Abstract Tests of phenotypic convergence can provide evidence adaptive evolution, and the popularity such studies has grown in recent years due to development novel, quantitative methods for identifying measuring convergence. These include commonly applied C1–C4 measures Stayton (2015a), which measure morphological distances between lineages, Ornstein–Uhlenbeck (OU) model-fitting analyses, test whether lineages converged on shared peaks. We performance C-measures other under various...

Bite force is a performance metric commonly used to link cranial morphology with dietary ecology, as the strength of forces produced by feeding apparatus largely constrains foods an individual can consume. At macroevolutionary scale, there evidence that evolutionary changes in anatomical elements involved producing bite have contributed diversification mammals. Much less known about how these change over postnatal ontogeny. Mammalian diets drastically shift ontogeny-from drinking mother's...

Birds (Aves) exhibit exceptional and diverse locomotor behaviors, including the exquisite ability to balance on two feet. How birds so precisely control their movements may be partly explained by a set of intriguing modifications in lower spine. These are collectively known as lumbosacral organ (LSO) found fused vertebrae called synsacrum. They include transverse canal-like recesses synsacrum that align with lateral lobes spinal cord, well dorsal groove cord houses an egg-shaped glycogen...

Abstract Aim We use ecogeographical rules to understand the relationship between biogeography and morphological evolution in Sorex (Linnaeus, 1758) shrews. Specifically, we test for climatic correlations body size (Bergmann's rule; larger species colder habitats) pelage brightness (Gloger's darker more humid/warmer habitats). Location North America Eurasia (Holarctic). Taxon spp. (Mammalia: Soricomorpha: Soricidae). Methods compiled data 51 of measured from museum specimens 43 species....

Neomorphic, membrane-associated skeletal rods are found in disparate vertebrate lineages, but their evolution is poorly understood. Here we show that one of these elements—the calcar bats (Chiroptera)—is a novelty has anatomically diversified. Comparisons evolutionary models length and corresponding disparity-through-time analyses indicate the diversified early history Chiroptera, as phylogenetically after evolving capacity for flight. This interspecific variation its relative proportion to...

The striking postcranial anatomy of bats reflects their specialized ecology; they are the only mammals capable powered flight. Bat adaptations include a series membranes that connect highly-modified, or even novel, skeletal elements. While most studies bat have focused on wings, hindlimbs also contain many derived and functionally important, yet less studied, features. In this study, we investigate variation in membrane limb musculature associated with calcar, neomorphic structure found...

Modern computational and imaging methods are revolutionizing the fields of comparative morphology, biomechanics, ecomorphology. In particular, tools such as X-ray micro computed tomography (µCT) diffusible iodine-based contrast enhanced CT allow observing measuring small and/or otherwise inaccessible anatomical structures, creating highly accurate three-dimensional (3D) renditions that can be used in biomechanical modeling tests functional or evolutionary hypotheses. But, do larger datasets...

ABSTRACT Tests of phenotypic convergence can provide evidence adaptive evolution, and the popularity such studies has grown in recent years due to development novel, quantitative methods for identifying measuring convergence. These include commonly applied C 1– 4 measures Stayton (2015), which measure morphological distances between lineages, Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU) evolutionary model-fitting analyses, test whether lineages convergently evolved toward peaks. We performance -measures other...

Animals need to accurately sense changes in their body position perform complex movements. It is increasingly clear that the vertebrate central nervous system contains a variety of cells capable detecting motion, addition comparatively well-understood mechanosensory vestibular and peripheral proprioceptors. One such intriguing lower spinal cord column birds, also known as avian lumbosacral organ (LSO), which thought act set balance sensors allow birds detect movements separately from head...

Birds are exceptionally adept at controlling their body position. For example, they can coordinate rapid movements of while stabilizing head. Intriguingly, this ability may rely in part on a mechanosensory organ the avian lower spinal cord called lumbosacral (LSO). However, molecular mechanotransduction mechanisms have not been identified cord. Here, we report presence glycinergic neurons LSO that exhibit immunoreactivity for myosin7a and espin, molecules essential function maintenance hair...

Abstract Body size affects numerous aspects of organismal biology and many factors have been invoked to explain body distributions in a macroecological macroevolutionary context. the freshwater fish family Percidae is strongly right-skewed (i.e. dominated by small sizes), with potentially being associated fast water habitats. We constructed new species-level, multi-locus, time-calibrated phylogeny Percidae, used it test for changes rate pattern maximum evolution. also tested whether...

Flight control requires active sensory feedback, and insects have many sensors that help them estimate their current locomotor state, including campaniform sensilla (CS), which are mechanoreceptors sense strain resulting from deformation of the cuticle. CS on wing detect bending torsional forces encountered during flight, providing input to flight feedback system. During wings experience complex spatio-temporal patterns. Because only local strain, placement is presumably critical for...

ABSTRACT Birds (Aves) exhibit exceptional and diverse locomotor behaviors, including the exquisite ability to balance on two feet. How birds so precisely control their movements may be partly explained by a set of intriguing modifications in lower spine. These are collectively known as lumbosacral organ (LSO) found fused vertebrae called synsacrum. They include transverse canal-like recesses synsacrum that align with lateral lobes spinal cord, well dorsal groove cord houses an egg-shaped...

Abstract Birds are exceptionally adept at controlling their body position. For example, they can coordinate rapid movements of while stabilizing head. Intriguingly, this ability may rely in part on a mechanosensory organ the avian lower spinal cord called lumbosacral (LSO). However, molecular mechanotransduction mechanisms have not been identified cord. Here, we report presence glycinergic neurons LSO that exhibit immunoreactivity for myosin7a and epsin, molecules essential function...

Abstract Flight control requires active sensory feedback, and insects have many sensors that help them estimate their current locomotor state, including campaniform sensilla, which are mechanoreceptors sense strain resulting from deformation of the cuticle. Campaniform sensilla on wing detect bending torsional forces encountered during flight, providing input to flight feedback system. During wings experience complex spatio-temporal patterns. Because only local strain, placement is...

Synopsis Mechanosensory information is a critical component of organismal movement control systems. Understanding the role mechanosensation plays in modulating behavior requires inherently multidisciplinary research programs that reach across biological scales. Recently, there have been rapid advances discerning how mechanosensory mechanisms are integrated into neural systems and impact has on behavior. Thus, Symposium “The Role Mechanosensation Robust Locomotion” at 2023 Annual Meeting...

ABSTRACT Neomorphic, membrane-associated skeletal rods are found in disparate vertebrate lineages, but their evolution is poorly understood. Here we show that one of these elements—the calcar bats (Chiroptera)—is a novelty has anatomically diversified. Our comparisons evolutionary models length and corresponding disparity-through-time analyses indicate the diversified early history Chiroptera, as systematically radiated after evolving capacity for flight. We find interspecific variation...