Diversity in owls’ (Strigiformes) hindlimbs: evolutionary and ecological influences on hindlimb bone proportions and their relation to prey preferences

Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 203(4)

Published: April 1, 2025

Abstract In Strigiformes, which comprise the Tytonidae and Strigidae families, hindlimbs play a crucial role in prey capture. Yet, their bone proportions remain understudied despite established link between avian hindlimb skeletal morphology ecological traits. We examined of femur, tibiotarsus, tarsometatarsus 18 owl species, investigating associations with preferences, body mass, phylogenetic signals. Our results indicate that owls generally have short femur tarsometatarsus, relatively long all exhibiting isometric scaling relative to mass. Although evolutionary inheritance influences proportions, become apparent when three bones are considered together, highlighting adaptations associated dietary demands. For instance, barn facilitates swift movement dense environments, aiding capture small rodents; whereas burrowing owls, it enhances terrestrial locomotion. The remaining species exhibited strength responds various biological demands, enabling different types sizes, or improving stability during perching. findings suggest diverged preferences early evolution, specializing on rodents evolving from insectivory more generalized mammals-based diets.

Language: Английский

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Systematic review of free and open source software (FOSS) employed in ecomorphological studies with recommendations for user-friendly developments

Ecological Informatics, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 78, P. 102317 - 102317

Published: Sept. 27, 2023

Language: Английский

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The Hind limb of Octodontidae (Rodentia, Mammalia): Functional Implications for Substrate Preferences

Zoology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 167, P. 126222 - 126222

Published: Oct. 11, 2024

Language: Английский

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Comparison of skull growth in two ecosystem modifiers: beavers Castor canadensis (Rodentia: Castoridae) and muskrats Ondatra zibethicus (Rodentia: Cricetidae)

Zoologischer Anzeiger, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 304, P. 61 - 72

Published: March 30, 2023

Language: Английский

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The Hind Limb of Octodontidae (Rodentia, Mammalia): Functional Implications for Substrate Preferences

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

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Language: Английский

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First predation event of an anuran by Holochilus chacarius in the Pantanal wetland, central portion of South America

Mammalia, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 88(5), P. 423 - 425

Published: April 28, 2024

Abstract The marsh rat ( Holochilus chacarius ) is considered a specialist herbivorous rodent. In this study, we report the first predation event of an anuran Pseudis platensis by in Pantanal wetlands, South America. This unprecedent flooded wetland municipality Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul state, southwestern Brazil. Due to flashlight, rodent ceased its predatory activity and left, carrying mouth. Our findings contribute natural history rat, highlighting that can incorporate fresh animal matter into diet.

Language: Английский

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The Hind Limb of Octodontidae (Rodentia, Mammalia): Functional Implications for Substrate Preferences

Published: Jan. 1, 2024

Language: Английский

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Beyond CREA: Evolutionary patterns of non‐allometric shape variation and divergence in a highly allometric clade of murine rodents

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(7)

Published: June 28, 2024

Abstract The shared functions of the skull are thought to result in common evolutionary patterns mammalian cranial shape. Craniofacial allometry (CREA) is a particularly prominent pattern where larger species display proportionally elongate facial skeletons and smaller braincases. It was recently proposed that CREA arises from biomechanical effects scaling when diets similar. Thus, deviations should occur with changes biomechanics, for example due dietary change. Here, we test this using 3D geometric morphometric analysis dataset Australian murine crania, which highly allometric. We contrast allometric non‐allometric variation cranium by comparing mode, allometry, ordinations, as well integration, modularity functional modules. found evidence stabilising selection allometry‐containing size‐free shape, substantial aligned specialisation parallel CREA. Integration among modules higher, lower, size included, but integration between rostrum vault, involved pattern, dropped dramatically after removal. Our results thus support hypothesis composite arising on function, shape occurring alongside impacts gnawing function. This emphasises need research evolution context

Language: Английский

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Body mass estimations in extinct caviomorphs (Ctenohystrica, Hystricognathi) from cheek tooth measures: importance of predictor, reference sample and method

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Aug. 15, 2024

Caviomorph rodents present an astonishing variation in sizes both nowadays and the past. The objective of this work was to estimate body mass 32 extinct caviomorphs. Moreover, we seek analyse influence on estimations the: i. selected predictors (i.e., measurements cheek teeth); ii. used reference sample comparing three distinct datasets linked representativeness among herbivores; iii. employed method constructing simple multiple regressions, which consider phylogeny not. results indicated that best dental structures predict usually were second upper lower molars, rows first molar. Including ungulates improved predictions for living large rodents, while it not case caviomorphs small rodents. Thus, different sets models proposed depending size range belongs caviomorph considered. OLS had better performance most cases. Multiple associating length width, mean prediction errors with respect models. Despites a probable important redundancy between these variables, independent information would be thus sufficient improve error prediction. Our from dimensions giant chinchilloids are within values previously obtained using cranial variable recently considered as robust proxy. For caviomorphs, our showed more deviation available literature.

Language: Английский

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Dietary and habitat use (non)specializations contribute to shaping the craniomandibular variation and developmental instability in a rodent community

Journal of Zoology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Dec. 9, 2024

Abstract The evolution and ecomorphology of rodent craniomandibular apparatus have been extensively studied at a broad spatial scale. However, the question how phenotypes developmental instability interact with ecological pressures in human‐modified landscapes has less explored. In this study, we test influence evolutionary history, diet, habitat use on skull mandible shape variation within community composed eight cricetid species from an agroecosystem central Argentina. We used geometric morphometrics, phylogenetic relationships, specializations diet to interplay between these factors. Our results indicated strong signal for symmetric components shape, but not or asymmetric shapes. strict insectivorous Oxymycterus rufus was most phenotypically diverged community. general, more generalist species, both terms use, presented phenotypic disparity (diversity) than specialists (e.g., natural semi‐natural specialists) variation. Dietary generalists non‐strict granivores tendency show insectivores. These suggest that exhibit higher levels compared specialist likely due their wider range responses environmental stress. similar preferences, coexistence may thus be facilitated by morphological partitioning canalization based dietary differences.

Language: Английский

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