Does fast running limit numerical variability of the vertebral column in rabbits and hares (Leporidae: Lagomorpha)?
In mammalian vertebral columns, locomotive ability is expected to be an evolutionary driver of variation in the number of vertebrae; in species evolved to run fast or have a flexible vertebral column, they generally have limited numerical variation and low occurrence of malformed vertebrae to mainta...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
The Royal Society
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241813 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832583189846032384 |
|---|---|
| author | Megu Gunji Nuttakorn Taewcharoen Fumio Yamada Emma Sherratt |
| author_facet | Megu Gunji Nuttakorn Taewcharoen Fumio Yamada Emma Sherratt |
| author_sort | Megu Gunji |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In mammalian vertebral columns, locomotive ability is expected to be an evolutionary driver of variation in the number of vertebrae; in species evolved to run fast or have a flexible vertebral column, they generally have limited numerical variation and low occurrence of malformed vertebrae to maintain their running performance. Although this hypothesis is supported among species sharing similar locomotive constraints (e.g. dorsomobile versus dorsostable species), whether it applies at the within-species level is unknown. We test this hypothesis using species of Leporidae (rabbits and hares) with different locomotive abilities: we examined the number of presacral vertebrae and the frequency of abnormalities in 504 specimens from 4 species, representing cursorial, saltatorial and generalist modes. Our results show that the cursorial leporids had the lowest numerical variability and fewest abnormalities within species, although this was not statistically different from saltatorial or generalist species. We also identified 11 conditions of vertebral abnormality previously unexplored and theorize that each may pose different degrees of locomotive impairment and effects on species’ fitness. The lack of statistical support for the hypothesis at a finer phylogenetic level suggests further research is needed to understand whether numerical variability is under stabilizing selection or a developmental response to locomotive constraints in cursorial animals. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c3c841d8a63949e5a3110d4790aceb72 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-c3c841d8a63949e5a3110d4790aceb722025-01-29T00:06:33ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032025-01-0112110.1098/rsos.241813Does fast running limit numerical variability of the vertebral column in rabbits and hares (Leporidae: Lagomorpha)?Megu Gunji0Nuttakorn Taewcharoen1Fumio Yamada2Emma Sherratt3Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, Toyo University, Saitama 351-0007, JapanSchool of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, AustraliaOkinawa University, Kokuba 555, Naha, Okinawa 902-0075, JapanSchool of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, Engineering and Technology, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia 5005, AustraliaIn mammalian vertebral columns, locomotive ability is expected to be an evolutionary driver of variation in the number of vertebrae; in species evolved to run fast or have a flexible vertebral column, they generally have limited numerical variation and low occurrence of malformed vertebrae to maintain their running performance. Although this hypothesis is supported among species sharing similar locomotive constraints (e.g. dorsomobile versus dorsostable species), whether it applies at the within-species level is unknown. We test this hypothesis using species of Leporidae (rabbits and hares) with different locomotive abilities: we examined the number of presacral vertebrae and the frequency of abnormalities in 504 specimens from 4 species, representing cursorial, saltatorial and generalist modes. Our results show that the cursorial leporids had the lowest numerical variability and fewest abnormalities within species, although this was not statistically different from saltatorial or generalist species. We also identified 11 conditions of vertebral abnormality previously unexplored and theorize that each may pose different degrees of locomotive impairment and effects on species’ fitness. The lack of statistical support for the hypothesis at a finer phylogenetic level suggests further research is needed to understand whether numerical variability is under stabilizing selection or a developmental response to locomotive constraints in cursorial animals.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241813intraspecific variationtransitional vertebraanomalyperformance |
| spellingShingle | Megu Gunji Nuttakorn Taewcharoen Fumio Yamada Emma Sherratt Does fast running limit numerical variability of the vertebral column in rabbits and hares (Leporidae: Lagomorpha)? Royal Society Open Science intraspecific variation transitional vertebra anomaly performance |
| title | Does fast running limit numerical variability of the vertebral column in rabbits and hares (Leporidae: Lagomorpha)? |
| title_full | Does fast running limit numerical variability of the vertebral column in rabbits and hares (Leporidae: Lagomorpha)? |
| title_fullStr | Does fast running limit numerical variability of the vertebral column in rabbits and hares (Leporidae: Lagomorpha)? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Does fast running limit numerical variability of the vertebral column in rabbits and hares (Leporidae: Lagomorpha)? |
| title_short | Does fast running limit numerical variability of the vertebral column in rabbits and hares (Leporidae: Lagomorpha)? |
| title_sort | does fast running limit numerical variability of the vertebral column in rabbits and hares leporidae lagomorpha |
| topic | intraspecific variation transitional vertebra anomaly performance |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.241813 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT megugunji doesfastrunninglimitnumericalvariabilityofthevertebralcolumninrabbitsandharesleporidaelagomorpha AT nuttakorntaewcharoen doesfastrunninglimitnumericalvariabilityofthevertebralcolumninrabbitsandharesleporidaelagomorpha AT fumioyamada doesfastrunninglimitnumericalvariabilityofthevertebralcolumninrabbitsandharesleporidaelagomorpha AT emmasherratt doesfastrunninglimitnumericalvariabilityofthevertebralcolumninrabbitsandharesleporidaelagomorpha |