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Association Between The Shapes of Hindlimb Bone Articular Faces And Locomotor Behaviors in Artiodactyls
Author(s) -
Dewar Eric,
Grocott Olivia,
Leclerc Mari
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.702.10
Subject(s) - habitat , femur , condyle , biology , ecology , predation , anatomy , paleontology
Habitat plays a role in selection for successful predator‐escape behaviors. Mammals that live in open habitats can use long‐distance running to escape predators, but in more closed habitats they would encounter barriers that require them to trade off speed for maneuverability. We examined differences in limb proportions of 31 living species of artiodactyls from various habitats ( n = 94)—including species from grasslands, forests, forest‐edge habitats, and montane areas—along with some Eocene‐age artiodactyls. We examined articular faces of hindlimb bones and compared them with these species' habitats. We interpreted differences in limb morphology to be related to each species' habitat, due to selection for divergent predator‐escape behaviors. Visual differences in the shape of the proximal end of the tibia were recognized to be distinct for each of the habitats studied, but the shape of the distal end of the femur was not noticeably related to habitat. Species that lived in more open habitats had a broader tibial tuberosity and a more rounded articular margin for the femoral condyles. In contrast, species in closed habitats tended to have more pointed tuberosities with a jagged condylar margin. Mountain species were variable in the shape of the tibial tuberosity with a distinctly posterior orientation to the condyles. Closed/edge habitats had the shortest tuberosities and the most rounded condyles. Our Eocene artiodactyls showed morphologies that reflected closed and closed‐edge habitats.