Abstract:
:Bone microstructure has long been known as a powerful tool to investigate lifestyle-related biomechanical constraints, and many studies have focused on identifying such constraints in the limb bones of aquatic or arboreal mammals in recent years. The limb bone microstructure of fossorial mammals, however, has not been extensively described. Furthermore, so far, studies on this subject have always focused on the bone histology of small burrowers, such as subterranean rodents or true moles. Physiological constraints associated with digging, however, are known to be strongly influenced by body size, and larger burrowers are likely to exhibit a histological profile more conspicuously influenced by fossorial activity. Here, we describe for the first time the limb bone histology of the aardvark (Orycteropus afer), the largest extant burrowing mammal. The general pattern is very similar for all six sampled limb bones (i.e., humerus, radius, ulna, femur, tibia, and fibula). Most of the cortex at midshaft is comprised of compacted coarse cancellous bone (CCCB), an endosteal tissue formed in the metaphyses through the compaction of bony trabeculae. Conversely, the periosteal bone is highly resorbed in all sections, and is reduced to a thin outer layer, suggesting a pattern of strong cortical drift. This pattern contrasts with that of most large mammals, in which cortical bone is of mostly periosteal origin, and CCCB, being a very compliant bone tissue type, is usually resorbed or remodeled during ontogeny. The link between histology and muscle attachment sites, as well as the influence of the semi-arid environment and ant-eating habits of the aardvark on its bone microstructure, are discussed. We hypothesize that the unusual histological profile of the aardvark is likely the outcome of physiological constraints due to both extensive digging behavior and strong metabolic restrictions. Adaptations to fossoriality are thus the result of a physiological compromise between limited food availability, an environment with high temperature variability, and the need for biomechanical resistance during digging. These results highlight the difficulties of deciphering all factors potentially involved in bone formation in fossorial mammals. Even though the formation and maintaining of CCCB through ontogeny in the aardvark cannot be unambiguously linked with its fossorial habits, a high amount of CCCB has been observed in the limb bones of other large burrowing mammals. The inclusion of such large burrowers in future histological studies is thus likely to improve our understanding of the functional link between bone growth and fossorial lifestyle in an evolutionary context.
journal_name
PeerJjournal_title
PeerJauthors
Legendre LJ,Botha-Brink Jdoi
10.7717/peerj.5216subject
Has Abstractpub_date
2018-07-11 00:00:00pages
e5216issn
2167-8359pii
5216journal_volume
6pub_type
杂志文章相关文献
PeerJ文献大全abstract::We used qingbo (Spinibarbus sinensis) and Chinese crucian carp (Carassius auratus) to test whether numerical discrimination could be improved by the coexistence and possible cooperation of conspecies or heterospecies. We conducted a spontaneous shoal choice test of singletons, conspecific dyads and heterospecific dyad...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.6619
更新日期:2019-03-11 00:00:00
abstract::In this study, we propose and test a novel ensemble method for improving the accuracy of each method in flood susceptibility mapping using evidential belief function (EBF) and support vector machine (SVM). The outcome of the proposed method was compared with the results of each method. The proposed method was implemen...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.7653
更新日期:2019-10-09 00:00:00
abstract::Seymouria is the best known of the seymouriamorphs, a group of Permo-Carboniferous reptiliomorphs with both terrestrial and aquatic taxa. The majority of research on Seymouria has focused on cranial anatomy, with few detailed descriptions or illustrations of the postcrania. We utilized neutron computed tomography (nCT...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.8698
更新日期:2020-03-10 00:00:00
abstract::Background. Caesarean birth rates in North America continue to rise, in the absence of benefit for mothers and babies. One reason may be that hospitalized labouring women spend most of their labours in recumbent or semi-recumbent positions. Although hands-and-knees position has theoretical advantages, efforts to encou...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.25
更新日期:2013-02-12 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Psilochilus is a poorly studied orchid genus distributed from southern Mexico to south-eastern Brazil. A taxonomic revision of this Neotropical endemic based on morphological data is presented. MATERIAL AND METHODS:Over 170 dried herbarium specimens and flowers preserved in liquid of Psilochilus were analyz...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.2600
更新日期:2016-11-08 00:00:00
