A database of the morphology, ecology and literature of the world's limb-reduced skinks

Marco Camaiti; Alistair R. Evans; Christy A. Hipsley; Mark N. Hutchinson; Shai Meiri; Rodolfo O. Anderson; Alex Slavenko; David G. Chapple

doi:10.1111/jbi.14392

A database of the morphology, ecology and literature of the world's limb-reduced skinks

Marco Camaiti, Alistair R. Evans, Christy A. Hipsley, Mark N. Hutchinson, Shai Meiri, Rodolfo O. Anderson, Alex Slavenko, David G. Chapple

School of Biological Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

11 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Aim
Limb-reduced squamates are a convenient model system to investigate macroevolutionary trends in morphology. Here, we provide morphological, ecological and literature data on all known species of limb-reduced skinks (Scincidae) and their relatives, representing one of the most diverse and widely distributed groups of limb-reduced squamates.

Location
Global.

Taxon
Skinks (Reptilia, Squamata: Scincidae). Limb-reduced forms.

Methods
Morphological data were sourced from the primary literature, spanning a period of over 150 years. Linear body measurements were averaged across all values in the literature, preserving proportionality to body length. For digits and presacral vertebrae, we used maximum recorded counts. Ecological and biogeographical data were sourced from habitat assessments in the primary literature, online databases and field guides. Literature data were sorted according to type of study. To exemplify the applicability of the database, we used Markov-chain ordered models to estimate the evolutionary frequency of limb reduction and loss in skinks.

Results
We find evidence of limb reduction and loss in a total of 394 species worldwide, representing ~23% of all skink species, and ~30% of genera. The distribution of limb-reduced and limbless forms differs from that of fully limbed forms, as they are present in all biogeographic realms with the almost complete exclusion of the Americas. We estimate that limb reduction evolved more than 50 times in skinks, and that loss of at least one limb pair evolved at least 24 times.

Main conclusions
The dataset captures a broad spectrum of morphological and ecological variation in a large, globally distributed taxonomic group. It establishes a widely applicable definition of limb reduction based on limb proportions as a reference for future studies. Such an extensive collection of morphological and ecological data can pave the way for investigations of dramatic morphological transitions and their ecological drivers at a global and local scale.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1397-1406
Number of pages	10
Journal	Journal of Biogeography
Volume	49
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14392
Publication status	Published - Jul 2022

Keywords

ancestral reconstructions
ecology
limb loss
limb reduction
literature data
lizards
morphology
skinks

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10.1111/jbi.14392Licence: CC BY

Cite this

@article{1d1a57b906ef4c55a65f9b283932303d,

title = "A database of the morphology, ecology and literature of the world's limb-reduced skinks",

abstract = "AimLimb-reduced squamates are a convenient model system to investigate macroevolutionary trends in morphology. Here, we provide morphological, ecological and literature data on all known species of limb-reduced skinks (Scincidae) and their relatives, representing one of the most diverse and widely distributed groups of limb-reduced squamates.LocationGlobal.TaxonSkinks (Reptilia, Squamata: Scincidae). Limb-reduced forms.MethodsMorphological data were sourced from the primary literature, spanning a period of over 150 years. Linear body measurements were averaged across all values in the literature, preserving proportionality to body length. For digits and presacral vertebrae, we used maximum recorded counts. Ecological and biogeographical data were sourced from habitat assessments in the primary literature, online databases and field guides. Literature data were sorted according to type of study. To exemplify the applicability of the database, we used Markov-chain ordered models to estimate the evolutionary frequency of limb reduction and loss in skinks.ResultsWe find evidence of limb reduction and loss in a total of 394 species worldwide, representing ~23% of all skink species, and ~30% of genera. The distribution of limb-reduced and limbless forms differs from that of fully limbed forms, as they are present in all biogeographic realms with the almost complete exclusion of the Americas. We estimate that limb reduction evolved more than 50 times in skinks, and that loss of at least one limb pair evolved at least 24 times.Main conclusionsThe dataset captures a broad spectrum of morphological and ecological variation in a large, globally distributed taxonomic group. It establishes a widely applicable definition of limb reduction based on limb proportions as a reference for future studies. Such an extensive collection of morphological and ecological data can pave the way for investigations of dramatic morphological transitions and their ecological drivers at a global and local scale.",

