity with sub-Antarctic and Antarctic faunas, in addition to possible local isolation associated with canyon topography. This study also highlights unresolved phylogenetic relationships within Ctenocidaridae and underscores the need for a comprehensive systematic reassessment of the family. Overall, our findings contribute to the understanding of deep-sea echinoid diversity and biogeographical patterns in the Southwest Atlantic.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"52 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-03-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147489378","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The systematics of the anaerobic family Sonderiidae (Alveolata: Ciliophora), with the establishment of one new genus and five new combinations, and the description of two new species 厌氧sonididae （Alveolata: Ciliophora）的系统分类，建立了1个新属和5个新组合，描述了2个新种

IF 2.8 2区生物学

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society Pub Date : 2026-02-26 DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf185

Ran Li, Wenbao Zhuang, Xiaochen Feng, Alan Warren, Limin Jiang, Xiaozhong Hu

{"title":"The systematics of the anaerobic family Sonderiidae (Alveolata: Ciliophora), with the establishment of one new genus and five new combinations, and the description of two new species","authors":"Ran Li, Wenbao Zhuang, Xiaochen Feng, Alan Warren, Limin Jiang, Xiaozhong Hu","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf185","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf185","url":null,"abstract":"The class Plagiopylea represents a distinct evolutionary lineage of obligate anaerobes, yet its diversity, particularly within the family Sonderiidae Small and Lynn, 1985, remains poorly understood due to limited morphological and molecular data. We here describe three sonderiid ciliates from marine coastal habitats in China, including two new species, Heterosonderia faurei gen. et sp. nov. and Sonderia paravorax sp. nov., and the little-known Heterosonderia macrochilus (Kahl, 1931) gen. et comb. nov. A novel, fundamentally distinct oral morphology is revealed within Sonderiidae, which justifies the establishment of a new genus, Heterosonderia gen. nov., to accommodate species with a belt-shaped, oral opening and a buccal cavity extending posteriorly on both sides. In addition, four other new combinations are established, namely H. schizostoma (Kahl, 1931) gen. et comb. nov., H. labiata (Fauré-Fremiet and Tuffrau, 1955) gen. et comb. nov., H. paramacrochilus (Li et al., 2022) gen. et comb. nov., and H. steini (Li et al., 2022) gen. et comb. nov. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rRNA gene sequences support the monophyly of Heterosonderia and its separation from Sonderia.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147329710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Vilesida, a new order of demosponges revealed by molecular phylogeny and abundant 24-isopropylcholesterols (24-ipc sterols) 基于分子系统发育和丰富的24-异丙基胆固醇（24-ipc甾醇）揭示的海绵动物新目Vilesida

IF 2.8 2区生物学

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society Pub Date : 2025-11-21 DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf163

Julio A Díaz, Ana De la Torriente, J Alex Zumberge, Pilar Ríos, Alberto Serrano, Javier Cristobo, Sergi Taboada, Carlota Gracia-Sancha, Ana Riesgo, Gordon D Love, Enric Massutí, Paco Cárdenas

{"title":"Vilesida, a new order of demosponges revealed by molecular phylogeny and abundant 24-isopropylcholesterols (24-ipc sterols)","authors":"Julio A Díaz, Ana De la Torriente, J Alex Zumberge, Pilar Ríos, Alberto Serrano, Javier Cristobo, Sergi Taboada, Carlota Gracia-Sancha, Ana Riesgo, Gordon D Love, Enric Massutí, Paco Cárdenas","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf163","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf163","url":null,"abstract":"We propose the creation of Vilesida ord. nov. (Porifera: Demospongiae), initially discovered thanks to molecular markers. Species from this new order share monactinal and diactinal megascleres arranged in a confused halichondrioid fashion and are currently scattered in the orders Suberitida, Bubarida, and Axinellida. All species analysed share a chemical synapomorphy not found in any other eukaryotic group: C30 sterols with an isopropyl group in the sidechain at C-24 as their major membrane sterols. These are precursors of the sterane 24-isopropylcholestane, abundant in some Neoproterozoic oils/rocks and hypothesized to be an early sponge biomarker. We propose: (i) the resurrection of Viles; (ii) its establishment as the type genus of Vilesidae fam. nov., the only family present in the new order; (iii) the reallocation of Petromica and Axinyssa to the new order; and (iv) the creation of Murus gen. nov. in Vilesidae fam. nov. The type species of Murus, Murus hirondellei comb. nov., was previously placed in Phakellia (order Bubarida). In addition, we describe two new species from the Northeast Atlantic and the Mediterranean: Murus profunda sp. nov. and Murus sinenotis sp. nov.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145559481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Cracking the case: differential adaptations to hard biting dominate cranial shape in rat-kangaroos (Potoroidae: Bettongia ) with divergent diets 破解案例：饮食不同的大鼠袋鼠（袋鼠科：贝通奇亚）对硬咬的不同适应主导了头骨形状

