Functional Morphology and Morphological Diversification of Hind Limb Cross-Sectional Traits in Mustelid Mammals.

ABSTRACT: Locomotor habits in mammals are strongly tied to limb bones' lengths, diameters, and proportions. By comparison, fewer studies have examined how limb bone cross-sectional traits relate to locomotor habit. Here, we tested whether climbing, digging, and swimming locomotor habits reflect biomechanically meaningful differences in three cross-sectional traits rendered dimensionless- cross-sectional area (CSA), second moments of area (SMA), and section modulus (MOD)-using femora, tibiae, and fibulae of 28 species of mustelid. CSA and SMA represent resistance to axial compression and bending, respectively, whereas MOD represents structural strength. Given the need to counteract buoyancy in aquatic environments and soil's high density, we predicted that natatorial and fossorial mustelids have high

SUBMITTER: Parsi-Pour P 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7671153 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature