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On caudal prehensility and phylogenetic constraint in lizards: The influence of ancestral anatomy on function inCorucia andFurcifer by Kevin C. Zippel; Richard E. Glor; John E.A. Bertram is a Environmental Science article available to read on EtoBox.

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We examined caudal anatomy in two species of prehensiletailed lizards, Furcifer pardalis and Corucia zebrata. Although both species use their tails to grasp, each relies on a strikingly different anatomy to do so. The underlying anatomies appear to reflect phylogenetic constraints on the consequent functional mechanisms. Caudal autotomy is presumably the ancestral condition for lizards and is allowed by a complex system of interdigitating muscle segments. The immediate ancestor of chameleons was nonautotomous and did not possess this specialized anatomy; consequently, the derived arrangement in the chameleon tail is unique among lizards. The limb functions as an articulated linkage system with long tendinous bands originating from longitudinal muscles to directly manipulate vertebrae. Corucia is incapable of autotomy, but it is immediately derived from autotomous ancestors. As such, it has evolved a biomechanical system for prehension quite different from that of chameleons. The caudal anatomy in Corucia is very similar to that of lizards with autotomous tails, yet distinct differences in the ancestral pattern and its relationship to the subdermal tunic are derived. Instead of the

Who reads On caudal prehensility and phylogenetic constraint in lizards: The influence of ancestral anatomy on function inCorucia andFurcifer?

Author

Kevin C. Zippel; Richard E. Glor; John E.A. Bertram

Publisher

John Wiley and Sons; Wiley (John Wiley & Sons); John Wiley & Sons Inc.; Wiley (ISSN 0362-2525)

Published

1999

Language

EN

Field

Environmental Science (Physical Sciences)