Mandibular characteristics of early Glires (Mammalia) reveal mixed rodent and lagomorph morphotypes.

ABSTRACT: Glires (rodents, lagomorphs and their fossil kin) is the most speciose and arguably most diversified clade of living placentals. Different lineages within the Glires evolved basically opposite chewing movements: a mostly transversal power stroke in lagomorphs, and a mostly proal power stroke in rodents, but the ancestral condition for Glires is still unclear. To address this knowledge gap, we studied the mandibles of Chinese Palaeocene Glires representing the duplicidentate (lagomorph-like; Mimotona) and simplicidentate (rodent-like; Eomylus and Heomys) lineages. To assess the mechanical resistance of mandibles to bending and torsion, we calculated the section modulus. The dentaries differ greatly in morphology and the region where the maximum grinding force was likely

SUBMITTER: Fostowicz-Frelik L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10184241 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature