The pelvis as an anatomical indicator for facultative bipedality and substrate use in lepidosaurs

Grinham, Luke R. and Norman, David B. (2019) The pelvis as an anatomical indicator for facultative bipedality and substrate use in lepidosaurs. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 120. ISSN 0024-4066 DOI https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blz190

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Abstract

Facultative bipedality is regarded as an enigmatic middle ground in the evolution of obligate bipedality and is associated with high mechanical demands in extant lepidosaurs. Traits linked with this phenomenon are largely associated with the caudal end of the animal: hindlimbs and tail. The articulation of the pelvis with both of these structures suggests a morphofunctional role in the use of a facultative locomotor mode. Using a three-dimensional geometric morphometric approach, we examine the pelvic osteology and associated functional implications for 34 species of extant lepidosaur. Anatomical trends associated with the use of a bipedal locomotor mode and substrate preferences are correlated and functionally interpreted based on musculoskeletal descriptions. Changes in pelvic osteology associated with a facultatively bipedal locomotor mode are similar to those observed in species preferring arboreal substrates, indicating shared functionality between these ecologies.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	2019AREP; IA76
Subjects:	04 - Palaeobiology
Divisions:	04 - Palaeobiology 08 - Green Open Access 12 - PhD
Journal or Publication Title:	Biological Journal of the Linnean Society
Volume:	120
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1093/biolinnean/blz190
Depositing User:	Sarah Humbert
Date Deposited:	24 Jan 2020 13:40
Last Modified:	24 Jan 2020 13:40
URI:	http://eprints.esc.cam.ac.uk/id/eprint/4615

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