Craniodental and forelimb specializations for digging in the South American subterranean rodent Ctenomys (Hystricomorpha, Ctenomyidae)

MORGAN, C.C.; VERZI, D.H.; OLIVARES, A.I.; VIEYTES, E.C.

MAMMALIAN BIOLOGY

ELSEVIER GMBH

Año: 2017 vol. 87 p. 118 - 124

1616-5047

We explored the distribution of tooth- and scratch-digging specializations in species of the subterranean rodent Ctenomys (tuco-tucos) from diverse environments and representing different clades. Principal component analysis of craniodental and postcranial indexes with functional relevance showed that specializations for tooth-digging on one hand, and scratch- digging on the other, formed two uncorrelated groups of variables; functionally significant enamel traits varied concurrently with the tooth-digging specialization axis. Species occupied all sectors of the morphospace showing that craniodental and forelimb specializations have not been mutually exclusive in the evolution of the genus.