Adaptive diversity of incisor enamel microstructure in South American burrowing rodents (family Ctenomyidae, Caviomorpha)

The aim of this study was to analyse the morphofunctional and adaptive significance of variation in the upper incisor enamel microstructure of South American burrowing ctenomyids and other octodontoid taxa. We studied the specialized subterranean tooth-digger †Eucelophorus chapalmalensis (Pliocene -...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Vieytes, Emma Carolina, Morgan, Cecilia Clara, Verzi, Diego Héctor
Formato: Articulo
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2007
Materias:
Zoología
Ctenomyidae
Incisor enamel microstructure
Morphofunctional significance
Rodentia
Tooth-digging adaptations
Acceso en línea:http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/83207
Aporte de:
SEDICI (UNLP) de Universidad Nacional de La Plata
id I19-R120-10915-83207
record_format dspace
institution Universidad Nacional de La Plata
institution_str I-19
repository_str R-120
collection SEDICI (UNLP)
language Inglés
topic Zoología
Ctenomyidae
Incisor enamel microstructure
Morphofunctional significance
Rodentia
Tooth-digging adaptations
spellingShingle Zoología
Ctenomyidae
Incisor enamel microstructure
Morphofunctional significance
Rodentia
Tooth-digging adaptations
Vieytes, Emma Carolina
Morgan, Cecilia Clara
Verzi, Diego Héctor
Adaptive diversity of incisor enamel microstructure in South American burrowing rodents (family Ctenomyidae, Caviomorpha)
topic_facet Zoología
Ctenomyidae
Incisor enamel microstructure
Morphofunctional significance
Rodentia
Tooth-digging adaptations
description The aim of this study was to analyse the morphofunctional and adaptive significance of variation in the upper incisor enamel microstructure of South American burrowing ctenomyids and other octodontoid taxa. We studied the specialized subterranean tooth-digger †Eucelophorus chapalmalensis (Pliocene - Middle Pleistocene), and compared it with other fossil and living ctenomyids with disparate digging adaptations, two fossorial octodontids and one arboreal echimyid. Morphofunctionally significant enamel traits were quite similar among the species studied despite their marked differences in habits, digging behaviour and substrates occupied, suggesting a possible phylogenetic constraint for the Octodontoidea. In this context of relative similarity, the inclination of Hunter-Schreger bands, relative thickness of external index (EI) and prismless enamel zone were highest in †Eucelophorus, in agreement with its outstanding craniomandibular tooth-digging specialization. Higher inclination of Hunter-Schreger bands reinforces enamel to withstand high tension forces, while high external index provides greater resistance to wear. Results suggest increased frequency of incisor use for digging in †Eucelophorus, which could be related to a more extreme tooth-digging strategy and/or occupancy of hard soils. Higher external index values as recurring patterns in distant clades of tooth-digging rodents support an adaptive significance of this enamel trait.
format Articulo
Articulo
author Vieytes, Emma Carolina
Morgan, Cecilia Clara
Verzi, Diego Héctor
author_facet Vieytes, Emma Carolina
Morgan, Cecilia Clara
Verzi, Diego Héctor
author_sort Vieytes, Emma Carolina
title Adaptive diversity of incisor enamel microstructure in South American burrowing rodents (family Ctenomyidae, Caviomorpha)
title_short Adaptive diversity of incisor enamel microstructure in South American burrowing rodents (family Ctenomyidae, Caviomorpha)
title_full Adaptive diversity of incisor enamel microstructure in South American burrowing rodents (family Ctenomyidae, Caviomorpha)
title_fullStr Adaptive diversity of incisor enamel microstructure in South American burrowing rodents (family Ctenomyidae, Caviomorpha)
title_full_unstemmed Adaptive diversity of incisor enamel microstructure in South American burrowing rodents (family Ctenomyidae, Caviomorpha)
title_sort adaptive diversity of incisor enamel microstructure in south american burrowing rodents (family ctenomyidae, caviomorpha)
publishDate 2007
url http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/83207
work_keys_str_mv AT vieytesemmacarolina adaptivediversityofincisorenamelmicrostructureinsouthamericanburrowingrodentsfamilyctenomyidaecaviomorpha
AT morganceciliaclara adaptivediversityofincisorenamelmicrostructureinsouthamericanburrowingrodentsfamilyctenomyidaecaviomorpha
AT verzidiegohector adaptivediversityofincisorenamelmicrostructureinsouthamericanburrowingrodentsfamilyctenomyidaecaviomorpha
bdutipo_str Repositorios
_version_ 1764820488387821568

Ejemplares similares