The serpent and the egg: unidirectional evolution of reproductive mode in vipers?

    Authors

    A. M. Fenwick; H. W. Greene;C. L. Parkinson

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    J. Zool. Syst. Evol. Res.

    Keywords

    Ancestral character state reconstruction; BiSSE; evolutionary; constraint; macroevolution; oviparity; viviparity; reverse-jump Markov; Chain Monte Carlo Bayesian methods; MITOCHONDRIAL-DNA SEQUENCES; DOLLOS LAW; RE-EVOLUTION; SQUAMATE; REPTILES; HISTORICAL BIOGEOGRAPHY; PHYLOGENETIC ANALYSIS; BAYESIAN-ESTIMATION; LIMB EVOLUTION; DIGIT LOSS; VIVIPARITY; Evolutionary Biology; Zoology

    Abstract

    Dollos law, that complex characters are not regained in evolution, is a pattern applied to many systems. Recent work has evaluated unidirectional evolution in a number of contexts, and several violations of this law have been documented. These methods have also been criticized for potentially overestimating reversals. We test the hypothesis that the ancestral reproductive mode of oviparity can be regained in vipers, in opposition to Dollos law. We use model comparison and ancestral character state reconstruction methods that address recent criticisms, and find evidence both supporting and refuting Dollos predictions from different analyses. We discuss our results in the context of unidirectional evolution and review factors required for strong inference of violations of Dollos law.

    Journal Title

    Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research

    Volume

    50

    Issue/Number

    1

    Publication Date

    1-1-2013

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    59

    Last Page

    66

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000298956900008

    ISSN

    0947-5745

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