An ecomorphological analysis of forelimb musculotendinous system in sigmodontine rodents (Rodentia, Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae)

Carrizo, Luz Valeria; Tulli, María José; Abdala, Virginia

doi:10.1644/13-mamm-a-232

Cited by 25 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…No other quantitative variable was found in our study to distinguish these forms. Hildebrand (1985) postulated that scratchdigging mammals have musculoskeletal modifications that provide increased strength for flexing the larger digits, flexing the wrist, and extending the elbow, among others (Vassallo 1998;Stein 2000;Carrizo et al 2014a). As claws are the tools directly used to break up soil, claw length and a number of other postcranial variables make up a mechanical system of great importance for excavation (Lund 1840;Carvalho Coutinho et al 2013 and references therein).…”

Section: Ecological Patterns and Historical Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The group is an ideal one for studying evolutionary processes and adaptive radiation, because they could be colonizing several environments and exploiting a diversity of habitats (Fabre et al 2012). Also, sigmodontines rodents show a variety of locomotory types, including generalized ambulatory as well as highly specialized forms (e.g., natatorial and fossorial) (Rodríguez-Serrano et al 2008;Rivas et al 2010;Carrizo et al 2014a). Despite this extraordinary ecological diversity, relatively few studies have been conducted to detect a possible correlation between the morphology of forelimb and locomotory types (Samuels and Van Valkenburgh 2008 and references therein;Carrizo and Díaz 2011;Carvalho Coutinho et al 2013;Carrizo et al 2014aCarrizo et al , 2014b.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Also, sigmodontines rodents show a variety of locomotory types, including generalized ambulatory as well as highly specialized forms (e.g., natatorial and fossorial) (Rodríguez-Serrano et al 2008;Rivas et al 2010;Carrizo et al 2014a). Despite this extraordinary ecological diversity, relatively few studies have been conducted to detect a possible correlation between the morphology of forelimb and locomotory types (Samuels and Van Valkenburgh 2008 and references therein;Carrizo and Díaz 2011;Carvalho Coutinho et al 2013;Carrizo et al 2014aCarrizo et al , 2014b. In this context, we analyzed the morphometric diversity of claws across 25 species of sigmodontines rodents with different locomotor types (ambulatory, fossorial, quadrupedal saltatorial, natatorial, and scansorial) to test if these ecological categories are characterized by different claw and forelimb skeleton morphologies and to test whether part of the variability of our data set is explained by phylogeny instead of adaptation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Morphological Variation of the Forelimb and Claw in Neotropical Sigmodontine Rodents (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

2015

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The limbs of mammals exhibit a variety of morphologies that reflect the diversity of their habitats and their functional needs, including subtle structural differences in their distal limb integumentary appendages (hooks, claws, adhesive pads). Little is known about structure and function of claws of sigmodontine rodents. Here, we analyze claw shape and forelimb skeleton morphology of 25 species of sigmodontine rodents with different locomotory types (ambulatory, fossorial, natatorial, quadrupedal saltatorial, and scansorial), taking into account their phylogenetic affinities. Qualitative differences in claw shape were examined using digital photographs, and quantitative measurements were made for length, height, and curvature of the claws of all digits, and dimensions of other forelimb skeletal elements. Our results show that both phylogeny and ecological categories explain substantial components of the morphological variation in sigmodontine rodents. Qualitative analysis reveals that non-specialized forms (ambulatory, quadrupedal saltatorial, and scansorial) tend to have high and strongly curved claws, whereas highly specialized forms (fossorial and natatorial) tend to have elongate and smoothly curved claws. However, the quantitative analysis differentiated the fossorial and scansorial by variables related to claw, and natatorial by variables related to bones of the forelimb. No variables that could differentiate ambulatory or quadrupedal saltatorial forms were found, demonstrating that these forms show a generalized morphological pattern. This study indicates that both historical and ecological factors contribute to the evolution of claw length in these groups.

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Section: Ecological Patterns and Historical Processmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Morphological Variation of the Forelimb and Claw in Neotropical Sigmodontine Rodents (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

2015

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“…The same team that published the study on lizard muscles and tendons described above also recently published an ecomorphological phylogenetic analysis on rodents (the clade including, e.g., mice and rats) and compared the patterns seen in rodents vs. lizards (Carrizo et al, 2014). As they did in their study of lizards, the authors noted, in their introduction, that previous investigations on the external and internal architecture of muscles had suggested that muscle anatomy is linked to particular functional demands and locomotory types in mammals.…”

Section: An Overview Of Empirical Etho-eco-morphological Studies Acromentioning

confidence: 99%

Etho-Eco-Morphological Mismatches, an Overlooked Phenomenon in Ecology, Evolution and Evo-Devo That Supports ONCE (Organic Nonoptimal Constrained Evolution) and the Key Evolutionary Role of Organismal Behavior

Diogo

2017

Front. Ecol. Evol.

