What does this research mean for the field?

Bergmann's rule is valid in canids, with body mass decreasing by approximately 2.8% for each 1°C increase in temperature, but this macroecological pattern is only detectable when extinct species and paleoenvironmental data are integrated with data from extant species. Novelty: ClaimNovelty.NOVEL_FINDING. Consensus alignment: ConsensusAlignment.NEUTRAL.

What question did this study set out to answer?

To determine whether incorporating extinct species and paleoenvironmental data uncovers Bergmann's rule and explains body mass variation across the family Canidae.

September 2, 2026Journal of BiogeographyOpen Access

Extinct Species Unearth Bergmann's Rule in Canidae

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Authors

JCJônatas Chaves‐Silveira SGSidney F. Gouveia MOMiguel Á. Olalla‐Tárraga

Discussion

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Overview

Comparative phylogenetic analysis reveals a negative relationship between temperature and body mass in canids only after including fossils, highlighting the need for extinct taxa in macroecology.

Key Points

To determine whether incorporating extinct species and paleoenvironmental data uncovers Bergmann's rule and explains body mass variation across the family Canidae.
Analyzed 81 canid species across the Neogene to the present, comprising 36 extant and 45 extinct species.
Linked geographic and fossil occurrences to paleoclimate reconstructions of mean annual temperature and net primary productivity (NPP) using multitemporal calibration.
Evaluated relationships between body mass, temperature, and NPP using phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) regression models.
Models restricted to extant species showed body mass was not significantly related to temperature.
Incorporating extinct species revealed a significant negative relationship, where canid body mass decreases by approximately 2.8% for every 1°C increase in temperature.
Body mass exhibited no significant relationship with net primary productivity across the evaluated species.

Cite This Study

Chaves‐Silveira et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a97e2eac562ede874ec752f https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.70355

View Full Paper

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September 2, 2026Journal of BiogeographyOpen Access

Extinct Species Unearth Bergmann's Rule in Canidae

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

JCJônatas Chaves‐Silveira SGSidney F. Gouveia MOMiguel Á. Olalla‐Tárraga

Discussion

Member takes

Overview

Comparative phylogenetic analysis reveals a negative relationship between temperature and body mass in canids only after including fossils, highlighting the need for extinct taxa in macroecology.

Key Points

To determine whether incorporating extinct species and paleoenvironmental data uncovers Bergmann's rule and explains body mass variation across the family Canidae.
Analyzed 81 canid species across the Neogene to the present, comprising 36 extant and 45 extinct species.
Linked geographic and fossil occurrences to paleoclimate reconstructions of mean annual temperature and net primary productivity (NPP) using multitemporal calibration.
Evaluated relationships between body mass, temperature, and NPP using phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) regression models.
Models restricted to extant species showed body mass was not significantly related to temperature.
Incorporating extinct species revealed a significant negative relationship, where canid body mass decreases by approximately 2.8% for every 1°C increase in temperature.
Body mass exhibited no significant relationship with net primary productivity across the evaluated species.

Cite This Study

Chaves‐Silveira et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a97e2eac562ede874ec752f https://doi.org/10.1111/jbi.70355

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark