How to build your dragon: scaling of muscle architecture from the world's smallest to the world's largest monitor lizard

Frontiers in Zoology
Taylor J M Dick, Christofer J Clemente

Abstract

The functional design of skeletal muscles is shaped by conflicting selective pressures between support and propulsion, which becomes even more important as animals get larger. If larger animals were geometrically scaled up versions of smaller animals, increases in body size would cause an increase in musculoskeletal stress, a result of the greater scaling of mass in comparison to area. In large animals these stresses would come dangerously close to points of failure. By examining the architecture of 22 hindlimb muscles in 27 individuals from 9 species of varanid lizards ranging from the tiny 7.6 g Varanus brevicauda to the giant 40 kg Varanus komodoensis, we present a comprehensive dataset on the scaling of musculoskeletal architecture in monitor lizards (varanids), providing information about the phylogenetic constraints and adaptations of locomotor muscles in sprawling tetrapods. Scaling results for muscle mass, pennation and physiological cross-sectional area (PCSA), all suggest that larger varanids increase the relative force-generating capacity of femur adductors, knee flexors and ankle plantarflexors, with scaling exponents greater than geometric similarity predicts. Thus varanids mitigate the size-related increases in st...Continue Reading

References

Jun 22, 1990·Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Containing Papers of a Biological Character·A S Gaunt, C Gans
Nov 23, 1990·Science·A A Biewener
Apr 1, 1987·Journal of Morphology·C Gans, F de Vree
Mar 23, 1973·Science·T McMahon
Dec 1, 1984·Journal of Applied Physiology: Respiratory, Environmental and Exercise Physiology·P L PowellV R Edgerton
Aug 1, 1982·Journal of Morphology·R D Sacks, R R Roy
Jan 1, 1993·Calcified Tissue International·A A Biewener
Oct 31, 2000·Muscle & Nerve·R L Lieber, J Fridén
Jul 1, 1954·The American Journal of Anatomy·R C SNYDER
Oct 29, 2003·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Stephen M Reilly, Richard W Blob
Jan 22, 2004·Bioinformatics·Emmanuel ParadisKorbinian Strimmer
Apr 28, 2005·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Andrew A Biewener
Jun 2, 2005·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Clive N G TruemanStephen Wroe
Jun 18, 2005·Journal of Anatomy·R C PayneA M Wilson
Jul 1, 2008·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Carolyn M EngRichard L Lieber
Aug 23, 2008·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Chris S M TurneyNeil Ogle
Aug 26, 2011·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Christofer J ClementeDavid Lloyd
Apr 13, 2012·Physiological and Biochemical Zoology : PBZ·Christofer J ClementeGraham Thompson
Nov 2, 2013·Nature Communications·Christofer J Clemente, Christopher Richards
Nov 22, 2013·PloS One·Brandon M Kilbourne, Louwrens C Hoffman

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jan 12, 2017·PLoS Biology·Taylor J M Dick, Christofer J Clemente
Feb 15, 2018·Nature Communications·Joshuah K StolaroffDaniel Ceperley
Jun 10, 2019·The Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology·Fernanda Bribiesca-ContrerasWilliam I Sellers
Feb 9, 2018·The Anatomical Record : Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology·Christine BöhmerAnthony Herrel
Apr 27, 2021·Frontiers in Physiology·Stephanie A RossJames M Wakeling
Jun 9, 2021·The Journal of Experimental Biology·John R Hutchinson
Sep 30, 2021·Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·Stephanie A Ross, James M Wakeling
Dec 16, 2021·PeerJ·Peter J BishopStephanie E Pierce

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Datasets Mentioned

BETA
SF009075

Software Mentioned

SMATR package
RMA
GAST
phytools
Ape
Phylo
phytools package
R

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.