PhD Project

The ontogenetic development is composed by successive steps potentially capable of altering the course of modifications and producing phenotypic variation. The individual ability to buffer disturbances that arise during this process, and to generate the optimal phenotype predicted by its genotype in a given environment is called Development Instability (DI). There is evidence that DI is inversely associated with the fitness. Developmental instability generates imprecision during the development, which can be measured in bilateral organisms, by differences between the right and left sides (asymmetry). At the populational level, asymmetry can be considered a tool for environmental monitoring (e.g. populations of a given species would show greater asymmetry levels in more disturbed environments). Few studies, however, have been carried out with a large number of characters to show the existence of a systemic (organism-wide) effect of DI. Beyond of serve as evidence of a systemic effect of ID, the correlation of asymmetries in different characters can be used as a tool for the study of Morphological Integration in development, in addition to the occurrence of modules (groups of highly correlated characters) that directly restrict the directions of phenotypic variation and influence the evolutionary potential. The bat Carollia perspicillata has been standing out as an important model for biological studies. There is robust evidence that the asymmetry of the forearms is a good indicator of fitness (survival + reproduction) in this widely spread species. The main objective of this project is investigate whether the DI is reflected in the levels of asymmetry correlated in a large number of characters (hypothesis of systemic asymmetry). The levels of DI will be assessed in relation to variation among age categories within the same populations and to geographical and environmental variation between areas. Additionally, will be investigated the patterns of variation in asymmetry indicators and integration of development modules at both static and evolutionary levels.