RT Journal Article
T1 Diet versatility and functional trade-offs shape tooth morphology in squirrels
A1 Menéndez González, Iris
A1 Swiderski, Donald L.
A1 Gómez Cano, Ana Rosa
A1 Hernández Fernández, Manuel
A1 Álvarez Sierra, María De Los Ángeles
A1 Zelditch, Miriam L.
AB Identifying the drivers of adaptation is key to understanding the origin and evolution of diversity. Here we study the morphological evolution of tooth morphology, a classic example of a conserved structure, to gain insights into the conditions that can overcome resistance to evolutionary change. We use geometric morphometrics of the occlusal surface outline of the fourth lower premolar (p4) of squirrels, a paradigm of a stable tooth morphology, to explore morphological adaptations to diet. Although a versatile generalist dental morphology favors the retention of the ancestral shape, the acquisition of diets that require strong mechanical processing drives morphological change. In particular, species that eat both grass and dry fruits evolved disparate tooth shape morphologies, related to trade-offs between feeding performance that lead to a more or less pronounced change depending on the proportion of those items in their diet. Also, some folivores develop relatively large p4s, and most bark gleaners have relatively small p4s. Ultimately, despite the role of diet shaping these patterns, we showed that diet is not the only factor driving the evolution of tooth morphology.
PB Oxford University Press
SN 0014-3820, ESSN: 1558-5646
YR 2023
FD 2023-01-01
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/72293
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/72293
LA eng
NO Universidad Complutense de Madrid
NO American Museum of Natural History
NO Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
DS Docta Complutense
RD 8 abr 2025