Whale jaw joint is a shock absorber | Zendy

Alexander J. Werth | Zendy; Haruka Ito | Zendy

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Whale jaw joint is a shock absorber

Author(s) -

Alexander J. Werth,

Haruka Ito

Publication year - 2020

Publication title -

journal of experimental biology

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 1.367

H-Index - 185

eISSN - 1477-9145

pISSN - 0022-0949

DOI - 10.1242/jeb.211904

Subject(s) - temporomandibular joint , anatomy , elasticity (physics) , fibrocartilage , materials science , condyle , elastic recoil , rotation (mathematics) , biomedical engineering , composite material , orthodontics , articular cartilage , biology , osteoarthritis , medicine , mathematics , geometry , alternative medicine , pathology , lung

The non-synovial temporomandibular jaw joint of rorqual whales is presumed to withstand intense stresses when huge volumes of water are engulfed during lunge feeding. Examination and manipulation of temporomandibular joints (TMJs) in fresh carcasses, plus CT scans and field/lab mechanical testing of excised tissue blocks, reveals that the TMJ's fibrocartilage pad fully and quickly rebounds after shrinking by 68-88% in compression (by axis) and stretching 176-230%. It is more extensible along the mediolateral axis and less extensible dorsoventrally, but mostly isotropic, with collagen and elastin fibers running in all directions. The rorqual TMJ pad compresses as gape increases. Its stiffness is hypothesized to damp acceleration, whereas its elasticity is hypothesized to absorb shock during engulfment, allow for rotation or other jaw motion during gape opening/closure, and aid in returning jaws to their closed position during filtration via elastic recoil with conversion of stored potential energy into kinetic energy.

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