The hyoid, laryngeal and pharyngeal regions of bathyergid and other selected rodents.

Abstract

The morphology of the hyoid, laryngeal and pharyngeal regions of the following rodent genera was studied: Cryptomys, Bathyergus, Georychus, Heliophobius, Heterocephalus, Ctenomys, Petromus, Thryonomys, Geomys, Cannomys, and Tachyoryctes. A number of morphological conditions unique to bathyergids, and associated with the use of the head and lower incisors in burrowing are described. The conditions include the formation of functional complexes of MM. sterno-geniohyoideus and omo-mylohyoideus, the presence of a unique deep oblique part of M. transversus mandibulae and a strong separate slip of M. platysma myoides pars mentalis. The hyoid skeleton is modified to allow the muscle complexes to act independently of the basihyal bone, and to allow the unusually protrusible tongue to be withdrawn. The nerves of the jugular foramen do not form a true pharyngeal plexus, and their configuration is influenced by the absence of a well developed internal carotid artery in hystricognaths. The morphology of the regions studied indicates a natural grouping of bathyergids, but one in which Heterocephalus is somewhat separate from the remaining bathyergid genera. The grouping of bathyergids and New and Old World hystricognath rodents into a suborder Hystricognatha is supported.