Publications [#69193] of Adam Hartstone Ros
search PubMed.Papers Presented/Symposia/Abstracts
- Hartstone-Rose A, Perry JMG, Comparative anatomy of the felid masticatory system,
The Anatomical Record
(2007)
(last updated on 2008/03/19)Abstract:
While all cats (Felidae) are carnivorous, some are strictly flesh eaters whereas others also consume hard tissues. We looked for these behavioral signals in the masticatory anatomy through dissection of nine cat species in five genera ranging from 4-200 kg. We recorded the weight of each of the mandibular adductors of 17 specimens. Muscles were chemically dissected to calculate fiber length and physiological cross-sectional area. Extensive craniodental data were also collected. The chewing muscles are remarkably simple, lacking the elaborate compartmentalization seen in some mammalian lineages. This is probably related to the fact that cats generally chew only in the vertical plane. Along with bony constraints, the zygomaticomandibularis likely stabilizes the jaw joint against mandibular protraction, perhaps replacing the lateral pterygoid which is very small in felids. We saw no clear relationship between muscle dimensions and carcass-processing behavior. Rather, body size correlates nearly perfectly (r2 = 0.966-0.981) with individual muscle mass for all muscles studied. Thus, the weight of any masticatory muscle gives a better estimate of body weight than most traditional proxies. As such, the correlation of muscle mass and osteological markers has important implications for estimation of extinct felid body size. Other aspects of muscle architecture may yield behavioral information.