Cephalic morphology of Pythonichthys macrurus (Heterenchelyidae: Anguilliformes): specializations for head‐first burrowing
Abstract The Heterenchelyidae, a family of Anguilliformes, are highly specialized fossorial eels. This study was conducted to evaluate the cranial specialization in relation to head‐first burrowing behavior in the heterenchelyid, Pythonichthys macrurus . Thereby, detailed descriptions are provided o...
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crwiley:10.1002/jmor.10852 2024-06-23T07:45:33+00:00 Cephalic morphology of Pythonichthys macrurus (Heterenchelyidae: Anguilliformes): specializations for head‐first burrowing Eagderi, Soheil Adriaens, Dominique 2010 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jmor.10852 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fjmor.10852 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jmor.10852 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Journal of Morphology volume 271, issue 9, page 1053-1065 ISSN 0362-2525 1097-4687 journal-article 2010 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.10852 2024-06-13T04:24:12Z Abstract The Heterenchelyidae, a family of Anguilliformes, are highly specialized fossorial eels. This study was conducted to evaluate the cranial specialization in relation to head‐first burrowing behavior in the heterenchelyid, Pythonichthys macrurus . Thereby, detailed descriptions are provided of the cranial myology and osteology of P. macrurus and its differences with that of representatives of three families: the Moringuidae ( Moringua edwardsi ), a head‐first burrower; the Anguillidae ( Anguilla anguilla ), a nonburrowing representative and the Ophichthidae ( Pisodonophis boro ), a head and tail‐first burrower. This comparison may help to get a better understanding of the cranial specialization of head‐first burrowers in heterenchelyids and moringuids. We recognize as morphological adaptations to burrowing: reduced eye size, a caudoventral orientation of the anteromedial section of the adductor mandibulae muscle complex, the posterior position of the quadrate‐mandibular joint, a solid conical skull, large insertion sites of epaxial and hypaxial muscle on the neurocranium, a widened cephalic lateral line canals extending into the dermal cavities, and a ventral position of the gill opening. J. Morphol. 271:1053‐1065, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Article in Journal/Newspaper Anguilla anguilla Wiley Online Library Journal of Morphology 271 9 1053 1065 |
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English |
description |
Abstract The Heterenchelyidae, a family of Anguilliformes, are highly specialized fossorial eels. This study was conducted to evaluate the cranial specialization in relation to head‐first burrowing behavior in the heterenchelyid, Pythonichthys macrurus . Thereby, detailed descriptions are provided of the cranial myology and osteology of P. macrurus and its differences with that of representatives of three families: the Moringuidae ( Moringua edwardsi ), a head‐first burrower; the Anguillidae ( Anguilla anguilla ), a nonburrowing representative and the Ophichthidae ( Pisodonophis boro ), a head and tail‐first burrower. This comparison may help to get a better understanding of the cranial specialization of head‐first burrowers in heterenchelyids and moringuids. We recognize as morphological adaptations to burrowing: reduced eye size, a caudoventral orientation of the anteromedial section of the adductor mandibulae muscle complex, the posterior position of the quadrate‐mandibular joint, a solid conical skull, large insertion sites of epaxial and hypaxial muscle on the neurocranium, a widened cephalic lateral line canals extending into the dermal cavities, and a ventral position of the gill opening. J. Morphol. 271:1053‐1065, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Eagderi, Soheil Adriaens, Dominique |
spellingShingle |
Eagderi, Soheil Adriaens, Dominique Cephalic morphology of Pythonichthys macrurus (Heterenchelyidae: Anguilliformes): specializations for head‐first burrowing |
author_facet |
Eagderi, Soheil Adriaens, Dominique |
author_sort |
Eagderi, Soheil |
title |
Cephalic morphology of Pythonichthys macrurus (Heterenchelyidae: Anguilliformes): specializations for head‐first burrowing |
title_short |
Cephalic morphology of Pythonichthys macrurus (Heterenchelyidae: Anguilliformes): specializations for head‐first burrowing |
title_full |
Cephalic morphology of Pythonichthys macrurus (Heterenchelyidae: Anguilliformes): specializations for head‐first burrowing |
title_fullStr |
Cephalic morphology of Pythonichthys macrurus (Heterenchelyidae: Anguilliformes): specializations for head‐first burrowing |
title_full_unstemmed |
Cephalic morphology of Pythonichthys macrurus (Heterenchelyidae: Anguilliformes): specializations for head‐first burrowing |
title_sort |
cephalic morphology of pythonichthys macrurus (heterenchelyidae: anguilliformes): specializations for head‐first burrowing |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jmor.10852 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Fjmor.10852 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/jmor.10852 |
genre |
Anguilla anguilla |
genre_facet |
Anguilla anguilla |
op_source |
Journal of Morphology volume 271, issue 9, page 1053-1065 ISSN 0362-2525 1097-4687 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.10852 |
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Journal of Morphology |
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271 |
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9 |
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1053 |
op_container_end_page |
1065 |
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1802640778462232576 |