Deciphering an extreme morphology: bone microarchitecture of the hero shrew backbone (Soricidae: Scutisorex )
Deciphering an extreme morphology: bone microarchitecture of the hero shrew backbone (Soricidae: Scutisorex )
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破译极端形态：英雄鼩鼱脊椎骨的微结构（鼩鼱科：Scutisorex）
DOI：
10.1098/rspb.2020.0457
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发表时间：
2020
期刊：
影响因子：
--
通讯作者：
Angielczyk, Kenneth D.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Smith, Stephanie M.;Angielczyk, Kenneth D.
具有极端形态的生物结构令人困惑，因为它们通常缺乏明显的功能，并且难以与具有更典型形状的同源或类似特征进行比较。这种极端形态型的一个例子是英雄鼩（Scutisorex）独特的修改过的脊柱，其特征是许多附属的椎间关节和大量扩张的横突。这些椎骨结构的功能尚不清楚，很难将它们与具有已知行为模式和脊柱适应性的动物的椎骨进行有意义的比较。在这里，我们使用椎体中心的骨小梁结构和定量的外部椎骨形态来阐明可能作用于Scutisorex和另一个未修改的椎骨（Crocidura goliath）的大鼩的脊柱上的力。胸腰椎的X射线显微计算机断层扫描（µCT）显示Scutisorex thori在结构上介于C.巨人山S.有些在内部和外部，两种Scutisorexspecies都表现出骨小梁特征，表明体内轴向压缩载荷高于C。在压缩载荷下，Scutisorexvertebral形态适于在很大程度上限制向矢状面的弯曲（屈曲）。虽然这些发现并没有解决Scutisorexuses体内拜占庭棘的奥秘，但我们的工作表明了潜在的富有成效的新研究途径，以了解更多关于这个令人困惑的结构的功能。
Biological structures with extreme morphologies are puzzling because they often lack obvious functions and stymie comparisons to homologous or analogous features with more typical shapes. An example of such an extreme morphotype is the uniquely modified vertebral column of the hero shrewScutisorex, which features numerous accessory intervertebral articulations and massively expanded transverse processes. The function of these vertebral structures is unknown, and it is difficult to meaningfully compare them to vertebrae from animals with known behavioural patterns and spinal adaptations. Here, we use trabecular bone architecture of vertebral centra and quantitative external vertebral morphology to elucidate the forces that may act on the spine ofScutisorexand that of another large shrew with unmodified vertebrae (Crocidura goliath). X-ray micro-computed tomography (µCT) scans of thoracolumbar columns show thatScutisorex thoriis structurally intermediate betweenC. goliathandS. somereniinternally and externally, and bothScutisorexspecies exhibit trabecular bone characteristics indicative of higherin vivoaxial compressive loads thanC. goliath.Under compressive load,Scutisorexvertebral morphology is adapted to largely restrict bending to the sagittal plane (flexion). Although these findings do not solve the mystery of howScutisorexuses its byzantine spinein vivo, our work suggests potentially fruitful new avenues of investigation for learning more about the function of this perplexing structure.