The effects of phylogeny, body size, and locomotor behavior on the three-dimensional shape of the pelvis in extant carnivorans.

ABSTRACT: The mammalian pelvis is thought to exhibit adaptations to the functional demands of locomotor behaviors. Previous work in primates has identified form-function relationships between pelvic shape and locomotor behavior; few studies have documented such relationships in carnivorans, instead focusing on long bones. Most work on the functional morphology of the carnivoran pelvis, in particular, has used univariate measures, with only a few previous studies incorporating a three-dimensional (3D) analysis. Here we test the hypothesis that carnivoran taxa that are characterized by different locomotor modes also differ in 3D shape of the os coxae. Using 3D geometric morphometrics and phylogenetic comparative methods, we evaluate the phylogenetic, functional, and size-related effects on 3D pelvis s

SUBMITTER: Lewton KL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7036272 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature