Coevolution of jaegers (Stercorarius spp.) and arctic lemmings (Dicrostonyx spp. and Lemmus spp.) and the formation of the jaeger guild: a hypothesis

: Lise Ruffino, Tarja Oksanen

Publisher: EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY LTD

: 2014

: Evolutionary Ecology Research

: EVOLUTIONARY ECOLOGY RESEARCH

: EVOL ECOL RES

: 16

: 2

: 121

: 132

: 12

: 1522-0613

: http://www.evolutionary-ecology.com/issues/v16/n02/ddar2899.pdf

Empirical evidence: Our hypothesis accounts for the current distributions, behaviours, and ecologies of the three jaeger species. In addition, long-tailed jaegers did diverge early from other Stercorariidae. But we still do not know whether the timing of the divergence matches the evolution of collared lemmings. Evidence suggests that either: (1) Pomarine jaegers diverged from the skua (Catharacta spp.) lineage early, before skuas had developed their distinctive morphological traits; or (2) Pomarine jaegers diverged recently from great skuas (Catharacta skua) and then reverted to the ancestral jaeger morphology. Only the latter interpretation is consistent with our hypothesis, so we need to have more reliable timing of the evolution of long-tailed and Pomarine jaegers.