Project 5522: A. M. CANDELA, N. A. MUÑOZ, C. M. GARCÍA-ESPONDA, S. F. VIZCAÍNO. 2024. Evolutionary trends of caviomorph rodents as elucidated using their oldest foot anatomy. Papers in Palaeontology. (In Press)
Specimen: † Neoreomys
View: Medial view of foot

Abstract

Extant caviomorph rodents exhibit a wide array of locomotor types and substrate preferences, which are reflected in their foot morphology. It is not known when these patterns were established or how they evolved in this taxonomically and ecologically diverse clade. We studied the anatomy of the earliest preserved feet of caviomorphs represented by the late Oligocene stem octodontoid Platypittamys and the Early Miocene cavioid Neoreomys, stem octodontoid Sciamys and erethizontoid Steiromys. Integrating information provided by extant species, we performed qualitative and geometric
morphometric analyses, reconstructing ancestral morphologies to interpret the evolution of the foot of caviomorphs through a time-scaled phylogeny, and infer locomotor behaviours. We identified an important morphological disparity in these early genera that is explained by the presence of different locomotor adaptations and phylogenetic signal at different taxonomic levels. Neoreomys was probably generalized ambulatory, Steiromys possibly scansorial, Platypittamys possibly ambulatory with digging abilities, and Sciamys was probably agile ambulatory–scansorial. Our study indicated that several foot features can distinguish higher taxonomic groups of caviomorphs, at least since the Early Miocene. Early in their history, morphological constraints would have limited the capacity of evolutionary change more markedly in Cavioidea and Chinchillidae. In Cavioidea, at least two evolutionary trends were detected. Among octodontoids, extant octodontids and Platypittamys showed convergent anatomical patterns. Erethizontoidea retained a foot essentially unchanged since the Early Miocene after acquiring a noteworthy evolutionary innovation. In sum, the earliest foot morphologies of caviomorphs are very important in identifying evolutionary tendencies and the origin of their postcranial disparity.


Project DOI: 10.7934/P5522, http://dx.doi.org/10.7934/P5522
This project containsMatrices
  • 4 Media
  • 1 Matrix
  • 29 Taxa
  • 1 Specimen
  • 17 Characters
Total size of project's media files: 3.34M

Download Project SDD File
Total scored cells: 475
Total media associated with cells: 0
Total labels associated with cell media: 0
Characters
Total characters: 17
Total characters with associated media: 0
Total characters with media with labels: 0
Total character states: 39
Total character states with associated media: 0
Total character states with media with labels:0
Total unordered/ordered characters:1/16
Currently Viewing:
MorphoBank Project 5522
  • Creation Date:
    26 September 2024
  • Publication Date:
    11 November 2024
  • Matrix downloads: 3

    Authors' Institutions

    • Museo de La Plata

    • Universidad Nacional de la Plata (UNLP)



    Members

    member name taxa specimens media chars character
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    (scored, NPA, "-")
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    Nahuel Muñoz
    Project Administrator
    29141700475
    (446, 0, 29)
    000


    Taxonomic Overview for Matrix 'M30182' (29 Taxa)

    taxon unscored
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    [1] Hystrix
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [2] † Steiromys
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    2141401001
    [3] Coendou
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [4] Erethizon
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [5] Myocastor
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [6] Proechimys
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [7] Euryzygomatomys
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [8] Clyomys
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [9] Dactylomys
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [10] † Platypittamys
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    5111101001
    [11] † Sciamys
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    5111101001
    [12] Ctenomys
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [13] Tympanoctomys
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [14] Octomys
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [15] Octodontomys
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [16] Dinomys
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    3131301001
    [17] Chinchilla
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [18] Lagidium
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [19] Lagostomus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [20] † Neoreomys
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    3131301001
    [21] Cuniculus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [22] Hydrochoerus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [23] Dasyprocta
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [24] Myoprocta
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [25] Dolichotis
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [26] Pediolagus
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [27] Cavia
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [28] Microcavia
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001
    [29] Galea
    Taxon name last Modified on 09/27/24
    0161601001


    Project downloads

    type number of downloads Individual items downloaded (where applicable)
    Total downloads from project4
    Matrix downloads3Tarsal data matrix Candela et al. (3 downloads);
    Project downloads1