Femoral morphology of sciuromorph rodents in light of scaling and locomotor ecology

• DOI: 10.1111/joa.12980
• Publication Date: 2019-04-08T04:20:43Z
• Authors: Jan Wölfer; Eli Amson; Patrick Arnold; Léo Botton‐Divet; Anne‐Claire Fabre; Anneke H. van Het...; John A. Nyakatura
• Keywords: Morphology

Sciuromorph rodents are a monophyletic group comprising about 300 species with body mass range spanning three orders of magnitude and various locomotor behaviors that we categorized into arboreal, fossorial aerial. The purpose this study was to investigate how the interplay ecology affects morphology sciuromorph apparatus. most proximal skeletal element hind limb, i.e. femur, selected, because it shown reflect functional signal in mammalian taxa. We analyzed univariate traits (effective femoral length, robustness variables in-levers muscles attaching greater, third lesser trochanters) as well shape, representing multivariate trait. An ordinary least-squares regression including 177 used test for significant interaction effect between on variables. Specifically, tested whether scaling patterns aerial groups differ when compared latter identified ancestral condition via stochastic character mapping. expected display highest trait values given steepest slopes, followed by arboreal along order. Ornstein-Uhlenbeck fitted phylogenetically pruned dataset 140 revealed phylogenetic inertia be very low traits, hence justifying utilization standard regressions. These generally scaled close isometry, suggesting adjustments might not have played major role features. Nevertheless, indicates observed needed maintained during evolution. Significant effects were discovered centroid size condyles, greater trochanters. Additionally, acquisitions from ancestors. Using sciuromorphs focal clade, our findings exemplify importance statistically accounting potential different environmental factors studies relating ecology.