Comparative limb bone scaling in turtles: Phylogenetic transitions with changes in functional demands?

Journal of Morphology
Vanessa K Hilliard YoungRichard W Blob

Abstract

Several terrestrial vertebrate clades include lineages that have evolved nearly exclusive use of aquatic habitats. In many cases, such transitions are associated with the evolution of flattened limbs that are used to swim via dorsoventral flapping. Such changes in shape may have been facilitated by changes in limb bone loading in novel aquatic environments. Studies on limb bone loading in turtles found that torsion is high relative to bending loads on land, but reduced compared to bending during aquatic rowing. Release from torsion among rowers could have facilitated the evolution of hydrodynamically advantageous flattened limbs among aquatic species. Because rowing is regarded as an intermediate locomotor stage between walking and flapping, rowing species might show limb bone flattening intermediate between the tubular shapes of walkers and the flattened shapes of flappers. We collected measurements of humeri and femora from specimens representing four functionally divergent turtle clades: sea turtles (marine flappers), softshells (specialized freshwater rowers), emydids (generalist semiaquatic rowers), and tortoises (terrestrial walkers). Patterns of limb bone scaling with size were compared across lineages using phylogenetic...Continue Reading

References

Oct 29, 2000·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·J A Walker, M W Westneat
Aug 29, 2001·Bioinformatics·J P Huelsenbeck, F Ronquist
Nov 27, 2002·Evolution; International Journal of Organic Evolution·Lindell BromhamAndrew Rambaut
Oct 8, 2003·Systematic Biology·Stéphane Guindon, Olivier Gascuel
Mar 23, 2004·Nucleic Acids Research·Robert C Edgar
Dec 21, 2004·Nucleic Acids Research·Dennis A BensonDavid L Wheeler
May 9, 2006·Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution·Minh LeLisa Mertz
Apr 1, 2008·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Michael T Butcher, Richard W Blob
Jun 28, 2012·Zeitschrift Für Angewandte Ichthyologie = Journal of Applied Ichthyology·By Paula MabeeMonte Westerfield
Aug 1, 2012·Nature Methods·Diego DarribaDavid Posada
Mar 24, 2016·Molecular Biology and Evolution·Sudhir KumarKoichiro Tamura
Jan 27, 2017·Biology Letters·Vanessa K Hilliard YoungRichard W Blob
Sep 9, 2017·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Vanessa K H YoungRichard W Blob

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.