Auditory region circulation in Lagomorpha: the internal carotid artery pattern revisited.

ABSTRACT: The internal carotid artery (ICA) is one of the major vessels in the cranial circulation. Characters concerning the ICA, such as its course in the auditory region, have been employed frequently in phylogenetic analyses of mammals, including extinct taxa. In lagomorphs, however, our knowledge on vascular features of the auditory region has been based predominantly on living species, mostly on the European rabbit. We present the first survey on 11 out of 12 extant genera and key fossil taxa such as stem lagomorphs and early crown representatives (Archaeolagus and Prolagus). The ICA pattern shows a modified transpromontorial course in stem taxa (Litolagus, Megalagus and Palaeolagus) and Archaeolagus, which we propose as the ancestral character state f

SUBMITTER: Ruf I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10184246 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature