Convergent evolution of forelimb-propelled swimming in seals
Modern pinnipeds (true and eared seals) employ two radically different swimming styles, with true seals (phocids) propelling themselves primarily with their hindlimbs, whereas eared seals (otariids) rely on their wing-like foreflippers. 1 , 2 Current explanations of this functional dichotomy invoke...
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2021
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Online Access: | https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/f73abc57-00aa-483a-8f0a-904f8d1ba933 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.019 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85107301303&partnerID=8YFLogxK http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/LP150100403 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180101797 |
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ftmacquarieunicr:oai:https://researchers.mq.edu.au:publications/f73abc57-00aa-483a-8f0a-904f8d1ba933 2024-10-13T14:08:51+00:00 Convergent evolution of forelimb-propelled swimming in seals Hocking, David P. Marx, Felix G. Wang, Shibo Burton, David Thompson, Mark Park, Travis Burville, Ben Richards, Hazel L. Sattler, Renae Robbins, James Miguez, Roberto Portela Fitzgerald, Erich M. G. Slip, David J. Evans, Alistair R. 2021-06-07 https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/f73abc57-00aa-483a-8f0a-904f8d1ba933 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.019 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85107301303&partnerID=8YFLogxK http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/LP150100403 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180101797 eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Hocking , D P , Marx , F G , Wang , S , Burton , D , Thompson , M , Park , T , Burville , B , Richards , H L , Sattler , R , Robbins , J , Miguez , R P , Fitzgerald , E M G , Slip , D J & Evans , A R 2021 , ' Convergent evolution of forelimb-propelled swimming in seals ' , Current Biology , vol. 31 , no. 11 , pp. 2404-2409.e2 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.019 hydrodynamics computational fluid dynamics Pinnipedia Otariidae Phocidae Monachinae flippers anatomy article 2021 ftmacquarieunicr https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.019 2024-10-03T00:23:12Z Modern pinnipeds (true and eared seals) employ two radically different swimming styles, with true seals (phocids) propelling themselves primarily with their hindlimbs, whereas eared seals (otariids) rely on their wing-like foreflippers. 1 , 2 Current explanations of this functional dichotomy invoke either pinniped diphyly 3–5 or independent colonizations of the ocean by related but still largely terrestrial ancestors. 6–8 Here, we show that pinniped swimming styles form an anatomical, functional, and behavioral continuum, within which adaptations for forelimb swimming can arise directly from a hindlimb-propelled bauplan. Within phocids, southern seals (monachines) show a convergent trend toward wing-like, hydrodynamically efficient forelimbs used for propulsion during slow swimming, turning, bursts of speed, or when initiating movement. This condition is most evident in leopard seals, which have well-integrated foreflippers with little digit mobility, reduced claws, and hydrodynamic characteristics comparable to those of forelimb-propelled otariids. Using monachines as a model, we suggest that the last common ancestor of modern seals may have been hindlimb-propelled and aquatically adapted, thus resolving the apparent contradiction at the root of pinniped evolution. Article in Journal/Newspaper Leopard Seals Macquarie University Research Portal Current Biology 31 11 2404 2409.e2 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Macquarie University Research Portal |
op_collection_id |
ftmacquarieunicr |
language |
English |
topic |
hydrodynamics computational fluid dynamics Pinnipedia Otariidae Phocidae Monachinae flippers anatomy |
spellingShingle |
hydrodynamics computational fluid dynamics Pinnipedia Otariidae Phocidae Monachinae flippers anatomy Hocking, David P. Marx, Felix G. Wang, Shibo Burton, David Thompson, Mark Park, Travis Burville, Ben Richards, Hazel L. Sattler, Renae Robbins, James Miguez, Roberto Portela Fitzgerald, Erich M. G. Slip, David J. Evans, Alistair R. Convergent evolution of forelimb-propelled swimming in seals |
topic_facet |
hydrodynamics computational fluid dynamics Pinnipedia Otariidae Phocidae Monachinae flippers anatomy |
description |
Modern pinnipeds (true and eared seals) employ two radically different swimming styles, with true seals (phocids) propelling themselves primarily with their hindlimbs, whereas eared seals (otariids) rely on their wing-like foreflippers. 1 , 2 Current explanations of this functional dichotomy invoke either pinniped diphyly 3–5 or independent colonizations of the ocean by related but still largely terrestrial ancestors. 6–8 Here, we show that pinniped swimming styles form an anatomical, functional, and behavioral continuum, within which adaptations for forelimb swimming can arise directly from a hindlimb-propelled bauplan. Within phocids, southern seals (monachines) show a convergent trend toward wing-like, hydrodynamically efficient forelimbs used for propulsion during slow swimming, turning, bursts of speed, or when initiating movement. This condition is most evident in leopard seals, which have well-integrated foreflippers with little digit mobility, reduced claws, and hydrodynamic characteristics comparable to those of forelimb-propelled otariids. Using monachines as a model, we suggest that the last common ancestor of modern seals may have been hindlimb-propelled and aquatically adapted, thus resolving the apparent contradiction at the root of pinniped evolution. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hocking, David P. Marx, Felix G. Wang, Shibo Burton, David Thompson, Mark Park, Travis Burville, Ben Richards, Hazel L. Sattler, Renae Robbins, James Miguez, Roberto Portela Fitzgerald, Erich M. G. Slip, David J. Evans, Alistair R. |
author_facet |
Hocking, David P. Marx, Felix G. Wang, Shibo Burton, David Thompson, Mark Park, Travis Burville, Ben Richards, Hazel L. Sattler, Renae Robbins, James Miguez, Roberto Portela Fitzgerald, Erich M. G. Slip, David J. Evans, Alistair R. |
author_sort |
Hocking, David P. |
title |
Convergent evolution of forelimb-propelled swimming in seals |
title_short |
Convergent evolution of forelimb-propelled swimming in seals |
title_full |
Convergent evolution of forelimb-propelled swimming in seals |
title_fullStr |
Convergent evolution of forelimb-propelled swimming in seals |
title_full_unstemmed |
Convergent evolution of forelimb-propelled swimming in seals |
title_sort |
convergent evolution of forelimb-propelled swimming in seals |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/f73abc57-00aa-483a-8f0a-904f8d1ba933 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.019 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85107301303&partnerID=8YFLogxK http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/LP150100403 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DP180101797 |
genre |
Leopard Seals |
genre_facet |
Leopard Seals |
op_source |
Hocking , D P , Marx , F G , Wang , S , Burton , D , Thompson , M , Park , T , Burville , B , Richards , H L , Sattler , R , Robbins , J , Miguez , R P , Fitzgerald , E M G , Slip , D J & Evans , A R 2021 , ' Convergent evolution of forelimb-propelled swimming in seals ' , Current Biology , vol. 31 , no. 11 , pp. 2404-2409.e2 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.019 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.03.019 |
container_title |
Current Biology |
container_volume |
31 |
container_issue |
11 |
container_start_page |
2404 |
op_container_end_page |
2409.e2 |
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1812815627280187392 |