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Since ecomorphologists have started to use explicit and taxonomically-broad frameworks in studies on the relationships between form, behavior, ecology and phylogeny they have consistently reported-often against their expectations-(1) that phylogeny is usually a better predictor of anatomy than ecology is, and (2) many cases of etho-eco-morphological mismatches. It is puzzling that such mismatches occur frequently in an evolutionary process that often leads to macroevolutionary trends and in which organisms are said to be optimally/almost optimally "designed" for the habitats they inhabit. Organic Nonoptimal Constrained Evolution (ONCE), a new perspective on biological evolution that is proposed here, addresses this apparent paradox, based on an extensive compilation of empirical data and broader evolutionary ideas, from Aristotle to current Evo-Devo. According to ONCE, by taking behavioral choices, and subsequently due to their behavioral persistence related to behavioral/ecological inheritance, organisms as diverse as bacteria, plants and animals help to construct their own niches and are thus the central, active players in their evolutionary history. Darwinian (external) natural selection thus plays mainly a secondary -but still crucial -role in biological evolution, for instance helping to direct major evolutionary trends by selecting those random mutations that are advantageous within the context of the new, constructed niches. The highly constrained character of organic evolution, including developmental constraints as well as the crucial role played by behavioral persistence, can dramatically limit the occurrence of new behavioral shifts and thus the responses to external (e.g., environmental) changes, often resulting in etho-eco-morphological mismatches and eventually in evolutionary dead-ends that may lead to extinction.

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“…; Carrizo et al. ,b). Using diverse approaches, such as multivariate analysis, comparative methods and mapping characters in phylogenies, these studies were able to unveil quantitative and qualitative characters that could be related to the different locomotion modes exhibited by rodents.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relating appendicular skeletal variation of sigmodontine rodents to locomotion modes in a phylogenetic context

Coutinho

Oliveira

2017

Journal of Anatomy

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Sigmodontinae rodents constitute the second-largest subfamily among mammals. Alongside the taxonomic diversity, they are also ecologically diverse, exhibiting a wide array of locomotion modes, with semifossorial, terrestrial, semiaquatic, scansorial, arboreal, and saltatorial forms. To understand the ecomorphologic aspects that allow these rodents to display such locomotion diversity, we analyzed 35 qualitative characters of the appendicular skeleton (humerus, ulna, radius, scapula, femur, tibia, ilium, ischium and pubis) in 795 specimens belonging to 64 species, 34 genera and 10 tribes, representing all locomotion modes assigned to this subfamily. We performed a statistical analysis based upon the coefficient of trait differentiation to test the congruence of character states and the different locomotion modes. We also mapped characters states in a molecular phylogeny in order to reconstruct ancestral states and to evaluate how appendicular characters evolved within main lineages of Sigmodontinae radiation under a phylogenetic framework. The statistical analyses revealed six characters related to specific locomotion modes, except terrestrial. The mapping and parsimony ancestral states reconstruction identified two characters with phylogenetical signal and eight characters that are exclusively or more frequently recorded in certain modes of locomotion, four of them also detected by the statistical analysis. Notwithstanding the documented morphological variation, few changes characterize the transition to each of the locomotion modes, at least regarding the appendicular skeleton. This finding corroborates previous results that showed that sigmodontines exhibit an all-purpose appendicular morphology that allows them to use and explore a great variety of habitats.

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An ecomorphological analysis of forelimb musculotendinous system in sigmodontine rodents (Rodentia, Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae)

Cited by 25 publications

References 69 publications

Morphological Variation of the Forelimb and Claw in Neotropical Sigmodontine Rodents (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

Morphological Variation of the Forelimb and Claw in Neotropical Sigmodontine Rodents (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

Etho-Eco-Morphological Mismatches, an Overlooked Phenomenon in Ecology, Evolution and Evo-Devo That Supports ONCE (Organic Nonoptimal Constrained Evolution) and the Key Evolutionary Role of Organismal Behavior

Relating appendicular skeletal variation of sigmodontine rodents to locomotion modes in a phylogenetic context

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