Communications Biology (Jul 2021)

Serial disparity in the carnivoran backbone unveils a complex adaptive role in metameric evolution

  • Borja Figueirido,
  • Alberto Martín-Serra,
  • Alejandro Pérez-Ramos,
  • David Velasco,
  • Francisco J. Pastor,
  • Roger J. Benson

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-02346-0
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 1
pp. 1 – 15

Abstract

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Figueirido et al. use a 3D geometric morphometric approach to study functional among-species disparity in the vertebral column of Carnivora, as well as assessing the effect of different sampling methods on homology. Disparity is generally higher in more caudal regions, compared to more cranial regions, but recruitment for locomotor function is pervasive throughout the whole studied column.