abstract::A conglomerate bed from the Tournaisian Ballagan Formation of Scotland preserves a rich array of vertebrate and other nonmarine fossils providing an insight into the wider ecosystem and paleoenvironment that existed during this pivotal stage of Earth history. It challenges hypotheses of a long-lasting post-extinction ...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.5972
更新日期:2019-01-03 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Dengue studies at the urban scale are scarce and required for guiding control efforts. In Brazil, the burden of dengue is high and challenges city public health administrations with limited resources. Here we studied the dynamics of a dengue epidemic in a single city. METHODS:Serum samples from dengue suspe...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.1892
更新日期:2016-04-05 00:00:00
abstract:Background:Hair follicles in cashmere goats are divided into primary and secondary hair follicles (HFs). HF development, which determines the morphological structure, is regulated by a large number of vital genes; however, the key functional genes and their interaction networks are still unclear. Although the vitamin D...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.7230
更新日期:2019-07-03 00:00:00
abstract::N-Acetyl-p-Aminophenol (APAP), also known as acetaminophen, is the most commonly used over-the counter analgesic and antipyretic medication. However, its overdose leads to both liver and kidney damage. APAP-induced toxicity is considered as one of the primary causes of acute liver failure; numerous scientific reports ...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.2127
更新日期:2016-07-07 00:00:00
abstract::The coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi forms some of the largest phytoplankton blooms in the ocean. The rapid demise of these blooms has been linked to viral infections. E. huxleyi abundance, distribution, and nutritional status make them an important food source for the heterotrophic protists which are classified as m...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.6722
更新日期:2019-04-19 00:00:00
abstract::Hydrozoans display the most morphological diversity within the phylum Cnidaria. While recent molecular studies have provided some insights into their evolutionary history, sister group relationships remain mostly unresolved, particularly at mid-taxonomic levels. Specifically, within Hydroidolina, the most speciose hyd...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.1403
更新日期:2015-11-19 00:00:00
abstract::We investigate the survivorship, growth and diet preferences of hatchery-raised juvenile urchins, Tripneustes gratilla, to evaluate the efficacy of their use as biocontrol agents in the efforts to reduce alien invasive algae. In flow-through tanks, we measured urchin growth rates, feeding rates and feeding preferences...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.1235
更新日期:2015-09-15 00:00:00
abstract::The fates of genetic polymorphisms maintained by balancing selection depend on evolutionary dynamics at linked sites. While coevolution across linked, epigenetically-interacting loci has been extensively explored, such supergenes may be relatively rare. However, genes harboring adaptive variation can occur in close ph...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.5110
更新日期:2018-06-28 00:00:00
abstract::Despite decades of research, we still lack a complete understanding of what factors influence the transition of the necessary and adaptive acute stress response to what has become known as chronic stress. This gap in knowledge has illuminated the necessity for studies that examine the thresholds between these two side...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.4961
更新日期:2018-06-06 00:00:00
abstract::In the Mississippi River Basin of North America, invasive bigheaded carp (silver carp Hypophthalmichthys molitrix and bighead carp H. nobilis, also referred to as Asian carp) have spread rapidly over the past several decades. In the Illinois River, an important tributary of the Upper Mississippi River, reproduction ap...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.3641
更新日期:2017-09-14 00:00:00
abstract::Stridulatory signals are involved in conspecific interactions between bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae). In this study, we compared the qualitative profiles of acoustic signals in three species from the genus Polygraphus Er. Sympatry can be periodically observed in two of them -P. proximus and P. su...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.8281
更新日期:2020-01-02 00:00:00
abstract::As the most widely distributed snake in Eurasia, the adder (Vipera berus) has been extensively investigated in Europe but poorly understood in Asia. The Southern Altay Mountains represent the adder's southern distribution limit in Central Asia, whereas its population status has never been assessed. We conducted, for t...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.2342
更新日期:2016-08-16 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:The primary objective of this cross-sectional study was to estimate the crude, seasonal and cull-reason stratified prevalence of Salmonella fecal shedding in cull dairy cattle on seven California dairies. A secondary objective was to estimate and compare the relative sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) for...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.2386
