Ontogenetic trajectories of key morphofunctional cranial traits in South American subterranean ctenomyid rodents

Ontogenetic allometries of craniomandibular and dental features linked to digging were analyzed in 5 species of the South American subterranean rodent Ctenomys (tuco-tucos). With the exception of upper incisor procumbency, variables showed high correlation with overall skull size. In particular, cra...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of mammalogy Vol. 91; no. 6; pp. 1508 - 1516
Main Authors Verzi, Diego H., Álvarez, Alicia, Olivares, A. Itatí, Morgan, Cecilia C., Vassallo, Aldo I.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Illinois Natural History Survey, 1816 South Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820 American Society of Mammalogists 16.12.2010
Allen Press Publishing Services
Allen Press
Oxford University Press
Subjects
Allometry
Animal morphology
Biological and medical sciences
Biological evolution
Biological taxonomies
craniomandibular traits
ctenomyid rodents
Developmental stages
Endangered & extinct species
Evolution
FEATURE ARTICLES
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Mammalia
ontogenetic allometries
Rodents
Skull
subterranean habits
Teeth
Trajectories
Variables
Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution
Zoology
South America
America
Vertebrata
Mammalia
Rodentia
Development
craniomandibular traits
ontogenetic allometries
Allometry
subterranean habits
ctenomyid rodents
Online AccessGet full text

Cover

More Information
Summary:Ontogenetic allometries of craniomandibular and dental features linked to digging were analyzed in 5 species of the South American subterranean rodent Ctenomys (tuco-tucos). With the exception of upper incisor procumbency, variables showed high correlation with overall skull size. In particular, craniomandibular variables related to the production of bite forces at the incisors showed near-geometric similarity during postnatal growth and interspecific changes in early developmental stages resulting in different starting forms (lateral transposition). Such an interspecific pattern of change is similar to one previously reported to occur among living and extinct ctenomyid genera. These results suggest more evolutionary flexibility for changes in early ontogenetic stages and allow rejection of the hypothesis that interspecific shape differences in the skull of Ctenomys would be associated with differences in size alone.
ISSN:0022-2372
1545-1542
DOI:10.1644/09-MAMM-A-411.1