Variation in the Jaw Musculature of Ratsnakes and Their Allies (Serpentes: Colubridae)
Snakes have a highly modified feeding apparatus. However, its associated musculature is often poorly known. In order to study variation in the cephalic musculature, we dissected specimens representing 28 snake species belonging to the New World clade Lampropeltini and their Old World relatives. The...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Diversity |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/5/628 |
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| author | Bartosz Borczyk Tomasz Skawiński |
| author_facet | Bartosz Borczyk Tomasz Skawiński |
| author_sort | Bartosz Borczyk |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Snakes have a highly modified feeding apparatus. However, its associated musculature is often poorly known. In order to study variation in the cephalic musculature, we dissected specimens representing 28 snake species belonging to the New World clade Lampropeltini and their Old World relatives. The observed variation was analysed using a phylogenetic framework. We found that the pattern of their musculature is conservative. We observed no interspecific variation in the intermandibular muscles or in the posterior jaw adductors. Variation within the dorsal constrictors and lateral jaw adductors is relatively low. This could be explained by morphological (space) limitations and functional constraints. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:58:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e2e7ba6f0c5f46d2abb8b11cfa939cf3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T10:58:40Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Diversity |
| spelling | doaj.art-e2e7ba6f0c5f46d2abb8b11cfa939cf32023-12-01T01:27:31ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182023-05-0115562810.3390/d15050628Variation in the Jaw Musculature of Ratsnakes and Their Allies (Serpentes: Colubridae)Bartosz Borczyk0Tomasz Skawiński1Department of Evolutionary Biology and Conservation of Vertebrates, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335 Wrocław, PolandMuseum of Natural History, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Wrocław, Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335 Wrocław, PolandSnakes have a highly modified feeding apparatus. However, its associated musculature is often poorly known. In order to study variation in the cephalic musculature, we dissected specimens representing 28 snake species belonging to the New World clade Lampropeltini and their Old World relatives. The observed variation was analysed using a phylogenetic framework. We found that the pattern of their musculature is conservative. We observed no interspecific variation in the intermandibular muscles or in the posterior jaw adductors. Variation within the dorsal constrictors and lateral jaw adductors is relatively low. This could be explained by morphological (space) limitations and functional constraints.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/5/628anatomycomparative morphologyevolutionmyologysnakes |
| spellingShingle | Bartosz Borczyk Tomasz Skawiński Variation in the Jaw Musculature of Ratsnakes and Their Allies (Serpentes: Colubridae) Diversity anatomy comparative morphology evolution myology snakes |
| title | Variation in the Jaw Musculature of Ratsnakes and Their Allies (Serpentes: Colubridae) |
| title_full | Variation in the Jaw Musculature of Ratsnakes and Their Allies (Serpentes: Colubridae) |
| title_fullStr | Variation in the Jaw Musculature of Ratsnakes and Their Allies (Serpentes: Colubridae) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Variation in the Jaw Musculature of Ratsnakes and Their Allies (Serpentes: Colubridae) |
| title_short | Variation in the Jaw Musculature of Ratsnakes and Their Allies (Serpentes: Colubridae) |
| title_sort | variation in the jaw musculature of ratsnakes and their allies serpentes colubridae |
| topic | anatomy comparative morphology evolution myology snakes |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/5/628 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bartoszborczyk variationinthejawmusculatureofratsnakesandtheiralliesserpentescolubridae AT tomaszskawinski variationinthejawmusculatureofratsnakesandtheiralliesserpentescolubridae |