IF 2.8 2区生物学

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society Pub Date : 2025-11-18 DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf158

Maddison C Randall, Vera Weisbecker, Meg Martin, Kenny J Travouillon, Jake Newman-Martin, D Rex Mitchell

{"title":"Cracking the case: differential adaptations to hard biting dominate cranial shape in rat-kangaroos (Potoroidae: Bettongia ) with divergent diets","authors":"Maddison C Randall, Vera Weisbecker, Meg Martin, Kenny J Travouillon, Jake Newman-Martin, D Rex Mitchell","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf158","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf158","url":null,"abstract":"Functional adaptation in the mammalian jaw is often best predicted by the hardest bites an animal makes. Therefore, even when closely related species have otherwise divergent diets, a shared biomechanically challenging resource should be reflected in similar adaptations to jaw biomechanics. We assessed this in two species of rat-kangaroos, whose otherwise differing diets include the extremely tough-shelled seeds of Santalum spp. (sandalwood and/or quandong). We used geometric morphometrics to analyse cranial shape of 161 bettongs (Bettongia spp.), including all four extant species. We identified hard-biting adaptations in both species that crack open Santalum seeds. However, these were not convergent. Bettongia lesueur had shorter facial proportions, indicating greater mechanical advantage, while Bettongia penicillata had a premolar morphology that likely focussed bites to a specific, reinforced position on the jaw. This represents an example of many-to-one mapping at the genus level. We also found differences between captive northern bettongs compared to wild conspecifics, suggesting some role of phenotypic plasticity in shaping adult skulls. The large olfactory tracts of B. penicillata, which support search for underground fungi, might have constrained its cranium to retain longer proportions. Fungal abundance could potentially be an important consideration in identifying translocation sites for this species.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145545824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Integrative taxonomy of Madagascar’s sand-swimming skinks (Scincidae: Voeltzkowia , Grandidierina ) and preliminary evidence for an overlooked inland belt of white sand patches across the island’s west 马达加斯加游沙石龙子的综合分类学（石龙亚科：voleltzkowia， gradierina）和岛屿西部被忽视的内陆白沙带的初步证据

IF 2.8 2区生物学

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society Pub Date : 2025-11-14 DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf147

Aurélien Miralles, Robin Schmidt, Andolalao Rakotoarison, Antoine Delaunay, André Freiwald, Ny Ando Rahagalala, Sandratra Rakotomanga, Delina Razafimanafo, Fanomezana M Ratsoavina, Angelica Crottini, Achille P Raselimanana, Frank Glaw, Miguel Vences

{"title":"Integrative taxonomy of Madagascar’s sand-swimming skinks (Scincidae: Voeltzkowia , Grandidierina ) and preliminary evidence for an overlooked inland belt of white sand patches across the island’s west","authors":"Aurélien Miralles, Robin Schmidt, Andolalao Rakotoarison, Antoine Delaunay, André Freiwald, Ny Ando Rahagalala, Sandratra Rakotomanga, Delina Razafimanafo, Fanomezana M Ratsoavina, Angelica Crottini, Achille P Raselimanana, Frank Glaw, Miguel Vences","doi":"10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf147","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlaf147","url":null,"abstract":"Malagasy sand-swimming skinks represent several highly specialized and previously underexplored clades within the monophyletic radiation of scincine lizards of this island. Through comprehensive phylogenomic analyses including newly collected samples, we clarify the evolutionary relationships among these taxa, delimit species boundaries, and formally describe two new species: Voeltzkowia volontany sp. nov. and Voeltzkowia shaihulud sp. nov. Our findings on the genus Voeltzkowia and the equally specialized sand-swimmer genus Grandidierina suggest that species diversity within these psammophilous skinks is underestimated and shaped by a high degree of allopatry. Intriguingly, this unexpected diversity is geographically structured along a newly identified landscape feature, for which we herein coin the name ‘White Sand Belt’. It consists of an aligned series of discrete, isolated white sand patches spanning &gt;1500 km along western Madagascar. The White Sand Belt appears to follow the contours of the western sedimentary basins of the island, and we propose the hypothesis that it represents a key environmental factor in the diversification and distribution of Malagasy sand-swimming skinks and, possibly, other psammophilous organisms.","PeriodicalId":49333,"journal":{"name":"Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society","volume":"115 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2025-11-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145509544","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0