Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2440/134797
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Type: Journal article
Title: Morphological variation in skull shape and size across extinct and extant populations of the greater stick-nest rat (Leporillus conditor): implications for translocation
Author: Onley, I.
Moseby, K.
Austin, J.
Sherratt, E.
Citation: Australian Mammalogy, 2022; 44(3):352-363
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Issue Date: 2022
ISSN: 0310-0049
1836-7402
Editor: Richardson, B.
Statement of
Responsibility: 
Isabelle R. Onley, Katherine E. Moseby, Jeremy J. Austin and Emma Sherratt
Abstract: Within-species morphological variation is often observed across spatial and climatic gradients. Understanding this variation is important to conservation planning, as specialised adaptations may influence a population’s persistence following translocation. However, knowing whether local adaptations are prevalent within a species can be challenging when the species has undergone range contractions. Here, we used museum specimens to study size and shape variation of the greater stick-nest rat (Leporillus conditor). We aimed to determine whether intraspecific size and shape variation previously existed within the species across its historical range, and inform on possible implications for translocations of the remaining extant population. We found significantly larger skull size in the Franklin Islands and arid populations, possibly indicating a historically continuous population experiencing similar selection pressures such as high predation pressure, competition with other large arid zone rodents or climatic extremes. Conversely, skull shape variation within the species adheres to an allometric trajectory, indicating no specific local adaptations of skull shape. This absence of local skull shape adaptation suggests that the Franklin Islands population is likely suitable for mainland translocations. However, further research into the historical phylogeography of the species is recommended to identify whether large size resulted from shared ancestry or convergent evolution.
Keywords: conserved cranial allometry; intraspecific variation; local adaptation; morphology; muridae; reintroduction biology; rodent; translocation.
Description: Published: 4 March 2022
Rights: © 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of the Australian Mammal Society.
DOI: 10.1071/AM21047
Grant ID: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/FT190100803
Published version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am21047
Appears in Collections:Australian Centre for Ancient DNA publications

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