Kinematics and Functional Morphology of Leaping, Landing, and Branch use in<i>Glaucomys sabrinus</i>

Scheibe, John S.; Paskins, Keith E.; Ferdous, Shobnom; Birdsill, Danielle

doi:10.1644/06-mamm-s-331r1.1

Cited by 26 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…Positional data on largebodied species are based solely on the flying squirrel Petaurista petaurista [body weight (BW) 1,264-1,405 g; Hayssen 2008], which exhibits comparably low rates of quadrupedal activities (Stafford et al 2003). Similar activities are also recorded for the much smaller southern flying squirrel Glaucomys volans (BW 53-57 g; Hayssen 2008), substantiating the derived morpho-behavioural nature of flying squirrels, which are specialized for gliding and integrate frequent vertical movements to obtain higher initial platforms in order to maximize gliding performance (Thorington and Heaney 1981;Essner 2007; see also Scheibe et al 2006Scheibe et al , 2007.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 64%

“…The morphological diversity of sciurids has been explored in some detail (Peterka 1936;Thorington and Heaney 1981;Emry and Thorington 1982;Stalheim-Smith 1984;Thorington and Thorington 1989;Thorington et al 1997). Our understanding of the way arboreal and flying squirrels respond to particular structural challenges of their habitat is still in its initial stages and needs further investigation (Essner 2007;Scheibe et al 2007). Similar focused field studies together with experimentally designed projects will certainly provide essential information on locomotor ecology morphology in order to examine rapid and small-scale evolutionary changes within sciurids (Swiderski 1993;Essner 2002Essner , 2007Scheibe et al 2007).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Arboreal locomotor and postural behaviour of European red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris L.) in northern Greece

Youlatos

Σαμαράς

2010

J Ethol

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The study of the locomotion and postures of arboreal squirrels may provide important contextual information on the evolution of the morphology and ecology of sciurids. In this context, we studied the positional behaviour and habitat use of four adult European red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris L.) in a mixed coniferous forest in northern Greece. Our results show that, during the study period, S. vulgaris extensively used the forest canopy and the terminal branch zone. The use of small and medium supports of all orientations was also particularly frequent. The positional profile of the species was characterized by the dominance of quadrupedal, clawed and airborne locomotion along with seated and standing postures. Quadrupedalism and sitting appeared to promote terminal branch use for food access and manipulation, while claw climbing favored vertical ranging and retreat to trees after terrestrial foraging. Finally, leaping reduced energetic costs during travelling between food sites within the relatively dispersed forest. These results and those of previous research on the positional behaviour of other squirrels reveal several trends related to body size, arboreal or gliding habits and tropical or temperate forest distribution and contribute to the understanding of evolutionary novelty in multiple levels within the sciurid radiation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 64%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Arboreal locomotor and postural behaviour of European red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris L.) in northern Greece

Youlatos

Σαμαράς

2010

J Ethol

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“…This study contributes new data to a growing body of comparative literature addressing kinematic responses of (adult) small-bodied mammals to arboreal substrates, including those that are arboreally adapted with grasping extremities (Pridmore, 1994;Schmitt, 2003b;Schmitt and Lemelin, 2004;Delciellos and Vieira, 2006;Stevens, 2006;Delciellos and Vieira, 2007;Scheibe et al, 2007;Stevens, 2007;Nyakatura et al, 2008;Nyakatura and Heymann, 2010) and those that lack grasping capability and are predominantly terrestrial (Lemelin et al, 2003;Lammers and Biknevicius, 2004;Lammers, 2007;Lammers and Gauntner, 2008;Lammers, 2009;Schmidt and Fischer, 2010;Lammers and Zurcher, 2011). Much insight on L. J. Shapiro and J. W. Young arboreal adaptations has been gained from these studies, but this study is one of very few to provide ontogenetic kinematic data for mammals in an arboreal context (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Starting with the basic assumption that in arboreal mammals, stability is inversely related to relative body size, we hypothesized that sugar gliders would employ kinematic stabilizing mechanisms as body size increased relative to substrate diameter. Previous studies have tested for the effects of decreasing substrate diameter on quadrupedal kinematics in arboreal (Schmitt, 2003a;Delciellos and Vieira, 2006;Stevens, 2006;Delciellos and Vieira, 2007;Scheibe et al, 2007;Stevens, 2007;Lemelin and Cartmill, 2010) and non-arboreal (Lammers and Biknevicius, 2004; Lammers, 2007; Schmidt and Fischer, 2010) mammals, but these studies have been restricted to adult subjects at a given body size. By including both adults and juveniles in our sample, and by tracking kinematics longitudinally through ontogeny, our study has the added advantage of permitting the assessment of the effects of relative body (to substrate) size on locomotion across a more extensive range of body sizes within a single species (see also Young, 2009a).…”

