Phenotypic convergence in genetically distinct lineages of a Rhinolophus species complex (Mammalia, Chiroptera)

dc.contributor.authorJacobs, David Sen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorBabiker, Hassanen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorBastian, Annaen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorKearney, Teresaen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorEeden, Rowen vanen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorBishop, Jacqueline Men_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2015-11-18T07:12:50Z
dc.date.available2015-11-18T07:12:50Z
dc.date.issued2013en_ZA
dc.description.abstractPhenotypes of distantly related species may converge through adaptation to similar habitats and/or because they share biological constraints that limit the phenotypic variants produced. A common theme in bats is the sympatric occurrence of cryptic species that are convergent in morphology but divergent in echolocation frequency, suggesting that echolocation may facilitate niche partitioning, reducing competition. If so, allopatric populations freed from competition, could converge in both morphology and echolocation provided they occupy similar niches or share biological constraints. We investigated the evolutionary history of a widely distributed African horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus darlingi , in the context of phenotypic convergence. We used phylogenetic inference to identify and date lineage divergence together with phenotypic comparisons and ecological niche modelling to identify morphological and geographical correlates of those lineages. Our results indicate that R. darlingi is paraphyletic, the eastern and western parts of its distribution forming two distinct non-sister lineages that diverged ~9.7 Mya. We retain R. darlingi for the eastern lineage and argue that the western lineage, currently the sub-species R . d. damarensis , should be elevated to full species status. R. damarensis comprises two lineages that diverged ~5 Mya. Our findings concur with patterns of divergence of other co-distributed taxa which are associated with increased regional aridification between 7-5 Mya suggesting possible vicariant evolution. The morphology and echolocation calls of R. darlingi and R. damarensis are convergent despite occupying different biomes. This suggests that adaptation to similar habitats is not responsible for the convergence. Furthermore, R. darlingi forms part of a clade comprising species that are bigger and echolocate at lower frequencies than R. darlingi , suggesting that biological constraints are unlikely to have influenced the convergence. Instead, the striking similarity in morphology and sensory biology are probably the result of neutral evolutionary processes, resulting in the independent evolution of similar phenotypes.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationJacobs, D. S., Babiker, H., Bastian, A., Kearney, T., Eeden, R. v., & Bishop, J. M. (2013). Phenotypic convergence in genetically distinct lineages of a Rhinolophus species complex (Mammalia, Chiroptera). <i>PLoS One</i>, http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15148en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationJacobs, David S, Hassan Babiker, Anna Bastian, Teresa Kearney, Rowen van Eeden, and Jacqueline M Bishop "Phenotypic convergence in genetically distinct lineages of a Rhinolophus species complex (Mammalia, Chiroptera)." <i>PLoS One</i> (2013) http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15148en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationJacobs, D. S., Babiker, H., Bastian, A., Kearney, T., van Eeden, R., & Bishop, J. M. (2013). Phenotypic convergence in genetically distinct lineages of a Rhinolophus species complex (Mammalia, Chiroptera). PloS one, 8(12), e82614. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0082614en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Journal Article AU - Jacobs, David S AU - Babiker, Hassan AU - Bastian, Anna AU - Kearney, Teresa AU - Eeden, Rowen van AU - Bishop, Jacqueline M AB - Phenotypes of distantly related species may converge through adaptation to similar habitats and/or because they share biological constraints that limit the phenotypic variants produced. A common theme in bats is the sympatric occurrence of cryptic species that are convergent in morphology but divergent in echolocation frequency, suggesting that echolocation may facilitate niche partitioning, reducing competition. If so, allopatric populations freed from competition, could converge in both morphology and echolocation provided they occupy similar niches or share biological constraints. We investigated the evolutionary history of a widely distributed African horseshoe bat, Rhinolophus darlingi , in the context of phenotypic convergence. We used phylogenetic inference to identify and date lineage divergence together with phenotypic comparisons and ecological niche modelling to identify morphological and geographical correlates of those lineages. Our results indicate that R. darlingi is paraphyletic, the eastern and western parts of its distribution forming two distinct non-sister lineages that diverged ~9.7 Mya. We retain R. darlingi for the eastern lineage and argue that the western lineage, currently the sub-species R . d. damarensis , should be elevated to full species status. R. damarensis comprises two lineages that diverged ~5 Mya. Our findings concur with patterns of divergence of other co-distributed taxa which are associated with increased regional aridification between 7-5 Mya suggesting possible vicariant evolution. The morphology and echolocation calls of R. darlingi and R. damarensis are convergent despite occupying different biomes. This suggests that adaptation to similar habitats is not responsible for the convergence. Furthermore, R. darlingi forms part of a clade comprising species that are bigger and echolocate at lower frequencies than R. darlingi , suggesting that biological constraints are unlikely to have influenced the convergence. Instead, the striking similarity in morphology and sensory biology are probably the result of neutral evolutionary processes, resulting in the independent evolution of similar phenotypes. DA - 2013 DB - OpenUCT DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0082614 DP - University of Cape Town J1 - PLoS One LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2013 T1 - Phenotypic convergence in genetically distinct lineages of a Rhinolophus species complex (Mammalia, Chiroptera) TI - Phenotypic convergence in genetically distinct lineages of a Rhinolophus species complex (Mammalia, Chiroptera) UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15148 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/15148
dc.identifier.urihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0082614
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationJacobs DS, Babiker H, Bastian A, Kearney T, Eeden Rv, Bishop JM. Phenotypic convergence in genetically distinct lineages of a Rhinolophus species complex (Mammalia, Chiroptera). PLoS One. 2013; http://hdl.handle.net/11427/15148.en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisherPublic Library of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Biological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.rightsThis is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.en_ZA
dc.rights.holder© 2013 Jacobs et alen_ZA
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0en_ZA
dc.sourcePLoS Oneen_ZA
dc.source.urihttp://journals.plos.org/plosoneen_ZA
dc.subject.otherConvergent evolutionen_ZA
dc.subject.otherEcholocationen_ZA
dc.subject.otherCryptic speciationen_ZA
dc.subject.otherEcological nichesen_ZA
dc.subject.otherSkullen_ZA
dc.subject.otherBatsen_ZA
dc.subject.otherEcosystemsen_ZA
dc.subject.otherPhenotypesen_ZA
dc.titlePhenotypic convergence in genetically distinct lineages of a Rhinolophus species complex (Mammalia, Chiroptera)en_ZA
dc.typeJournal Articleen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceArticleen_ZA
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