The description of mammals–2 Limbs and locomotion of terrestial mammals

Abstract

Four separate categories of description relating to limbs and locomotion are recognized. Gross variation in limb structure characterizes descriptions at the ordinal level. Detailed morphology of the external features, and of limb bones, extends diagnosis to the familial and generic levels. The gaits of mammals describe locomotory behaviour.In all of these categories, definitions tend to be imprecise and the terminology to be misapplied. This descriptive terminology is critically reviewed in the light of advancing research and a synthetic framework for ordering future studies is proposed.

Supplemental Material for 'A revision of the didelphid marsupial genus Marmosops. Part 1, Species of the subgenus Sciophanes. (Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, no. 402)'

“…We describe and illustrate these characters in the accounts that follow, using anatomical terminology defined or referenced by Jansa (2003, 2009) and Díaz-N. et al (2011). For the most part, our usage is consistent with morphological descriptors defined by Brown (1971), Brown and Yalden (1973), Bown and Kraus (1979), and Wible (2003), which should be consulted for relevant explanations and illustrations. Integument Dorsal pelage color: As in many other groups of small nocturnal mammals, dorsal pelage color exhibits a limited range of variation among species of Marmosops.…”

High resolution images for 'Morphological and geographic definitions of the Sulawesian shrew rats Echiothrix leucura and E. centrosa (Muridae, Murinae), and description of a new species of sucking louse (Phthiraptera, Anoplura).' (Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, no. 391)

“…The statistical packages in SYSTAT 11 for Windows, Version 11 (2005), were used for all analytical procedures. ANATOMY: Terminology follows Brown (1971) and Brown and Yalden (1973) for particular external features of the head and limbs; Bugge (1970) for cephalic arteries; Wahlert (1985) for cranial foranima; Carleton (1980), Musser and Newcomb (1983), Carleton and Musser (1984), Musser and Heaney (1992), and Voss (1988) for cranial morphology; and Rinker (1954), Turnbull (1970), and Satoh andIwaku (2006, 2008) for cranial musculature. Names of cusps and cusplets of maxillary (upper) and mandibular (lower) molars are indicated in figure 9 where sources of the terminology are explained in the legend.…”

High resolution images for 'A systematic review of Sulawesi Bunomys (Muridae, Murinae) with the description of two new species. (Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, no. 392)'

“…If proportions between any of the measured dimensions are similar, the positions of their points relative to each other on the horizontal scale will be similar. ANATOMY: Terminology follows Brown (1971) and Brown and Yalden (1973) for particular external features of the head and limbs; Bugge (1970) for cephalic arteries; Carleton (1980), Musser and Newcomb (1983), Carleton and Musser (1984), Wahlert (1985), Musser and Heaney (1992), Voss (1988), and Carrasco and Wahlert (1999) for cranial foranima and cranial morphology. Names of cusps and cusplets of maxillary (upper) and mandibular (lower) molars are indicated in figure 11; sources for the terminology are explained in the legend.…”