Abstract
La rata gigante africana (Cricetomys gambianus) y la rata de caña africana (Thryonomys swinderianus) tienen conformación corporal similar y biomas similares. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo comparar los parámetros mandibulares en adultos de ambas especies. Para ello usamos 9 puntos de referencia mandibulares laterales en machos de T. swinderianus (n = 11) y C. gambianus (n = 12) analizándolos mediante morfometría geométrica. T. swinderianus presentó un coronoides equivalente al cóndilo y un proceso angular desplazado más caudal, mientras que los dientes de mejilla son menos prominentes y más cortos en C. gambianus. Este estudio puede ser útil para resolver ambigüedades filogenéticas, vigilancia de fauna y control con la edad de la población, formulación de raciones de especies en cautiverio, y eco- migración. Creemos que esta es la primera vez en que la comparación mandibular de estos roedores permite inferir preferencias ecológicas en la dieta con base en la forma de la mandíbula
Highlights
RESUMEN: Comparación de la morfología geométrica de la mandíbula de dos roedores africanos, Thryonomys swinderianus y Cricetomys gambianus (Rodentia: Thryonomyidae y Nesomyidae)
This study may be useful in solving phylogenetic ambiguities, wildlife surveillance and age-population control, ration formulation in captive species, and eco-migration. This is the first time to our knowledge that geometric morphometric comparison of mandibles in these African rodents has enabled an inference of ecological preferences in diet based on mandible shape
Higher cheek teeth and surface for M. pterygoideus lateralis muscle in T. swinderianus is a discriminant factor of diet adaptation which favours fibrous diet type during the drier seasons compared to the reverse in C. gambianus mandibles
Summary
RESUMEN: Comparación de la morfología geométrica de la mandíbula de dos roedores africanos, Thryonomys swinderianus y Cricetomys gambianus (Rodentia: Thryonomyidae y Nesomyidae). The African giant pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus) and the greater cane rat or African cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus) are separated along family lines (Nesomydae and Thryonomydae, respectively) despite a similar morphology These rodents inhabit Liberian coasts in the west to east African countries such as Kenya, Tanzania, and Gabon, and have been reported in the South African enclave (Ajayi, 1977; Hammond et al, 1999). Literary information on head morphology of the T. swinderianus and C. gambianus is rare despite an abundance of similar works in other small mammals, such as mole rat (Vinogradov & Argirnopulo, 1941), mink (Dursun & Tirpirdamaz, 1989), rabbit (De Abreu et al, 2006; Samuels, 2009), African giant pouched rat (Olude et al, 2011) and jirds, among others. Relevant data obtained will be useful in bridging knowledge gap in the comparative mandibular-macro morphology between C. gambianus and T. swinderianus as well in solving taxonomic challenges
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