Functional Indices and Postnatal Ontogeny of Long Bones of the Forelimb in the Sigmodontine Rodents (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

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

doi:10.1007/s10914-020-09512-x

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…However, given that not all of the specimens in our data set were preserved with all of the bones measured in our analyses, the sample sizes varied slightly among analyses. Postcranial skeletal materials generally do not differ substantially across age classes in rodent species (Carrizo et al 2021); however, in an effort to avoid the inclusion of juvenile specimens, we examined the corresponding skulls of the specimens, when available, and removed immature specimens as evidenced by the presence of cranial sutures or nonerupted cheek teeth (Carrasco 2000).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forelimb morphology as an adaptation for burrowing in kangaroo rat species (genus Dipodomys) that inhabit different soil substrates

Siciliano-Martina,

Guerra,

Veech

2023

Journal of Mammalogy

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Among burrowing rodents, forelimb morphology frequently shares an intricate relationship with soil substrates. Soils vary widely in texture and density, leading to differences in friability (e.g., the relative ability of particles to be broken apart), which often requires forelimb specializations in digging animals. Kangaroo rats (Dipodomys spp.) dig and occupy burrows, a trait that is essential to their survival. Some Dipodomys species are restricted to particular substrates that presumably require species-specific forelimb traits. Here we examined the forelimb morphology and soil substrates inhabited by range-restricted and widely ranging Dipodomys species to explore the variation in soil usage, forelimb specializations, and the relationship between these traits. We assessed size and shape traits of preserved specimen forelimb bones using traditional and geometric morphometric techniques and extracted soil data associated with the collecting locality of each specimen. We expected species that inhabit dense soil substrates to display specialized forelimb morphology typified by an elongated scapula and robust humerus, radius, and ulna. The species differed substantially in their soil associations and forelimb morphologies. In particular, forelimb traits that enhance mechanical digging ability were detected in D. elator, a range-restricted species that inhabits dense clay-rich soils. These findings suggest that Dipodomys species that inhabit dense substrates may require correspondingly specialized forelimb morphology and that these traits may limit the desirable geographic ranges inhabited by these species. This may provide important information when making conservation decisions given that unlike other habitat features, soil substrates cannot be easily modified to suit the needs of the organism.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Forelimb morphology as an adaptation for burrowing in kangaroo rat species (genus Dipodomys) that inhabit different soil substrates

Siciliano-Martina,

Guerra,

Veech

2023

Journal of Mammalogy

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“…In this context, it would be enlightening to evaluate the effects of niche diversification and the hypothesis of early‐burst disparification on structures more directly associated with locomotor functions, such as the appendicular skeleton. Studies focusing on sigmodontines have found appendicular specializations for different locomotor habits (Carrizo et al, 2014, 2021; Coutinho & Oliveira, 2017; Coutinho et al, 2013; Tulli et al, 2016), although these specializations tend to be subtle as in most muroid rodents (Coutinho & Oliveira, 2017; Hedrick et al, 2020; Nations et al, 2019). If the diversification of locomotor niches constitutes a key factor for adaptive radiation of sigmodontines in South America, it is reasonable to hypothesize that the morphological disparification of those structures would have occurred explosively, shortly after the origin of Oryzomyalia, and then deaccelerated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Locomotor habits and phenotypic evolution of the appendicular skeleton in the oryzomyalian radiation in the Neotropics (Sigmodontinae, Cricetidae, Rodentia)

Tavares

Coutinho

Oliveira

2021

J Zool Syst Evol Res

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Sigmodontine rodents colonized South America in Late Miocene or earlier, leading to the clade Oryzomyalia, which rapidly radiated in distinct lineages and occupied almost all continental habitats, in a pattern classically interpreted as an adaptive radiation. Nevertheless, no evidence of strong influence of niche diversification on the evolution of cranial and mandibular morphology, or of deceleration in rates of phenotypic evolution in these structures over time following niche saturation, as expected according to the Ecological Opportunity model, has been detected. Here, we investigated morphometric variation among 59 oryzomyalian species using phylogenetically informed comparative analyses for testing (1) if the diversification of locomotor habits played an important role in shaping the morphology of the appendicular skeleton, and (2) if the disparification of appendicular skeleton showed high rates at the early diversification of Oryzomyalia and then has deaccelerated. Results showed that the different locomotor habits are associated with different shapes in both the forelimb and hindlimb, and selection of evolutionary models suggested that each locomotor habit was associated with their own adaptive optima. Moreover, the most extreme and specialized phenotypes, found in the semifossorial species Geoxus valdivianus, Blarinomys breviceps, and Paynomys macronyx, seem to have appeared after events of acceleration in the rates of morphological evolution. On the other hand, no evidence of a reduction in the rate of evolution over time was detected. The results suggest that the acquisition of different locomotor habits in oryzomyalians was associated with morphological specializations in the appendicular skeleton guided by natural selection and that, especially in the case of the evolution of fossoriality, there was a marked change in evolutionary regimes, generating highly modified phenotypes after acceleration of the pace of morphological changes. Despite the strong association between diversification of locomotor niches and evolution of the appendicular skeleton, the diversification of oryzomyalians does not seem to have experienced niche saturation, as noted in some other adaptive radiation events on Neotropics.

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“…As was noted before, ontogeny is another source of morphological variation to be evaluated in ecomorphologic analyses. This kind of approach led Carrizo et al (2020) to study how the specializations for different locomotor behavior in sigmodontine rats could affect limb bone morphology throughout ontogeny. In so doing, they use limb proportions, functional indices, and allometric equations together with multivariate analyses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Form-Function Correlation Paradigm in Mammalogy. A Tribute to Leonard B. Radinsky (1937–1985)

2020

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This special issue of the Journal of Mammalian Evolution represents the proceedings from a symposium held in conjunction with the XXXI Jornadas Argentinas de Mastozoología (SAREM, La Rioja, Argentina, October 25, 2018), and entitled "El paradigma de correlación forma-función en mastozoología: un tributo a Leonard Radinsky (1937Radinsky ( -1985." In this introduction to the symposium proceedings, we provide a brief account of Radinsky's expertise and academic goals, and we remark on the textbook "The Evolution of Vertebrate Design" posthumously published, to introduce the contents of the present volume and highlight Len's academic (research and teaching) and social sensitivity from the perspective of current times.

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Functional Indices and Postnatal Ontogeny of Long Bones of the Forelimb in the Sigmodontine Rodents (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

Cited by 6 publications

References 57 publications

Forelimb morphology as an adaptation for burrowing in kangaroo rat species (genus Dipodomys) that inhabit different soil substrates

Forelimb morphology as an adaptation for burrowing in kangaroo rat species (genus Dipodomys) that inhabit different soil substrates

Locomotor habits and phenotypic evolution of the appendicular skeleton in the oryzomyalian radiation in the Neotropics (Sigmodontinae, Cricetidae, Rodentia)

Form-Function Correlation Paradigm in Mammalogy. A Tribute to Leonard B. Radinsky (1937–1985)

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