Comparative post-weaning ontogeny of the mandible in fossorial and semi-aquatic water voles

Durão, Ana Filipa; Ventura, Jacint; Muñoz‐Muñoz, Francesc

doi:10.1016/j.mambio.2019.05.004

Cited by 6 publications

(28 citation statements)

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“…Additionally, in adult individuals of A. scherman, there is a certain shape variation not associated with size, fact not detected in A. sapidus. This difference, already observed in the mandible (Durão et al, 2019), might be due to the burrowing of galleries and other functions of the hypogeic life in fossorial water voles.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

“…The allometric regression revealed that in age Classes 4 and 5 A. scherman shows an important humerus shape variation not associated with size, a fact not observed in A. sapidus. This pattern was also found for the mandible (Durão et al, 2019), and it was hypothesized that it could be due to the mechanical stress produced by the persistent digging activity during adulthood (Durão et al, 2019;Ventura & Casado-Cruz, 2011). Interestingly, in the case of the humerus, the shape changes during adulthood seem to be more pronounced than those found in the mandible.…”

Section: Shape Changesmentioning

confidence: 67%

“…As in previous studies based on the same samples analyzed here (Durão et al, 2019;Ventura & Casado-Cruz, 2011), specimens of both species were ascribed into six classes of relative age based on the relationships between moulting phase, sexual stage, and skull morphology (for details, see Ventura & Gosálbez, 1992;Garde, Escala, & Ventura, 1993). The age intervals of each class are the following:…”

Section: Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, descriptive or comparative analyses of the postweaning growth of skeletal structures between Arvicola taxa are scarce and based mainly on linear measurements (Cubo et al, 2006;Ventura, 1988). In fact, studies on representative samples by applying landmark-based geometric morphometric methods have been performed only on the mandible (Durão, Ventura, & Muñoz-Muñoz, 2019;Ventura & Casado-Cruz, 2011). Results from these studies revealed that although particular shape changes are preserved in A. scherman and A. sapidus during postnatal ontogeny, there are significant interspecific differences in mandible size and shape, in the orientation of allometric and phenotypic trajectories, and in estimated bite force.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Results from these studies revealed that although particular shape changes are preserved in A. scherman and A. sapidus during postnatal ontogeny, there are significant interspecific differences in mandible size and shape, in the orientation of allometric and phenotypic trajectories, and in estimated bite force. Likewise, the mandible shape of fossorial water voles shows certain features associated with the digging activity, such as larger diastema, a lower ramus, a ventral and caudal expansion of the condylar process, and a dorsal expansion of the angular process (Durão et al, 2019).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Three‐dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of the humerus: Comparative postweaning ontogeny between fossorial and semiaquatic water voles (Arvicola)

̃o

Muñoz‐Muñoz

Ventura

2020

Journal of Morphology

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Different types of locomotion in phylogenetically close rodent species can lead to significantly different growth patterns of certain skeletal structures. In the present study, we compared the allometric and phenotypic trajectories of the humerus in semiaquatic (Arvicola sapidus) and fossorial (Arvicola scherman) water vole taxa, using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics, to investigate the relationships between functional and ontogenetic differences. Results revealed shared humerus traits between A. sapidus and A. scherman, specifically an expansion of the epicondylar and deltopectoral crests along postnatal ontogeny. In both species, the humerus of young specimens is more robust than in adults, possibly as a compensatory response for lower bone stiffness. However, significant interspecific differences were detected in all components of allometric and phenotypic trajectories. Noticeably divergent allometric trajectories were observed, probably as a result of different functional pressures exerted on this bone. Important differences in the form of the adult humerus between taxa were also found, particularly in features located in muscle insertion zones. Furthermore, the allometric regression revealed certain shape variation not associated with size in A. scherman, suggesting mechanical stress produced by the persistent digging activity during adulthood. A. scherman is a chiseltooth digger that shares several traits in the humerus morphology with scratch-digger rodent species. Nevertheless, these shared characteristics are less pronounced in fossorial water voles, which is congruent with the different implications of the forelimb in the digging activity in these two types of diggers.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 77%

