Functional optimality underpins the repeated evolution of the extreme “saber-tooth” morphology

Pollock, Tahlia I.; Deakin, William J.; Chatar, Narimane; Milla Carmona, Pablo S.; Rovinsky, Douglass S.; Panagiotopoulou, Olga; Parker, William M.G.; Adams, Justin W.; Hocking, David P.; Donoghue, Philip C.J.; Rayfield, Emily J.; Evans, Alistair R.

doi:10.1016/j.cub.2024.11.059

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Functional optimality underpins the repeated evolution of the extreme “saber-tooth” morphology

Pollock, Tahlia I.; Deakin, William J.; Chatar, Narimane et al.

2025 • In Current Biology

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https://hdl.handle.net/2268/326524

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10.1016/j.cub.2024.11.059

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Keywords :

saber-tooth; tooth morphology; tooth biomechanics; puncture performance; form-function; functional morphology; optimality; Carnivora; mammal; canine

Abstract :

[en] “Saber teeth”—elongate, blade-like canines—are a classic example of convergence, having evolved repeatedly throughout mammalian history. Within canine teeth, there is a trade-off between the aspects of shape that improve food fracture and those that increase tooth strength. Optimal morphologies strike a balance between these antagonistic functional criteria. The extreme saber-tooth morphology is thought to confer functional advantage for more specialized predatory adaptations and optimization; however, the adaptive bases underpinning their evolution remain unclear. To determine whether saber-tooth shape reflects selection for functionally optimal morphologies, we generated a morphospace of the 3D shape of 70 non-saber and 25 saber-tooth species, a subset of which were used to quantify functional metrics of puncture performance and breakage resistance. These data were combined using a Pareto rank-ratio algorithm to evaluate optimality. We demonstrate that extreme saber-tooth morphologies are functionally optimal, occupying a localized peak in our optimality landscape. Unlike other optimal canine morphologies, extreme saber teeth optimize puncture performance at the expense of breakage resistance. This identifies functional optimality as a key driver underpinning the repeated evolution of this iconic tooth.

Disciplines :

Life sciences: Multidisciplinary, general & others

Author, co-author :

Pollock, Tahlia I.

Deakin, William J.

Chatar, Narimane ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département de géologie > Evolution and diversity dynamics lab ; UCB - University of California Berkeley > Integrative Biology > Functional Anatomy and Vertebrate Evolution

Milla Carmona, Pablo S.

Rovinsky, Douglass S.

Panagiotopoulou, Olga

Parker, William M.G.

Adams, Justin W.

Hocking, David P.

Donoghue, Philip C.J.

Rayfield, Emily J.

Evans, Alistair R.

Language :

English

Title :

Functional optimality underpins the repeated evolution of the extreme “saber-tooth” morphology

Publication date :

January 2025

Journal title :

Current Biology

ISSN :

0960-9822

eISSN :

1879-0445

Publisher :

Elsevier BV

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

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https://api.elsevier.com/content/article/PII:S0960982224016269?httpAccept=text/xml

Available on ORBi :

since 10 January 2025

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