Analyses of head and thorax in Eupomphini(Meloidae)suggest that complex behaviors are not associated to changes in general shape

INTRODUCTION Evolution of behavioral responses is often dependent on the existence of modified structures that enable the development of the behavioral suite(Kay 1978;Lundrigan 1996;Alfaro et al.2004;Goyens et al.2015;Higham et al.2015;Sharp et al.2018;Schendel et al.2019).Occasionally,structural modifications are so important that a direct link between morphology and behavior can be inferred(Fleagle 1977;Rodman 1979;Losos 1990a;Higham et al.2015).

Mitochondrial phylogeography of the Iberian endemic frog Rana iberica,with implications for its conservation

Genetic characterization of species using phylogeographic approaches represents a basic reference to understand their evolutionary history as well as to identify conservation priorities to protect areas of particular interest regarding evolutionary potential.Even in well-studied regions such information is lacking for the majority of species,including many endemic species with reduced distribution ranges.We investigate the phylogeographic pattern of the Iberian frog Rana iberica,an endemic amphibian restricted to Central and North-Western Iberian Peninsula.Using mitochondrial sequences,we reconstruct the phylogeographic history of the species to test the effect of Quaternary climate changes on the evolutionary diversification of lineages,that is,the differentiation of mitochondrial lineages and the formation of genetic diversity melting pots,and integrate phylogeographic evidence for future conservation planning.Our results indicate the existence of 3 main mitochondrial lineages differentiated during the Upper Pleistocene.Both historical demographic analyses and climatic niche modeling show a strong effect of glacial climate changes,suggesting recurrent range contractions and expansions.Under such circumstances,differentiation took place most likely by isolation in allopatric interglacial refugia.Secondary lineage admixture in northern Portugal generated a broad mixed zone with highest nucleotide diversity.Given its particular evolutionary potential,its reduced distribution and eventual threats under current climate change scenario,conservation priorities should focus on the isolated lineage from Sierra de Guadalupe.

Simulated predation pressure in Pelobates Cultripes tadpoles modulates morphology at the metamorphic stage

Studies on the impacts of variation of biotic interactions at key life cycle stages are crucial to understand the interface between ecological and developmental processes.Predators exert a major impact on prey fitness.Although direct consumption entails the greatest effect,predators can affect prey by means of other mechanisms.For instance,injuries inflicted by failed predation attempts can jeopardize prey fitness,even beyond the short-term.In anuran tadpoles,failed predation typically results in partial tail loss,which is known to reduce swimming speed.However,the potential consequences of tadpole partial tail loss after metamorphosis remain understudied.Because tail materials could be important in conforming metamorph body,we assess the effects of tadpole partial tail loss on metamorph body size in Iberian spadefoot toads Pelobates cultripes.We clipped 55%tail length of pre-tail-resorption stage anesthetized tadpoles,and compared their body size as metamorphs with anesthetized and non-anesthetized non-tail-clipped controls.Also,we tested whether tail length correlated with metamorph body size of individuals of the control groups.Tailclipped tadpoles produced smaller metamorphs than both controls(the bdy size of metamorphs from both controls was similar),which could incur costs in mid-term survival or time to first reproduction.This effect could be particularly important in areas with introduced predators,if autochthonous tadpoles lack defenses against them.Results suggest that materials resorbed from tadpole tail tissues might be reallocated into metamorph body,according to the negative effect of shorter tails in a correlational analysis,and clipped tails in an experimental test,on metamorph body size.

Limited long-distance dispersal success in a Western European fairy shrimp evidenced by nuclear and mitochondrial lineage structuring

Anostraca are known by their ability for long-distance dispersal,but the existence in several species of deep,geographically structured mtDNA lineages suggests their populations are subjected to allopatric differentiation,isolation,and prevalence of local scale dispersion.Tanymastix stagnalis is one of the most widespread species of Anostraca and previous studies revealed an unclear geographical pattern of mtDNA genetic diversity.Here,we analyze populations from the Iberian and Italian Peninsulas,Central Europe,and Scandinavia,with the aim to characterize the patterns of genetic diversity in a spatio-temporal framework using mtDNA and nuclear markers to test gene flow among close populations.For these aims we built a time-calibrated phylogeny and carried out Bayesian phylogeographic analyses using a continuous diffusion model.Our results indicated that T.stagnalis presents a deeply structured genetic diversity,including 7 ancient lineages,some of them even predating the Pleistocene.The Iberian Peninsula harbors high diversity of lineages,with strong isolation and recent absence of gene flow between populations.Dispersal at local scale seems to be the prevailing dispersal mode of T.stagnalis,which exhibits a pattern of isolation-bydistance in the Iberian Peninsula.We remark the vulnerability of most of these lineages,given the limited known geographic distribution of some of them,and the high risk of losing important evolutionary potential for the species.