更新日期:2016-08-30 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Aspergillus niger, along with many other lignocellulolytic fungi, has been widely used as a commercial workhorse for cellulase production. A fungal cellulase system generally includes three major classes of enzymes i.e., β-glucosidases, endoglucanases and cellobiohydrolases. Cellobiohydrolases (CBH) are vita...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.3909
更新日期:2017-10-12 00:00:00
abstract::Biological carbon sequestration by forest ecosystems plays an important role in the net balance of greenhouse gases, acting as a carbon sink for anthropogenic CO2 emissions. Nevertheless, relatively little is known about the abiotic environmental factors (including climate) that control carbon storage in temperate and...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.1767
更新日期:2016-03-03 00:00:00
abstract::The impacts of sea-level rise (SLR) are likely to be the greatest for ecosystems that exist at the land-sea interface, where small changes in sea-level could result in drastic changes in habitat availability. Rocky intertidal ecosystems possess a number of characteristics which make them highly vulnerable to changes i...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.9186
更新日期:2020-05-29 00:00:00
abstract::The expansion of moose into southern British Columbia caused the decline and extirpation of woodland caribou due to their shared predators, a process commonly referred to as apparent competition. Using an adaptive management experiment, we tested the hypothesis that reducing moose to historic levels would reduce appar...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.3736
更新日期:2017-08-29 00:00:00
abstract::This article describes or redescribes four hexactinellid sponges, namely Poliopogon amadou, Euplectella sanctipauli sp. nov., Bolosoma perezi sp. nov. and Advhena magnifica gen. et sp. nov. P. amadou, E. sanctipauli sp. nov. and B. perezi sp. nov. represent new findings for the South Atlantic deep-sea fauna, including...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.9431
更新日期:2020-07-09 00:00:00
abstract:BACKGROUND:Invasive species are among the most significant threats to biodiversity. The diet of invasive animal populations is a crucial factor that must be considered in the context of biological invasions. A broad dietary spectrum is a frequently cited characteristic of invasive species, allowing them to thrive in a ...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.3250
更新日期:2017-05-16 00:00:00
abstract::Current ovarian cancer treatment involves chemotherapy that has serious limitations, such as rapid clearance, unfavorable biodistribution and severe side effects. To overcome these limitations, drug delivery systems (DDS) have been developed to encapsulate chemotherapeutics for delivery to tumor cells. However, no sys...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.1489
更新日期:2015-12-10 00:00:00
abstract:Background:Vegetation in the Mongolian Plateau is very sensitive to climate change, which has a significant impact on the regulation of terrestrial carbon cycle. Methods:We analyzed spatio-temporal changes of both growing season and the seasonal Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) using simple linear trend a...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.7735
更新日期:2019-09-30 00:00:00
abstract::Community decline is often linked to anthropogenic activities. Coral reef declines, for example, have been linked to overfishing and climate change, but impacts of coastal development, pollution, and tourism have received increasing attention. Here, we isolated the impact of one little-studied aspect of recreational a...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.7010
更新日期:2019-05-23 00:00:00
abstract::Herein, we identified the tomato SlMYB102 gene as a MYB family transcription factor of the R2R3-MYB subfamily. We additionally determined that the SlMYB102 promoter region contains photoresponsive, abiotic stress-responsive, and hormone-responsive regulatory elements, and we detected higher SlMYB102 expression in the ...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.10059
更新日期:2020-10-07 00:00:00
abstract::A range of diseases is associated with amyloid fibril formation. Despite different proteins being responsible for each disease, all of them share similar features including beta-sheet-rich secondary structure and fibril-like protein aggregates. A number of proteins can form amyloid-like fibrils in vitro, resembling st...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.1271
更新日期:2015-09-24 00:00:00
abstract::We often expect that investigations of the patterns, causes, and consequences of among-individual variation in a trait of interest will reveal how selective pressures or ecological conditions influence that trait. However, many endocrine traits, such as concentrations of glucocorticoid (GC) hormones, exhibit adaptive ...
journal_title:PeerJ
pub_type: 杂志文章
doi:10.7717/peerj.4398
更新日期:2018-02-21 00:00:00