A new study by Smyth and colleagues identifies pterosaur trackmakers and shows that several lineages of Jurassic and Cretaceous pterosaurs independently evolved to thrive in terrestrial ecosystems, foraging on foot rather than on the wing!
https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822%2825%2900446-4
#science #paleontology #pterosaurs #pterodactyl #mesozoic #reptiles #paleoecology #ecology #locomotion #functionalmorphology
#Spinosaurus living up to its name - elongate neural spine on a distal caudal vertebra.
#dinosaurs #paleontology #fossil #science #functionalmorphology
#NewPaper #Zoology #FunctionalMorphology
Edwin Dickinson, Melody W. Young, Nicholas D. Flaim, Aleksander Sawiec and Michael C. Granatosky (2023)
A functional framework for interpreting phalangeal form
Journal of The Royal Society Interface 20(205): 20230251
doi: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2023.0251
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2023.0251
@sieri I wonder how size influences their capacity to reach this state of "getting enough lift from wind without moving"...
You mostly see relatively big birds (prey birds) do it, but I think that's more for ecological reasons (looking for preys).
It would be nice to have an aerodynamic breakdown of the interactions of morphology, mass, and lift.
#ecology #FunctionalMorphology #birds #ReflectingAboutStuff #Aerodynamics
#NewPaper #Paleontology #FunctionalMorphology
Gônet, J., Laurin, M., & Hutchinson, J. R. (2023). Evolution of posture in amniotes–Diving into the trabecular architecture of the femoral head. Journal of Evolutionary Biology, 00, 1– 16. https://doi.org/10.1111/jeb.14187
#NewPaper #Paleontology #Paleoanthropology #FunctionalMorphology
Ashleigh L. A. Wiseman (2023)
Three-dimensional volumetric muscle reconstruction of the Australopithecus afarensis pelvis and limb, with estimations of limb leverage
Royal Society Open Science 10(6): 230356
In his #JEB100 ECR Spotlight V. David Munteanu talks about his work on the strain in limb bones of #iguanas as they navigate different terrains and how rewarding it was to be involved in every step of the research process
https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/226/10/jeb246069/310722
Read the full article here
https://journals.biologists.com/jeb/article/226/10/jeb245175/310723
#NewPaper #Herpetology #FunctionalMorphology
Graham Turnbull, Sutejas Chari, Zehao Li, Ziyue Yang, Catharina Maria Alam, Christofer J Clemente & Parvez Alam (2023)
The influence of claw morphology on gripping efficiency
Biology Open 12(5): bio059874.
doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/bio.059874
https://journals.biologists.com/bio/article/12/5/bio059874/310404/The-influence-of-claw-morphology-on-gripping
#NewPaper #Paleontology #Paleomammalogy #FunctionalMorphology
Tseng, Z. Jack, Garcia-Lara Sergio, Flynn John J., Holmes Emily, Rowe Timothy B. and Dickson Blake V. 2023A switch in jaw form–function coupling during the evolution of mammalsPhil. Trans. R. Soc. B3782022009120220091
http://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2022.0091
#NewPaper #Herpetology #FunctionalMorphology
Jordan Gônet, Jérémie Bardin, Marc Girondot, John R Hutchinson & Michel Laurin (2023)
Deciphering locomotion in reptiles: application of elliptic Fourier transforms to femoral microanatomy
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, zlad006
doi: https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad006
https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/advance-article/doi/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlad006/7151257
#NewPaper #Paleontology #Paleomammalogy #Mammalogy #FunctionalMorphology
Marcos D Ercoli, Alicia Álvarez, Natalie M Warburton, Christine M Janis, Elena G Potapova, Susan W Herring, Guillermo H Cassini, Juliana Tarquini, Alexander Kuznetsov, Myology of the masticatory apparatus of herbivorous mammals and a novel classification for a better understanding of herbivore diversity, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2023;, zlac102, https://doi.org/10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac102
#NewPaper #Ornithology #FunctionalMorphology
Anand Krishnan; Biomechanics illuminates form–function relationships in bird bills. J Exp Biol 25 April 2023; 226 (Suppl_1): jeb245171. doi: https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.245171
#NewPaper #Paleontology #Dinosaurs #FunctionalMorphology
Qin, Z., Liao, CC., Benton, M.J. et al. Functional space analyses reveal the function and evolution of the most bizarre theropod manual unguals. Commun Biol 6, 181 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-023-04552-4
#NewPaper #Paleontology #Paleomammalogy #FunctionalMorphology
Gônet, J., Bardin, J., Girondot, M. et al. Unravelling the postural diversity of mammals: Contribution of humeral cross-sections to palaeobiological inferences. J Mammal Evol (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10914-023-09652-w
#NewPaper #Mammalogy #FunctionalMorphology
Daichi Nakai & Shin-ichi Fujiwara (2023)
Fossorial mammals emphasise the forelimb muscle moment arms used for digging: New indices for reconstruction of the digging ability and behaviours in extinct taxa
Journal of Anatomy (advance online publication)
doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.13815
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joa.13815
#NewPaper #Paleontology #Dinosaurs #FunctionalMorphology
Dempsey Matthew, Maidment Susannah C. R., Hedrick Brandon P. and Bates Karl T. 2023Convergent evolution of quadrupedality in ornithischian dinosaurs was achieved through disparate forelimb muscle mechanicsProc. R. Soc. B.2902022243520222435
http://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.2435
#NewPaper #Paleontology #Theropoda #FunctionalMorphology
Henderson, D.M. Growth constraints set an upper limit to theropod dinosaur body size. Sci Nat 110, 4 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-023-01832-1
#NewPaper #Paleontology #FossilReptiles #FunctionalMorphology
Oliver E. Demuth, Ashleigh L. A. Wiseman and John R. Hutchinson (2023)
Quantitative biomechanical assessment of locomotor capabilities of the stem archosaur Euparkeria capensis
Royal Society Open Science 10(1): 221195
doi: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.221195
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.221195
#NewPaper #Mammalogy #FunctionalMorphology
Annika Avedik, Maria J. Duque-Correa & Marcus Clauss (2023)
Avoiding the lockdown: Morphological facilitation of transversal chewing movements in mammals
Journal of Morphology 284(2): e21554
doi: https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.21554
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jmor.21554
Free pdf:
#NewPaper #Paleontology #Dinosaurs #Theropoda #FunctionalMorphology
Aranciaga Rolando, A. M., Novas, F. E., Calvo, J. O., Porfiri, J. D., Dos Santos, D. D., & Lamanna, M. C. (2023). Reconstruction of the pectoral girdle and forelimb musculature of Megaraptora (Dinosauria: Theropoda). The Anatomical Record, 1– 20. https://doi.org/10.1002/ar.25128
