DOI: 10.5061/dryad.c2fqz61gf
title: Uncovering the mosaic evolution of the carnivoran skeletal system

description: The diversity of vertebrate skeletons is often attributed to adaptations
 to distinct ecological factors such as diet, locomotion, and sensory
 environment. Although the adaptive evolution of skull, appendicular
 skeleton, and vertebral column is well studied in vertebrates,
 comprehensive investigations of all skeletal components simultaneously are
 rarely performed. Consequently, we know little of how modes of evolution
 differ among skeletal components. Here, we tested if ecological and
 phylogenetic effects led to distinct modes of evolution among the cranial,
 appendicular, and vertebral regions in extant carnivoran skeletons. Using
 multivariate evolutionary models, we found mosaic evolution in which only
 the mandible, hindlimb, and posterior (i.e., last thoracic and lumbar)
 vertebrae showed evidence of adaptation towards ecological regimes whereas
 the remaining skeletal components reflect clade-specific evolutionary
 shifts. We hypothesize that the decoupled evolution of individual skeletal
 components may have led to the origination of distinct adaptive zones and
 morphologies among extant carnivoran families that reflect phylogenetic
 hierarchies. Overall, our work highlights the importance of examining
 multiple skeletal components simultaneously in ecomorphological analyses.
 Ongoing work integrating the fossil and paleoenvironmental record will
 further clarify deep-time drivers that govern carnivoran diversity we see
 today and reveal the complexity of evolutionary processes in
 multicomponent systems.
description: # Uncovering the mosaic evolution of carnivoran skeletal systems
 Give a brief summary of
 dataset contents, contextualized in experimental procedures and results.
 ## Description of the data and file structure data_dryad.csv = csv file
 with all trait data Upham_1k_carnivorans.nex = nexus tree file with 1000
 carnivoran phylogenies used in the study All traits measured in mm  
 Geomean = geometric mean of all traits   Cranial traits CBL = condylobasal
 length POC = postorbital constriction breadth ZB = zygomatic breadth MB =
 mastoid breadth AFH = anterior facial height PFH = posterior facial height
 CVH = cranial vault height PW = palate width BCL = basicranial length
 cran_MRL = molar row length cran_M1L = first molar length cran_M1W = first
 molar width   mandibular traits MAT = moment arm of temporalis MAM =
 moment arm of masseter MAM2 = moment arm of masseter MOL = molar out-lever
 COL = canine out-lever MW = mandibular width AMW = anterior mandibular
 width man_MRL = molar row length man_M1L = first molar length man_M1W =
 first molar width   vertebral traits C3 = third cervical vertebrae; C5 =
 fifth cervical vertebrae; T1 = first thoracic vertebrae; midT = middle
 thoracic vertebrae; diaT = diaphragmatic thoracic vertebrae; lastT = last
 thoracic vertebrae; L1 = first lumbar vertebrae; midL = middle lumbar
 vertebrae; lastL = last lumbar vertebrae VW = vertebral width VH =
 vertebral height CL = centrum length CW = centrum width (posterior) CH =
 centrum height (posterior) ZL = inter-zygapophyseal length LW = mid-lamina
 width NSH = neural spine height TPDV = transverse process/diapophysis
 dorsoventral angle PZA = pre-zygapophysis joint angle NSA = neural spine
 angle TPAP = transverse process/diapophysis anteroposterior angle sacral_L
 = sacral length sacral_H = sacral height sacral_W = sacral width scap_L =
 scapula length scap_W = scapula width hum_L = humerus length hum_D =
 humerus mid-shaft width hum_prox = humerus proximal width hum_dist =
 humerus distal width ul_L = ulna length ul_D = ulna mid-shaft width ul_OL
 = ulnar olecranon length rad_L = radius length rad_D = radius mid-shaft
 width MC3L = 3rd metacarpel length MC3W = 3rd metacarpel width PPL = Manus
 proximal phalanx length PPW = Manus proximal phalanx width pel_L = pelvis
 length fem_L = femur length fem_D = Femur mid-shaft width fem_EB = Femur
 distal width fem_GT = Height of the greater trochanter of the femur tib_L
 = tibia length tib_D = tibia mid-shaft width tib_prox = tibia proximal
 width tib_dist = tibia distal width fib_L = fibula length cal_L =
 Calcaneus length MT3L = 3rd metatarsal length MT3D = 3rd metatarsal width
 ## Description of the R scripts R script 01 - import data R script 02 -
 perform simmaps R script 03a-m - mvMORPH models for all skeletal
 components R script 04 - perform PCAs and plot optima from mvMorph models
 for each skeletal component R script 05 - perform partial least squares