keywords = "ancestral reconstructions, ecology, limb loss, limb reduction, literature data, lizards, morphology, skinks",

author = "Marco Camaiti and Evans, {Alistair R.} and Hipsley, {Christy A.} and Hutchinson, {Mark N.} and Shai Meiri and Anderson, {Rodolfo O.} and Alex Slavenko and Chapple, {David G.}",

note = "Funding Information: We wish to thank Andressa Duran for permission to use lizard mensural data collected from Australian Museum collections within the scope of her PhD project. This project was supported by the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment (Equity Trustees Charitable Foundation & the Ecological Society of Australia), the Monash‐Museums Victoria Robert Blackwood scholarship (to M.C.), an Australian Research Council Linkage Project grant (LP170100012; to D.G.C. and A.R.E.), an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship grant (FT200100108, to D.G.C), a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA: DE180100629, to C.A.H.), and a Royal Society grant (RGF\EA\181082, funding A.S.). We also wish to thank the anonymous reviewer for our paper, and Dr. Harith Farooq, for reviewing our manuscript. No permits were required to conduct this research. Funding Information: We wish to thank Andressa Duran for permission to use lizard mensural data collected from Australian Museum collections within the scope of her PhD project. This project was supported by the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment (Equity Trustees Charitable Foundation & the Ecological Society of Australia), the Monash-Museums Victoria Robert Blackwood scholarship (to M.C.), an Australian Research Council Linkage Project grant (LP170100012; to D.G.C. and A.R.E.), an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship grant (FT200100108, to D.G.C), a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA: DE180100629, to C.A.H.), and a Royal Society grant (RGF\EA\181082, funding A.S.). We also wish to thank the anonymous reviewer for our paper, and Dr. Harith Farooq, for reviewing our manuscript. No permits were required to conduct this research. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors. Journal of Biogeography published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",

year = "2022",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1111/jbi.14392",

language = "English",

volume = "49",

pages = "1397--1406",

journal = "Journal of Biogeography",

issn = "0305-0270",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",

number = "7",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - A database of the morphology, ecology and literature of the world's limb-reduced skinks

AU - Camaiti, Marco

AU - Evans, Alistair R.

AU - Hipsley, Christy A.

AU - Hutchinson, Mark N.

AU - Meiri, Shai

AU - Anderson, Rodolfo O.

AU - Slavenko, Alex

AU - Chapple, David G.

N1 - Funding Information: We wish to thank Andressa Duran for permission to use lizard mensural data collected from Australian Museum collections within the scope of her PhD project. This project was supported by the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment (Equity Trustees Charitable Foundation & the Ecological Society of Australia), the Monash‐Museums Victoria Robert Blackwood scholarship (to M.C.), an Australian Research Council Linkage Project grant (LP170100012; to D.G.C. and A.R.E.), an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship grant (FT200100108, to D.G.C), a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA: DE180100629, to C.A.H.), and a Royal Society grant (RGF\EA\181082, funding A.S.). We also wish to thank the anonymous reviewer for our paper, and Dr. Harith Farooq, for reviewing our manuscript. No permits were required to conduct this research. Funding Information: We wish to thank Andressa Duran for permission to use lizard mensural data collected from Australian Museum collections within the scope of her PhD project. This project was supported by the Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment (Equity Trustees Charitable Foundation & the Ecological Society of Australia), the Monash-Museums Victoria Robert Blackwood scholarship (to M.C.), an Australian Research Council Linkage Project grant (LP170100012; to D.G.C. and A.R.E.), an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship grant (FT200100108, to D.G.C), a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award (DECRA: DE180100629, to C.A.H.), and a Royal Society grant (RGF\EA\181082, funding A.S.). We also wish to thank the anonymous reviewer for our paper, and Dr. Harith Farooq, for reviewing our manuscript. No permits were required to conduct this research. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 The Authors. Journal of Biogeography published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

