The Axial Musculature of the Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens)

Abstract

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is an endangered, scansorial carnivore found in the forests of the Himalayas and southern China. The phylogeny of the red panda has been the subject of debate, with molecular and morphological studies indicating a number of possible relationships, including affinities to ursids, procyonids, mustelids, and mephitids. The myology of the red panda, however, remains largely undocumented. The axial muscles of the red panda were evaluated to determine whether any evolutionary affinities with suggested relatives existed, and whether any adaptations to the red panda's scansorial lifestyle were present in these muscles. Two adult red pandas were dissected and photodocumented. The axial musculature of Ailurus was then compared to other carnivores. The dissections revealed several interesting findings. For example, m. biventer cervicis was found to have six tendinous intersections, similar to those found in the mm. rectus abdominis and likely allowing precise movement of the neck just as the rectus muscles allow for precise movements of the trunk. The comparison of the axial musculature of the red panda to that of other carnivores also revealed interesting findings; for example, the red panda had several differences from the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), including a more superficial m. splenius with a significantly more cranial origin.Support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute through the Undergraduate Science Education Program and from the ASU School of Life Sciences.