Ecological and Evolutionary Predictors of Dorsal Colouration in Lagomorphs

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F61388971%3A_____%2F25%3A00640863" target="_blank" >RIV/61388971:_____/25:00640863 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/00216208:11620/25:10514474

Result on the web

<a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jbi.70016" target="_blank" >https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jbi.70016</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jbi.70016" target="_blank" >10.1111/jbi.70016</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Ecological and Evolutionary Predictors of Dorsal Colouration in Lagomorphs

Original language description

Aim: To evaluate the extent to which dorsal body colouration in lagomorphs follows ecogeographical patterns, particularly Gloger's rule, by assessing the relative influence of climate, forest vertical structure, and phylogenetic relatedness on eumelaninand pheomelanin-based pigmentation. Location: Global. Time Period: Contemporary. Major Taxa Studied: Lagomorpha (families Leporidae and Ochotonidae). Methods: We extracted dorsal colouration data for 83 lagomorph species, quantifying eumelanin (darkness) and pheomelanin (redness). Using Bayesian phylogenetic regressions, we tested the effects of climate, forest vertical structure, and phylogenetic relatedness on colouration patterns across all species and within each family. Results: Dorsal darkness was strongly associated with precipitation, supporting a moisture-based interpretation of Gloger's rule. Redness was related to precipitation, UV-B radiation, and forest vertical structure, suggesting that multiple environmental factors drive pheomelanin-based pigmentation. In Leporidae, darker pelage was particularly linked to precipitation, reflecting the importance of environmental pressures. In contrast, Ochotonidae exhibited little environmental influence on colouration, with phylogenetic relatedness being the dominant predictor. Main Conclusions: Our findings reveal divergent patterns between leporids and ochotonids, reflecting distinct ecological and evolutionary histories. Precipitation emerges as a primary driver of eumelanin-based pigmentation, especially in Leporidae, while Ochotonidae shows greater phylogenetic conservatism. Pheomelanin-based pigmentation, however, exhibits weaker and more context-dependent effects, underscoring the need to consider multiple environmental factors. These results refine our understanding of Gloger's rule and highlight the importance of clade-specific approaches in macroecological analyses of trait evolution.

Czech name

—

Czech description

—

Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10606 - Microbiology

Project

<a href="/en/project/GX20-29554X" target="_blank" >GX20-29554X: The equilibrium theory of biodiversity dynamics - macroecological perspective</a><br>

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Journal of Biogeography

ISSN

0305-0270

e-ISSN

1365-2699

Volume of the periodical

52

Issue of the periodical within the volume

11

Country of publishing house

US - UNITED STATES

Number of pages

12

Pages from-to

e70016

UT code for WoS article

001543568200001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105012273580