Adaptations for Climbing in North American Multituberculates (Mammalia)
Adaptations for Climbing in North American Multituberculates (Mammalia)
复制标题
北美多疣动物（哺乳动物）的攀爬适应
作者：
F. Jenkins;D. Krause
最近发现的翼龙骨架展示了多种攀爬特性。对北美白垩纪和早新生代多瘤动物颅后骨骼的调查揭示了类似的运动特化。多疣动物具有独特的跗骨适应能力，适应树栖哺乳动物头朝下从树上下来的一系列踏板活动特征。发散的拇趾可以独立于其他手指移动。翼龙的长而粗壮的尾巴具有肌肉骨骼特征，在现存的哺乳动物中，这些特征与捕食能力有关。
A recently discovered skeleton of Ptilodus exhibits several specializations for climbing. A survey of postcranial bones of Cretaceous and early Cenozoic multituberculates from North America reveals similar locomotor specializations. Multituberculates possessed distinctive tarsal adaptations for a range of pedal mobility characteristic of arboreal mammals that descend trees headfirst. The divergent hallux could move independently of the other digits. The long robust tail of Ptilodus possessed musculoskeletal features that, among living mammals, are associated with prehensility.