Pectoral girdle and forelimb musculoskeletal function in the echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus): insights into mammalian locomotor evolution.

ABSTRACT: Although evolutionary transformation of the pectoral girdle and forelimb appears to have had a profound impact on mammalian locomotor and ecological diversity, both the sequence of anatomical changes and the functional implications remain unclear. Monotremes can provide insight into an important stage of this evolutionary transformation, due to their phylogenetic position as the sister-group to therian mammals and their mosaic of plesiomorphic and derived features. Here we build a musculoskeletal computer model of the echidna pectoral girdle and forelimb to estimate joint ranges of motion (ROM) and muscle moment arms (MMA)-two fundamental descriptors of biomechanical function. We find that the echidna's skeletal morphology restricts scapulocoracoid mobility and glenohumeral flexion-extensi

SUBMITTER: Regnault S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6281926 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature