Factors impacting the complexity of the leporid intracranial joint.

ABSTRACT: Leporid lagomorphs, the rabbits and hares, exhibit unique cranial traits that distinguish them from their closest relatives, the Ochotonidae (pikas), and all other mammals. Among these features, the intracranial joint stands out as the only example of cranial kinesis in mammals and is hypothesised to dissipate kinetic energy during high-speed locomotion. Despite its potential functional importance, the morphology of the joint remains understudied. High complexity in other cranial sutures has been associated with behavioural traits such as feeding and head butting. In this study, we quantified the complexity of the intracranial joint using two independent metrics and explored its relationships with overall cranial shape, locomotor mode, cranial size and body mass, burrowing habit, and facia

SUBMITTER: Wood-Bailey AP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12682590 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature