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Charles J, Kissane R, Hoehfurtner T, Bates KT. From fibre to function: are we accurately representing muscle architecture and performance? Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:1640-1676. [PMID: 35388613 PMCID: PMC9540431 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The size and arrangement of fibres play a determinate role in the kinetic and energetic performance of muscles. Extrapolations between fibre architecture and performance underpin our understanding of how muscles function and how they are adapted to power specific motions within and across species. Here we provide a synopsis of how this 'fibre to function' paradigm has been applied to understand muscle design, performance and adaptation in animals. Our review highlights the widespread application of the fibre to function paradigm across a diverse breadth of biological disciplines but also reveals a potential and highly prevalent limitation running through past studies. Specifically, we find that quantification of muscle architectural properties is almost universally based on an extremely small number of fibre measurements. Despite the volume of research into muscle properties, across a diverse breadth of research disciplines, the fundamental assumption that a small proportion of fibre measurements can accurately represent the architectural properties of a muscle has never been quantitatively tested. Subsequently, we use a combination of medical imaging, statistical analysis, and physics-based computer simulation to address this issue for the first time. By combining diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and deterministic fibre tractography we generated a large number of fibre measurements (>3000) rapidly for individual human lower limb muscles. Through statistical subsampling simulations of these measurements, we demonstrate that analysing a small number of fibres (n < 25) typically used in previous studies may lead to extremely large errors in the characterisation of overall muscle architectural properties such as mean fibre length and physiological cross-sectional area. Through dynamic musculoskeletal simulations of human walking and jumping, we demonstrate that recovered errors in fibre architecture characterisation have significant implications for quantitative predictions of in-vivo dynamics and muscle fibre function within a species. Furthermore, by applying data-subsampling simulations to comparisons of muscle function in humans and chimpanzees, we demonstrate that error magnitudes significantly impact both qualitative and quantitative assessment of muscle specialisation, potentially generating highly erroneous conclusions about the absolute and relative adaption of muscles across species and evolutionary transitions. Our findings have profound implications for how a broad diversity of research fields quantify muscle architecture and interpret muscle function.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Charles
- Structure and Motion Lab, Comparative Biomedical Sciences, Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL9 7TA, U.K.,Department of Musculoskeletal & Ageing Science, Institute of Life Course & Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, The William Henry Duncan Building, 6 West Derby Street, Liverpool, L7 8TX, U.K
| | - Roger Kissane
- Department of Musculoskeletal & Ageing Science, Institute of Life Course & Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, The William Henry Duncan Building, 6 West Derby Street, Liverpool, L7 8TX, U.K
| | - Tatjana Hoehfurtner
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Joseph Banks Laboratories, Green Lane, Lincoln, LN6 7DL, U.K
| | - Karl T Bates
- Department of Musculoskeletal & Ageing Science, Institute of Life Course & Medical Sciences, University of Liverpool, The William Henry Duncan Building, 6 West Derby Street, Liverpool, L7 8TX, U.K
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Löffler L, Wölfer J, Gavrilei F, Nyakatura JA. Computational Modeling of Gluteus Medius Muscle Moment Arm in Caviomorph Rodents Reveals Ecomorphological Specializations. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:806314. [PMID: 35694234 PMCID: PMC9174681 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.806314] [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: 10/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrate musculoskeletal locomotion is realized through lever-arm systems. The instantaneous muscle moment arm (IMMA), which is expected to be under selective pressure and thus of interest for ecomorphological studies, is a key aspect of these systems. The IMMA changes with joint motion. It’s length change is technically difficult to acquire and has not been compared in a larger phylogenetic ecomorphological framework, yet. Usually, proxies such as osteological in-levers are used instead. We used 18 species of the ecologically diverse clade of caviomorph rodents to test whether its diversity is reflected in the IMMA of the hip extensor M. gluteus medius. A large IMMA is beneficial for torque generation; a small IMMA facilitates fast joint excursion. We expected large IMMAs in scansorial species, small IMMAs in fossorial species, and somewhat intermediate IMMAs in cursorial species, depending on the relative importance of acceleration and joint angular velocity. We modeled the IMMA over the entire range of possible hip extensions and applied macroevolutionary model comparison to selected joint poses. We also obtained the osteological in-lever of the M. gluteus medius to compare it to the IMMA. At little hip extension, the IMMA was largest on average in scansorial species, while the other two lifestyles were similar. We interpret this as an emphasized need for increased hip joint torque when climbing on inclines, especially in a crouched posture. Cursorial species might benefit from fast joint excursion, but their similarity with the fossorial species is difficult to interpret and could hint at ecological similarities. At larger extension angles, cursorial species displayed the second-largest IMMAs after scansorial species. The larger IMMA optimum results in powerful hip extension which coincides with forward acceleration at late stance beneficial for climbing, jumping, and escaping predators. This might be less relevant for a fossorial lifestyle. The results of the in-lever only matched the IMMA results of larger hip extension angles, suggesting that the modeling of the IMMA provides more nuanced insights into adaptations of musculoskeletal lever-arm systems than this osteological proxy.
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Bader C, Böhmer C, Abou M, Houssaye A. How does bone microanatomy and musculature covary? An investigation in the forelimb of two species of martens (Martes foina, Martes martes). J Anat 2022; 241:145-167. [PMID: 35266144 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13645] [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: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The long bones and associated musculature play a prominent role in the support and movement of the body and are expected to reflect the associated mechanical demands. But in addition to the functional response to adaptive changes, the conjoined effects of phylogenetic, structural and developmental constraints also shape the animal's body. In order to minimise the effect of the aforementioned constraints and to reveal the biomechanical adaptations in the musculoskeletal system to locomotor mode, we here study the forelimb of two closely related martens: the arboreal pine marten (Martes martes) and the more terrestrial stone marten (Martes foina), focusing on their forelimb muscle anatomy and long bone microanatomy; and, especially, on their covariation. To do so, we quantified muscle data and bone microanatomical parameters and created 3D and 2D maps of the cortical thickness distribution for the three long bones of the forelimb. We then analysed the covariation of muscle and bone data, both qualitatively and quantitatively. Our results reveal that species-specific muscular adaptations are not clearly reflected in the microanatomy of the bones. Yet, we observe a global thickening of the bone cortex in the radius and ulna of the more arboreal pine marten, as well a stronger flexor muscle inserting on its elbow. We attribute these differences to variation in their locomotor modes. Analyses of our 2D maps revealed a shift of cortical thickness distribution pattern linked to ontogeny, rather than species-specific patterns. We found that although intraspecific variation is not negligible, species distinction was possible when taking muscular and bone microanatomical data into consideration. Results of our covariation analyses suggest that the muscle-bone correlation is linked to ontogeny rather than to muscular strength at zones of insertion. Indeed, if we find a correlation between cortical thickness distribution and the strength of some muscles in the humerus, that is not the case for the others and in the radius and ulna. Cortical thickness distribution appears rather linked to bone contact zones and ligament insertions in the radius and ulna, and to some extent in the humerus. We conclude that inference on muscle from bone microanatomy is possible only for certain muscles in the humerus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Bader
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7179 CNRS/Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Christine Böhmer
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7179 CNRS/Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France.,Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Maroua Abou
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7179 CNRS/Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Alexandra Houssaye
- Département Adaptations du Vivant, UMR 7179 CNRS/Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
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Mendoza E, Azizi E. Tuned muscle and spring properties increase elastic energy storage. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb243180. [PMID: 34821932 PMCID: PMC10658917 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Elastic recoil drives some of the fastest and most powerful biological movements. For effective use of elastic recoil, the tuning of muscle and spring force capacity is essential. Although studies of invertebrate organisms that use elastic recoil show evidence of increased force capacity in their energy loading muscle, changes in the fundamental properties of such muscles have yet to be documented in vertebrates. Here, we used three species of frogs (Cuban tree frogs, bullfrogs and cane toads) that differ in jumping power to investigate functional shifts in muscle-spring tuning in systems using latch-mediated spring actuation (LaMSA). We hypothesized that variation in jumping performance would result from increased force capacity in muscles and relatively stiffer elastic structures, resulting in greater energy storage. To test this, we characterized the force-length property of the plantaris longus muscle-tendon unit (MTU), and quantified the maximal amount of energy stored in elastic structures for each species. We found that the plantaris longus MTU of Cuban tree frogs produced higher mass-specific energy and mass-specific forces than the other two species. Moreover, we found that the plantaris longus MTU of Cuban tree frogs had higher pennation angles than the other species, suggesting that muscle architecture was modified to increase force capacity through packing of more muscle fibers. Finally, we found that the elastic structures were relatively stiffer in Cuban tree frogs. These results provide a mechanistic link between the tuned properties of LaMSA components, energy storage capacity and whole-system performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Mendoza
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 321 Steinhaus Hall, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
| | - Emanuel Azizi
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 321 Steinhaus Hall, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92617, USA
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Berles P, Heymann EW, Golcher F, Nyakatura JA. Leaping and differential habitat use in sympatric tamarins in Amazonian Peru. J Mammal 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyab121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Differential habitat use in sympatric species can provide insight into how behavior relates to morphological differences and as a general model for the study of biological adaptations to different functional demands. In Amazonia, closely related sympatric tamarins of the genera Saguinus and Leontocebus regularly form stable mixed-species groups, but exhibit differences in foraging height and locomotor activity. To test the hypothesis that two closely related species in a mixed-species group prefer different modes of leaping regardless of the substrates available, we quantified leaping behavior in a mixed-species group of Saguinus mystax and Leontocebus nigrifrons. We studied leaping behavior in relation to support substrate type and foraging height in the field for 5 months in the Amazonian forest of north-eastern Peru. Saguinus mystax spent significantly more time above 15 m (79%) and used predominantly horizontal and narrow supports for leaping. Leontocebus nigrifrons was predominantly active below 10 m (87%) and exhibited relatively more trunk-to-trunk leaping. Both species preferred their predominant leaping modes regardless of support type availability in the different forest layers. This indicates that the supports most commonly available in each forest layer do not determine the tamarins’ leaping behavior. This apparent behavioral adaptation provides a baseline for further investigation into how behavioral differences are reflected in the morphology and species-specific biomechanics of leaping behavior and establishes callitrichid primates as a model well-suited to the general study of biological adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Berles
- AG Morphologie und Formengeschichte, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstraße, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eckhard W Heymann
- Verhaltensökologie & Soziobiologie, Deutsches Primatenzentrum – Leibniz-Institut für Primatenforschung, Kellnerweg, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Felix Golcher
- Institut für Deutsche Sprache und Linguistik, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Unter den Linden, Berlin, Germany
| | - John A Nyakatura
- AG Morphologie und Formengeschichte, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Philippstraße, Berlin, Germany
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Architectural properties of the musculoskeletal system in the shoulder of two callitrichid primate species derived from virtual dissection. Primates 2021; 62:827-843. [PMID: 34181123 PMCID: PMC8410736 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00917-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Callitrichidae are small, arboreal New World primates that utilize a variety of locomotor behaviors including trunk-to-trunk leaping (TTL) and horizontal locomotion which involve differential functional demands. Little is known about the relationship between the preferred locomotor behavior and musculoskeletal architecture of these primates. In this study, we compared the musculoskeletal architecture of selected shoulder muscles in two cadavers each of the trunk-to-trunk leaper Cebuella pygmaea and the mainly pronograde quadrupedally moving Saguinus imperator subgrisescens. Contrast-enhanced microfocus computed tomography (µCT) was used to virtually dissect the cadavers, produce muscle maps, and create 3D reconstructions for an image-based analysis of the muscles. Muscle lengths, muscle volumes, and osteological muscle moment arms were measured, and the anatomical cross-sectional areas (ACSA) were calculated. We expected the muscles of the forelimb of S. imperator to be larger in volume and to be relatively shorter with a larger ACSA due to a higher demand for powerful extension in the forelimbs of this horizontally locomoting species. For C. pygmaea, we expected relatively larger moment arms for the triceps brachii, supraspinatus, infraspinatus and subscapularis, as larger moment arms present an advantage for extensive vertical clinging on the trunk. The muscles of S. imperator were relatively larger in volume than in C. pygmaea and had a relatively larger ACSA. Thus, the shoulder muscles of S. imperator were suited to generate relatively larger forces than those of C. pygmaea. Contrary to our expectations, there were only slight differences between species in regard to muscle lengths and moment arms, which suggests that these properties are not dependent on the preferred locomotor mode. The study of this limited dataset demonstrates that some but not all properties of the musculoskeletal architecture reflect the preferred locomotor behavior in the two species of Callitrichidae examined.
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Botton-Divet L, Nyakatura JA. Vertical clinging and leaping induced evolutionary rate shifts in postcranial evolution of tamarins and marmosets (Primates, Callitrichidae). BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:132. [PMID: 34171986 PMCID: PMC8235625 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01848-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Callitrichids comprise a diverse group of platyrrhine monkeys that are present across South and Central America. Their secondarily evolved small size and pointed claws allow them to cling to vertical trunks of a large diameter. Within callitrichids, lineages with a high affinity for vertical supports often engage in trunk-to-trunk leaping. This vertical clinging and leaping (VCL) differs from horizontal leaping (HL) in terms of the functional demands imposed on the musculoskeletal system, all the more so as HL often occurs on small compliant terminal branches. We used quantified shape descriptors (3D geometric morphometrics) and phylogenetically-informed analyses to investigate the evolution of the shape and size of the humerus and femur, and how this variation reflects locomotor behavior within Callitrichidae. RESULTS The humerus of VCL-associated species has a narrower trochlea compared with HL species. It is hypothesized that this contributes to greater elbow mobility. The wider trochlea in HL species appears to correspondingly provide greater stability to the elbow joint. The femur in VCL species has a smaller head and laterally-oriented distal condyles, possibly to reduce stresses during clinging. Similarly, the expanded lesser trochanters visible in VCL species provide a greater lever for the leg retractors and are thus also interpreted as an adaptation to clinging. Evolutionary rate shifts to faster shape and size changes of humerus and femur occurred in the Leontocebus clade when a shift to slower rates occurred in the Saguinus clade. CONCLUSIONS Based on the study of evolutionary rate shifts, the transition to VCL behavior within callitrichids (specifically the Leontocebus clade) appears to have been an opportunity for radiation, rather than a specialization that imposed constraints on morphological diversity. The study of the evolution of callitrichids suffers from a lack of comparative analyses of limb mechanics during trunk-to-trunk leaping, and future work in this direction would be of great interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léo Botton-Divet
- AG Vergleichende Zoologie, Institut Für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Philippstr. 13, 10115, Berlin, Germany.
| | - John A Nyakatura
- AG Vergleichende Zoologie, Institut Für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Philippstr. 13, 10115, Berlin, Germany
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9
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Martin ML, Travouillon KJ, Fleming PA, Warburton NM. Review of the methods used for calculating physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) for ecological questions. J Morphol 2020; 281:778-789. [PMID: 32374505 DOI: 10.1002/jmor.21139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
This review examines literature that used physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA) as a representative measure of an individual muscle's maximal isometric force production. PCSA is used to understand the muscle architecture and how a trade-off between muscle force and muscle contractile velocity reflect adaptations of the musculoskeletal system as a reflection of functional demands. Over the decades, methods have been developed to measure muscle volume, fascicle lengths, and pennation angle to calculate PCSA. The advantages and limitations of these methods (especially the inclusion/elimination of pennation angle) are discussed frequently; however, these method descriptions are scattered throughout the literature. Here, we reviewed and summarised the different approaches to collecting and recording muscle architectural properties to subsequently calculate PCSA. By critically discussing the advantages and limitations of each methodology, we aim to provide readers with an overview of repeatable methods to assess muscle architecture. This review may serve as a guide to facilitate readers searching for the appropriate techniques to calculate PCSA and measure muscle architecture to be applied in ecomorphology research. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Discuss the theories behind PCSA in a synthesised review to inform researchers about PCSA methodology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meg L Martin
- Environmental and Conservational Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
| | - Kenny J Travouillon
- Department of Terrestrial Zoology, Western Australian Museum, Welshpool, Australia
| | - Patricia A Fleming
- Environmental and Conservational Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
| | - Natalie M Warburton
- Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Australia
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Nyakatura JA, Baumgarten R, Baum D, Stark H, Youlatos D. Muscle internal structure revealed by contrast-enhanced μCT and fibre recognition: The hindlimb extensors of an arboreal and a fossorial squirrel. Mamm Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2019.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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11
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Böhmer C, Fabre AC, Taverne M, Herbin M, Peigné S, Herrel A. Functional relationship between myology and ecology in carnivores: do forelimb muscles reflect adaptations to prehension? Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blz036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Christine Böhmer
- UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHN, Bâtiment d’Anatomie Comparée, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | | | - Maxime Taverne
- UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHN, Bâtiment d’Anatomie Comparée, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Marc Herbin
- UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHN, Bâtiment d’Anatomie Comparée, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Stéphane Peigné
- UMR 7207 CR 2P, MNHN/CNRS/UPMC, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Anthony Herrel
- UMR 7179 CNRS/MNHN, Bâtiment d’Anatomie Comparée, Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
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12
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Wölfer J, Amson E, Arnold P, Botton-Divet L, Fabre AC, van Heteren AH, Nyakatura JA. Femoral morphology of sciuromorph rodents in light of scaling and locomotor ecology. J Anat 2019; 234:731-747. [PMID: 30957252 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Sciuromorph rodents are a monophyletic group comprising about 300 species with a body mass range spanning three orders of magnitude and various locomotor behaviors that we categorized into arboreal, fossorial and aerial. The purpose of this study was to investigate how the interplay of locomotor ecology and body mass affects the morphology of the sciuromorph locomotor apparatus. The most proximal skeletal element of the hind limb, i.e. the femur, was selected, because it was shown to reflect a functional signal in various mammalian taxa. We analyzed univariate traits (effective femoral length, various robustness variables and the in-levers of the muscles attaching to the greater, third and lesser trochanters) as well as femoral shape, representing a multivariate trait. An ordinary least-squares regression including 177 species was used to test for a significant interaction effect between body mass and locomotor ecology on the variables. Specifically, it tested whether the scaling patterns of the fossorial and aerial groups differ when compared with the arboreal, because the latter was identified as the ancestral sciuromorph condition via stochastic character mapping. We expected aerial species to display the highest trait values for a given body mass as well as the steepest slopes, followed by the arboreal and fossorial species along this order. An Ornstein-Uhlenbeck regression fitted to a phylogenetically pruned dataset of 140 species revealed the phylogenetic inertia to be very low in the univariate traits, hence justifying the utilization of standard regressions. These variables generally scaled close to isometry, suggesting that scaling adjustments might not have played a major role for most of the femoral features. Nevertheless, the low phylogenetic inertia indicates that the observed scaling patterns needed to be maintained during sciuromorph evolution. Significant interaction effects were discovered in the femoral length, the centroid size of the condyles, and the in-levers of the greater and third trochanters. Additionally, adjustments in various femoral traits reflect the acquisitions of fossorial and aerial behaviors from arboreal ancestors. Using sciuromorphs as a focal clade, our findings exemplify the importance of statistically accounting for potential interaction effects of different environmental factors in studies relating morphology to ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Wölfer
- AG Morphologie und Formengeschichte, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Bild Wissen Gestaltung, Ein Interdisziplinäres Labor, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eli Amson
- AG Morphologie und Formengeschichte, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Bild Wissen Gestaltung, Ein Interdisziplinäres Labor, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz-Institut für Evolutions- und Biodiversitätsforschung, Berlin, Germany
| | - Patrick Arnold
- Institut für Anatomie I, Universitätsklinikum Jena, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany.,Institut für Zoologie und Evolutionsforschung, mit Phyletischem Museum, Ernst-Haeckel-Haus und Biologiedidaktik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Jena, Germany.,Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Léo Botton-Divet
- AG Morphologie und Formengeschichte, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,UMR 7179, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Pavillon d'Anatomie Comparée, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Anne-Claire Fabre
- UMR 7179, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Pavillon d'Anatomie Comparée, Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, Paris, France.,Life Sciences Department, The Natural History Museum, London, UK
| | - Anneke H van Heteren
- Sektion Mammalogie, Zoologische Staatssammlung München, Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns, München, Germany.,GeoBio-Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, München, Germany.,Department Biologie II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - John A Nyakatura
- AG Morphologie und Formengeschichte, Institut für Biologie, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Bild Wissen Gestaltung, Ein Interdisziplinäres Labor, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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13
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Sullivan SP, McGechie FR, Middleton KM, Holliday CM. 3D Muscle Architecture of the Pectoral Muscles of European Starling ( Sturnus vulgaris). Integr Org Biol 2019; 1:oby010. [PMID: 33791517 PMCID: PMC7671135 DOI: 10.1093/iob/oby010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Avian flight is achieved through a number of modifications to the body, including the pectoral girdle, yet little is known about the architecture of the pectoral musculature. Muscle architecture is a critical variable in determining the biomechanical function of the vertebrate musculoskeletal system; however, accurate three-dimensional (3D) understanding of muscle architecture has been historically difficult to acquire. Here, we present a musculoskeletal model of a European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) pectoral girdle generated from iodine contrast-enhanced micro-computed-tomography (CT) data and 3D fiber tracking analysis. We used a template-based fiber-tracking algorithm to reconstruct muscle fibers in 3D based on grayscale differences in CT images, which allowed us to estimate fascicle lengths, pennation angles, muscle volumes, and physiological cross-sectional area. Our modeled muscles were qualitatively accurate; however, quantitative muscle architecture data differed between digital and traditional gross-dissection methods reflecting the complex organization of the tissue and differing natures of data collection. We found that model quality is affected by the resolution of CT image data and the fiber-tracking program’s input parameters. Nonetheless, digital fiber tracking offers numerous advantages over gross-dissection methods, most importantly, the ability to visualize and quantify entire muscles in three-dimensions, yielding a much more accurate estimation of whole muscle architecture.
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Affiliation(s)
- S P Sullivan
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - F R McGechie
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - K M Middleton
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - C M Holliday
- Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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