The evolution of parental care in brooding spirorbid polychaetes: the effect of scaling constraints

Article Abstract:

A study to determine whether the allometric-constraint hypothesis of Strathmann and Strathmann applies to brooding spirorbid polychaetes is reported. The allometric constraint hypothesis associates small body size with brooding in many invertebrate taxa. It predicts that larger individuals will produce proportionately smaller broods, as fecundity can adjust faster than brood space can scale with increasing body size. The results of interspecific comparisons of spirorbids showed no relationship between species size or brooding mode on the scaling of brood size and body size, thus disproving the allometric-constraint hypothesis.

Polychaeta, Polychaetes

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Reproductive sharing in different types of kin associations

Article Abstract:

Reeve and Keller's model on an aspect of optimal skew theory proposes that reproduction in social groups is generally more equally shared in sister-sister than in mother-daughter associations. Lumping all familial associations, however, is inappropriate. Partitioning familial associations leads to a more explicit prediction of the kin asymmetry model that familial associations characterized by high parental mate fidelity have a greater expected reproductive skew than sibling-sibling associations, socially monogamous families where mate replacement has taken places and families with mixed paternity.

Familial behavior in animals, Animal familial behavior

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Evolution of body size: varanid lizards as a model system

Article Abstract:

The Varanid lineage of lizards likely evolved over 65 mil year ago in Laurasia and then spread to Africa and Australia. The fossil record and geographical distribution suggest that extensive adaptive radiation has taken place in Australia in two major lineages, with one evolving as dwarf (subgenus Odatria, pygmy monitors), and the other as large (subgenus Varanus) leading to gigantism. Many probable examples of relatively rapid evolution of body size are discussed.

Case studies, History, Evolution (Biology), Evolution, Lizards

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