On the validity of Bergmann's rule

Meiri, Shai; Dayan, Tamar

doi:10.1046/j.1365-2699.2003.00837.x

Cited by 735 publications

(769 citation statements)

References 214 publications

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“…Part of the variation in M. albescens complies with Bergmann's rule, in that populations living in colder climates are larger than populations living in warmer climate regions (RENSCH 1938, MAYR 1942, 1956). This pattern is a valid ecological generalization for mammals, and has been verified for other New World species of Myotis, as well as other New and Old World species of bats (MEIRE 2003). In addition to this geographic component affecting cranial size, individual variation seems to have an important role in pelage color, as previously proposed by LAVAL (1973), as well as in the size and shape of skull.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Morphometric and morphological variation in South American populations of Myotis albescens (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Moratelli¹,

Oliveira²

2011

Zoologia (Curitiba)

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Myotis albescens (É. Geoffroy, 1806) occurs from Mexico to Uruguay and Argentina. Despite a large number of specimens in collections, its variability in South America has been underestimated, potentially leading to errors in identification. In order to clarify the taxonomic limits of M. albescens and to evaluate previous hypotheses of geographic variation in size we analyzed the type material and studied the variability in South American samples using multivariate exploratory and confirmatory procedures, as well as frequency analyses of discrete morphological data. The presence of a fringe of hairs along the trailing edge of the uropatagium, the long and silky pelage with frosted appearance on the dorsum, ear 9 to 14 mm long, broad interorbital and postorbital constrictions, and a globular braincase were identified as the most useful traits to distinguish M. albescens from its South American congeners. In agreement with Bergman's rule, larger specimens were found in the South. Beyond the geographic component, Individual variation is an important factor affecting the variability in the size and shape of the skull and pelage color

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 81%

Morphometric and morphological variation in South American populations of Myotis albescens (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Moratelli¹,

Oliveira²

2011

Zoologia (Curitiba)

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“…However, comparisons of Lydekker's faunal identifications (14) with ours (SI Appendix, SI Methods) suggest that Semnopithecus entellus subspecies (subsp. (21).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Continuity of mammalian fauna over the last 200,000 y in the Indian subcontinent

Roberts

Delson

Miracle

et al. 2014

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Significance Mammalian extinction during the past several hundred thousand years has been a major focus for evolutionary biologists, geologists, and archaeologists, often being linked to climate change and human overhunting. Until relatively recently, study has been largely restricted to the Americas, Europe, and Australasia. We present the oldest well-dated sequence of mammalian faunas for the Indian subcontinent, demonstrating continuity of 20 of 21 identified mammals from at least 100,000 y ago to the present. We suggest that, although local extirpations occurred, the majority of taxa survived or adapted to substantial ecological pressures in fragmented habitats. These results complement data from Africa and elsewhere that demonstrate the necessity of a nuanced ecological understanding of such extinctions in different areas of the world.

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“…Body mass responds to Bergmann's rule better than linear or dental measurements [16]. It has also been shown that food supply and availability at the different latitudes, temperature regimes in summer and winter and other factors (altitude, time of collection) may be involved [17][18][19][20][21].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bergmann’s rule for Neomys fodiens in the middle of the distribution range

2014

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Abstract:The body size of Palearctic Sorex shrews decreases at higher latitudes, and as such the Bergmann's rule does not work. However, no analysis has ever been done for water shrew (Neomys fodiens) in the middle of distribution range. Analysis of available literature data showed that some body and skull measurements of N. fodiens are negatively correlated to latitude. Measurements of 158 water shrews from Estonia and Lithuania were also analyzed with respect to the short scale latitudinal pattern. We found that populations are separated (Wilk's lambda = 0.363, p<0.0001). Differences are related to PC1 (skull size), explaining 49.80% of the variance and PC2 (body size), explaining 10.06% of the variance. Estonian shrews are smaller in their body and skull (most differences significant) and their skulls are relatively shorter and wider in the area of the brain case. Thus, the negative correlation of body and skull size to latitude in N. fodiens is applicable even over quite short latitudinal distances. Further analysis of diagnostic characters between N. fodiens and N. anomalus is required.

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On the validity of Bergmann's rule

Cited by 735 publications

References 214 publications

Morphometric and morphological variation in South American populations of Myotis albescens (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Morphometric and morphological variation in South American populations of Myotis albescens (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)

Continuity of mammalian fauna over the last 200,000 y in the Indian subcontinent

Bergmann’s rule for Neomys fodiens in the middle of the distribution range

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