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Guineafowl hind limb function. II: Electromyographic analysis and motor pattern evolution.

Stephen M Gatesy1

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.

Journal of Morphology
|June 1, 2018
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Helmeted guineafowl hind limb neuromuscular control involves hip extensor activity for stability and knee flexion. Bird hind limb motor patterns show significant evolutionary novelties compared to ancestral reptiles.

Keywords:
ArchosauriaAvesLocomotionbipedalismelectromyographymotor pattern

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Area of Science:

  • Comparative biomechanics
  • Evolutionary biology
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Understanding hind limb function is crucial for analyzing locomotion.
  • Neuromuscular control varies significantly across vertebrate lineages.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the neuromuscular control of the helmeted guineafowl hind limb during locomotion.
  • To compare hind limb motor patterns across lizards, crocodilians, and birds to infer evolutionary changes.

Main Methods:

  • Simultaneous electromyography (EMG) and cineradiography were used to record muscle activity and limb movement.
  • Activity from 16 muscle heads representing 14 hip and knee muscles was analyzed.
  • Hind limb motor patterns were compared to those of lizards and crocodilians, using a cladogram to reconstruct ancestral patterns.

Main Results:

  • During stance phase, hip extensors provided stability against ground reaction forces, while knee flexion was controlled by coactive antagonists.
  • Helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris) hind limb motor patterns differed from reconstructed ancestral saurian patterns in at least four muscles.
  • Lizards exhibited conservative muscle activity, while crocodilians resembled the reconstructed archosaur ancestor in most hind limb motor patterns.

Conclusions:

  • Evolutionary novelties in saurian hind limb motor patterns primarily arose in the lineage leading to birds.
  • Neuromuscular control of the guineafowl hind limb reflects adaptations specific to avian locomotion.
  • Comparative analysis reveals significant divergence in hind limb motor control from reptilian ancestors to modern birds.