Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA90095-1606, USA.
J Evol Biol. 2009 Nov;22(11):2278-87. doi: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01845.x. Epub 2009 Sep 29.
Allometric patterns of skull-shape variation can have significant impacts on cranial mechanics and feeding performance, but have received little attention in previous studies. Here, we examine the impacts of allometric skull-shape variation on feeding capabilities in the cat family (Felidae) with linear morphometrics and finite element analysis. Our results reveal that relative bite force diminishes slightly with increasing skull size, and that the skulls of the smallest species undergo the least strain during biting. However, larger felids are able to produce greater gapes for a given angle of jaw opening, and they have overall stronger skulls. The two large felids in this study achieved increased cranial strength by increasing skull bone volume relative to surface area. Allometry of skull geometry in large felids reflects a trade-off between the need to increase gape to access larger prey while maintaining the ability to resist unpredictable loading when taking large, struggling prey.
形态异速生长模式对颅骨力学和进食性能有重要影响，但在以往研究中很少受到关注。本研究运用线性形态测量法和有限元分析法，探讨了猫科动物（Felidae）颅骨形状异速生长对进食能力的影响。结果表明，相对咬合力随颅骨尺寸的增加而略有减小，最小物种的颅骨在咬噬过程中所受的应变最小。然而，较大的猫科动物能够在给定的颌开口角度下产生更大的张口幅度，并且它们的颅骨整体更为强壮。本研究中的两种大型猫科动物通过增加颅骨骨量与表面积的比值来增加颅骨强度。大型猫科动物颅骨几何形态的异速生长反映了在增大张口幅度以获取较大猎物的需求与在取食较大、挣扎猎物时保持抵抗不可预测负荷的能力之间的权衡。