Section: Shape Changesmentioning

confidence: 67%

Section: Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Three‐dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of the humerus: Comparative postweaning ontogeny between fossorial and semiaquatic water voles (Arvicola)

̃o

Muñoz‐Muñoz

Ventura

2020

Journal of Morphology

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Postnatal ontogeny of the femur in fossorial and semiaquatic water voles in the 3D‐shape space

Durão

Muñoz‐Muñoz

Ventura

2021

The Anatomical Record

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Water voles of the genus Arvicola constitute an excellent subject to investigate to which extent function affects postnatal developmental growth of limb structures in phylogenetically close species. We performed a comparative analysis of postweaning femur form changes between Arvicola sapidus (semiaquatic) and Arvicola scherman (fossorial) using three‐dimensional landmark‐based geometric morphometrics. In both species, we observed greater femur robustness in juvenile individuals than in adult ones, probably due to the accommodation of high loads on the bone during initial locomotor efforts. Significant interspecific differences were also found in the femur size and shape of adult specimens, as well as in the postnatal allometric and phenotypic trajectories. In terms of phenotypic variation, fossorial water voles show relatively wider third and lesser trochanters, and greater femur robustness than A. sapidus, characters associated to the digging activity. In contrast, A. sapidus displays a slight increase of the greater trochanter in comparison with A. scherman, which is seemingly an adaptive response for enhancing propulsion through the water. Results evidence that certain morphological traits and differences between A. sapidus and A. scherman in the allometric and phenotypic trajectories of the femur are associated with their different locomotor mode.

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Ontogeny of cranial musculoskeletal anatomy and its relationship to allometric increase in bite force in an insectivorous bat (Eptesicus fuscus)

Stanchak

Faure

Santana

2023

The Anatomical Record

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Bite force is a performance metric commonly used to link cranial morphology with dietary ecology, as the strength of forces produced by the feeding apparatus largely constrains the foods an individual can consume. At a macroevolutionary scale, there is evidence that evolutionary changes in the anatomical elements involved in producing bite force have contributed to dietary diversification in mammals. Much less is known about how these elements change over postnatal ontogeny. Mammalian diets drastically shift over ontogeny—from drinking mother's milk to feeding on adult foods—presumably with equally drastic changes in the morphology of the feeding apparatus and bite performance. Here, we investigate ontogenetic morphological changes in the insectivorous big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus), which has an extreme, positive allometric increase in bite force during development. Using contrast‐enhanced micro‐computed tomography scans of a developmental series from birth to adult morphology, we quantified skull shape and measured skeletal and muscular parameters directly related to bite force production. We found pronounced changes in the skull over ontogeny, including a large increase in the volume of the temporalis and masseter muscles, and an expansion of the skull dome and sagittal crest that would serve to increase the temporalis attachment area. These changes indicate that development of the jaw adductors play an important role in the development of biting performance of these bats. Notably, static bite force increases with positive allometry with respect to all anatomical measures examined, suggesting that modifications in biting dynamics and/or improved motor coordination also contribute to increases in biting performance.

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Comparative post-weaning ontogeny of the mandible in fossorial and semi-aquatic water voles

Cited by 6 publications

References 63 publications

Three‐dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of the humerus: Comparative postweaning ontogeny between fossorial and semiaquatic water voles (Arvicola)

Three‐dimensional geometric morphometric analysis of the humerus: Comparative postweaning ontogeny between fossorial and semiaquatic water voles (Arvicola)

Postnatal ontogeny of the femur in fossorial and semiaquatic water voles in the 3D‐shape space

Ontogeny of cranial musculoskeletal anatomy and its relationship to allometric increase in bite force in an insectivorous bat (Eptesicus fuscus)

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