Giant Mesozoic coelacanths (Osteichthyes, Actinistia) reveal high body size disparity decoupled from taxic diversity

Abstract The positive correlation between speciation rates and morphological evolution expressed by body size is a macroevolutionary trait of vertebrates. Although taxic diversification and morphological evolution are slow in coelacanths, their fossil record indicates that large and small species co...

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Main Authors: Lionel Cavin, André Piuz, Christophe Ferrante, Guillaume Guinot
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2021-06-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90962-5
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spelling doaj-22d354ddcafe4fbf9cde72344522d6b92021-06-06T11:34:23ZengNature Publishing GroupScientific Reports2045-23222021-06-0111111310.1038/s41598-021-90962-5Giant Mesozoic coelacanths (Osteichthyes, Actinistia) reveal high body size disparity decoupled from taxic diversityLionel Cavin0André Piuz1Christophe Ferrante2Guillaume Guinot3Department of Geology and Palaeontology, Natural History Museum of GenevaDepartment of Geology and Palaeontology, Natural History Museum of GenevaDepartment of Geology and Palaeontology, Natural History Museum of GenevaInstitut des Sciences de L’Evolution de Montpellier (Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHE)Abstract The positive correlation between speciation rates and morphological evolution expressed by body size is a macroevolutionary trait of vertebrates. Although taxic diversification and morphological evolution are slow in coelacanths, their fossil record indicates that large and small species coexisted, which calls into question the link between morphological and body size disparities. Here, we describe and reassess fossils of giant coelacanths. Two genera reached up to 5 m long, placing them among the ten largest bony fish that ever lived. The disparity in body size adjusted to taxic diversity is much greater in coelacanths than in ray-finned fishes. Previous studies have shown that rates of speciation and rates of morphological evolution are overall low in this group, and our results indicate that these parameters are decoupled from the disparity in body size in coelacanths. Genomic and physiological characteristics of the extant Latimeria may reflect how the extinct relatives grew to such a large size. These characteristics highlight new evolutionary traits specific to these “living fossils”.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90962-5
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Lionel Cavin
André Piuz
Christophe Ferrante
Guillaume Guinot
spellingShingle Lionel Cavin
André Piuz
Christophe Ferrante
Guillaume Guinot
Giant Mesozoic coelacanths (Osteichthyes, Actinistia) reveal high body size disparity decoupled from taxic diversity
Scientific Reports
author_facet Lionel Cavin
André Piuz
Christophe Ferrante
Guillaume Guinot
author_sort Lionel Cavin
title Giant Mesozoic coelacanths (Osteichthyes, Actinistia) reveal high body size disparity decoupled from taxic diversity
title_short Giant Mesozoic coelacanths (Osteichthyes, Actinistia) reveal high body size disparity decoupled from taxic diversity
title_full Giant Mesozoic coelacanths (Osteichthyes, Actinistia) reveal high body size disparity decoupled from taxic diversity
title_fullStr Giant Mesozoic coelacanths (Osteichthyes, Actinistia) reveal high body size disparity decoupled from taxic diversity
title_full_unstemmed Giant Mesozoic coelacanths (Osteichthyes, Actinistia) reveal high body size disparity decoupled from taxic diversity
title_sort giant mesozoic coelacanths (osteichthyes, actinistia) reveal high body size disparity decoupled from taxic diversity
publisher Nature Publishing Group
series Scientific Reports
issn 2045-2322
publishDate 2021-06-01
description Abstract The positive correlation between speciation rates and morphological evolution expressed by body size is a macroevolutionary trait of vertebrates. Although taxic diversification and morphological evolution are slow in coelacanths, their fossil record indicates that large and small species coexisted, which calls into question the link between morphological and body size disparities. Here, we describe and reassess fossils of giant coelacanths. Two genera reached up to 5 m long, placing them among the ten largest bony fish that ever lived. The disparity in body size adjusted to taxic diversity is much greater in coelacanths than in ray-finned fishes. Previous studies have shown that rates of speciation and rates of morphological evolution are overall low in this group, and our results indicate that these parameters are decoupled from the disparity in body size in coelacanths. Genomic and physiological characteristics of the extant Latimeria may reflect how the extinct relatives grew to such a large size. These characteristics highlight new evolutionary traits specific to these “living fossils”.
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-90962-5
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