Search publications of the members of the Royal Belgian institute of natural Sciences
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Is vertebral shape variability in caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona) constrained by forces experienced during burrowing?
- Caecilians are predominantly burrowing, elongate, limbless amphibians that have been relatively poorly studied. Although it has been suggested that the sturdy and compact skulls of caecilians are an adaptation to their head-first burrowing habits, no clear relationship between skull shape and burrowing performance appears to exist. However, the external forces encountered during burrowing are transmitted by the skull to the vertebral column, and, as such, may impact vertebral shape. Additionally, the muscles that generate the burrowing forces attach onto the vertebral column and consequently may impact vertebral shape that way as well. Here, we explored the relationships between vertebral shape and maximal in vivo push forces in 13 species of caecilian amphibians. Our results show that the shape of the two most anterior vertebrae, as well as the shape of the vertebrae at 90% of the total body length, is not correlated with peak push forces. Conversely, the shape of the third vertebrae, and the vertebrae at 20% and 60% of the total body length, does show a relationship to push forces measured in vivo. Whether these relationships are indirect (external forces constraining shape variation) or direct (muscle forces constraining shape variation) remains unclear and will require quantitative studies of the axial musculature. Importantly, our data suggest that mid-body vertebrae may potentially be used as proxies to infer burrowing capacity in fossil representatives.
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Regional differences in vertebral shape along the axial skeleton in caecilians (Amphibia: Gymnophiona)
- Abstract Caecilians are elongate, limbless and annulated amphibians that, as far as is known, all have an at least partly fossorial lifestyle. It has been suggested that elongate limbless vertebrates show little morphological differentiation throughout the postcranial skeleton. However, relatively few studies have explored the axial skeleton in limbless tetrapods. In this study, we used μCT data and three-dimensional geometric morphometrics to explore regional differences in vertebral shape across a broad range of caecilian species. Our results highlight substantial differences in vertebral shape along the axial skeleton, with anterior vertebrae being short and bulky, whereas posterior vertebrae are more elongated. This study shows that despite being limbless, elongate tetrapods such as caecilians still show regional heterogeneity in the shape of individual vertebrae along the vertebral column. Further studies are needed, however, to understand the possible causes and functional consequences of the observed variation in vertebral shape in caecilians.
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When and where to apply for permits in Belgium when studying insects
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Spinnen en loopkevers ingezameld tijdens een korte bodemvalbemostering te Doeveren (Zedelgem-Oostkamp).
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Spinnen in de Swal in Koekelare.
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De spinnenfauna van enkele Rode dopheidegebieden nabij Brugge: deel 3 : bemonstering in Natuurreservaat Ter Heyde (Sint-Andries) in 2016-2017
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De spinnenfauna van enkele Rode dopheidegebieden nabij Brugge: deel 4: drie jaar bemonsteringen in Natuurreservaat Zevenkerken in 2014 - 2015 - 2016
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New species and records of terrestrial slugs from East Africa (Gastropoda, Urocyclidae, Veronicellidae, Agriolimacidae)
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Voorname bezoekers: een blik op het Leopold III-Fonds
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Origin of nitrogen in the English Channel and Southern Bight of the North Sea ecosystems
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Assessment of the ecological implications when installing an SRA between Belgium and the Netherlands
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Do man-made structures impact the connectivity patterns of hard substrate species in the North Sea?
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Impact of climate change on connectivity and larval recruitment of sole in the North Sea
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Water and sediment circulation in the ports of Zeebruge and Ostend
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Climate change impacts on storm-surges and waves on the Belgian Continental Shelf
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Ostrea edulis restoration in Belgian Part of the North Sea: Feasibility study
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developing IOT sensors to improve knowledge and safety of the marine and lacustrine waters in Benin
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Evaluating the effects of man-made structures on the functioning of the benthic system in the North Sea
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Restoring European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) beds in Belgian waters: a feasibility study
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MSFD – D5 Eutrophication
