The biomechanical role of the chondrocranium and sutures in a lizard cranium.

ABSTRACT: The role of soft tissues in skull biomechanics remains poorly understood. Not least, the chondrocranium, the portion of the braincase which persists as cartilage with varying degrees of mineralization. It also remains commonplace to overlook the biomechanical role of sutures despite evidence that they alter strain distribution. Here, we examine the role of both the sutures and the chondrocranium in the South American tegu lizard Salvator merianae We use multi-body dynamics analysis (MDA) to provide realistic loading conditions for anterior and posterior unilateral biting and a detailed finite element model to examine strain magnitude and distribution. We find that strains within the chondrocranium are greatest during anterior biting and are primarily tensile; also that strain within

SUBMITTER: Jones MEH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5746569 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature