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Li B, Li W, Liu C, Yang P, Li J. Diverse diets and low-fiber, low-tannin foraging preferences: Foraging criteria of Tibetan macaques ( Macaca thibetana) at low altitude in Huangshan. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9338. [PMID: 36225833 PMCID: PMC9532248 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Nutrient composition and food availability determine food choices and foraging strategies of animals, while altitude and geographical location affect species distribution and food availability. Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) have sophisticated foraging strategies as the largest species in Macaca. They are important in understanding the ecological evolution of the entire genus. However, the mechanism of food selection in Tibetan macaques at low altitudes remains unclear. In this study, we researched a wild Tibetan macaques group (Tianhu Mountain Group, 29 individuals) living in a low-altitude area around Mt. Huangshan, Anhui Province, China. We used instantaneous scan sampling to observe these macaques' foraging behavior from September 2020 to August 2021. We recorded the dietary composition and food availability, compared the nutrient content of staple food and non-food items, and analyzed the role of key nutrients in food selection. We found that Tibetan macaques forage on 111 plants belonging to 93 genera and 55 families. The food types included fruits (52.5%), mature leaves (17.0%), bamboo shoots (14.4%), young leaves (6.3%), flowers (4.5%), others (2.1%), stems (1.9%), and tender shoots (1.3%). Tibetan macaques forage for a maximum of 76 plant species during spring. However, dietary diversity was highest during summer (H' = 3.052). Monthly fruit consumption was positively correlated with food availability. Staple foods are lower in fiber, tannin, and water than non-foods. In addition, the time spent foraging for specific foods was negatively correlated with the fiber and tannin content of the food. The results showed that Tibetan macaques' foraging plant species and food types were diverse, and their foraging strategies varied seasonally. Our findings confirmed the effect of nutrients on food choice in Tibetan macaques. We highlighted the important role of fiber and tannin in their food choices and suggested that the foraging behavior of Tibetan macaques is highly flexible and adaptive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bowen Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui UniversityHefeiChina
- International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral EcologyAnhui UniversityHefeiChina
| | - Wenbo Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui UniversityHefeiChina
- International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral EcologyAnhui UniversityHefeiChina
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation BiologyInstitute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijingChina
| | - Chao Liu
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui UniversityHefeiChina
- International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral EcologyAnhui UniversityHefeiChina
| | - Peipei Yang
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui UniversityHefeiChina
- International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral EcologyAnhui UniversityHefeiChina
| | - Jinhua Li
- School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui UniversityHefeiChina
- International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral EcologyAnhui UniversityHefeiChina
- School of Life Sciences, Hefei Normal UniversityHefeiChina
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Fiorenza L, Harty T, Janocha MM, Kullmer O, Nguyen HN, Bortolini E, Benazzi S. Understanding dietary ecology in great apes from dental macrowear analysis. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022. [PMCID: PMC9544277 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Dietary diversity in primates is reflected in their dental morphology, with differences in size and shape of teeth. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between molar morphology and macrowear patterns in Pongo, Gorilla, and Pan to obtain dietary information. Methods We have examined 68 second lower molars using the Occlusal Fingerprint Analysis method including 18 chimpanzees, 28 gorillas, and 22 orangutans. We selected only molars from wildshot specimens characterized by a moderate degree of wear. High‐resolution digital models of teeth were created using a white scanning light system with a resolution of 45 μm. Results The macrowear patterns of Pan were significantly different from those of Gorilla and of Pongo, differences that are mostly due to shearing wear. Gorilla and Pongo macrowear patterns are dominated by phase II areas, followed by lingual phase I facets, while in Pan we observe a significant increase in buccal phase I facets. The latter group also displays the highest macrowear variation across the sample examined in this study. Conclusions The molar macrowear patterns of the great apes analyzed in this study did not confirm our initial hypothesis of finding larger crushing and grinding areas in Pongo and more shearing wear in Gorilla. Pan shows the most variable macrowear, which is probably associated with their more flexible diet. The similarity between Pongo and Gorilla macrowear patterns may be due to a larger intake of mechanically challenging foods that could obfuscate dietary wear signals generated by softer foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Fiorenza
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Teagan Harty
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Marcel M. Janocha
- Division of Palaeoanthropology Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Department of Palaeobiology and Environment, Institute of Ecology Evolution, and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt Germany
| | - Ottmar Kullmer
- Division of Palaeoanthropology Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Department of Palaeobiology and Environment, Institute of Ecology Evolution, and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt Germany
| | - Huynh N. Nguyen
- School of Mechanical Engineering Hanoi University of Science and Technology Hanoi Vietnam
| | - Eugenio Bortolini
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, Institución Milá y Fontanals de investigación en Humanidades Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IMF – CSIC) Barcelona Spain
- Culture and Socio‐Ecological Dynamics, Department of Humanities Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona Spain
| | - Stefano Benazzi
- Department of Cultural Heritage University of Bologna Ravenna Italy
- Department of Human Evolution Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
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Harty T, Berthaume MA, Bortolini E, Evans AR, Galbany J, Guy F, Kullmer O, Lazzari V, Romero A, Fiorenza L. Dental macrowear reveals ecological diversity of Gorilla spp. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9203. [PMID: 35655071 PMCID: PMC9163330 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12488-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Size and shape variation of molar crowns in primates plays an important role in understanding how species adapted to their environment. Gorillas are commonly considered to be folivorous primates because they possess sharp cusped molars which are adapted to process fibrous leafy foods. However, the proportion of fruit in their diet can vary significantly depending on their habitats. While tooth morphology can tell us what a tooth is capable of processing, tooth wear can help us to understand how teeth have been used during mastication. The objective of this study is to explore if differences in diet at the subspecies level can be detected by the analysis of molar macrowear. We analysed a large sample of second lower molars of Grauer’s, mountain and western lowland gorilla by combining the Occlusal Fingerprint Analysis method with other dental measurements. We found that Grauer’s and western lowland gorillas are characterised by a macrowear pattern indicating a larger intake of fruit in their diet, while mountain gorilla’s macrowear is associated with the consumption of more folivorous foods. We also found that the consumption of herbaceous foods is generally associated with an increase in dentine and enamel wear, confirming the results of previous studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teagan Harty
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Michael A Berthaume
- Division Mechanical Engineering and Design, London South Bank University, London, UK
| | - Eugenio Bortolini
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, Institución Milá y Fontanals de Investigación en Humanidades, Barcelona, Spain.,Culture and Socio-Ecological Dynamics, Department of Humanities, Universitat Pompeu Fabra Ramon Trias Fargas, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alistair R Evans
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Geosciences, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jordi Galbany
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Franck Guy
- Laboratory PALEVOPRIM, UMR CNRS 7262, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Ottmar Kullmer
- Department of Paleoanthropology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.,Department of Paleobiology and Environment, Institute of Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Vincent Lazzari
- Laboratory PALEVOPRIM, UMR CNRS 7262, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Alejandro Romero
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Universidad de Alicante, 03690, Alicante, Spain.,Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Arqueología y Patrimonio Histórico (INAPH), Universidad de Alicante, 03690, Alicante, Spain
| | - Luca Fiorenza
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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He T, Lee W, Hanya G. Effects of diet and age-sex class on the fecal particle size of wild Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui). Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23245. [PMID: 33638570 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Fecal particle size provides important information on the feeding and digestion of herbivores. Understanding the effects of the potential proximate determinants on fecal particle size helps us interpret this widely used measurement. In folivores, previous studies found that diet composition, dietary toughness, and age-sex-related factors, such as body size and tooth wear, influenced fecal particle size. However, the role of these factors remains unknown in frugivorous and omnivorous primates. This study aims to clarify how age-sex class and diet influence fecal particle size in omnivorous Japanese macaques in Yakushima. We expected that their variable diet and differences among age-sex classes would cause variations in fecal particle size. We simultaneously documented Japanese macaques' diet, dietary toughness, and fecal particle size in the lowland area of Yakushima in the period from March 2018 to April 2019. Unexpectedly, fecal particle size showed limited differences across months and no difference among age-sex classes. Dietary toughness showed no effects on fecal particle size, while the consumption of fruits showed only a marginally significant negative effect. Our data indicate that the results of chewing were not affected by dietary toughness in our study subjects, while age-sex classes showed no difference in food comminution. This lack of variation might derive from a diet with low dietary toughness. We also found that the physical structure of preferred foods played an important role in fecal particle size variations. These results suggest that food comminution is less variable in frugivorous and omnivorous primates compared to highly specialized species (e.g., geladas). Factors other than what we examined in this study, such as food physical structure and chewing behavior, should also be taken into consideration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianmeng He
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Wanyi Lee
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Goro Hanya
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
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Paciulli LM, Leischner C, Lane BA, McCaughey M, Guertin E, Davis J, Eberth JF, Hartstone-Rose A. Brief communication: Maximum ingested bite size in captive western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 171:725-732. [PMID: 31912896 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Previously, we found that maximum ingested bite size (Vb ), the largest piece of food an animal can consume without biting it into smaller pieces first, isometrically scales relative to body size in strepsirrhines and with negative allometry in anthropoids. In the current study, we rectify the omission of great apes from the earlier sample to now characterize the Vb of the entire size-range of the order. MATERIALS AND METHODS Five gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla-G. g. gorilla) were studied to ascertain Vb in relation to the mechanical properties of five foods. RESULTS Gorilla Vb ranged from 166.38 cm3 (for the least obdurate food: watermelon) to 8 cm3 (for the most obdurate food: turnip), with an average Vb of 33.50 cm3 across all food types. CONCLUSIONS When these data were compared to those from our previous studies, we found that gorillas consumed relatively slightly smaller volumes of food compared to the trend found across primates. However, because the more frugivorous gorillas consumed relatively larger pieces of food than the large folivorous monkeys previously studied, including the gorilla data increased the slope of the linear regression between body mass and Vb in anthropoids. Thus, the addition of the largest living primate brings the anthropoid Vb trend closer to the Vb trend of the order. Notwithstanding, there is still negative allometry in anthropoid Vb , in contrast with the isometry in strepsirrhine Vb . Future research should include species with body masses between the smaller anthropoids and gorillas by studying the Vb of large papionids and the other great apes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa M Paciulli
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
| | - Carissa Leischner
- University of South Carolina, School of Medicine 6439 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - Brooks A Lane
- University of South Carolina, School of Medicine 6439 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - Mary McCaughey
- University of South Carolina, School of Medicine 6439 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - Emily Guertin
- Division of Animal Care and Welfare, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - John Davis
- Division of Animal Care and Welfare, Riverbanks Zoo and Garden 500 Wildlife Parkway, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - John F Eberth
- University of South Carolina, School of Medicine 6439 Garners Ferry Road, Columbia, South Carolina
| | - Adam Hartstone-Rose
- Department of Biological Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
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He T, Honda T, Kurihara Y, Thiery G. Variation in chewing efficiency of Yakushima Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata yakui). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2019; 171:110-119. [PMID: 31675108 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2019] [Revised: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 10/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Chewing efficiency plays an important role in the survival and distribution of primates. Yet, little is known about the intra-specific variation of chewing efficiency. The purpose of this study is to report the pattern of seasonal and regional variation in chewing efficiency among Yakushima Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui). MATERIALS AND METHODS Fecal samples of Yakushima Japanese macaques were collected from lowland, highland and summit areas in Yakushima between July 2015 and March 2016 (n = 236). Using sieving analysis, we compared fecal particle size (dMEAN) and proportion of finest particles p(0) between different geographical areas and seasons. RESULTS Seasonally, in the lowland zone, there was a non-significant decrease in dMEAN during spring, while p(0) was significantly higher during summer than it was during winter and spring. Regionally, dMEAN was higher in the summit zone than it was in other areas during autumn, while p(0) was also higher in the summit zone. CONCLUSIONS While seasonal variation in dMEAN can be explained by the reported difference in the proportions of food categories in diet between seasons, its influence is mitigated, possibly by the selective feeding of less mechanically challenging parts in each category. Regional variation in dMEAN and p(0) may be the results of bamboo consumption in this area. Combining our data with studies that focus on seasonal and regional variations of food properties or gut microbes might provide a better understanding of the relation between diet, chewing and digestion in Yakushima macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianmeng He
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Takeaki Honda
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Yosuke Kurihara
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Inuyama, Japan
| | - Ghislain Thiery
- School of Sociology and Anthropology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, China
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L Canington
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Kupczik K, Toro-Ibacache V, Macho GA. On the relationship between maxillary molar root shape and jaw kinematics in Australopithecus africanus and Paranthropus robustus. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:180825. [PMID: 30225074 PMCID: PMC6124107 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.180825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Plio-Pleistocene hominins from South Africa remain poorly understood. Here, we focus on how Australopithecus africanus and Paranthropus robustus exploited and-in part-partitioned their environment. Specifically, we explore the extent to which first maxillary molar roots (M1) are oriented and thus, by proxy, estimate the direction of loads habitually exerted on the chewing surface. Landmark-based shape analysis of M1 root reconstructions of 26 South African hominins and three East African Paranthropus boisei suggest that A. africanus may have been able to dissipate the widest range of laterally directed loads. Paranthropus robustus and P. boisei, despite having overlapping morphologies, differ in aspects of root shape/size, dento-cranial morphologies, microwear textures and C4 food consumption. Hence, while Paranthropus monophyly cannot be excluded, equivalence of dietary niche can. The South African hominins occupied distinct ecological niches, whereby P. robustus appears uniquely adapted to dissipate antero-posteriorly directed loads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kornelius Kupczik
- Max Planck Weizmann Center for Integrative Archaeology and Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Viviana Toro-Ibacache
- Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- Facultad de Odontología, Universidad de Chile, Sergio Livingstone Pohlhammer 943, Independencia, Región Metropolitana, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Gabriele A. Macho
- School of Archaeology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Birkbeck, University of London, London WC1E 7HX, UK
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Ledogar JA, Luk THY, Perry JMG, Neaux D, Wroe S. Biting mechanics and niche separation in a specialized clade of primate seed predators. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0190689. [PMID: 29324822 PMCID: PMC5764286 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We analyzed feeding biomechanics in pitheciine monkeys (Pithecia, Chiropotes, Cacajao), a clade that specializes on hard-husked unripe fruit (sclerocarpy) and resistant seeds (seed predation). We tested the hypothesis that pitheciine crania are well-suited to generate and withstand forceful canine and molar biting, with the prediction that they generate bite forces more efficiently and better resist masticatory strains than the closely-related Callicebus, which does not specialize on unripe fruits and/or seeds. We also tested the hypothesis that Callicebus-Pithecia-Chiropotes-Cacajao represent a morphocline of increasing sclerocarpic specialization with respect to biting leverage and craniofacial strength, consistent with anterior dental morphology. We found that pitheciines have higher biting leverage than Callicebus and are generally more resistant to masticatory strain. However, Cacajao was found to experience high strain magnitudes in some facial regions. We therefore found limited support for the morphocline hypothesis, at least with respect to the mechanical performance metrics examined here. Biting leverage in Cacajao was nearly identical (or slightly less than) in Chiropotes and strain magnitudes during canine biting were more likely to follow a Cacajao-Chiropotes-Pithecia trend of increasing strength, in contrast to the proposed morphocline. These results could indicate that bite force efficiency and derived anterior teeth were selected for in pitheciines at the expense of increased strain magnitudes. However, our results for Cacajao potentially reflect reduced feeding competition offered by allopatry with other pitheciines, which allows Cacajao species to choose from a wider variety of fruits at various stages of ripeness, leading to reduction in the selection for robust facial features. We also found that feeding biomechanics in sympatric Pithecia and Chiropotes are consistent with data on food structural properties and observations of dietary niche separation, with the former being well-suited for the regular molar crushing of hard seeds and the latter better adapted for breaching hard fruits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin A. Ledogar
- Zoology Division, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Theodora H. Y. Luk
- Zoology Division, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jonathan M. G. Perry
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Dimitri Neaux
- Zoology Division, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stephen Wroe
- Zoology Division, School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales, Australia
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