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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2021-06-01
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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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