IBS   24490
INSTITUTO DE BIOLOGIA SUBTROPICAL
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
An ecomorphological analysis of forelimb musculo-tendinous system in sigmodontine rodents (Rodentia, Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae)
Autor/es:
CARRIZO, LUZ VALERIA; TULLI, MARÍA JOSÉ; ABDALA V
Revista:
JOURNAL OF MAMMALOGY
Editorial:
ALLIANCE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP DIVISION ALLEN PRESS
Referencias:
Lugar: Lawrence; Año: 2014 vol. 95 p. 843 - 854
ISSN:
0022-2372
Resumen:
The central tenet of ecomorphological theory holds that there is a correlation between design (morphological traits) and ecology of organisms. The Sigmodontine rodents (Rodentia, Cricetidae, Sigmodontinae) exhibit a remarkably high diversity of locomotory types, allowing them to occupy different environments and ecological niches. The main aims of this work were to test whether the internal morphology of the forelimb of 26 species of sigmodontine, as assessed through the analysis of 32 characters, differs among taxa that exhibit different types of locomotion (saltatorial, ambulatory, fossorial, scansorial, and natatorial), and whether such patterns can be explained also by the phylogenetic affinities of the species examined. Our results show that phylogeny explains an important part of the observed morphological variation in sigmodontine rodents. This phylogenetic inertia could be responsible for the homogeneity in the overall muscle forelimb morphology in this group. Tendinous variables seem to be better descriptors of locomotory types than muscular variables. Twelve tendinous variables of the forelimb exhibit distinct differences between fossorial and scansorial sigmodontines. No particular morphological variables are associated with ambulatory, saltatorial and natatorial taxa. Additionally, three muscles (triceps longus, extensor digitorum, flexor digitorum profundus) exhibit a greater anatomical cross sectional area in fossorial and natatorial taxa than in other locomotory types.