Comparing Genetic Variation Patterns Among Tamarin Species (Saguinus)

切弗鲁德博士将测量两个物种--鞍背锦葵(Saguinus Fuscicollis)和濒危的棉顶锦葵(S.oedipus)--面部大小和形状的可遗传变异和协变模式。以确定这些密切相关物种之间遗传模式的相对稳定性，以及种间面部大小和形状的差异与遗传模式一致的程度。这些结果将是重要的评估遗传基础的进化变化的罗望子素，特别是在濒危的棉顶罗望子。切弗鲁德博士还将研究面部特征遗传和共同遗传模式与面部生长模式的一致性程度。受相同生长因素影响的人物是否倾向于一起遗传？在这项研究中，来自数量遗传学和系统学的概念被融合在一起，为未来的研究奠定了基础，在这项研究中，可能会重建导致罗望子面部大小和形状进化的选择性力量。研究人群由过去15年来从橡树岭联合大学(ORAU)Marmoset研究中心通过正常磨损获得的骨骼组成。这些标本有详细的人口统计记录，包括死亡年龄和家谱关系，为灵长类遗传研究提供了难得的机会。面部地标的三维坐标将被记录下来，并用于面部大小和形状的有限元缩放分析。这一分析的数值结果将用于面部特征遗传和共同遗传的定量遗传学研究。可遗传变异的模式将使用随机化统计程序在物种之间和与生长关系之间进行比较。这项研究在将数量遗传学、形态计量学和统计学中的新技术和新概念结合起来研究进化系统学方面将是独一无二的。

Dr. Cheverud will measure patterns of heritable variation and covariation in the size and shape of the face in two tamarin species, the saddle-back tamarin (Saguinus fuscicollis) and the endangered cotton-top tamarin (S.oedipus), to determine the relative stability of inheritance patterns across these closely related species and the extent to which interspecific differences in facial size and shape are consistent with the inherited pattern. These results will be important in evaluating the genetic basis for evolutionary change in tamarins generally, and also specifically in the endangered cotton-top tamarin. Dr. Cheverud will also examine the extent to which the pattern of facial character inheritance and co-inheritance is consistent with patterns of facial growth. Do characters which are under the influence of the same growth factors tend to be inherited together? In this study, concepts from quantitative genetics and systematics are fused to form the groundwork for future studies in which it may be possible to reconstruct the selective forces responsible for facial size and shape evolution in tamarins. The study populations consist of skeletons obtained over the past 15 years through normal attrition from the Oak Ridge Associated Universities" (ORAU) Marmoset Research Center. Detailed demographic records, including age-at-death and genealogical relationship are available for these specimens providing a rare opportunity for genetic studies on primates. The three-dimensional coordinates of facial landmarks will be recorded and used in a finite-element scaling analysis of facial size and shape. The numerical results of this analysis will be used in a quantitative genetic study of inheritance and co- inheritance of facial features. Patterns of heritable variation will be compared between species and to growth relations using randomization statistical procedures. This study will be unique in bringing together new techniques and concepts in quantitative genetics, morphometrics, and statistics for the study of evolutionary systematics.