Section: Discussion Substrate Diameter Affects Quadrupedal Kinematicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, few studies have examined locomotor ontogeny in an environment where the 481 Locomotor ontogeny in sugar gliders natural diversity of substrates is represented. Field and especially lab-based studies of arboreal mammals have identified detailed kinematic or kinetic locomotor adjustments to substrate variation in adults (McClearn, 1992;Vilensky et al, 1994;Lemelin et al, 2003;Schmitt, 2003a;Schmitt and Hanna, 2004;Delciellos and Vieira, 2006;Stevens, 2006;Scheibe et al, 2007;Stevens, 2007;Nyakatura et al, 2008;Carlson and Demes, 2010;Nyakatura and Heymann, 2010;Schmidt and Fischer, 2010) but much less extensively from an ontogenetic perspective (but see Young, 2009a;Young, 2009b). In contrast, naturalistic studies of locomotor ontogeny in arboreal taxa (mainly primates) have mostly focused on ontogenetic shifts in locomotor and substrate preferences (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Kinematics of quadrupedal locomotion in sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps): effects of age and substrate size

Shapiro

Young

2012

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARY Arboreal mammals face unique challenges to locomotor stability. This is particularly true with respect to juveniles, who must navigate substrates similar to those traversed by adults, despite a reduced body size and neuromuscular immaturity. Kinematic differences exhibited by juveniles and adults on a given arboreal substrate could therefore be due to differences in body size relative to substrate size, to differences in neuromuscular development, or to both. We tested the effects of relative body size and age on quadrupedal kinematics in a small arboreal marsupial (the sugar glider, Petaurus breviceps; body mass range of our sample 33-97 g). Juvenile and adult P. breviceps were filmed moving across a flat board and three poles 2.5, 1.0 and 0.5 cm in diameter. Sugar gliders (regardless of age or relative speed) responded to relative decreases in substrate diameter with kinematic adjustments that promote stability; they increased duty factor, increased the average number of supporting limbs during a stride, increased relative stride length and decreased relative stride frequency. Limb phase increased when moving from the flat board to the poles, but not among poles. Compared with adults, juveniles (regardless of relative body size or speed) used lower limb phases, more pronounced limb flexion, and enhanced stability with higher duty factors and a higher average number of supporting limbs during a stride. We conclude that although substrate variation in an arboreal environment presents similar challenges to all individuals, regardless of age or absolute body size, neuromuscular immaturity confers unique problems to growing animals, requiring kinematic compensation.

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Evolution of gliding in squirrel‐related rodents (Mammalia: Sciuromorpha) did not induce a new optimum on the cortical thickness of the scapular glenoid fossa

Berghäuser

Nyakatura

Wölfer

2022

The Anatomical Record

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Many of the squirrel‐related rodents (i.e., Sciuromorpha) are tree‐dwelling species known to be very agile climbers. This taxon also includes the most diverse clade of gliding (aerial) mammals that likely descended from a non‐gliding arboreal ancestor and evolved a patagium (i.e., a gliding membrane) to increase gliding performance. Glides can cover distances of up to 150 m and landing is typically accomplished by stalling the patagium to reduce impact velocity. It remains unclear if this behavior suffices to keep stresses on the locomotor apparatus similar to those experienced by their arboreal relatives or whether gliding behavior increases landing forces and stresses. The sparsely available support reaction force data are ambiguous, but bone microstructure is highly adaptable to changes in loading regime and likely provides insights into this question. Using μCT scans, we compared the cortical thickness of the glenoid fossa of the shoulder joint between arboreal and aerial Sciuromorpha using evolutionary model comparison, while also accounting for regional differences of the glenoid fossa. We did not find any differences between these locomotor behaviors, irrespective of the glenoid region. These findings agree with previous analyses of the microstructure of the femur in Sciuromorpha. We discuss different aspects that could explain the similarity in cortical thickness. According to our analysis of glenoid cortical thickness the loading regime appears not to have changed after the evolution of gliding locomotion, likely due to adjustments in landing performance.

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Kinematics and Functional Morphology of Leaping, Landing, and Branch use inGlaucomys sabrinus

Cited by 26 publications

References 40 publications

Arboreal locomotor and postural behaviour of European red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris L.) in northern Greece

Arboreal locomotor and postural behaviour of European red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris L.) in northern Greece

Kinematics of quadrupedal locomotion in sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps): effects of age and substrate size

Evolution of gliding in squirrel‐related rodents (Mammalia: Sciuromorpha) did not induce a new optimum on the cortical thickness of the scapular glenoid fossa

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