Data from: Ecomorphology of the African felid ensemble: the role of the skull and postcranium in determining species segregation and assembling history

Morphology of extant felids is regarded as highly conservative. Most previous studies have focussed on skull morphology, so a vacuum exists about morphofunctional variation in postcranium and its role in structuring ensembles of felids in different continents. The African felid ensemble is particularly rich in ecologically specialized felids. We studied the ecomorphology of this ensemble using 31 cranial and 93 postcranial morphometric variables measured in 49 specimens of all 10 African species. We took a multivariate approach controlling for phylogeny, with and without body size correction. Postcranial and skull + postcranial analyses (but not skull-only analyses) allowed for a complete segregation of species in morphospace. Morphofunctional factors segregating species included body size, bite force, zeugopodial lengths and osteological features related to parasagittal leg movement. A general gradient of bodily proportions was recovered: lightly built, long-legged felids with small heads and weak bite forces vs. the opposite. Three loose groups were recognized: small terrestrial felids, mid-to-large sized scansorial felids and specialized Acinonyx jubatus and Leptailurus serval. As predicted from a previous study, the assembling of the African felid ensemble during the Plio-Pleistocene occurred by the arrival of distinct felid lineages that occupied then vacant areas of morphospace, later diversifying in the continent.现生猫科动物的形态被普遍认为具有高度保守性。此前多数研究均聚焦于头骨形态学，学界对猫科动物颅后骨骼（postcranium）的形态功能变异，及其在不同大陆猫科类群组合构建过程中所发挥的作用仍存在研究空白。非洲猫科类群组合在生态特化类群方面尤为丰富。本研究针对该类群组合开展生态形态学（ecomorphology）分析，共测量了非洲全部10个猫科物种的49件标本的31项头骨形态学变量与93项颅后骨骼形态学变量。研究采用控制系统发育因素的多变量分析方法，设置体型校正与未校正两种方案。仅针对颅后骨骼、头骨+颅后骨骼的分析（而非仅头骨分析）可实现物种在形态空间（morphospace）中的完全分离。区分物种的形态功能因子包括体型大小、咬合力、肢中段骨骼长度，以及与腿部矢状面运动相关的骨骼学特征。研究还得到了体型比例的整体梯度分布：即躯体纤细轻盈、四肢修长、头部偏小且咬合力较弱的猫科动物，与上述特征完全相反的类群。本研究识别出三个松散的类群：小型陆生猫科动物、中至大型攀缘性猫科动物，以及特化类群猎豹（Acinonyx jubatus）与薮猫（Leptailurus serval）。正如此前一项研究所预测的那样，非洲猫科类群组合在了你上新世-更新世时期的形成，是通过不同猫科演化支的迁入实现的——这些演化支率先占据了形态空间中的空白区域，随后在非洲大陆内完成辐射演化。