Assessment of sources of variance and patterns of overlap in microchiropteran wing morphology in southeast Queensland, Australia

Rhodes, Martin P. (2002) Assessment of sources of variance and patterns of overlap in microchiropteran wing morphology in southeast Queensland, Australia. Canadian Journal of Zoology, 80 3: 450-460.


Author Rhodes, Martin P.
Title Assessment of sources of variance and patterns of overlap in microchiropteran wing morphology in southeast Queensland, Australia
Journal name Canadian Journal of Zoology   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2002-03
Sub-type Article
DOI 10.1139/Z02-029
Volume number 80
Issue number 3
ISSN 0008-4301
Start page 450
End page 460
Total pages 11
Place of publication Ottawa, Canada
Publisher National Research Council Canada
Language eng
fre
Subject 0608 Zoology
Abstract In ecomorphological relationships, ecological similarities or overlap between species may occur with morphological similarity or overlap. Determination of morphological distinctness is thus important when relating morphology with ecology. This is the first of a series of papers investigating the ecomorphology of Microchiroptera in southeast Queensland, Australia, and in it I describe means and ranges of measurements and distinctness of wing morphology. In 21 species from this region, species means for aspect ratio (relative wing width) ranged from 4.98 to 8.25, while wing loading (mass by wing area) ranged from 4.32 to 15.9 N/m2. For these variables, each species' range (minimum–maximum) overlaps that of at least one other species, with greater overlap at lower values. Morphological overlap was frequent, owing to a consistently wide range of wing dimensions within species, with greater overlap at low aspect ratios and wing loadings where species were more closely packed. For all variables, the variance arising from the method of measurement (wing extend and trace) was less than intraspecific variance, but in many cases was similar to interspecific overlap. A proportion of the range and overlap in wing-morphology variables is attributable to measurement variance. The variance in aspect ratio was lower than in wing loading at species, genus, family, and region levels. Phylogenetic constraint on aspect ratio appears to be greater than on wing loading, particularly at the family level. At family and genus levels, aspect ratio varied less than wing loading. No overlap in aspect ratio occurred at family level. I group species into morphologically distinct units and provide predictions of the flight behaviour of these.
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Provisional Code
Institutional Status Unknown
Additional Notes Variant title: Canadian Journal of Zoology-revue Canadienne De Zoologie

 
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