Influence of body mass on the shape of forelimb in musteloid carnivorans

• DOI: 10.1111/bij.12103
• Publication Date: 2013-05-21T12:33:20Z
• Authors: Anne-Claire Fabre; Raphael Cornette; Stéphane Peigné; Anjali Goswami
• Keywords: Forelimb; Phylogenetic comparative methods

In the majority of mammals, limbs are positioned under body and play an important role in gravitational support, allowing transfer load providing stability to animal. For this reason, animal's mass likely has a significant effect on shape its limb bones. present study, we investigate influence variation three long bones forelimb group closely-related species mammals: musteloid carnivorans. We use geometric morphometric techniques quantify shape; then estimate phylogenetic signal each bone; and, finally, apply independent contrasts approach assess evolutionary associations between mass. The results obtained show that evolution is tightly coordinated with shape, although not equally all elements. particular, humeral radial shapes heavier appear better suited for bearing transmission than ulna. Nevertheless, our also influences only part bone other factors, such as locomotor ecology, must be considered fully understand evolution. © 2013 Linnean Society London, Biological Journal Society, 2013, 110, 91–103.