Data from: Morphological integration during postnatal ontogeny: Implications for evolutionary biology

How covariance patterns of phenotypes change during development is fundamental for a broader understanding of evolution. There is compelling evidence that mammalian cranium covariance patterns change during ontogeny. However, it is unclear to what extent variation in covariance patterns during ontogeny can impact the response to selection. To tackle this question we explored: i) the extent to which covariance patterns change during postnatal ontogeny; ii) in which ontogenetic stages covariance patterns differ the most, and iii) the extent to which the phenotypic covariance pattern at different ontogenetic stages can be explained by the same processes determining additive genetic covariance. We sampled postnatal ontogenetic series for both marsupials, and placentals. Within each ontogenetic series, we compared covariance matrices (P-matrices) at different ontogenetic stages. Furthermore, we compared these P-matrices to two target matrices [adult P-matrix and an additive genetic covariance matrix (G-matrix)]. Our results show that for all ontogenetic series, covariance patterns from weaning onward are conserved and probably shaped by the same processes determining the G-matrix. We conclude that irrespective of eventual differences in how selection operates during most of postnatal ontogeny, the net response to such pressures will probably not be affected by ontogenetic differences in the covariance pattern.Funding provided by: Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São PauloCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100001807Award Number: Funding provided by: Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e TecnológicoCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003593Award Number: Funding provided by: Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível SuperiorCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100002322Award Number: Funding provided by: Museum of Vertebrate ZoologyCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100009754Award Number: Funding provided by: American Museum of Natural HistoryCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100005835Award Number: Funding provided by: Field MuseumCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100009304Award Number: Funding provided by: National Science FoundationCrossref Funder Registry ID: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100000001Award Number:The traits are 35 linear distances derived from the 3D coordinates of 32 homologous landmarks measured on all specimens using a 3D digitizer. All specimens were measured with the same instrument (Microscribe MX; Immersion Corporation, San Jose, California) with the exception of adult Sapajus that were measured with a 3Draw digitizer (Polhemus Inc., Colchester, Vermont)