PY - 2022/7

Y1 - 2022/7

N2 - AimLimb-reduced squamates are a convenient model system to investigate macroevolutionary trends in morphology. Here, we provide morphological, ecological and literature data on all known species of limb-reduced skinks (Scincidae) and their relatives, representing one of the most diverse and widely distributed groups of limb-reduced squamates.LocationGlobal.TaxonSkinks (Reptilia, Squamata: Scincidae). Limb-reduced forms.MethodsMorphological data were sourced from the primary literature, spanning a period of over 150 years. Linear body measurements were averaged across all values in the literature, preserving proportionality to body length. For digits and presacral vertebrae, we used maximum recorded counts. Ecological and biogeographical data were sourced from habitat assessments in the primary literature, online databases and field guides. Literature data were sorted according to type of study. To exemplify the applicability of the database, we used Markov-chain ordered models to estimate the evolutionary frequency of limb reduction and loss in skinks.ResultsWe find evidence of limb reduction and loss in a total of 394 species worldwide, representing ~23% of all skink species, and ~30% of genera. The distribution of limb-reduced and limbless forms differs from that of fully limbed forms, as they are present in all biogeographic realms with the almost complete exclusion of the Americas. We estimate that limb reduction evolved more than 50 times in skinks, and that loss of at least one limb pair evolved at least 24 times.Main conclusionsThe dataset captures a broad spectrum of morphological and ecological variation in a large, globally distributed taxonomic group. It establishes a widely applicable definition of limb reduction based on limb proportions as a reference for future studies. Such an extensive collection of morphological and ecological data can pave the way for investigations of dramatic morphological transitions and their ecological drivers at a global and local scale.

AB - AimLimb-reduced squamates are a convenient model system to investigate macroevolutionary trends in morphology. Here, we provide morphological, ecological and literature data on all known species of limb-reduced skinks (Scincidae) and their relatives, representing one of the most diverse and widely distributed groups of limb-reduced squamates.LocationGlobal.TaxonSkinks (Reptilia, Squamata: Scincidae). Limb-reduced forms.MethodsMorphological data were sourced from the primary literature, spanning a period of over 150 years. Linear body measurements were averaged across all values in the literature, preserving proportionality to body length. For digits and presacral vertebrae, we used maximum recorded counts. Ecological and biogeographical data were sourced from habitat assessments in the primary literature, online databases and field guides. Literature data were sorted according to type of study. To exemplify the applicability of the database, we used Markov-chain ordered models to estimate the evolutionary frequency of limb reduction and loss in skinks.ResultsWe find evidence of limb reduction and loss in a total of 394 species worldwide, representing ~23% of all skink species, and ~30% of genera. The distribution of limb-reduced and limbless forms differs from that of fully limbed forms, as they are present in all biogeographic realms with the almost complete exclusion of the Americas. We estimate that limb reduction evolved more than 50 times in skinks, and that loss of at least one limb pair evolved at least 24 times.Main conclusionsThe dataset captures a broad spectrum of morphological and ecological variation in a large, globally distributed taxonomic group. It establishes a widely applicable definition of limb reduction based on limb proportions as a reference for future studies. Such an extensive collection of morphological and ecological data can pave the way for investigations of dramatic morphological transitions and their ecological drivers at a global and local scale.

KW - ancestral reconstructions

KW - ecology

KW - limb loss

KW - limb reduction

KW - literature data

KW - lizards

KW - morphology

KW - skinks

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U2 - 10.1111/jbi.14392

DO - 10.1111/jbi.14392

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85130220093

SN - 0305-0270

VL - 49

SP - 1397

EP - 1406

JO - Journal of Biogeography

JF - Journal of Biogeography

IS - 7

ER -

A database of the morphology, ecology and literature of the world's limb-reduced skinks

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Unifying the mechanisms that drive spatial patterns in biological traits

Ecology, morphology and the diversification of Australian lizards

Cite this

A database of the morphology, ecology and literature of the world's limb-reduced skinks

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Other files and links

Projects

Unifying the mechanisms that drive spatial patterns in biological traits

Ecology, morphology and the diversification of Australian lizards

Cite this