Fossorial adaptations in African mole-rats (Bathyergidae) and the unique appendicular phenotype of naked mole-rats

dc.contributor.authorMontoya-Sanhueza, German
dc.contributor.authorSaffa, Gabriel
dc.contributor.authorSumbera, Radim
dc.contributor.authorChinsamy, Anusuya
dc.contributor.authorJarvis, Jennifer U.M.
dc.contributor.authorBennett, Nigel Charles
dc.date.accessioned2023-05-16T04:43:46Z
dc.date.available2023-05-16T04:43:46Z
dc.date.issued2022-06-01
dc.descriptionDATA AVAILABILITY: All the data generated and analysed in this study are included in this published article and its supplementary information files.en_US
dc.descriptionCODE AVAILABILITY: The code for all analyses is available at: https://github.com/gabrielsaffa/african_mole_rats.en_US
dc.description.abstractLife underground has constrained the evolution of subterranean mammals to maximize digging performance. However, the mechanisms modulating morphological change and development of fossorial adaptations in such taxa are still poorly known. We assessed the morpho-functional diversity and early postnatal development of fossorial adaptations (bone superstructures) in the appendicular system of the African mole-rats (Bathyergidae), a highly specialized subterranean rodent family. Although bathyergids can use claws or incisors for digging, all genera presented highly specialized bone superstructures associated with scratch-digging behavior. Surprisingly, Heterocephalus glaber differed substantially from other bathyergids, and from fossorial mammals by possessing a less specialized humerus, tibia and fibula. Our data suggest strong functional and developmental constraints driving the selection of limb specializations in most bathyergids, but more relaxed pressures acting on the limbs of H. glaber. A combination of historical, developmental and ecological factors in Heterocephalus are hypothesized to have played important roles in shaping its appendicular phenotype.en_US
dc.description.departmentMammal Research Instituteen_US
dc.description.departmentZoology and Entomologyen_US
dc.description.librarianam2023en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipFinancial support for the research trip to Kenya of J.U.M.J. was provided by The National Geographic Society, whereas funding support for the maintenance of the original NMR colonies was provided by the University of Cape Town and the South African National Research Foundation (NRF). DST-NRF is acknowledged for the financial support to establish the MIXRAD micro-focus X-ray tomography facility at Necsa.en_US
dc.description.urihttps://www.nature.com/commsbioen_US
dc.identifier.citationMontoya-Sanhueza, G., Šaffa, G., Šumbera, R. et al. Fossorial adaptations in African mole-rats (Bathyergidae) and the unique appendicular phenotype of naked mole-rats. Communications Biology 5, 526 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-03480-z.en_US
dc.identifier.issn2399-3642
dc.identifier.other10.1038/s42003-022-03480-z
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/90694
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherNature Researchen_US
dc.rights© The Author(s) 2022. Open Access. This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.en_US
dc.subjectBiomechanicsen_US
dc.subjectBone developmenten_US
dc.subjectEvolutionary theoryen_US
dc.subjectAfrican mole-rats (Bathyergidae)en_US
dc.subjectNaked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber)en_US
dc.subjectFossorial adaptationen_US
dc.titleFossorial adaptations in African mole-rats (Bathyergidae) and the unique appendicular phenotype of naked mole-ratsen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US

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