Fig. 6: Discrete and morphometric disparity of coelacanths.
From: A Late Devonian coelacanth reconfigures actinistian phylogeny, disparity, and evolutionary dynamics
A Principal coordinates analysis plot showing principal coordinate 1 versus principal coordinate 2, disparity based on discrete characters for all coelacanth taxa (n = 82 species). B–D Principal component analysis plot showing principal component 1 versus principal component 2 disparity based on 2-D geometric morphometrics for B body shape (n = 35 species); C cheek bones (n = 34 species); and D lower jaw shape (n = 38 species). Time-binned morphospaces per geological period compare the distinctiveness, similarity, and temporal evolution of the morphological disparity of coelacanths over a period of 410 Ma. Larger morphospaces indicate greater morphological disparity; overlapping morphospaces indicate similar body plans. There are distinct morphospaces for Devonian and post-Devonian coelacanths. Latimeria falls close to its closest, Mesozoic relatives for discrete characters (A) and cheek shape (C) but is quite distantly separated from Mesozoic forms for overall body shape (B) and lower jaw shape (D). All individual species data points plotted and identified in Supplementary Fig. 8. Identification of coelacanth silhouettes is provided in Supplementary Fig. 4 (complete body) and Fig. 11 (cheek region and lower jaw).
