Abstract
In vivo bone strain data are the most direct evidence of deformation and strain regimes in the vertebrate cranium during feeding and can provide important insights into skull morphology. Strain data have been collected during feeding across a wide range of mammals; in contrast, in vivo cranial bone strain data have been collected from few sauropsid taxa. Here we present bone strain data recorded from the jugal of the herbivorous agamid lizard Uromastyx geyri along with simultaneously recorded bite force. Principal and shear strain magnitudes in Uromastyx geyri were lower than cranial bone strains recorded in Alligator mississippiensis, but higher than those reported from herbivorous mammals. Our results suggest that variations in principal strain orientations in the facial skeleton are largely due to differences in feeding behavior and bite location, whereas food type has little impact on strain orientations. Furthermore, mean principal strain orientations differ between male and female Uromastyx during feeding, potentially because of sexual dimorphism in skull morphology.
Highlights
IntroductionIn vivo bone strains provide direct evidence of strain regimes (sensu Ross et al, 2011) in skeletal structures during function
In vivo bone strains provide direct evidence of strain regimes in skeletal structures during function
We present simultaneous bone strains and bite forces obtained during feeding in Uromastyx geyri Müller 1922; these data represent the first measurements of in vivo cranial bone strain obtained for an herbivorous sauropsid
Summary
In vivo bone strains provide direct evidence of strain regimes (sensu Ross et al, 2011) in skeletal structures during function. Strain orientations are used to reveal the load transfer path and infer the deformation regime of the skull, while variations in strain magnitude highlight areas that are more or less subjected to deformation and adapted to resist feeding forces.
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