Sentences with phrase «beak morphology»

They have diversified into different species, and changes in beak morphology in particular have allowed different species to utilize different food sources on the Galápagos.

However, we are convinced that we now have identified the two loci with the largest individual effects that have shaped the evolution of beak morphology among the Darwin's finches», says Sangeet Lamichhaney, PhD student at Uppsala University and first author of the study.

«Our data show that beak morphology is affected by many genes as is the case for most biological traits.

«It is the first extinct passerine bird described in the archipelago, and it won't be the last,» states Alcover, co-author of the study published in Zootaxa which focused on the analysis of beak morphology in order to determine the new species.

Among the things he found fascinating is that they are a group of finches highly specialized for feeding on the seeds in the cones of different conifer species that have evolved different beak morphologies despite a clear lack of geographical isolation.

«It is very striking that when we compare the size and shape of the Big Bird beaks with the beak morphologies of the other three species inhabiting Daphne Major, the Big Birds occupy their own niche in the beak morphology space,» said Sangeet Lamichhaney, a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University and the first author on the study.

Not exact matches

A commentary in the journal Nature this week indicates scientists have revealed the genes that mediate beak growth and morphology.