Paper published in a journal (Scientific congresses and symposiums)
Shoulder-blade Runners: Utility of the Scapula Fossa Ratio to Investigate Locomotor Evolution in Equids (Mammalia: Perissodactyla)
Van Houtven, Karianne; Maclaren, James
2019In Journal of Morphology, 280 (S1), p. 232
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
 

Files


Full Text
Van Houtven & MacLaren ICVM 2019.png
Publisher postprint (801.59 kB)
Request a copy

All documents in ORBi are protected by a user license.

Send to



Details



Abstract :
[en] The scapula fossa ratio (SFR) has been used in recent years to demonstrate functional locomotor differences in perissodactyls. The SFR describes the relative attachment areas of the lateral shoulder muscles: supraspinatus (extensor/stabilizer) and infraspinatus (lateral collateral stabilizer). Here, we use the SFR to investigate deep scapula muscle attachment sites of equids (Perissodactyla: Equidae), and whether any variation observed between extinct and extant species can be explained by habitat variation. 3D-surface models of scapulae were obtained via laser scanning and photogrammetry. Areas of the supraspinous and infraspinous fossae were calculated for 14 species of equids. We also included 9 cervid (Artiodactyla: Cervidae) and 3 alcelaphine (Artiodactyla: Bovidae) genera to test whether extinct equid SFRs are comparable to modern ungulates living in forested habitats (cervids) or open-grassland habitats (monodactyl equids; alcelaphines). Our results demonstrate that extinct tridactyl (three-toed) equid SFRs exhibit significant differences to modern monodactyl (one-toed) species. The infraspinous fossa is relatively larger in cervids and tridactyl equids compared to monodactyl equids; cervid and tridactyl equid SFRs could not be statistically separated. We interpret that the infraspinatus muscle is relatively more important for shoulder stability in tridactyl equids (and cervids) than in monodactyl equids. As monodactyl equids possess an advanced passive stay apparatus (muscle-tendon mechanism locking the shoulder to enable standing in open terrain with minimal energetic input), it is possible that the infraspinatus has become less integral for shoulder support during stance. Without such a mechanism, tridactyl equids still required shoulder support from the infraspinatus to exploit open habitats. This study demonstrates the utility of the SFR as a tool for investigating links between the musculoskeletal system and habitat use through equid evolution.
Disciplines :
Zoology
Author, co-author :
Van Houtven, Karianne
Maclaren, James  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géologie > Evolution and diversity dynamics lab
Language :
English
Title :
Shoulder-blade Runners: Utility of the Scapula Fossa Ratio to Investigate Locomotor Evolution in Equids (Mammalia: Perissodactyla)
Publication date :
June 2019
Event name :
12th International Congress on Vertebrate Morphology
Event place :
Prague, Czechia
Event date :
21st-25th July 2019
Journal title :
Journal of Morphology
ISSN :
0362-2525
eISSN :
1097-4687
Publisher :
John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, United States - New York
Volume :
280
Issue :
S1
Pages :
232
Peer reviewed :
Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi
Funders :
FWO - Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen [BE]
Funding number :
Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek. Grant Number: 11Y7615N
Available on ORBi :
since 05 May 2020

Statistics


Number of views
93 (2 by ULiège)
Number of downloads
1 (1 by ULiège)

Bibliography


Similar publications



Contact ORBi