The effects of gape angle and bite point on bite force in bats

Dumont, Elizabeth R.; Herrel, Anthony

doi:10.1242/jeb.00375

Cited by 169 publications

(207 citation statements)

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“…In addition to bite point, gape angle had a notable effect on bite force. There was a significant negative relationship between gape angle and bite force, which agrees with in vivo data obtained by Dumont and Herrel (2003).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Predicting Skull Loading: Applying Multibody Dynamics Analysis to a Macaque Skull

Curtis

Kupczik

O’Higgins

et al. 2008

The Anatomical Record

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Evaluating stress and strain fields in anatomical structures is a way to test hypotheses that relate specific features of facial and skeletal morphology to mechanical loading. Engineering techniques such as finite element analysis are now commonly used to calculate stress and strain fields, but if we are to fully accept these methods we must be confident that the applied loading regimens are reasonable. Multibody dynamics analysis (MDA) is a relatively new three dimensional computer modeling technique that can be used to apply varying muscle forces to predict joint and bite forces during static and dynamic motions. The method ensures that equilibrium of the structure is maintained at all times, even for complex statically indeterminate problems, eliminating nonphysiological constraint conditions often seen with other approaches. This study describes the novel use of MDA to investigate the influence of different muscle representations on a macaque skull model (Macaca fascicularis), where muscle groups were represented by either a single, multiple, or wrapped muscle fibers. The impact of varying muscle representation on stress fields was assessed through additional finite element simulations. The MDA models highlighted that muscle forces varied with gape and that forces within individual muscle groups also varied; for example, the anterior strands of the superficial masseter were loaded to a greater extent than the posterior strands. The direction of the muscle force was altered when temporalis muscle wrapping was modeled, and was coupled with compressive contact forces applied to the frontal, parietal and temporal bones of the cranium during biting.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Predicting Skull Loading: Applying Multibody Dynamics Analysis to a Macaque Skull

Curtis

Kupczik

O’Higgins

et al. 2008

The Anatomical Record

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“…We measured in vivo bite forces at intermediate gape angles from 563 individuals of 39 wild-caught bat species using a piezoelectric force transducer mounted between two bite plates [23,24,52]. We also measured head height of each individual to represent head size [53].…”

Section: (D) Trait Evolutionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Morphological innovation, diversification and invasion of a new adaptive zone

et al. 2011

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How ecological opportunity relates to diversification is a central question in evolutionary biology. However, there are few empirical examples of how ecological opportunity and morphological innovation open new adaptive zones, and promote diversification. We analyse data on diet, skull morphology and bite performance, and relate these traits to diversification rates throughout the evolutionary history of an ecologically diverse family of mammals (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae). We found a significant increase in diversification rate driven by increased speciation at the most recent common ancestor of the predominantly frugivorous subfamily Stenodermatinae. The evolution of diet was associated with skull morphology, and morphology was tightly coupled with biting performance, linking phenotype to new niches through performance. Following the increase in speciation rate, the rate of morphological evolution slowed, while the rate of evolution in diet increased. This pattern suggests that morphology stabilized, and niches within the new adaptive zone of frugivory were filled rapidly, after the evolution of a new cranial phenotype that resulted in a certain level of mechanical efficiency. The tree-wide speciation rate increased non linearly with a more frugivorous diet, and was highest at measures of skull morphology associated with morphological extremes, including the most derived Stenodermatines. These results show that a novel stenodermatine skull phenotype played a central role in the evolution of frugivory and increasing speciation within phyllostomids.

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“…Beam theory has been applied to the mandibular corpus in a number of studies 18,22,35,42 and 399 is related to dietary specialization in small mammals such as bats 43 . A measure of strength in 400 bending is estimated from the section modulus Z, calculated at specific intervals along the 401 jaw.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%