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Does the Morphology of the Forelimb Flexor Muscles Differ Between Lizards Using Different Habitats?
Aurélien Lowie1, Anthony Herrel1, Virginia Abdala2
1UMR 7179, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Mécadev, 57 rue Cuvier, CP 55, Paris cedex 5, 75231, France.
Anatomical Record (Hoboken, N.J. : 2007)
|February 9, 2018
Summary
Lizard habitat use influences forelimb muscle morphology. Arboreal lizards show larger wrist flexor muscles, aiding in climbing, though this difference is not significant when considering evolutionary relationships.
Area of Science:
- Comparative anatomy
- Functional morphology
- Evolutionary biology
Background:
- Lizards inhabit diverse ecological niches, making them ideal for studying habitat's impact on morphology.
- Forelimb muscle adaptations are crucial for locomotion and survival in various environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if habitat use (arboreal vs. non-arboreal) affects the morphology of lizard forelimb flexor muscles.
- To quantify physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA), fiber length, and mass of key flexor muscles.
Main Methods:
- Dissections of forelimb flexor muscles from 21 lizard species.
- Quantification of muscle physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA), fiber length, and mass.
- Comparative analysis between arboreal and non-arboreal lizard ecologies.
Main Results:
- The m. flexor carpi radialis showed a larger PCSA in arboreal lizards compared to non-arboreal species.
- This difference in PCSA was not statistically significant after accounting for phylogenetic relationships.
- No significant differences were found in other studied flexor muscles between ecologies.
Conclusions:
- Habitat use, specifically arboreality, may influence the wrist flexor muscle size in lizards, potentially enhancing climbing ability.
- Phylogenetic history might play a role in masking or influencing observed morphological differences.
- Further research on limb anatomy and arboreal behavior is needed to fully understand adaptive constraints.
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