Osteological correlates of evolutionary transitions in cetacean feeding and related oropharyngeal functions
Teeth are often the first structures that anatomists and paleontologists examine to understand the ecology and morphology of feeding, both because teeth are highly specialized structures that provide precise information, and because they are among the best and most commonly preserved fossils. Unfort...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:826bd32bb0e04affb422296fdf4c1864 2023-06-06T11:52:14+02:00 Osteological correlates of evolutionary transitions in cetacean feeding and related oropharyngeal functions Alexander J. Werth Brian L. Beatty 2023-04-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1179804 https://doaj.org/article/826bd32bb0e04affb422296fdf4c1864 EN eng Frontiers Media S.A. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1179804/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-701X 2296-701X doi:10.3389/fevo.2023.1179804 https://doaj.org/article/826bd32bb0e04affb422296fdf4c1864 Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Vol 11 (2023) Cetacea feeding morphology fossil bone Evolution QH359-425 Ecology QH540-549.5 article 2023 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1179804 2023-04-16T00:38:06Z Teeth are often the first structures that anatomists and paleontologists examine to understand the ecology and morphology of feeding, both because teeth are highly specialized structures that provide precise information, and because they are among the best and most commonly preserved fossils. Unfortunately, many fragmentary fossil and recent specimens lack teeth, and some come from edentulous individuals and taxa, as in mysticete (baleen) whales. In our broad comparative review, we survey non-dental osteological features that, due to size, shape, arrangement, and surface features reflecting muscle attachments, provide useful clues to general or specific aspects of prey capture, intraoral transport, processing, or swallowing. We focus on hyoid, palatal, and pterygoid bones, mandibular symphyses and processes such as the coronoid, and the temporal fossa and zygomatic arch, as well as adjacent cranial bones relating to oral and pharyngeal anatomy. These bones relate to muscles of five general locations especially indicative of feeding: mandibular, hyoid, tongue, pharyngeal, and facial regions. Together these bones and muscles affect feeding and related activities including suckling and breathing. We discuss osteological correlates that provide special relevance to key transitions in cetacean evolutionary history, such as the shift from predominantly terrestrial to aquatic feeding, the shift from typical mammalian mastication to swallowing prey entirely or nearly whole, and the separation of respiratory and digestive passages. We also point to examples of modern specialists in these anatomical optima for different modes of prey capture, intraoral transport, processing, and swallowing. Although we focus on cetaceans, our approach is broadly relevant to all vertebrates, notably other marine tetrapods. Article in Journal/Newspaper baleen whales Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Fossa ENVELOPE(9.795,9.795,62.990,62.990) Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 11 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Cetacea feeding morphology fossil bone Evolution QH359-425 Ecology QH540-549.5 |
spellingShingle |
Cetacea feeding morphology fossil bone Evolution QH359-425 Ecology QH540-549.5 Alexander J. Werth Brian L. Beatty Osteological correlates of evolutionary transitions in cetacean feeding and related oropharyngeal functions |
topic_facet |
Cetacea feeding morphology fossil bone Evolution QH359-425 Ecology QH540-549.5 |
description |
Teeth are often the first structures that anatomists and paleontologists examine to understand the ecology and morphology of feeding, both because teeth are highly specialized structures that provide precise information, and because they are among the best and most commonly preserved fossils. Unfortunately, many fragmentary fossil and recent specimens lack teeth, and some come from edentulous individuals and taxa, as in mysticete (baleen) whales. In our broad comparative review, we survey non-dental osteological features that, due to size, shape, arrangement, and surface features reflecting muscle attachments, provide useful clues to general or specific aspects of prey capture, intraoral transport, processing, or swallowing. We focus on hyoid, palatal, and pterygoid bones, mandibular symphyses and processes such as the coronoid, and the temporal fossa and zygomatic arch, as well as adjacent cranial bones relating to oral and pharyngeal anatomy. These bones relate to muscles of five general locations especially indicative of feeding: mandibular, hyoid, tongue, pharyngeal, and facial regions. Together these bones and muscles affect feeding and related activities including suckling and breathing. We discuss osteological correlates that provide special relevance to key transitions in cetacean evolutionary history, such as the shift from predominantly terrestrial to aquatic feeding, the shift from typical mammalian mastication to swallowing prey entirely or nearly whole, and the separation of respiratory and digestive passages. We also point to examples of modern specialists in these anatomical optima for different modes of prey capture, intraoral transport, processing, and swallowing. Although we focus on cetaceans, our approach is broadly relevant to all vertebrates, notably other marine tetrapods. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Alexander J. Werth Brian L. Beatty |
author_facet |
Alexander J. Werth Brian L. Beatty |
author_sort |
Alexander J. Werth |
title |
Osteological correlates of evolutionary transitions in cetacean feeding and related oropharyngeal functions |
title_short |
Osteological correlates of evolutionary transitions in cetacean feeding and related oropharyngeal functions |
title_full |
Osteological correlates of evolutionary transitions in cetacean feeding and related oropharyngeal functions |
title_fullStr |
Osteological correlates of evolutionary transitions in cetacean feeding and related oropharyngeal functions |
title_full_unstemmed |
Osteological correlates of evolutionary transitions in cetacean feeding and related oropharyngeal functions |
title_sort |
osteological correlates of evolutionary transitions in cetacean feeding and related oropharyngeal functions |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
publishDate |
2023 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1179804 https://doaj.org/article/826bd32bb0e04affb422296fdf4c1864 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(9.795,9.795,62.990,62.990) |
geographic |
Fossa |
geographic_facet |
Fossa |
genre |
baleen whales |
genre_facet |
baleen whales |
op_source |
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Vol 11 (2023) |
op_relation |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2023.1179804/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-701X 2296-701X doi:10.3389/fevo.2023.1179804 https://doaj.org/article/826bd32bb0e04affb422296fdf4c1864 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2023.1179804 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
container_volume |
11 |
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1767958082909896704 |