TY - JOUR
T1 - Geographic cranial variation in Peromyscus melanotis (Rodentia: Cricetidae) is related to primary productivity
AU - Garcia-Mendoza, Diego F.
AU - Lpez-Gonzlez, Celia
AU - Hortelano-Moncada, Yolanda
AU - Lpez-Wilchis, Ricardo
AU - Ortega, Jorge
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 American Society of Mammalogists.
PY - 2018/8/13
Y1 - 2018/8/13
N2 - The black-eared mouse Peromyscus melanotis is distributed in conifer forests and highland prairies throughout the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, Eastern Sierra Madre and Western Sierra Madre in Mexico, and isolated mountain ranges in Arizona, United States. We examined geographic variation in cranial measurements throughout the distribution of the species in Mexico. Because populations of these major ranges are isolated, we expected discontinuities in variation consistent with geographic gaps. Instead, we found no differences between the Sierras and significant differences between them and the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Moreover, a north-to-south trend of size increase was detected. By relating size to 6 environmental variables, we evaluated 4 hypotheses previously proposed to explain the observed pattern of variation: 1) seasonality, 2) body heat conservation or Bergmann's rule, 3) primary productivity, and 4) body heat dispersion. Significant positive correlations with elevation, productivity, and humidity, and negative correlations with annual mean temperature, temperature seasonality, and latitude led us to conclude that the observed pattern of variation in size is not related to body heat conservation or loss, but driven by primary productivity, a positive correlate of resource availability.
AB - The black-eared mouse Peromyscus melanotis is distributed in conifer forests and highland prairies throughout the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, Eastern Sierra Madre and Western Sierra Madre in Mexico, and isolated mountain ranges in Arizona, United States. We examined geographic variation in cranial measurements throughout the distribution of the species in Mexico. Because populations of these major ranges are isolated, we expected discontinuities in variation consistent with geographic gaps. Instead, we found no differences between the Sierras and significant differences between them and the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Moreover, a north-to-south trend of size increase was detected. By relating size to 6 environmental variables, we evaluated 4 hypotheses previously proposed to explain the observed pattern of variation: 1) seasonality, 2) body heat conservation or Bergmann's rule, 3) primary productivity, and 4) body heat dispersion. Significant positive correlations with elevation, productivity, and humidity, and negative correlations with annual mean temperature, temperature seasonality, and latitude led us to conclude that the observed pattern of variation in size is not related to body heat conservation or loss, but driven by primary productivity, a positive correlate of resource availability.
KW - Morphometrics
KW - Resource Availability
KW - Rodentia
KW - Size Variation
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85055672243&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1093/jmammal/gyy062
DO - 10.1093/jmammal/gyy062
M3 - Artículo
SN - 0022-2372
VL - 99
SP - 898
EP - 905
JO - Journal of Mammalogy
JF - Journal of Mammalogy
IS - 4
ER -